Elsewhere on this very website we talk you through the pros and cons of forecasts, reverse forecasts and exacta betting.
In essence, those are bet types that we can use to maximise our position when we believe that two horses in a race are superior to all others – and we believe they will finish first and second in any order… or a specific 1-2 as far as the reverse forecast is concerned.
We can take those betting concepts to the next level with another selection of related bet types: tricasts, combination tricasts and trifectas.
What is a Tricast Bet?
While the forecast bets require you to find the top two in a race, a tricast takes this up a gear by requiring you to select the first three horses home in a race.
For the straight tricast, you have to declare a specific 1-2-3 order too – the difficulty of that is obvious, although the rewards speak for themselves too.
For example, let’s place the following tricast bet:
- Horse A – 2/1
- Horse B – 9/2
- Horse C – 5/1
If we back them to finish 1-2-3 in that order (A-B-C), our bet would pay at odds of 41.39/1 if we are successful.
Clearly, predicting the 1-2-3 in any race is a tricky business, but the payout is generous enough to certainly turn the heads of punters with a strong feel for how a race may pan out.
What is a Combination Tricast?
The forecast bet type has the reverse forecast for those who wish to hedge their bets somewhat – that pays out on the top two horses in any order.
And the comparative sidekick of the tricast bet type is the combination tricast – again, the object here is to pick out the first three horses (or greyhounds) home in any of the 1-2-3 permutations.
Here, you have to place six different bets (covering all of the possible outcomes), and so you will need to consider that in your staking. But our return is variable too, and if the longer-priced selection wins out of our trio then we can expect an increased return compared to the standard tricast option.
Let’s look at an example using the same odds outlined above, namely Horse A (2/1), B (9/2) and C (5/1). Our unit stake will be multiplied by six, but here are the odds we can expect to be paid at based on finishing position:
- A-B-C – 41.39/1
- A-C-B – 42.28/1
- B-A-C – 48.50/1
- B-C-A – 60.04/1
- C-A-B – 50.27/1
- C-B-A – 60.92/1
As you can see, if the less-fancied of our trio wins and the race favourite lands in third, we can increase our payout by as much as 50%, and having each of those combinations available makes this bet type more appealing to some than the straight tricast.
What is a Trifecta Bet?
The trifecta bet type is essentially the same as the tricast or combination tricast, but the difference is that your trifecta is placed with the Tote.
The same rules of engagement apply, however your payout will be determined by the Tote dividend as opposed to the bookmaker’s fixed odds – that can, more often than not, yield a greater return.
The Tote trifecta prize pool differs from race to race and meeting to meeting, so it cannot be said for definite that this is the more generous route to take in your betting. But, as we’ll find out shortly, it does tend to be the more lucrative option for your winning betslips.
What is a Banker Trifecta?
The Tote offers a slightly different take on tricast betting too.
The Banker Trifecta requires you to nominate the horse you believe will win, before nominating two or more horses to finish second and third.
Clearly, the more horses you select for the second and third positions, the higher your initial outlay will be – something to factor in to your thinking.
You could, in theory, place your own banker tricast at your bookmaker – backing your favourite pick in the win market and then other horses in the ‘to place’ category. However, the numbers don’t always stack up here when we consider the bookies’ overround, and so the Tote’s Banker Trifecta is usually the best option.
Tricast vs Trifecta: Which is Best?
Naturally, punters with an interest in this bet type might be wondering whether it is more equitable for them to place a tricast or a trifecta.
Using a New Year’s Day racecard at Cheltenham, we calculated the straight tricast and trifecta returns as the following:
| Race | Odds (1|2|3) | Tricast | Trifecta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:15 | 3/1|7/5|3/1 | £12.60 | £20.80 |
| 12:50 | 9/2 | 10/1 |50/1 | £1,980 | £996.70 |
| 13:25 | 7/4 | 3/1 | 14/1 | £48.15 | £49.80 |
| 14:00 | 10/1 | 17/2 | 5/1 | £483.55 | £1,168.20 |
| 14:35 | 28/1 | 14/1 |13/2 | £2,860 | £2,914 |
| 15:10 | 4/1 | 9/2 | 5/2 | £45.20 | £64.90 |
| 15:50 | 7/2 | 5/1 | 16/1 | £279.70 | £219.10 |
As you can see, the trifecta option was the most profitable route in five of the seven races held, although note from the 12:50 result the tricast can occasionally be worth considerably more.
It’s also worth pointing out that flagship cards at major venues like Cheltenham will attract a larger Tote prize pool – our advice is to do your homework on each bet type to see which is the right choice for you.