What Is Request a Price in Betting?

Request a price is a feature offered by many UK bookmakers that allows bettors to request custom odds on specific betting combinations that may not be available as standard markets. Instead of being limited to pre-set odds and markets, you can propose your own unique bet combination and ask the bookmaker's traders to price it up and provide odds for your wager.

This feature has become increasingly popular among UK bettors because it puts you in control of your own betting experience. Rather than being restricted to what the bookmaker decides to offer, you can create exactly the bet you want — combining multiple selections from different markets or requesting odds on niche betting scenarios that wouldn't normally be available.

The Basic Definition

When you request a price, you're essentially proposing a bet to the bookmaker and asking their trading team to calculate fair odds for that specific combination. The bookmaker's traders will assess the probability of your selections occurring together, factor in their profit margin, and then either accept your request by providing odds or decline if they deem the request unfeasible or too risky.

For example, you might want to request a price on a combination like "England to win AND Harry Kane to score AND the match to have over 2.5 goals." While you might find each of these markets individually, the combined odds for this specific three-part bet wouldn't be readily available — so you request a price for it.

How Request a Price Differs From Request a Bet

While the terms "request a price" and "request a bet" are often used interchangeably, there is a subtle but important distinction between them:

Request a Price is specifically about requesting custom odds on a bet combination that may or may not exist as a standard market. The emphasis is on the odds — you're asking the bookmaker to calculate and provide a price for your specific selection.

Request a Bet is a broader term that encompasses requesting odds on any bet that isn't readily available, whether it's a price on a combination market or a single selection from a market that doesn't currently exist. Some bookmakers use "request a bet" to describe their entire custom betting service, while others distinguish between requesting a price (odds on existing market combinations) and requesting a bet (odds on entirely new market types).

In practical terms, when you use a bookmaker's request a price feature, you're engaging in request a bet functionality — the two terms largely overlap in modern betting terminology.

The History and Evolution of Request a Price

The request a price feature emerged in the early 2000s as online betting technology advanced and bookmakers gained access to real-time data about sporting events. Before this feature existed, bettors were entirely dependent on whatever markets and odds the bookmaker decided to offer. If you wanted a specific bet combination, you were out of luck.

The turning point came when major bookmakers like Betfair and Paddy Power recognized that offering customers the ability to request custom odds could be a competitive advantage. By leveraging advanced data analytics and automated odds-setting algorithms, bookmakers could quickly price up custom bets without significantly increasing their operational costs.

The feature gained mainstream adoption around 2010-2015, with most major UK bookmakers now offering some form of request a price functionality. The rise of social media also accelerated this — bookmakers began using Twitter hashtags like #YourOdds (William Hill), #WhatOddsPaddy (Paddy Power), and #PriceItUp (BetVictor) to make the process more interactive and user-friendly.

Today, request a price is considered a standard feature among top-tier UK bookmakers, and it's become an essential tool for experienced bettors who want to find value in the betting markets.

How Does Request a Price Work?

The Step-by-Step Process

Understanding the mechanics of requesting a price will help you use this feature more effectively. Here's exactly what happens when you submit a request a price:

The entire process typically takes anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on how busy the bookmaker's trading desk is and the complexity of your request.

How Bookmakers Calculate the Odds

When a trader receives your request a price, they don't simply add up the odds of your individual selections. Instead, they perform a more sophisticated calculation that accounts for the combined probability of all your selections occurring together.

The Basic Principle: Each individual selection has a probability of occurring. When you combine selections, the probability of all of them occurring together is lower than any single selection alone. Traders calculate this combined probability, then add their profit margin to determine the odds they'll offer you.

Example: If you request a price for "Team A to win (70% probability) AND Player B to score (50% probability) AND over 2.5 goals (60% probability)", the combined probability would be approximately 0.70 × 0.50 × 0.60 = 21%. The bookmaker might then offer odds that reflect a slightly lower probability (say 18-19%) to build in their margin, resulting in odds around 5.0-5.5.

Risk Assessment: Traders also consider whether your bet could create an unbalanced book. If too many customers request the same price on the same combination, the bookmaker could face significant losses if that bet wins. This is why some requests are declined — not because they're impossible, but because they're too risky from the bookmaker's perspective.

Market Conditions: The odds offered can also vary based on current market conditions. If a major injury is announced just before you request a price, or if significant money has already been placed on one side of a market, this can affect the odds you're offered.

What Types of Bets Can You Request a Price For?

Most bookmakers allow you to request a price for a wide variety of bet types and combinations:

• Accumulators: Multiple selections across different matches or events, all needing to win
• Correct Score: Combined with other selections (e.g., correct score AND player to score)
• Player Props: Combinations of player statistics (goals, assists, cards, etc.)
• Over/Under Totals: Combined with match outcomes or other markets
• Handicap Bets: Spread betting combined with other selections
• In-Play Requests: Requesting a price on live events as they unfold
• Niche Markets: Requests for markets that don't officially exist (e.g., "first player to be substituted off AND team to win")

The types of bets you can request depend on the bookmaker and the sport. Football is by far the most popular sport for request a price bets, but many bookmakers also accept requests for horse racing, tennis, basketball, and other sports.

Which Bookmakers Offer Request a Price?

Major UK Bookmakers and Their Request a Price Features

How to Request a Price on Different Platforms

Desktop/Website: Most bookmakers have a dedicated "Request a Price" section on their website. You simply select your combinations, fill in any additional details, and submit your request. The bookmaker's traders will then review it and respond with their offer.

Mobile App: Major bookmakers like Betfair, Sky Bet, and Paddy Power have integrated request a price functionality directly into their mobile apps. This is often the quickest and most convenient method for regular users.

Social Media: Several bookmakers actively monitor their Twitter accounts for price requests using specific hashtags. For example, if you tweet "@WilliamHill I want England to win AND Kane to score at #YourOdds", their trading team may respond with a link to accept their offered odds.

Email/Contact: Some bookmakers also accept requests via email or their live chat support, though this is typically slower than other methods.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Request a Price

Why Bettors Use Request a Price

Customization: The primary advantage is that you can create exactly the bet you want. If you have a specific prediction about how a match will unfold, you're not limited to pre-set markets — you can request a price for your exact scenario.

Finding Value: Experienced bettors use request a price to identify value opportunities. If you believe a certain combination is underpriced in the market, you can request a price and potentially get better odds than you'd find elsewhere.

Access to Niche Markets: Some betting ideas simply don't exist as standard markets. Request a price gives you access to these niche scenarios that would otherwise be impossible to bet on.

Control: Rather than accepting whatever odds the bookmaker decides to offer, you're negotiating directly with their traders. This puts you in a position of greater control.

Accumulator Flexibility: If you want to build a complex accumulator combining selections from multiple sports or markets, request a price allows you to do this seamlessly.

The Drawbacks and Limitations

Odds Quality: While request a price offers customization, the odds you're offered may not be as competitive as standard market odds. Bookmakers often price up custom requests with a larger margin to account for the additional risk and work involved.

Potential Rejection: There's no guarantee your request will be accepted. If traders deem your request too risky or unfeasible, they'll simply decline without offering odds. This can be frustrating if you've spent time building a specific bet combination.

Maximum Payouts: Most bookmakers impose maximum payout limits on request a price bets. While these limits are often high (£10,000-£100,000+), they can still be restrictive for high-stakes bettors.

Time Delays: Unlike standard markets where you can place a bet instantly, request a price requires traders to assess and price up your bet. This can take anywhere from minutes to hours, and during that time, odds and circumstances may change.

Account Restrictions: Some bookmakers restrict request a price access to certain customers or may limit the number of requests you can make if you're perceived as a sharp bettor.

Lack of Transparency: The odds calculation process isn't transparent. You don't always know why you were offered a particular price or why your request was declined.

Common Misconceptions About Request a Price

Myth #1: Request a Price Guarantees Better Odds

Many bettors assume that if they request a price, they'll automatically get better odds than the standard market. In reality, request a price odds are often worse than standard markets because bookmakers add a larger margin to account for the custom nature of the request. The advantage of request a price isn't better odds — it's access to bets that don't otherwise exist.

Myth #2: All Bookmakers Offer Request a Price

While most major UK bookmakers offer this feature, not all do. Smaller betting sites and some specialized bookmakers may not have the infrastructure or trading team to handle custom price requests. Always check the bookmaker's website to confirm they offer this service.

Myth #3: You Can Request Any Bet Combination

There are limits to what bookmakers will price. They won't offer odds on:

• Bets that are clearly one-sided or impossible
• Combinations involving correlated selections (e.g., "Team A to win AND Team A's goalkeeper to be sent off" — these events are related, making the odds difficult to calculate fairly)
• Requests they believe are from professional traders or syndicates
• Bets that would create excessive exposure for the bookmaker

Myth #4: Request a Price Is Only for Accumulators

While accumulators are the most common use case, request a price can be used for single bets on niche markets, player props, or any custom betting scenario. It's not limited to multi-selection bets.

Request a Price vs. Bet Builder: What's the Difference?

Key Differences in Functionality

While request a price and bet builder are related features, they serve different purposes:

When to Use Each Feature

Use Request a Price when:

• You want to combine selections that aren't available in the bet builder
• You're looking for a truly unique betting combination
• You want to request odds on niche or unusual scenarios
• You're willing to wait for trader response in exchange for customization

Use Bet Builder when:

• You want instant odds without waiting for trader approval
• You're building a bet within a single match
• You want the most competitive odds available
• You prefer simplicity and speed over customization

Most experienced bettors use both features depending on the situation. Bet builder is great for quick, straightforward custom bets, while request a price is essential when you have a specific betting idea that doesn't fit standard market parameters.

Tips for Successfully Requesting a Price

How to Increase Your Chances of Acceptance

Be Realistic: Request odds that reflect genuine probabilities. If you ask for odds that are obviously too generous, traders will either decline or offer much worse odds than you requested.

Avoid Correlated Selections: Don't request combinations where one selection is directly dependent on another. For example, "Team A to win AND Team A's top scorer to get injured" won't be accepted because these events are correlated.

Use Established Markets: Build your requests from selections that actually exist in the bookmaker's markets. This makes it easier for traders to price accurately.

Consider Timing: Request prices during quieter periods (early morning, weekday afternoons) when traders have more capacity to review requests carefully.

Build a Good Account History: Bookmakers are more willing to accept requests from customers with a clean betting history and reasonable stakes. If you've been flagged as a sharp bettor or professional, your requests may face more scrutiny.

Be Specific: Clearly describe your selections and the odds you're requesting. Ambiguous requests are more likely to be declined or misunderstood.

What to Do If Your Request Is Rejected

Understand the Reason: Some bookmakers will explain why they declined your request. Common reasons include:

• Correlated selections
• Unrealistic odds
• Risk management concerns
• Market unavailability

Try a Different Combination: Adjust your selections slightly and try again. Sometimes a small change (different player, different market) can make a request acceptable.

Try a Different Bookmaker: Different bookmakers have different risk tolerances and trader expertise. A request declined by one bookmaker might be accepted by another.

Use Bet Builder Instead: If your request is repeatedly declined, consider whether a bet builder or standard accumulator might achieve a similar outcome with available markets.

Appeal Politely: Some bookmakers allow you to politely ask their trading team to reconsider, especially if you can explain why your request is reasonable. However, don't be aggressive or demanding — traders have final say on what they'll price.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is request a price? Request a price is a bookmaker feature that allows you to request custom odds on specific betting combinations. You propose a bet combination, and the bookmaker's traders calculate and offer odds for that specific combination. If you accept the offered odds, your bet is placed at that price.

How long does it take to get a response to a request a price? Response times vary by bookmaker and how busy their trading desk is. Typically, you can expect a response anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. During busy periods (major sporting events), responses may take longer. Social media requests sometimes get faster responses than in-app requests.

Can I request a price on any bet combination? No. Bookmakers won't price requests that are clearly one-sided, involve correlated selections, or create excessive risk exposure. They also typically decline requests from customers they suspect are professional traders or syndicates.

What's the difference between request a price and bet builder? Request a price involves proposing a custom combination and waiting for traders to calculate odds, while bet builder instantly calculates odds for pre-defined combinations within a single match. Bet builder is faster but less customizable; request a price is more customizable but slower.

Are request a price odds better than standard market odds? Not typically. Request a price odds often have wider margins than standard markets because bookmakers charge for the custom pricing service. The advantage of request a price is access to bets that don't otherwise exist, not necessarily better odds.

Which bookmakers offer request a price? Most major UK bookmakers offer this feature, including Betfair (Odds On That), Paddy Power (What Odds Paddy), Sky Bet, William Hill (Your Odds), BetVictor (Price It Up), Betfred (Pick Your Punt), Coral (Your Call), and Ladbrokes (Get A Price).

Can I use free bets for request a price? This depends on the bookmaker's terms. Some allow free bets on request a price, while others restrict them to standard markets only. Check the specific bookmaker's terms and conditions.

What happens if my request a price bet wins? You receive your winnings based on the odds that were agreed upon when you placed the bet. The calculation is the same as any other bet: (stake × odds) - stake = profit.

Can a bookmaker change the odds after I've requested them? Once you've accepted the offered odds and placed the bet, the odds are locked in. However, if you haven't accepted yet and the traders change their offer, you'll see the new odds before confirming your bet.

Is request a price available on mobile? Yes. Most major bookmakers have integrated request a price into their mobile apps. Some also accept requests via Twitter or other social media platforms, which are easily accessible from mobile devices.

Related Terms

• Request a Bet
• Bet Builder
• Accumulator
• Specials
• Odds