Bet Types Explained: What Are Patent, Trixie, Yankee and Lucky 15 Bets?
How Do Patent, Trixie, Yankee and Lucky 15 Bets Work?
Multiple bet types can look complicated at first glance. Here's what's actually going on beneath the surface.
If you've already got your head around singles, doubles and trebles, this is the next step. These bet types build on those foundations, combining multiple selections into one structured wager, with more moving parts and more potential outcomes.
They're worth understanding whether or not you plan to use them.
A quick note before we dive in
Every bet type covered in this article is made up of multiple individual bets. That matters for one key reason: your stake is multiplied by the number of bets involved.
A £1 stake on a Lucky 15, for example, isn't a £1 bet. It's £15, because a Lucky 15 contains 15 separate bets. Always factor that in before staking any money.
One perk of these bets is that you'll receive a return as long as one selection wins. To maximise your winnings, all selections need to win, but these bet types are structured so that a partial result still pays out something.
What is a Patent bet?
A Patent covers three selections and contains seven bets: three singles, three doubles and one treble. Because it includes singles, you only need one selection to win to get a return.
The bet breakdown
With three selections - Horse A, Horse B and Horse C - your seven bets look like this:
Singles (3):
Horse A
Horse B
Horse C
Doubles (3):
Horse A + Horse B
Horse A + Horse C
Horse B + Horse C
Treble (1):
Horse A + Horse B + Horse C
Total bets: 7. A £1 Patent = £7 total stake.
Horse racing example
Say you're watching the Cheltenham Festival and fancy three horses across three different races:
Horse A wins
Horse B wins
Horse C loses
Bets 1, 2 and 4 land. That’s the singles on Horse A and Horse B, and the double combining them. Bets 3, 5, 6 and 7 don't. Horse C loses, ruling out anything it's involved in. That's three winning bets from seven, and you've still got a return.
Why people use Patent bets
Only one winner needed for a return
Singles provide some security across the bet
Three selections feel manageable without overextending
Worth knowing
Seven bets mean seven times your unit stake
Works across other sports too, like football, greyhounds, tennis
A full cover – where all three win – is where the significant returns lie
What is a Trixie bet?
A Trixie covers three selections and contains four bets: three doubles and one treble. Unlike the Patent, there are no singles, so you need at least two selections to win to see any return.
The bet breakdown
With three selections - Horse A, Horse B and Horse C - your four bets look like this:
Doubles (3):
Horse A + Horse B
Horse A + Horse C
Horse B + Horse C
Treble (1):
Horse A + Horse B + Horse C
Total bets: 4. A £1 Trixie = £4 total stake.
Horse racing example
Again, take three selections at Cheltenham:
Horse A wins
Horse B wins
Horse C loses
Bet 1 - the double on Horse A and Horse B - lands. Bets 2, 3 and 4 don't, as Horse C is involved in each.
One winning bet from four, but you've still got a return from a wager that needed at least two winners to pay anything at all. If all three win, you cash in on all four bets.
Why people use Trixie bets
Fewer bets than a Patent means a lower total stake
Still offers multiple winning combinations across three selections
A popular choice when backing three fancied runners across a card
Worth knowing
No singles means no safety net: two winners minimum
The Trixie and Patent are built around the same three selections; the distinction is how many bets are involved and how many winners you need to see a return
Applicable to any sport where three separate outcomes can be selected
What is a Yankee bet?
A Yankee steps things up to four selections and contains 11 bets: six doubles, four trebles and one fourfold accumulator. No singles, so at least two selections need to win for any return.
The bet breakdown
With four selections - Horse A, Horse B, Horse C and Horse D - your 11 bets look like this:
Doubles (6):
Horse A + Horse B
Horse A + Horse C
Horse A + Horse D
Horse B + Horse C
Horse B + Horse D
Horse C + Horse D
Trebles (4):
Horse A + Horse B + Horse C
Horse A + Horse B + Horse D
Horse A + Horse C + Horse D
Horse B + Horse C + Horse D
Fourfold (1):
Horse A + Horse B + Horse C + Horse D
Total bets: 11. A £1 Yankee = £11 total stake.
Horse racing example
Four selections across the racecard:
Horse A: Wins
Horse B: Wins
Horse C: Loses
Horse D: Loses
Bet 1 lands. That’s the double on Horse A and Horse B. Bets 2 to 11 all involve either Horse C or Horse D, so none of those come in.
One winning bet from 11, but a return is still on the board. Three winners would unlock several more combinations, and if all four selections win, all 11 bets land.
Why people use Yankee bets
Four selections gives more scope for a big return
Multiple winning combinations mean partial results still pay
A well-known bet type with a long history in racing
Worth knowing
11 bets at your chosen stake adds up quickly, so, if you use it, factor in the total cost
No singles means you need a minimum of two winners
Used widely across horse racing but equally applicable to football and other multi-event sports
What is a Lucky 15 bet?
The Lucky 15 is the Patent's bigger sibling. Four selections, 15 bets: four singles, six doubles, four trebles and one fourfold. Because singles are included, just one winner gets you a return.
The bet breakdown
With four selections - Horse A, Horse B, Horse C and Horse D - your 15 bets look like this:
Singles (4):
Horse A
Horse B
Horse C
Horse D
Doubles (6):
Horse A + Horse B
Horse A + Horse C
Horse A + Horse D
Horse B + Horse C
Horse B + Horse D
Horse C + Horse D
Trebles (4):
Horse A + Horse B + Horse C
Horse A + Horse B + Horse D
Horse A + Horse C + Horse D
Horse B + Horse C + Horse D
Fourfold (1):
Horse A + Horse B + Horse C + Horse D
Total bets: 15. A £1 Lucky 15 = £15 total stake.
Horse racing example
Let’s say this is how your four selections fare:
Horse A wins
Horse B loses
Horse C loses
Horse D loses
The single on Horse A (bet 1) lands. Bets 2 through to 15 all involve at least one of the losing selections, so none of those pay out.
One winning bet from 15, but the structure means you don’t go completely empty-handed with a winner in the mix. Choose four winners and all 15 bets land.
Why people use Lucky 15 bets
Singles mean one winner is enough for some return
Full coverage of four selections across every combination
An option for those who want coverage without running four separate bets
Worth knowing
At 15 bets, it carries the highest total stake of the four types discussed here
Easy way to remember what a Lucky 15 is: a Yankee bet plus four singles
How these bets fit together
If singles, doubles and trebles are the foundations, these bet types are the next floor up. They're more complex, involve more bets and carry a higher total stake, but they're built on the same basic principle: combining selections to create multiple chances of a return.
The Cheltenham Festival, with its packed four-day card, is a context where these bet types come up in conversation regularly. With multiple races across each day, there are plenty of selections to consider, and these structures exist to cover more than one at a time. That said, the complexity cuts both ways. More bets, more combinations and more to keep track of.
Before placing any multiple bet, it's worth being clear on the total stake involved and what you need to win to see a return. It’s also worth making sure you have a solid betting budget established. These are tools for understanding the mechanics of betting. How you use that knowledge is your call.
For more helpful bet type guides and practical sports betting advice, check out the Bally Bet blog.
All offers mentioned correct at the time of writing but may be subject to change.