A patent bet is 7 bets built from 3 selections: 3 singles, 3 doubles, and 1 treble. Every possible combination of those three picks gets its own bet. You need just one winner to get money back – though turning a profit usually takes two.

What Is a Patent Bet?

Pick three selections in separate events. The patent covers them like this:

• 3 singles – one bet on each selection individually (A, B, C)
• 3 doubles – three 2-leg parlays from every pair (A+B, A+C, B+C)
• 1 treble – one 3-leg parlay combining all three (A+B+C)

That’s 7 bets total. Your stake multiplies by 7. A $5 patent costs $35 ($5 x 7 bets). Every bet is settled separately – the singles run independent of the doubles, which run independent of the treble.

It’s most common in horse racing, where three strong picks across an afternoon card is a natural fit. But the structure works across any sport where you have multiple selections on the same day.

Patent Bet Explained: How the 7 Bets Work

If your three selections are A, B, and C, the seven bets break down as:

Each losing selection only kills the bets it’s part of. If A loses, Single 1, Double 1, Double 2, and the Treble all lose – but Single 2, Single 3, and Double 3 (B+C) remain live. That’s what separates a patent from a straight accumulator: one loss doesn’t end everything.

Patent Bet Calculator: The Math

Three selections: Horse A at +300 (4.0 decimal), Horse B at +200 (3.0 decimal), Horse C at +150 (2.5 decimal). Stake: $5 per bet ($35 total).

All three win:

Only A wins (B and C lose):

• Single A wins: $20 return
• All doubles and the treble lose (B and C are in all of them)
• Singles B and C lose
• Total return: $20 on a $35 stake – a net loss of $15

This is the key number to understand. One winner at +300 returns $20 from a $35 outlay. You need solid odds on the single winner just to limit the damage, let alone profit. Two winners is where a patent starts to make economic sense.

Patent vs. Trixie: What’s the Difference?

A trixie covers the same three selections but skips the singles entirely – 3 doubles and 1 treble, 4 bets total. You need at least two winners just to see any return.

The trixie is cheaper. The patent gives you a safety net on a single winner. Which one makes sense depends on your confidence level – if you’re backing three strong favorites and would be genuinely surprised if any loses, the trixie saves you money. If one of the three is a real question mark, the patent’s singles give you something back when it goes wrong.

Each-Way Patent

An each-way patent doubles every bet to cover both the win and the place. Seven win bets plus seven place bets – 14 bets total, stake doubled. A $5 each-way patent costs $70.

The place portion of each bet settles at a fraction of the win odds (typically 1/4 or 1/5 depending on the event and number of runners). Common in horse racing where a placed selection at least returns something even when the horse doesn’t win outright.

When to Use a Patent Bet

A patent suits a specific situation: three selections you like, priced at decent odds, where you want cover if one goes wrong but the singles can still pay their way.

It’s less effective with short-priced favorites. If all three selections are around -200 (1.5 decimal), a single winner returns roughly $7.50 on a $35 stake – you’re deep in the red even when one lands. The singles need to carry meaningful odds for the patent structure to work in your favor on partial results.

Combining a patent with value bet selection – picks where the implied probability in the odds is lower than your assessment of the actual chance – is where the format has historically performed well in horse racing. The longer the prices, the more the doubles and treble compound into meaningful returns when multiple selections land.

FAQ

What is a patent bet in simple terms?

Three selections, seven bets. You cover every possible combination: three singles (one on each pick), three doubles (every pair), and one treble (all three together). One winner gets you something back. All three winners produce the full compounded return across all seven bets.

How much does a patent bet cost?

Your chosen stake multiplied by 7. A $1 patent costs $7. A $5 patent costs $35. An each-way patent doubles that – a $5 each-way patent costs $70.

Do you need all three to win a patent bet?

No. One winner returns the single on that selection. Two winners return two singles and the double connecting them. All three win and all seven bets pay out. The treble – where odds multiply across all three – is where the biggest return comes from.

What’s the difference between a patent and a Lucky 15?

A Lucky 15 uses four selections and 15 bets (4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles, 1 fourfold). A patent uses three selections and 7 bets. Same structure, different scale. The Lucky 15 is the next step up if you want to add a fourth selection with the same full-coverage approach.

Can you place a patent bet on football?

Yes – any sport works. Patent bets are most popular in horse racing where three races in a day is a natural setup, but they’re available on football, tennis, or any sport where you have three separate events to pick from. Each selection must be from a different event.