The first of (hopefully) many Bet Builder reviews takes us to Wembley, for what should be a straightforward England win, as the Three Lions look to build on their 2-0 victory over Albania to open the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

Last time out

History was made as Myles Lewis-Skelly became the youngest-ever goalscoring debutant for the senior England team, with Harry Kane’s now almost customary goal sealing a comfortable win later on. In turn, the Three Lions are now unbeaten in 32 World Cup qualifiers dating back to October 2009.

The odds

The expectation is that Monday’s clash with Latvia will be just another straightforward addition, and the odds reflect this, with England ranging between 1/100 and 1/33 to win.

Latvia’s shortest price to spring the ultimate shock is 25/1, and for context, that is around 1/12th of the chance Reform have of winning the next UK general election. Meanwhile, the best price for a draw is currently 17/2.

Thus, creativity is the order of the day for anyone to have a chance of a decent payout. So here’s one set Bet Builder that particularly catches the eye, with the pros and cons weighed up alongside two alternatives.

England to Win, Over 4.5 Goals, Harry Kane to Score First (7/1 @ BetVictor)

The 7/1 price is a boost from 6/1, and the fact that one of the legs (the England win) is virtually assured makes it all the more attractive. Kane’s presence on it is also reassuring too of course, as he’s netted in each of England’s previous six home wins, notching up eight goals within that period.

However, the last seven of those particular goals came after the break, with just two of them being registered before the 75th minute. Combined with the potential for Tuchel to experiment as all new managers do, and undertake some rotation against such weak opposition, backing Kane to score first may be more risky than usual.

As for the ‘Over 4.5’ part of this Bet Builder, the likelihood of some fringe names being included also detracts from the sense of confidence England bettors would normally have in the Three Lions getting a glut of goals – even if they did destroy Ireland 5-0 as recently as November 2024, when finishing the UEFA Nations League home campaign in style under Lee Carsley.

Conclusion

The Kane element detracts from what seems like a decent price at face value. There are more variables than usual at play, given the poor quality of the opposition in the face of a megastar like Kane. On this occasion, treat the 7/1 price with caution and go for something else, though there’s certainly inspiration to take from it.

Alternate options

With odds crafted using the same bookmaker’s Bet Builder facility, these are the suggested alternate picks.

Safe option

HT/FT: England/England, England Over 3.5 Goals, Kane to score 2+ (13/5)

Each of England’s last five World Cup qualification home wins have come after a HT lead, so this seems like a safe start to this three-storey bet. Even a rotated side should cover the ‘Over 3.5’ segment, and Kane has the potential to do damage as ever, even if he doesn’t play the full 90 minutes.

Bold option

England to Win Both Halves, England over 4.5 goals, Solanke to Score First, Kane to Score Anytime (21/2)

England should win both halves, and there’s reason to believe that Solanke would be the biggest beneficiary of any rotation in the final third, ensuring that this ‘bold’ call remains within the boundaries of reality.