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Betting Guide · Bet Types

Forecasts & Tricasts Explained

Pick the first two, or the first three, in the right order, for potentially big returns. Here is how forecasts and tricasts work and what they pay.

At a glance
Straight forecast
1st and 2nd, correct order
Reverse forecast
1st and 2nd, either order (2 bets)
Combination forecast
Several horses, any two to finish 1-2
Tricast
1st, 2nd and 3rd, correct order
Payout
By computer dividend (CSF / Tricast), not fixed odds
Minimum field
Tricasts usually need 8+ runners

Forecasts and tricasts ask more of you than a simple win bet, you have to predict the finishing order, not just the winner. In return they can pay handsomely from a small stake. Here is how each one works.

The straight forecast

A straight forecast is a bet on the first two home in the correct order: you name the winner and the second. Get the order wrong, even if you picked the right two horses, and it loses.

Because predicting first and second exactly is hard, forecasts can return far more than the two horses' win odds would suggest, especially when a bigger-priced horse is involved.

The reverse forecast

If you fancy two horses to fill the first two places but are not sure which will win, a reverse forecast covers both orders. It is effectively two bets (A to beat B, and B to beat A), so it costs double a straight forecast, and pays out whichever way round your two horses finish, as long as they are first and second.

The combination forecast

Pick three or more horses and a combination forecast covers every straight forecast among them. With three horses there are six possible 1-2 orderings, so it is six bets. It is more expensive but gives you far more ways to win if you think three horses will fight out the finish.

How forecasts are paid: the CSF

Here is the key point that surprises newcomers: forecasts are not paid at fixed odds. The return is set by the Computer Straight Forecast (CSF), an industry formula worked out after the race from the starting prices of the two horses and the size and shape of the field. The dividend is declared to a £1 stake.

In rough terms: the bigger the prices of the first two, and the larger the field, the bigger the forecast dividend. A 2/1 winner beating the 5/2 second pays modestly; a 12/1 winner ahead of a 16/1 runner-up can pay a small fortune.

The tricast

A tricast goes one step further: the first three home in exact order. It is much harder, so it pays much more, three-figure and even four-figure returns to a £1 stake are not unusual in big handicaps.

  • Tricasts are usually only offered in handicaps with eight or more runners.
  • Like forecasts, they are settled by an industry dividend (the Tricast), based on the starting prices of the first three and the field size.
  • A combination tricast lets you pick more than three horses and covers every ordering among them, at a higher cost.

A worked example

You place a £2 reverse forecast on Horse A and Horse B (cost £4, two bets). They finish B first, A second. One half of your bet, B to beat A, lands. The CSF dividend is declared at, say, £8.50 to a £1 stake, so your £2 on that winning combination returns £17. The other £2 (A to beat B) loses.

Forecasts and tricasts: the verdict

These are high-risk, high-reward bets. The order requirement makes them tough, but the dividends can dwarf a straight win or each-way return, particularly in competitive handicaps with a few bigger prices. Treat them as a small-stakes punt for a big payout rather than a staple bet.

For steadier ways to back more than one horse, see each-way betting and accumulators, or the pool-betting Tote and Placepot.

Betting should be fun, never a way to make money. 18+. Please gamble responsibly, BeGambleAware.org.

Frequently asked questions

What is a straight forecast?
A straight forecast is a bet on which two horses will finish first and second, in the exact correct order. It pays out only if you name both the winner and the runner-up in the right positions.
What is the difference between a forecast and a reverse forecast?
A straight forecast names the first two in exact order. A reverse forecast covers both orders, so it wins if your two horses finish first and second either way around. A reverse forecast is two bets, so it costs double.
How is a forecast dividend calculated?
Forecasts are not paid at fixed odds. The return is set by the Computer Straight Forecast (CSF), an industry formula based on the starting prices of the horses and the size of the field, declared to a £1 stake after the race.
What is a tricast?
A tricast is a bet on the first three horses to finish in the exact correct order. It is harder than a forecast so it pays much more, and it is usually only offered in handicaps with eight or more runners.