The term “Patent Bet” refers to making seven different wagers divided between three selections in a sport or sports. Also known as a “Twist Bet,” a Patent Bet consists of three single bets, three doubles, and one treble. This division makes it a full coverage multiple bet, since, as you have surely figured, it allows for full coverage on all possible bet combinations from your three selections. You can think of a Patent Bet as a Trixie Bet, only with the addition of three single bets.
A Patent Bet can potentially multiply your winnings significantly... but only if you have more successful selections. Two out of three winning bets can yield three winning wagers (two singles and a double), while three out of three means seven winning bets, bringing significant returns. It goes without saying that your returns are dependent on the odds of your bets, but you need just one winner from three to get a return from a Patent Bet.
How Does Patent Betting Work?
We’ve seen what a Patent Bet is, but now you’ll surely be asking how Patent Betting actually works. As mentioned earlier, a Patent Bet has you place seven bets on three different selections, namely three singles, three doubles, and a treble. Check the table below to see how the seven bets making a Patent Bet cover your three selections:
| Part | Selection | Number of Bets |
| Singles | 1, 2, 3 | 3 |
| Doubles | 1+2, 2+3, 1+3 | 3 |
| Trebles | 1+2+3 | 1 |
| Total | 7 |
Since a Patent Bet only contains single bets, only one of the selections need to win for you to get a return. However, that return would probably be lower than your initial stake.
Best Sports for Patent Bets
While Patent Bets are generally associated with racing, bookies actually offer them on a variety of sports. The most popular of these are horse racing, greyhound racing, and football. Keep in mind Patent Bets must be placed on separate races or matches.
Horse Racing
Patent Bets are most commonly placed in sports that involve individual participants, and among these horse racing is certainly the punters’ favourite. They allow you to bet on multiple upcoming races, with the seven bets carrying each other to potentially bring you some returns.
Football
Patent bets are not commonly used in football, but you'd be surprised how well they can work with the beautiful game. You can use the Patent Bet to structure seven wagers on three outcomes in the football betting odds instead of an accumulator. This way, should one fail then the other two can still pay out.
Tennis
Patent bets can prove ideal when betting on tennis, since they can spread out across a stage of a tournament. They also let you back the favourites in the early rounds, making for some potentially smart betting. If a player lets you down then there's the backup of the other bets making the Patent Bet.
Darts
As an individual sport, darts is ideal for patent betting. Like in horse racing, you can spread out your bets across multiple upcoming games.
Greyhounds
Patent betting in greyhounds racing works the same way as with the horses. You can use patent bets to squeeze greater value from a night following the dogs.
Calculating Patent Bet Returns
While many betting sites have a bet calculator that includes Patent Bets, you might want to calculate your returns manually. In this case, what you need to do is add 2 to the odds of each winning selection, then multiply them together and multiply by the stake, then subtract the unit stake. Feeling a bit lost? Let's show you the numbers:
You place a £1 Patent Bet (costing £7) on three horses all at 3/1. The three horses win, so you add 2 to the odds - 3 + 2 =5.
Multiply these three totals together - 5 x 5 x 5 = 125
Multiply by the stake, £1 = 125 x 1 = 125
Subtract the stake - 125 - 1 = 124
Therefore, the return from your Patent Bet is £124. Subtract the total stake of £7 and you have a £117 profit.
Each-way Patent Bets
An Each-way Patent Bet is a simple variation on the Patent - it's a Patent Bet that consists of twice the number of wagers. This means seven win selections and seven place selections.
Difference Between Patent and Trixie Bets
Earlier in this article we compared Patent Bets with Trixie Bets. Both Patent and Trixie Bets involve making three selections, but there is one key difference - whereas Patent Bets have you make seven bets in total, you only make four bets in a Trixie Bet. This is because while a Trixie Bet contains all the doubles and the treble of a Patent Bet, it does not have any singles.
As a result, if only one of the three selections wins in a Trixie Bet, there are no returns on the bet. It also stands to reason that Patent Bets are more likely to provide a return, but do keep in mind this is because of the higher initial stake.
Mobile Sports Betting
Final Thoughts
So, in a very brief recap - a Patent Bet consists of seven bets over three different selections, three singles, three doubles, and a treble. This combination can bring a higher chance of returns when compared with traditional accumulators such as the Trixie Bet. The mathematics involved to calculate your returns might be a bit complicated, but most betting sites should make it a snap as they include Patent Bets in their bet calculators.
Always remember that here at Gambling Zone we consider sports betting to be a fun activity, and not a means to make an income. So enjoy yourself and remember, do play responsibly.
