What is a Patent Bet?

A Patent Bet is a multiple system wager often used as a betting strategy featuring seven bets of three singles, three doubles and one treble.

The presence of singles makes it a full cover wager structure because if the treble doesn’t win, the singles cover it and only the minimum winning selections (one) are needed to generate a return. However, this is likely to be lower than the bettor’s original stake.

Multiple bets in a Patent Bet are used to increase the probability of success and it is one of the simpler ways for punters to approach combination wagers.

Breaking Down the Patent's Structure: Singles, Doubles, and a Treble

To explain a Patent Bet it is worth looking at horse racing and breaking it down into Race A, Race B and Race C spread over three singles, three doubles and a treble.

• Bet 1: Single 1: Race A
• Bet 2: Single 2: Race B
• Bet 3: Single 3: Race C
• Bet 4: Double 1: Races A and B
• Bet 5: Double 2: Races A and C
• Bet 6: Double 3: Races B and C
• Bet 7: Treble: Races A, B and C

When placing a £1 win-only bet on a Patent Bet, the cost is £7, with £1 for each selection. 

The singles provide maximum cover and are the differentiating feature between a Patent Bet and a Trixie, which only includes doubles and the treble.

Calculating Your Patent Bet Winnings

To further explain how to calculate a Patent Bet, we will use the final three races at Hereford on Tuesday 11th November, 2025, as an example.

• Race 1: 2.45 - Jackpot Cash @ 7/2
• Race 2: 3.20 - On The Go @ 2/1
• Race 3: 3.55 - Renoir @ 7/2

If only the Race 2 selection, On The Go wins at 2/1, the return will be just £3, representing a £4 loss from the £7 stake. However, if both On The Go and 7/2 Renoir win, their two singles (£3 + £4.50 = £7.50) and their double (£13.50) would be returned as a combined (£21.00)

The logic is clear: with a Patent Bet, you have a better chance of success.

If all three came in off a £1 stake, the breakdown would be this:

• Single (3): £12.00
• Double (3): £47.25 
• Treble (1): £60.75
• Patent total: £120 from a £7 outlay 

There are several reliable Patent Bet calculators available online for those keen to view their potential winnings while quickly considering their options.

However, it is often better to do the calculations yourself to understand how a patent bet is explained.

Patent vs. Trixie: The Key Difference

There are several similarities between a Trixie and a Patent Bet as both contain multiple selections.

However, there is one key difference when conducting a trixie bet comparison. Patent has seven bets and Trixie only four. Trixies include the same doubles and trebles as a Patent, but do not have any of the singles.

The singles are the key to Patent Betting, making it a full cover bet, because they can provide a return, whereas if only one of the three selections in a Trixie wins, there are no returns.

That means some punters prefer to place a Patent bet as it is seen as a type of insurance betting. The seven selections mean a higher stake but the singles provide cover and increase the chances of winning.

How to Place a Patent

Placing a Patent Bet is simple. Once an individual has done their research, studied the form and decided on a stake, they need to go to their preferred betting site and click on their three selections to add them to the ‘bet slip’, usually generated and located on the right of the screen after the first selection is made.

On the bet slip you’ll find key information like Stake vs. Potential Return.

You will also find your different options for multiples. The bet slip will provide the opportunity of placing a single bet on each selection, or, because there are three, the chance to put them in a treble.

There is also likely to be a ‘More Multiples’ menu, which will include the option for ‘Patent’.

A punter wishing to place such a wager simply needs to enter their preferred stake into the box and either leave it or click the box to make it an each-way option.

The Each-Way Patent: Maximum Cover

Like in singles and other betting, adopting an each-way Patent Bet doubles the stake, lifting it from seven to 14 - seven ‘win’ bets and seven ‘place’ bets - offering a higher level of cover.

As in other each-way betting, the odds are reduced depending on the number of places being offered. In horse racing betting, this is usually 1/5 odds for 1-2-3 finishes.