From Patents to Lucky 63: The Insider’s Guide to Full-Cover Bets That Bookies Don’t Want You to Know!

By Stuart Ward, 7th January 2025

We've already covered a lot of ground around betting on this site. Singles, accumulators (the "acca") and multiples. I'm sure you are gaining a better understanding of how they all work.

But don't unbuckle yet. I'm about to crank the gearstick again and drive, full throttle, into the intriguing world of full-cover bets.

What are these so-called lucky full-cover bets?

As mentioned, they usually have the word "lucky" in their names. To be clear, I will talk about this from my experience working for a large bookmaker.

And based on that, the answer is...

Full-cover bets are multiple wagers that include singles.

Here's an example:

If you browse this website, you will discover the Trixie bet. This punt requires three selections and consists of three doubles and a treble.

That's a total of four accumulator bets - a multiple wager.

So let's say we take those three selections but include singles in our wager. Our bet has now become a Patent, a total of seven bets. It consists of a treble, three doubles, and three singles. We have played a full-cover wager.

But the question is: are these full-permutation gambles more profitable for us punters?

By now, you should realise there are many pros and cons to wagering in sports. It's all about finding an edge to make consistent money from the bookies.

Read on because we're going to take a deep dive. The potential rewards, risks and downsides to playing full-cover betting will be stripped bare!

And, of greater significance, you will know if these bets are right for you. Or are they bookies honey-traps to draw you in and part you of your cash.

Ready?

Let's dive in.

What are examples of full-cover bets?

We touched on one example above, comparing the Trixie with the Patent. Here are some other full-cover betting examples. Click on any bet to find out more.

Patent (3 selections).
Lucky 15 (four selections).
Lucky 31 (five selections).
Lucky 63 (six selections).

What are the pros and cons of full-cover betting?

Pros

Potential for significant high returns.
Should all selections win, many bookmakers will increase your winnings by 10% or even more (Lucky 15, 31 and 63).
Should only one selection win, many bookmakers pay a consolation prize such as double the odds on that winner. Each bet (and bookmaker) varies.

Cons

Increased total stake to cover all permutations.
A high skill level is needed to find winning selections consistently to make a long-term profit.

To summarise

Full-cover wagers can offer a thrilling experience over several sporting events, such as horse racing or football. You would only need one selection to win to receive a return. Plus, most bookmakers will pay double the odds (or more) as a consolation for only achieving one winner.

That consolation would claw some of your stake money back should you not make a profit.

On the other hand, should all your selections win, your returns can be significant. Plus, as a bonus, most bookmakers would increase your winnings from 10% to as much as 25% (Lucky 15, 31 and 63). That would be substantial money into your bank account - even life-changing!

But, the reality is that bookmakers offer these bonuses and consolations for a primary reason. And that is to make them appear attractive and more worthwhile.

And I say this from my experience of working for the bookies for twenty years.

In all that time, I experienced the occasional big win from full-cover bets. But they were few and far between.

Let's get real, if you want to achieve that level of success, you must be spot-on with your selection process. And that takes time, dedication and plenty of study.

How to improve your selection process and profit from betting on horse racing.

Do you want to take your knowledge of full cover wagers further? A good place to start would be with the Patent bet.