What a Patent bet means

A Patent is a full-cover bet on three selections that produces 7 bets:

  • 3 singles
  • 3 doubles
  • 1 treble

It is a Trixie plus three singles. Those singles are the difference: with a Patent, one winner already returns money, whereas a Trixie needs at least two. A £1 Patent costs £7.

A worked example

Back three selections at 2.00 each with a £1 unit, so £7 staked.

If one wins (the other two lose):

  • 1 single at 2.00 → £2 returned. A £5 loss on the slip, but not a total wipeout.

If all three win:

  • 3 singles at 2.00 → £6
  • 3 doubles at 4.00 → £12
  • 1 treble at 8.00 → £8
  • Total: £26 from £7.

Our accumulator calculator shows exactly what each partial result returns for the prices you enter.

When and why it is used

A Patent is popular when you have three selections and want:

  • One-winner protection. The singles mean a lone winner still pays something.
  • More ways to win than a treble. You are not reliant on all three landing.
  • A modest, structured multiple. It is the entry point of the “with singles” family, below the Lucky 15.

It is common in horse racing and small football coupons where you like three picks but do not want to risk everything on a single treble.

The honest downside

  • Seven bets, seven slices of margin. Every selection carries the bookmaker’s edge, compounded across all seven lines. Check any book with our margin calculator.
  • One winner is still a loss. A £2 return on a £7 stake is a consolation, not a profit.
  • Cost doubles each-way. An each-way Patent is 14 bets, so “£1” becomes £14.
  • It feels safer than it is. Covering singles softens the blow of one winner but does not change the underlying edge — you are paying seven margins for the comfort.

A Patent is a sensible, forgiving multiple for three picks, but like all full-cover bets it stacks the house edge.

Compare prices and each-way terms at our best betting sites. Seven bets from one slip adds up, so keep staking sensible with our responsible gambling tools.

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