Six Picks, £50 to Win: Star Sports Launches Free-to-Play Build-A-Bet Predictor

Star Sports has added a new twist to football predictions with its Build-A-Bet Predictor, a free-to-play game that gives customers the chance to turn their football knowledge into £50 in Free Bets.

Rather than simply asking players to predict a score or pick a match winner, the Predictor is built around one of the most popular ways to bet on football. Players are challenged to predict six different Build-A-Bet markets, bringing several elements of the match together and making every selection count.

There are already two upcoming games available. First up is Croatia v England in the Nations League, with the round starting on 3 October at 5pm and a £50 Free Bet available to the match winner. That is followed by a huge Premier League edition featuring Liverpool v Manchester City, starting on 11 October at 4.30pm, where the weekly winner can also collect a £50 Free Bet.

Six Predictions. One Big Football Challenge.

The format is refreshingly straightforward. Log in to Star Sports, head to the Predictor and choose the available game you want to play. From there, you need to make predictions across six Build-A-Bet markets before submitting your entry.

It makes for a more interesting challenge than a traditional score predictor. Instead of concentrating solely on which team will win, players have to think about different aspects of the game and decide how they expect the action to unfold across the 90 minutes.

There is no need to worry about committing to your selections too early either. Predictions can be changed or edited as many times as you like before entries close, with your final submitted selections becoming your official entry. Only one entry per customer is allowed in each round.

Croatia v England Up First

The next available challenge takes the Predictor onto the international stage for Croatia v England in the Nations League.

The round starts on 3 October at 5pm, with players tasked with predicting six Build-A-Bet markets from the game. The match winner receives a £50 Free Bet, giving England fans and anyone who fancies their chances of reading the game correctly something extra to play for without having to stake any money to enter.

International football can provide a very different prediction challenge to the Premier League, particularly when familiar players come together in different systems and line-ups. Getting six markets right will require more than simply deciding which country you expect to win.

Then It’s Liverpool v Manchester City

The Predictor then turns its attention back to the Premier League, and Star Sports has picked a blockbuster fixture for its next round: Liverpool v Manchester City.

The round starts on 11 October at 4.30pm, with another six Build-A-Bet predictions to make and another £50 Free Bet available to the weekly winner.

It is exactly the type of fixture that suits the Predictor format. With two of English football's biggest sides involved, there should be plenty to consider beyond the final result when making the six selections.

Having both games available also shows how Star Sports can move the Predictor around the football calendar. International matches, Premier League clashes and other major fixtures can each provide a completely new set of markets and a fresh chance to play.

Free to Play for Star Sports Customers

The big attraction is that Star Sports Predictor is completely free to play. There is no qualifying bet or entry fee listed for the game, although players need an active Star Sports account and must meet the promotion's eligibility requirements.

The Predictor is open to eligible UK and Republic of Ireland residents aged 18 or over with an active, registered Star Sports account. Self-excluded customers, those enrolled in nationwide gambling-prevention schemes and customers with accounts restricted from Star Sports promotions are excluded.

Entries need to be submitted before the scheduled start of the relevant round. If you get your predictions in early and then change your mind, you can edit them right up until entries close.

£50 Free Bets Up for Grabs

Both of the upcoming Build-A-Bet Predictor games advertise a £50 Free Bet prize, giving players something worthwhile to chase from a competition that costs nothing to enter.

Free Bets awarded through Star Sports Predictor are valid for seven days from being credited and can be used on eligible online Star Sports markets. They can be placed as a single bet or split across multiple bets, although they must be placed separately from real-money bets.

As with most Free Bet promotions, returns are paid on a profit-only basis, so the Free Bet stake itself isn't returned with any winnings. Free Bets cannot be exchanged or withdrawn as cash, while anything left unused after the expiry period will be removed.

More Than a One Off Predictor

The format has the potential to become particularly interesting as more rounds are added. Instead of one competition running across an entire season, Star Sports can use individual matches to create completely different Predictor challenges.

The platform includes Upcoming, Live and Finished sections, while results and points are calculated after each round. Leaderboards display rankings and points earned, and previous rounds can also be viewed in-game.

There are social features built in too, with options to create, join and share, adding another dimension for players who want to get friends involved and compare their football predictions.

Get Your Six Picks In

Football fans rarely need much encouragement to give their opinion on what is going to happen in a big match, and the Star Sports Build-A-Bet Predictor gives them a chance to put those opinions to the test without having to place a bet.

With Croatia v England and Liverpool v Manchester City both coming up next, there are already two very different challenges waiting. Pick your six Build-A-Bet markets, submit your predictions before the deadline and see how your football judgement stacks up.

It's free to play, there are £50 Free Bets to be won in each upcoming game, and all it takes is six predictions. If you enjoy free prediction games, our Goals Galore game is another one worth a look.