A Patent is a Trixie plus singles: 3 singles, 3 doubles and 1 treble from three selections. Seven bets total. The singles mean you collect something even if only one selection wins, which makes it the safest full cover option for three picks.

The trade-off is cost. At £1 unit stake, a Patent costs £7 — nearly double the £4 Trixie. Those three extra pounds buy you three singles that act as insurance. If only one of your three selections wins at 5/1, the single returns £6 against your £7 total outlay. Not a profit, but not a wipeout either. With two winners, the doubles kick in and you’re well into profit. All three and you’re looking at the full force of the treble on top of everything else.

The Patent works best when you have three selections at bigger prices where even a single winner returns close to your total stake. Three picks at 6/1, 8/1 and 10/1 as a £1 Patent costs £7. One winner at 10/1 returns £11. Two winners at 8/1 and 10/1 returns £110 from the double alone plus £19 from the singles. The maths reward patience and price.