Multiple bet types are incredibly popular when wagering on sports, as they have the potential to unlock significant returns. Take patent bets, for example, in which there are three selections that underpin seven different wagers in total.
These include three singles, three doubles and a treble. Unlike with other types of multiple and accumulator bets, you won’t need all of your selections to win for the patent to deliver some kind of return.
This makes patent betting appealing to both novice and seasoned bettors alike. But how exactly do patent bets work, and which of the UK’s best football betting sites enable you to place this type of wager? Discover all this and much more in our complete betting guide!
What is Patent Betting?
Typically, your patent bet selections can be drawn from different sports and markets. However, it’s common to structure patent bets using fixtures and events from the same sport, while the most straightforward wagers are staked to win.
In total, you’ll make three different selections (such as football teams or horse racing runners), before combining these picks in different ways to flesh out each bet.
For example, let’s say that you wanted to bet on the upcoming EFL Championship gameweek. You decide to construct your patent around high-flying Sunderland, Sheffield United and Leeds, who will entertain West Brom, Oxford and Luton respectively. Here’s how you can combine these selections to create a patent bet:
| Bet Type | Selection |
|---|---|
| Single | Sunderland to win |
| Single | Sheffield United to win |
| Single | Leeds United to win |
| Double | Sunderland and Sheffield United to win |
| Double | Sunderland and Leeds to win |
| Double | Sheffield United and Leeds to win |
| Treble | Sunderland, Sheffield United and Leeds to win |
You can then wager £1 on each selection to create a total stake of £7. If all three of your picks win, every single wager will be successful and generate a generous cumulative return. However, you’ll also recoup at least some of your stake so long as one of your picks wins their respective match.
How Does Patent Betting Work?
To drill down deeper into how patent betting works, let’s take the above example and introduce the odds for Sunderland, Sheffield United and Leeds to win their respective Championship matches. You find that you can back these teams at the following prices:
- Sunderland to win at 2.45
- Sheffield United to win at 1.44
- Leeds United to win at 1.44
Sundeland’s win market odds imply a 40.81% probability of the Mackems prevailing. Conversely, you can back both Sheffield United and Leeds to win at the much shorter odds of 1.44, suggesting that these teams have a 69.44% of triumphing in their respective EFL games.
This information can help to inform your stakes, while you can also determine your potential returns using a patent betting calculator. As you can see from the example below, you simply need to enter the odds for each of your three selections before setting your stake per line (or total outlay).
We’d recommend experimenting with different stake amounts, depending on the size of your bankroll and each outcome’s implied probability values. Once updated, the calculator will determine your total return and profit margin, and in this instance, you opt to stake £1 per individual bet.
If all your picks win, you’ll bank a cumulative return of £19.61 and an optimal profit of £12.61.
How to Place a Patent Bet
When it comes to placing your patent bet, the process will largely be the same from one sportsbook to another. So,we’ve created a step-by-step guide to help you get started, using Betway as an example!
- Sign Up for an Account: Start by visiting the Betway site on your desktop or mobile device. Then, hit the ‘Register’ button in the top right-hand corner of the screen. You can then enter your personal data and choose whether you want to opt-in and receive the sportsbook’s welcome offer.
- Make Your First Deposit: Once you’ve hit ‘Register’ and confirmed your details, you can complete an initial deposit. You’ll automatically be transferred to a new screen and prompted to choose your preferred deposit method and amount. You’ll have to transfer a minimum of £10 to your account, while you can set a personalised deposit limit if required.
- Pick Your Potential Winners!: You can now browse the available sports markets and start constructing your patent bet. Simply click on the three teams or runners that you think will win, and they’ll automatically populate your betting slip in the bottom right-hand corner.
- Pick ‘Patent’ Bet and Set Your Stake!: Once your selections have been added, scroll down below ‘Multiples’ and tick the ‘Patent’ box. Then, set your unit bet per line and wait for your total stake value and estimated returns to load. You can then hit ‘Confirm’ and wait for the results to roll in!
Examples of Patent Bets
In addition to the type of football patent bet we discussed earlier, you can also place similar wagers on alternative sports. Horse racing is one of the most popular disciplines among patent bettors, as it unlocks both win and each-way wagering markets.
For example, let’s say that you wanted to pick the winners of the 2000 Guineas, Irish 1000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks in 2025. After carrying out your analysis of the relevant form and historic performances, you make the following selections:
- The Lion In Winter @ 6.00
- Red Letter @ 4.00
- Lake Victoria @ 10.00
The patent bet in this instance would be structured as follows. In addition to the single bet odds, we’ve also calculated the double and treble prices by multiplying the relevant values together. This helps you to determine your best and worst case scenario from the perspective of profit and loss.
Assuming you stake £1 per betting line, you stand to bank £384 (and profit of £377) if each of your picks prevails. Of course, you could lose a maximum of £7 if your wager is unsuccessful, while you’d bank just £4.00 (and lose £3) if Red Letter was the only victor. So, it’s crucial that you research your picks well and make the most informed selections possible!
| Bet Type | Selection | Odds Per Leg |
|---|---|---|
| Single | The Lion In Winter to win | 6.00 |
| Single | Red Letter to win | 4.00 |
| Single | Lake Victoria to win | 10.00 |
| Double | The Lion In Winter and Red Letter to win | 24.00 |
| Double | The Lion In Winter and Lake Victoria to win | 60.00 |
| Double | Red Letter and Lake Victoria to win | 40.00 |
| Treble | The Lion In Winter, Red Letter and Lake Victoria to win | 240.00 |
When placing an each-way patent, you’re effectively doubling your wager. This is because you’ll simultaneously back your three runners to win and place in the top three of a specific race, creating seven ‘win’ bets and the same number of each-way picks. Using the same example above, you’d increase your stake from £7 to £14 when wagering each-way.
While your chances of winning are increased with an each-way patent bet, calculating your potential returns can be slightly more complex. This is because this type of patent will pay out at a reduced rate if contenders place rather than win, usually at 1/4 or 1/5 of the SP.
To work out your revised returns in this instance, simply select ‘Each Way’ at the top of your patent bet calculator. Then, enter the odds and your total stake commitment as usual.
Best Patent Betting Sites
OK, we hear you ask, but what are the best patent betting sites in the UK? There are several to choose from, including secure and licensed sportsbooks that run frequent promotions and odds boosts. Here’s our pick of the top three!
Best Patent Betting Each-Way Offer: 10Bet
Next on our list is 10Bet, which offers a similarly broad selection of bonuses and promotions. One offer that really stands out is a weekly £5 free bet, which requires you to wager £40 or more on horse racing during the previous week.
You can place win, place and each-way bets as part of this bonus, while 10Bet also offers exceptional coverage of horse racing and football. This unlocks multiple patent betting opportunities, usually at highly competitive odds.
As for the site’s welcome offer, this rewards you with a 100% welcome bonus up to the value of £50. The total value of the bonus will have to be wagered 8x before you complete a withdrawal.
Best Patent Betting Single Offer: Bet442
Bet442 arguably offers the best value when placing single bets online. This is because of the site’s ‘Bet Builder’ tool, which enables you to combine up to 30 pre-game singles and wager at significantly enhanced odds.
You can incorporate multiple sports into your Bet Builder wagers, including football and horse racing. There’s also an intuitive bet slip function available here, which enables you to quickly build patent wagers and set your stake.
When you register for an account at Bet442, you can qualify for a £10 free bet. Simply wager £20 or more at odds of 2.00, before deploying the free bet at minimum odds of 1.80.
Best Patent Cashout Offer: Betarno
Betarno is also highly recommended if you want to engage in patent betting. You can access multiple cashback offers here too, which enable you to recoup 10% of your losses up to the value of £500.
You can opt into such cashback offers when wagering on both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League. Betarno also offers extensive coverage of these competitions, while you can access a broad selection of ante post betting markets ahead of 2025. These include the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree Grand National.
Before you place patent bets on this site, you can also receive a £10 free bet when you deposit and wager a minimum of £15. The free bet must be staked at odds of 1.50, while wagering requirements of 1x the total bonus value will be applied.
Patent Bet Tools
When building your patent bets, analysis of relevant form and datasets is key. For example, you can study the form of individual horses by visiting The Racing Post site, while drilling down into specific grades of races and course lengths. But are there any specific tools that can help with the construction of patent bets?
Patent Bet Calculator
In double and treble patent bets, the odds of each individual selection are multiplied together to create an extended price. It can be slightly time consuming to manually work out the odds and your potential returns, so the use of a patent bet calculator is highly recommended.
As we’ve touched on, a dedicated patent betting calculator automatically reveals your potential returns and profit margin, based on the odds of your three selections and your stake amount. Sportsbooks will perform a similar calculation when you fill out your bet slip.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Patent Bets
There’s no doubt that patent betting offers its own unique advantages, especially if you like to bet in multiples but want to minimise your risk of loss. However, there are also potential drawbacks to placing patent bets. Here are some considerations to keep in mind:
| Advantages of Patent Betting | Disadvantages of Patent Betting |
|---|---|
| Patents include single bets and are more secure than doubles and trebles | Patent bets multiply your stake by seven, so are more expensive than other types of bet multiple |
| You only require one pick to win and recoup some of your stake | |
| You can earn a significant return, even on a nominal stake |
Tips for Patent Betting Success
There are fine lines between success and failure when engaging in patent betting. However, there are also some expert tips and insights that can help to maximise your chances of banking sizable returns. These include:
- Prioritise Betting Favourites: Patent bets live and die based on the quality of your three singles picks. We’d recommend prioritising betting favourites where possible, particularly as your double and treble wagers enable you to back them at combined and enhanced odds.
- Be Strategic When Picking Underdogs: Of course, you can also increase your potential returns by including one or more underdogs among your three picks. However, this type of selection must be informed and strategic in nature, and you’ll need to conduct detailed form analysis if you’re to enjoy success.
- Pick Your Sport Carefully: Patent betting is synonymous with football and horse racing, but you can engage in this across a diverse selection of sports. However, it’s important to pick your sport wisely and focus on any specific knowledge or expertise that you possess.
- Use Patent Bets When Wagering on Close Events: Whether you’re wagering on EFL Championship matches or high-profile horse races, patent betting can help to mitigate your risk when speculating on competitive events. This also increases your chances of banking at least some kind of return.
- Commit to Careful Bankroll Management: As a patent bet involves seven separate wagers, it will require a higher stake amount than a single bet. This can place a strain on your bankroll management, so it’s crucial that you only ever wager an amount that you can afford to lose and ensure that this covers a finite period of time (or number of bets).
Frequently Asked Questions On Patent Betting
Is a patent bet worth it?
This is entirely up to you! We certainly recommend patent betting when wagering on football and horse racing, as this can help to reduce your risk of loss and deliver notable returns in some instances. Patent betting can be particularly effective when wagering on close events that are difficult to predict.
What is a patent bet example?
To build your patent bet, you could pick Middlesbrough, Norwich City and Swansea to win their upcoming EFL Championship games. In addition to three singles, these selections will be combined into three distinct doubles and a treble. Enter the odds and variable stake amounts into a patent bet calculator to finalise your unit bet, before wagering for real online!
What is a patent bet in horse racing?
Patent betting works exactly the same in horse racing. More specifically, you’ll select three runners to win their respective races at an event, before constructing three singles, three doubles and a treble. Each-way patent betting is also popular in horse racing, with this doubling your initial stake and potentially unlocking slightly higher returns.
How do you win a patent bet?
Unfortunately, there’s no surefire way of winning with a patent bet. However, you can increase your chances of winning by making informed betting selections and prioritising favourites. Setting optimal stake amounts is also key, while each-way patent betting can further boost your chances of success.
What is the difference between a lucky bet and a patent bet?
A so-called “Lucky Bet” is an extension of a patent. This comprises four selections and 15 different bets: namely four singles, six doubles, four trebles and one quadruple. Ultimately, this will require a larger stake commitment than patent bets, although your potential returns are also considerably higher.