What is a Patent bet?
A Patent is a full-cover bet on three selections in different races, made of 7 bets: every single, every double and the treble. It is a Trixie with the three singles added, so one winner is enough for a return.
| Bet | Number | Pays when |
|---|---|---|
| Singles | 3 | Any one selection wins |
| Doubles | 3 | Both selections in the pair win |
| Treble | 1 | All three win |
| Total | 7 |
With selections A, B and C, the doubles are AB, AC and BC. Each bet is settled on its own, so a loser only knocks out the bets it is part of.
How much does a Patent bet cost?
Multiply the unit stake by 7, or by 14 each way (7 win bets and 7 place bets).
| Stake per bet | Win only (7 bets) | Each way (14 bets) |
|---|---|---|
| 10p | £0.70 | £1.40 |
| 50p | £3.50 | £7.00 |
| £1 | £7.00 | £14.00 |
| £2 | £14.00 | £28.00 |
| £5 | £35.00 | £70.00 |
Betting slips ask for the stake per bet, so "£1 Patent" means £7 in total. If you would rather type the total, pick Total in the calculator and it divides the money for you.
How many winners do you need in a Patent bet?
One winner returns its single. Whether that is a profit depends on the price, because the single has to pay back all seven units. Using a £1 Patent with the sample prices:
| Result | Bets that pay | Return | Profit or loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| One winner at 6/1 | 1 | £7.00 | £0.00 |
| One winner at 8/1 | 1 | £9.00 | £2.00 |
| 2/1 and 3/1 win, 4/1 loses | 3 | £19.00 | £12.00 |
| 2/1, 3/1 and 4/1 all win | 7 | £119.00 | £112.00 |
The working for two winners: the singles return £3 (2/1) and £4 (3/1), and the double returns 3.0 x 4.0 = £12, so £19 in all. With three winners the singles add up to £12, the doubles to £47 (12 + 15 + 20) and the treble to £60. So the break-even point for a single winner is 6/1: below that, one winner gets some of your money back but not all of it.
Are Patent bets worth it?
A Patent costs almost twice as much as a Trixie on the same three horses, and what you buy with the extra three units is the singles. That cover is the whole point: a Trixie returns nothing with one winner, a Patent does. The cost is that when two or three win, a slice of your stake went on singles that pay far less than the doubles and treble. Neither bet changes the chance of each horse winning, and every extra line still carries the bookmaker's margin, so a Patent is a way of spreading the same selections, not a better bet in itself. Use the calculator to compare the outcomes before you commit, and keep the total within the budget you set.
Each way Patents
Each way, a Patent is 14 bets. A winner counts in the win lines and the place lines; a horse that only places counts in the place lines alone, at the place fraction of its odds. Take a 50p each way Patent (£7 staked) at 1/5 the odds: the 5/1 wins, the 4/1 places and the 6/1 loses. The win single returns £3, the two place singles £1 and 90p, and the place double £1.80, for £6.70 back. Close to the stake, but a small loss, which is why the place terms you set in the calculator matter. Our each way guide explains the terms.
Using the calculator
Pick Per bet to type the unit stake (what most betting slips ask for), or Total to type what you want to spend and let the calculator split it. An each way bet is two bets per line, so it costs double.
Mark each selection as Won, Placed (each way only), Lost or Void. A void (non-runner) is settled at odds of 1.0, so the bet carries on as a smaller bet. Open Rule 4 / dead heat on a row to apply a deduction or a dead heat to that selection.