Use our Bet365 bonus code when signing up for a new account.
A wager on six selections consisting of 26 bets: 2 patents (14 bets), 1 yankee (11 bets) and a six-fold accumulator (1 bet).
Named after the alphabet due to its 26 bets. The alphabet's selections are split into bets, as shown in the table below. The advantage of this approach is that, unlike many other bets, it gives the punter a chance to shuffle their selections so that the ones they are most confident about have a more significant effect on the payout. The preferred strategy is to place favoured choices in positions 2, 3, 4 and 5, leaving positions 1 and 6 for the least favourite as these are not included in the yankee. Only one selection need win to gain a return. Popular with horse racing punters, though this wager is available for every sport.
Bookmakers occasionally offer bonuses of a fixed percentage in cases where all selections are winners. For example, if the returns from the bet were £100 and all selections had won, a bonus of 10% would return £110. An online alphabet calculator is preferable when working out your bets, as it also facilitates experimentation with different stakes and bet types.
The alphabet is composed of the following parts:
Part | Selection Permutations (1-6) | Number of Bets |
---|---|---|
1st Patent | 1,2,3 | 7 |
2nd Patent | 4,5,6 | 7 |
Yankee | 2,3,4,5 | 11 |
Accumulator | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | 1 |
Total: | 26 |
For an Alphabet to be placed, you must first make six selections. These selections are then split between two Patent bets. The first three of your selections will make up the first Patent, and the remaining three will make up the second.
Of course, a Patent comprises seven separate bets, and three of your six selections will allow you to place three singles, three doubles and a treble. If we had horses A through to F on your betting slip, the first Patent would look as follows:
Bet |
Selections (1-3) |
Quantity |
Single |
A, B, C |
3 |
Double |
AB, AC, BC |
3 |
Treble |
ABC |
1 |
Total: |
|
7 |
Then the process is then repeated for the remaining three horses on your betting slip:
Bet |
Selections (1-3) |
Quantity |
Single |
D, E, F |
3 |
Double |
DE, DF, EF |
3 |
Treble |
DEF |
1 |
Total: |
|
7 |
Six selections have got the Alphabet underway and 14 of the 26 bets have subsequently been placed. To get to 15, a six-fold accumulator for horses through A to F is also on the betting slip. But what about the remaining 11 wagers?
This is where things begin to get rather interesting, and although there are still 11 bets to be made, only four of the six horses will be of any actual use. This is where we say goodbye to the outsiders and hello to the favourites.
To do this, we are going to look at the table of odds for each of the six horses involved:
Selection Name |
Odds |
Horse A |
5/1 |
Horse B |
1/1 |
Horse C |
2/1 |
Horse D |
3/1 |
Horse E |
4/1 |
Horse F |
6/1 |
As you can see, the two horses with the longest odds are Horse A at 5/1 and Horse F at 6/1. Horse A has been placed in the first Patent to provide additional value; Horse B has been placed in the second for the same reason.
This means that Horses B through E have a better chance of doing the business, and these four horses will be placed together in a Yankee. For those unaware of a Yankee bet, it is broken down into the table below.
Bet |
Selections (1-4) |
Quantity |
Double |
BC, BD, BE, CD, CE, DE |
6 |
Treble |
BCD, BCE, BDE, CDE |
4 |
Accumulator |
BCDE |
1 |
Total: |
|
11 |
With 26 bets in place and so many different permutations in place, the Alphabet can be tricky to keep on top of when it comes to winnings. Thankfully, our Alphabet calculator is on hand to help you track your profits (or your losses)
To try and paint a picture of how much profit you can make from an Alphabet, we will once again use the odds table for our six different horses and map out the different combinations when it comes to wins and losses
Selection Name |
Odds |
Horse A |
5/1 |
Horse B |
1/1 |
Horse C |
2/1 |
Horse D |
3/1 |
Horse E |
4/1 |
Horse F |
6/1 |
With these six selections, we will use £1 stakes per line – this means a total outlay of £26, and first we will look at the Patent bet for Horses A, B, C.
In this instance, if all three horses won their races, you would win a total of £83 from the breakdown of these bets. However, you would also win an additional £6 from the Horse B and Horse C double, as this would have been placed again within the Yankee.
Therefore, if only Horses A, B and C won out of the six selections, you would return £89 from your £26 outlay. This would give you an overall profit of £63. You can see this play out in our pre-populated betting slip in our Alphabet bet calculator here.
Now, we will look at the Patent for Horses D, E, F.
In this instance, if all three horses won their races, you would win a total of £239 from the breakdown of these bets. However, you would also win an additional £20 from the Horse D and Horse E double, as this would have been placed again within the Yankee.
Therefore, if only Horses D, E and F won out of the six selections, you would return £259 from your £26 outlay. This would give you an overall profit of £233.
However, we should also remember that we have split the two outsiders into two different Patents, and our main focus is the four horses with the shortest prices – those horses being B through to E.
Here's how the winnings would be calculated, assuming a £1 stake per bet (total stake of £11 since there are 11 bets):
If you placed your favourites within the 11 bet Yankee and were all winners in the examples above, an outlay of £26 (remember you have still wagered on Horses A and F elsewhere) would mean a win of £385 – a profit of £359.
Within the same Yankee bet, even if Horse E failed to do the business, the three other favourites would have done enough legwork to get you over the profit line.
Even with only three from six, the combination above would still be enough to return £65 and give you a profit of £29 once all 26 separate bets have been accounted for.
As you can see, placing the horses more likely to win together can also pay dividends. The outsiders are undoubtedly helpful if they can win a race, but they should not necessarily be given equal focus. In this instance, it pays to have your preferences.
Of course, there is always the option of winning it big, and this is where all six horses are declared winners. All your 26 bets have been ticked off, and this means the road to riches is not far away – not only that, but an All Winners Bonus can usually be unlocked as well.
As always, the bonus will depend on the bookmaker, but you can usually expect a 10% bonus for a perfect Alphabet. If we first break the winnings per betting segment:
(Also, remember that any duplicate winning lines that would have been found in the Patent or winning singles added to the Yankee would be removed for this overall total.)
This means there would be winnings of £5,707 overall – a total profit of £5,681.
If we were to add a 10% All Winners Bonus – the total return would be £6,277.70 – the total profit would be £6,251.70).
Again, click here to check out our pre-populated bet calculator for this exact example to see how each outcome impacts the overall return and profit.
A far greater return on investment when compared to the £26 outlay that would have been made and one of the reasons why the Alphabet can be a trusted way to get the better of the bookmakers.
1. Select the relevant sport you want to bet on. For this example, we have selected MMA.
2. Then, select the six football outcomes for your betting slip. Once they are selected, the bet will first be set up as a six-fold accumulator. Press the ‘Show More Multiples’ arrow to unlock all the other available bets.
3. Then select the Alphabet option before adding your stake amount. Now, you are ready to place your Alphabet.
The Alphabet is a popular wager for experienced punters, and when you see the mathematics above, you can begin to understand why. Like with all combination bet styles, getting your head around can take some time; therefore, it is not one for the faint-hearted.
However, if you understand odds well and like to combine selections with an element of insurance attached to it, the Alphabet can also be as easy as A, B, or C. Therefore, if you have a decent appetite for risk, this is a bet worth considering.
Last Update: 4 January 2024
The Bet365 bonus code to get £30 in free bets is SPRT365
18+. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to the value of the qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. Registration required.
The Betfred Sport promo code to claim this offer is BETFRED50
T&Cs: 18+. New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply.
No Sky Bet Sport promo code is required to claim this bonus
TC’s: New Customers Only. First Single & E/W Bet Only. Odds Of 1/1 Or Greater. 3 X £10 Bet Tokens. Free Bet Stakes Not Included In Returns. Free Bets Exclude Virtuals. Free Bets Are Non Withdrawable. Free Bets Expire After 30 Days. Eligibility Restrictions And Further T&Cs Apply. 18+. Gambleaware.org .
No Coral Sport promo code is required to claim this bonus
T&C's: 18+ New UK+IRE Customers. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 1x £20 free bet. Free bet available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply
What is a heinz bet? - The article outlines the component parts of this 6 selection wager. 57 bets in total, each participant in the heinz has an equal effect on the payout.
All-In-One Betting Calculator - This tool calculates bet winnings for all bets and sports on a single page. Experiment easily with stakes, each way options and more to find the perfect wager. Ideal for football and horse racing events. Works on all devices.
We've been calculating bets online since 2008 and know all types of betting inside-out. We also have in-depth knowledge of where to source the top bonus codes and joining offers to use when placing initial bets with a new bookmaker. Learn More.