Forecasts and tricasts explained: straight, reverse and combination bets

What is the difference between a straight forecast and a reverse forecast?

A straight forecast names the first and second in the correct order, one bet; a reverse forecast names two horses to finish first and second in either order, two bets, so £5 reverse forecast costs £10.

A reverse forecast is simply two straight forecasts: A to beat B, and B to beat A. Only one can win, so you always lose at least one stake. It suits a race where you think two horses will dominate but cannot separate them. A straight forecast pays the same dividend for the same finish at half the cost, so it makes sense when you have a clear view of the order.

How many lines are in a combination forecast?

A combination forecast covers every possible order of your selections finishing first and second, so the number of lines is n times n minus one: three selections is six lines, four is twelve and five is twenty.

Costs rise quickly. A £1 combination forecast with four horses costs £12, and with five horses £20. Only one line can win, so the dividend has to be bigger than the total outlay for the bet to show a profit. When the first two home include a favourite, dividends are often small, which is why combination forecasts suit races where you expect outsiders to feature.

How many bets are in a combination tricast?

A combination tricast covers every order of your selections finishing first, second and third, n times n minus one times n minus two lines: three selections is six lines, four is 24, five is 60 and six is 120.

A straight tricast is one line naming the first three in order. The combination version is for when you think several horses will fill the first three but cannot call the order. With three selections, the six orders are ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA, CAB and CBA, and exactly one wins if all three fill the frame. Add a fourth horse and the bet jumps to 24 lines, which is why tricast costs escalate so sharply.

How are CSF and tricast dividends worked out?

Bookmakers settle forecasts at the computer straight forecast, or CSF, and tricasts at the tricast dividend, both calculated by formula after the race from the starting prices of the placed horses and the number of runners.

You do not get fixed odds on a forecast or tricast; you get the declared dividend per unit stake. The formula rewards outsiders finishing in the frame, so a CSF involving two big-priced horses can be large, while one involving two favourites can be barely more than a single win bet. The dividends are published with the result, so check them when judging whether a forecast or tricast suits a race.

Computer tricast dividends are not declared for every race, and where there is none many bookmakers settle a tricast as a straight forecast on the first two selections. Check the terms before placing a tricast on a small field or a non-handicap.

How does a bookmaker forecast compare with a Tote Exacta?

A Tote Exacta also picks the first two in order, but it is a pool bet: stakes go into a pool, a deduction is taken and the rest is shared among winning tickets, so the dividend depends on how many found the result.

The Tote's equivalent of the tricast is the Trifecta. When a result is popular, such as the two favourites finishing first and second, pool dividends can be lower than the CSF; when few people have the winning combination, they can be much higher. Neither is consistently better, so the choice depends on whether you expect a popular or an unfancied result.

Why do forecast and tricast costs rise so quickly?

The number of possible orders grows much faster than the number of horses, because each extra selection adds a new horse to every position, so a sixth selection takes a combination tricast from 60 lines to 120.

That growth is why disciplined staking matters with these bets. A £1 combination tricast with six selections costs £120, and only one line can win. Before adding a horse, ask whether it is really needed to cover a realistic result. Setting a budget per race and sticking to it keeps these bets fun rather than expensive.

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