What Is A Tricast Bet?

What Is A Tricast Bet & How Does It Work?

A Tricast bet is a type of bet multiple that is most commonly used in horse racing and greyhound racing. With a Tricast bet you are predicting the top three places in a race but you must correctly choose which horses (or dogs) will finish first, second and third.

There is a slightly different variation of the bet that’ll let you pick three selections to finish in the top three but in any order.

During this article, you will be given guidance on how a Tricast bet works, how to place one, the different Tricast bet variations and how winnings are calculated.

How Does A Tricast Bet Work?

A Tricast bet is essentially three bets rolled into one. In order to win from a Tricast bet you have to predict the finishers in first, second and third place in the correct order.

Whilst Trixie Bets & Patent bets multiply your stakes, a Tricast bet multiplies the odds but not the stake so a £10 stake would be the total stake needed for that bet.

It’s also worth pointing out that a Tricast bet can only be placed on one race.  You can’t spread the bet across different races.

As you can imagine, picking the correct selections is incredibly difficult, so Tricast bet returns are usually pretty high. 

Let’s look at an example: Let’s say you’ve done some research and analysis and are quietly confident that you’ve found three horses you think will finish in the top three. Next, you decide which horse will finish where and that will create a Tricast bet like this:

• Horse number 7 to finish first
• Horse number 3 to finish second
• Horse number 13 to finish third

Handy to know – The Tricast bet option will only be available in handicap races when there are eight or more runners.

How To Place A Tricast Bet

Let’s have a look at how to place a Tricast bet in the 4pm Ripon race with Bet365.

When you select a race it will normally show the standard racecard.  To the right of this, you’ll see a section for Forecast/Tricast.  Once you click on that option you will see the below page:

For this race you have checked the markets and decided you fancy Twelfth Night to finish first at odds of 8 (7/1), Rayat to finish second at odds of 4.5 (7/2) and Origintrail to finish third at odds of 8 (7/1). You just need to click on each selection as per the below image:

When you click on Add to Bet Slip you’ll be presented with your bet slip and be able to enter your chosen stake. You will also see the Tricast bet odds next to the stake box as below:

Click Place Bet and you’re done.

This option will be available across most bookies but may just look a little different.

Calculating Tricast Bet Winnings

This is where things get a bit sticky.  The maths involved in calculating Tricast bet returns is very complex.  In fact, this type of bet is also known as a Computer Tricast and when you think about it logically, it’s understandable why it’s done using computer algorithms. 

A bettor will only see the odds offered for a horse winning a race but when a Tricast bet can be placed, a calculation has to be done to work out the odds for every single horse to finish first, second and third.  This is because a punter could pick any three horses for their Tricast bet.

With the majority of bookies, Tricast dividends (returns) are only provided after the race has finished. This is because they are determined by the Starting Price (SP) of each runner. Therefore, a bettor won’t know what returns to expect until the race has finished which is probably a little strange for punters used to knowing their potential returns at the end of a race.  There are some bookmakers that offer fixed price Tricasts but these are few and far between and usually won’t include all the horses or dogs in a given race.

The reality of it is that you won’t ever know the odds of a Tricast bet until after the race finishes. 

Let’s assume the above example from the 4pm race at Ripon was a winner and Twelfth Knight came first, Rayat came second & Origintrail came third. For calculation purposes, let’s assume the odds didn’t change after the race had finished. The calculation would be as follows:

• Stake x Tricast Odds = Return

• £1 (Stake) x 187.64 (Tricast Odds) = £187.64 (Returns)

All you need to do is multiply your stake by the Tricast odds to know the winnings.

Types Of Tricast Bets

Straight Tricast

• As already mentioned, a Straight Tricast needs a bettor to predict the first three horses/dogs past the post in the correct order. There are no permutations to be considered with this type of bet. The top three have to be in the correct order or you lose.

Combination Tricast

• The standard Combination Tricast bet requires a bettor to choose three selections to finish in the top three of the race. Unlike the Straight Tricast, they can finish in any order provided they all finish in the top three. However, this is where this type of bet differs in that your stake will be higher as you are placing six bets and multiplying your stake six times. As a Combination Tricast has more chance than a Straight Tricast, but the odds are not as big.

Placing the Combination Tricast bet is very similar to a normal Tricast but instead of picking who will finish first, second & third, you just pick the three horses you want as below:

Once you click Add to Bet Slip, you will notice the bet slip is a little different to the Straight Forecast bet slip. You initially don’t see any odds but you can enter your stake as normal. You will instantly notice that the stake is multiplied by six as below:

In addition to this, you can see a link that says Show Odds.  If you click that, you are provided with a breakdown of the possible returns from each of the possible combinations.

As you can see the odds, you are taking fixed odds with a Combination Tricast, unlike the Straight Tricast which uses the starting prices.

Trifecta

• The Trifecta is an alternative to the Straight Tricast & Combination Tricast.  The difference with a Trifecta is that it is driven by the Tote. This means there are no fixed odds and all the stakes placed on the Trifecta market are added to the total prize pot (minus the Tote’s deduction for costs). That is then shared amongst any winners proportionately to the stake they placed.

• IMPORTANT – If there is no winner from the event, there will be a rollover to the next qualifying event. Therefore, it’s vital that you are aware of the next qualifying event as the pot will be bigger.

Placing a Trifecta bet is very similar to the other Tricast bets.  As you can see below, the Trifecta option is available in the Exotics tab.  You then have the same options of whether you place the Trifecta Straight Tricast or the Trifecta Combination Tricast.

Tricast Or Trifecta?

Which one is the better of these exotic bets?  There is no definitive ‘best’ option as the payouts are sometimes better on one than the other, but not always.

Finding one winner can be difficult enough but to correctly predict the first three is a whole lot harder. That said, this doesn’t deter a lot of punters because the Tricast and Trifecta bets can offer huge returns if you’re successful.

The main difference between the two types is the returns.  Tricast bets are calculated by the bookmakers (computer algorithm assisted) and they ensure they get a good margin.  Trifecta bets are made up of a pool of money placed by customers and in the UK the Tote takes 25% of that pool. On the face of it, bettors might think this is a bad deal.

Geegeez.co.uk carried out some statistical analysis on how the Tricast and Trifecta bets performed in a study involving just over 1000 horse races.

You can see from the 1000 races sampled in 2023 that the average Trifecta payout was higher than the average Tricast payout.  These figures are taken from just one sample of data so don’t read too much into it as the figures could be different over a larger sample of data or over longer periods of time.

Pros And Cons Of Tricast Bets

Pros

• Big Winnings: Due to the difficulty of predicting the top three finishers in a race, the bookies offer bettors high odds for success so your rewards can be very substantial.

• Strategic Diversity: Using Tricast bets can help spread your chances of winning and add another element to your betting knowledge.

• High ROI (Return On Investment): Tricast bet stakes tend to be low with most bettors yet the odds on success can be huge.  This can give massive returns from a minimal investment.

• Race Selection: A Tricast bet can be advantageous in races with larger fields. It provides an opportunity to predict the result despite the competitors.

Cons

• Difficulty:  it’s a very big challenge to predict the top three finishers of a race and a bit of luck is usually required.  Tricasts are one of the harder bets to get returns on.

• Success Probability:  Successful results are a lot less frequent than other bets due to the nature of difficulty in predicting the exact top three.

• Costs: whilst low stakes can be used for a Straight Tricast, but as soon as you start placing Combination Tricast bets, the cost can shoot up.  This is because you are then paying a stake per combination so effectively it’s six times more.

• Complex Returns: The calculations used in Tricast odds and returns is very complex compared to basic bets.  This mixed with some Tricast bets using starting prices make it harder to predict potential returns.

Which Sports Are Best For Tricast Bets?

You’ll have noticed that this article leans towards horse racing when discussing Tricast bets. That’s because horse racing and greyhound racing is where you will most commonly find this type of exotic bet available.

You will sometimes find the Tricast is an option with other sports but this isn’t very often.  It will occasionally be offered by some bookies for tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup.

Mistakes To Avoid With Tricast Bets

Understand the Bet

• Ensure you understand how a Tricast Bet works before placing one. Consider using smaller stakes to begin with.

Research

• Make sure you do some analysis of the race competitors.  Check the horse form, track conditions and jockey’s experience. This can help you make informed decisions.

Combination Selection

• Don’t place too many combination bets as this can lead to bigger stakes with less returns. Keep your focus on a few researched combinations.  This can help with your budget and potential profits.

Stakes

• Always look for bets that offer good value so assess the odds and possible returns before choosing your stakes.

Don’t Chase Losses

• Set yourself a budget and stick to it. Don’t chase losses from previous bets as this can prove to be costly. Tricasts are hard to land so stay disciplined.

Markets

• Stay focused on the betting markets as changes can impact how a race might unfold. Sudden fluctuations in odds can indicate changing conditions or insider information.

Summary

Tricast bets can add a new dimension to your betting strategy and has the potential to provide massive rewards.  That said, this type of bet offers challenges as predicting the top three finishers is difficult and can incur potentially large stakes.  Deciding if a Tricast bet is your thing will depend on the strategy you choose and whether you have the experience required to manage the complexity and costs.