Forecast and tricast bets are popular exotic bets in greyhound racing, asking you to predict the finishing order for bigger potential returns. With only six dogs per race, they can feel more achievable than in big horse racing fields. This guide explains forecast and tricast bets. It is general information and not betting advice, so always gamble responsibly and only stake money you can comfortably afford to lose.
What a forecast is
A forecast bet asks you to predict the first two dogs in a race in the correct finishing order. It is harder than a win bet but offers a bigger potential return. Understanding that a forecast requires you to name the first and second dogs in the right order is the starting point, as it is the most popular exotic greyhound bet, asking you to predict more than just the winner, which is why it pays more when it comes off.
The straight forecast
A straight forecast is the basic version: you pick two dogs to finish first and second in that exact order. If they finish as you predicted, you win. Understanding the straight forecast, where the two dogs must finish in the precise order you selected, helps you see the challenge, as getting both the right dogs and the right order is harder than simply picking the winner, which is reflected in the larger potential payout compared with a win bet.
The reverse forecast
A reverse forecast covers your two selections finishing first and second in either order, doubling your chances but also doubling the cost, as it is effectively two forecast bets. Understanding the reverse forecast, which covers both possible orders of your two dogs, helps you see a more forgiving option, as it pays out whichever of your two selections wins, as long as both fill the first two places, at the cost of being two bets rather than one.
The combination forecast
A combination forecast lets you pick three or more dogs, covering all the forecast combinations among them, so any two of your selections filling the first two places pays out. It costs more, covering many combinations. Understanding the combination forecast, which spreads your bet across several dogs and their orderings, helps you see a way to cover more outcomes, though the increased cost reflects the many forecast combinations you are effectively backing at once.
What a tricast is
A tricast goes further, asking you to predict the first three dogs in the correct finishing order. It is harder than a forecast and pays correspondingly more. Understanding that a tricast requires naming the first three home in exact order helps you see why it is a long-shot bet, as predicting three dogs in the right order is considerably more difficult than two, which is why a winning tricast can return a large amount from a small stake in a competitive race.
The combination tricast
A combination tricast lets you select more than three dogs, covering all the tricast combinations among them, so any three filling the first three places in order pays. It is more expensive, covering many combinations. Understanding the combination tricast, which spreads the bet across several dogs and their orderings, helps you see how to improve your chances on this tough bet, at the cost of the many combinations you are backing, which can make it an expensive bet.
How returns are calculated
Forecast and tricast returns are usually calculated by a computer using a dividend based on the starting prices of the dogs involved, rather than fixed odds. The bigger the prices, the bigger the return. Understanding that forecast and tricast returns are worked out by a computer dividend, not fixed odds, helps you see why the exact return is not known in advance, as it depends on the starting prices of the dogs that fill the places, with longer-priced results paying much more.
The appeal
The appeal of forecasts and tricasts is the potential for big returns from a small stake, especially when longer-priced dogs fill the places. A small tricast can occasionally pay handsomely. Understanding that the appeal lies in the large potential returns helps explain why these bets attract players, while reminding you that the big payouts reflect how unlikely they are to come off, so they should be seen as long-shot bets rather than a reliable way to win.
Suited to greyhound racing
With only six dogs per race, forecasts and tricasts can feel more achievable in greyhound racing than in big horse racing fields, as there are fewer possible combinations. They remain difficult, though. Understanding that the small six-dog field makes greyhound forecasts and tricasts somewhat more achievable than in large horse races, while still being hard to predict, helps explain their popularity in greyhound betting, as the limited number of runners reduces, but does not remove, the difficulty of getting the order right.
The difficulty
Despite the small field, predicting the exact finishing order of two or three dogs is still hard, especially with trouble in running and the unpredictability of racing. Most of these bets lose. Understanding that forecasts and tricasts remain difficult to land, with most losing, keeps your expectations realistic, as the challenge of getting the order exactly right, even among six dogs, means these bets come off infrequently, which is precisely why the occasional winner can pay so well.
The cost of cover
Reverse, combination forecasts and combination tricasts cover more outcomes but cost more, as each is effectively multiple bets. It is easy to spend more than you realise on full cover. Understanding that covering more combinations increases the cost, sometimes substantially, helps you control your spending, as a combination bet across several dogs can amount to many individual bets, so it is important to check the total cost before placing it, to stay within your budget.
The edge applies
Like all bets, forecasts and tricasts carry the bookmaker's margin, so they offer no way to beat greyhound racing over time; they simply trade a low chance for a big payout. Our guide on how greyhound odds work covers the edge. Understanding that the edge applies to these exotic bets too keeps your expectations realistic, as the dream of a big forecast or tricast return does not change the fact that, over time, the bookmaker's advantage remains built into the bet.
Betting responsibly
The big potential returns of forecasts and tricasts can tempt you to chase them, so treat all betting as entertainment, not income. Set a budget, check the cost of cover, and never chase losses. Our guide on how to gamble responsibly has practical tools. Understanding these bets helps you decide whether they suit you, but keeping your betting within your means matters far more than any potential payout.
In short
A forecast predicts the first two dogs in order; a tricast predicts the first three. A straight forecast needs the exact order, a reverse forecast covers both orders, and combination versions cover several dogs and orderings at greater cost. Returns are set by a computer dividend based on starting prices, so big-priced results pay a lot. The small six-dog field makes them more achievable than in big horse races, but they remain hard, and the edge applies, so always gamble responsibly.
Explore more in our Greyhound Racing guides.