A forecast bet picks the first and second finishers in a horse or greyhound race, while a tricast picks the first, second and third in the correct order. Both come in combination versions that cover more finishing orders for a bigger total stake, and both are usually settled using a computer-calculated dividend rather than fixed odds.
Straight and reverse forecasts
A straight forecast means predicting the first and second finishers in the exact order. The bet only pays if those two runners finish first and second in the order named; if they finish the other way round, or if either one finishes outside the first two, it loses.
If that sounds too restrictive, a reverse forecast gives a bit more room. It covers the same two selections in either order, so it is 2 bets: one with the first pick winning and the second pick runner-up, and one with the order swapped. A £1 reverse forecast therefore costs £2, and only one of the two bets can win.
Combination forecasts and tricasts
A combination forecast covers every possible order for 3 or more selections finishing first and second. With 3 selections that is 6 bets, and with 4 selections it is 12 bets, so at a £1 unit stake those cost £6 and £12. Whatever pair fills the first two places, the bet is covered as long as both runners are among the selections.
A tricast adds the third position: the first, second and third finishers must be named in the correct order, which makes a straight tricast one of the hardest bets on a race to land. A combination tricast covers every order of the chosen runners filling the first three places. On 3 selections that is 6 bets, and on 4 selections it is 24 bets, or £24 at a £1 unit stake.
These combination bets take up a bigger share of the punter's budget, because the unit stake is multiplied by every bet, but they give more flexible cover on the finishing order. Only one line can match the actual result, so most of the lines in a combination bet always lose, and a winning line has to return more than the total stake for the bet to show a profit.
How they are settled
Forecasts and tricasts are usually settled using a computer-calculated dividend rather than fixed odds. That means the return on a winning line is not a price taken at the time of the bet, so the payout is not known in full when the bet is placed. It is worked out from the official result of the race.
Predicting the finishers is therefore only part of the bet. How much a winning line returns depends on the dividend, and the settlement rules for each bet type sit in the bookmaker's terms, which are worth reading before placing a combination forecast or tricast.
Gambling is for adults 18 and over and always costs money; UK players can set deposit limits, use GAMSTOP or call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
