What is a Patent Bet?

A Patent is a full-cover system bet on 3 selections consisting of 7 bets: 3 singles, 3 doubles, and 1 treble. It is the smallest full-cover bet that includes singles, which means even a single winner returns something — making it the most forgiving 3-selection system bet available.

The Patent is the 3-selection equivalent of the Lucky 15 (4 selections) and the cheapest way to fully cover three selections while guaranteeing that any winning selection pays out.

Patent vs Trixie

The Trixie is a 3-selection system bet of 4 bets (3 doubles + 1 treble) with no singles. A Trixie requires 2 winners for any return; a Patent needs only 1. The extra 3 singles in a Patent add 75% to the total stake cost but provide meaningful insurance against an almost-right day when only one selection lands.

If you have three solid selections and would prefer to lose less when two of them win but the third lets you down, the Patent's singles add little protection over the Trixie in that scenario — the value is specifically in the single-winner scenario.

How to Use the Patent Calculator

Enter your unit stake (total cost = 7 x unit stake; a £2 Patent costs £14)
Enter the odds for each of your 3 selections in any format
Mark which selections won
Read your total return broken down by singles, doubles, and treble

The Maths: A Patent Example

£2 unit stake Patent, total cost £14. Three horse racing selections at decimal odds 4.0, 3.5, and 4.5. All three win.

Single A: £2 x 4.0 = £8
Single B: £2 x 3.5 = £7
Single C: £2 x 4.5 = £9
Double AB: £2 x (4.0 x 3.5) = £2 x 14.0 = £28
Double AC: £2 x (4.0 x 4.5) = £2 x 18.0 = £36
Double BC: £2 x (3.5 x 4.5) = £2 x 15.75 = £31.50
Treble ABC: £2 x (4.0 x 3.5 x 4.5) = £2 x 63.0 = £126
Total return: £245.50 from £14 staked (£231.50 profit)

If only selection A wins (4.0 decimal): Single A pays £8 from a £14 total outlay. A £6 net loss — but significantly better than a total £14 loss.

If selections A and B win: Doubles AB + Singles A and B pay: £28 + £8 + £7 = £43 from £14 staked (£29 profit).

Tips and Strategies

Use the Patent when one of your three selections feels vulnerable. The singles mean you get something back even if two selections lose — unlike the Trixie.
Patents are excellent for each-way use in horse racing. An each-way Patent doubles the bets to 14 but covers placed positions in all singles, doubles, and the treble. In competitive handicaps with place terms of 1/4 or 1/5, placed horses can generate meaningful each-way returns.
Compare Patent versus three singles. Three singles at the same unit stake cost the same in total as three-sevenths of a Patent's total cost, but offer no combination benefit. The Patent's doubles and treble are what add value when multiple selections win.
The Patent is ideal for moderate-confidence trebles. When you want the insurance of singles but still want the treble if all three deliver.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many bets is a Patent? 7 bets: 3 singles, 3 doubles, and 1 treble from 3 selections.

What is the cheapest full-cover system bet with singles? The Patent — 7 bets from 3 selections. Moving to 4 selections gives you a Lucky 15 (15 bets), which is more than double the cost.

When should I choose a Patent over a Trixie? Choose a Patent when you want insurance that even one winner returns something. Choose a Trixie when you are confident in at least two of your three selections and want the lower total cost of just 4 bets.

Is a Patent available each way? Yes. An each-way Patent doubles the number of bets to 14 — 7 win bets and 7 place bets at the same unit stake.

Can I place a Patent on football? Yes. Patents can be placed on any market where three separate event selections can be combined — football match results, correct scores, first goalscorer markets, and so on.