Tricast Bet – What It Is and How It Works

A tricast bet, sometimes also called a trifecta, is a bet where you have to predict the top three in the correct order. Punters usually place tricasts on horse racing. However, this is a high-risk, high-reward wager that you can also make on greyhound racing and other sports.

It is not easy to land this type of bet, but if you call it right, the payouts can be good. This is a big reason why many racing fans enjoy tricast betting. It has historically been linked with horse and dog racing and is a useful betting tool when there is a strong favourite in a race.

What Is a Tricast Bet?

Using horse racing as an example, a tricast bet is a wager on which horses will finish first, second and third in the correct order. Understandably, therefore, a punter could find it tough to win such a bet. This does mean, however, that bookmakers offer very good odds on tricasts.

Bookies offer similar wagers to customers. The most similar bet they offer is a forecast. This is a simpler wager in which the punter only has to predict which horse will finish first and which will be second. Obviously, this bet is easier to win, but the odds are shorter. American sports betting fans will know a forecast as an exacta, while they call a tricast a trifecta.

These bets differ from an accumulator in that they are based on a single race or event. For example, a tricast requires bettors to name the top three in a single race; however, a treble requires them to pick the winner in three separate races.

Types of Tricast Bets

“Tricast” is a term that refers to a specific bet, which we will detail below as a straight tricast. However, it is also a more general umbrella term that covers several very similar bets. A straight tricast is, as we have explained, a very tricky bet to win. If you want to play things a little safer, then one of the related bets may appeal to you more.

• Straight Tricast – a straight tricast is actually just a tricast, but it makes it unambiguous that the wager requires the first three to be in the correct order. If you pick Blue Bum, Red Roll and Magic Mick, then Blue Bum has to win the race, with Red Roll second and Magic Mick third. It is a very specific, precise wager with no room for manoeuvre.
• Combination Tricast – a combination tricast is less specific. You still pick three horses (or dogs or anything else) to fill the top three places. However, because they can finish in any order, the bet is easier to win. A combination tricast is effectively six bets in one. This multiplies your stake by six to cover all possible combinations of the three runners you select. Sometimes, this is called a reverse tricast bet.
• Banker Tricast – this bet combines aspects of the straight tricast and combination tricast. You select a banker to win, but then the following two horses can finish in any order. This is generally available through Tote-based tricasts known as Trifectas.

How Tricast Bets Work – How to Place a Bet

The process for placing a tricast bet can vary. Increasingly, betting sites offer customers fixed odds tricasts. This makes things very simple as you just select the three horses and the order that you want. Navigate to the race you want to bet on, then to the tricast section. Here, you will see popular tricast bet options. If Blue Bum, Red Roll and Magic Mick are the three clear favourites in a race, the six tricast combinations of these may be offered at fixed odds.

Other betting sites will require you to add your three picks to the betting slip and place your tricast that way. However, even now, different bookies use different methods. Some will have a tab next to each horse where you select first, second, third, or for a combination tricast, any. But other sites allow you to order the horses using up and down arrows or by dragging them. Next, you have the option to make a straight tricast or a combination. The former requires one stake, but the latter six.

Generally speaking, you will not know your winnings until after the race. If you use a fixed odds tricast, the odds the bookmaker offers you will be clear. However, with a more traditional tricast, bookies determine the winnings using an algorithm after the race, and they take into account the SP of each pick and other factors. Tricasts placed using the Tote system (Trifectas) use a similar dividend system revealed after the race.

Pros and Cons of Tricast Betting

Tricast Betting Strategies and Tips

Ultimately, the strategy for a tricast bet is similar to that for all bets. Research, understanding the market and looking for value are all key. In terms of research, it is important to look at form, course form, the going and recent performances (beyond the bare result) of each of the key runners. However, in terms of tricast-specific tips, we recommend the following:

• Races with smaller fields will make it easier to select the top three.
• Using a tricast bet calculator gives an idea of potential winnings and also the stake required if you want to cover more than three horses.
• Use a banker tricast when you are very confident about the winner.
• Combination forecasts are a useful tool when you are very uncertain. Moreover, they can be helpful if you predict an upset in a race.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The biggest mistake bettors make with tricast betting is thinking they are an easy bet to win at long odds. Do not place bets on a market you do not understand. If you have to ask, “what is a tricast bet in horse racing?”, this may not be a wager you are ready for. Moreover, if you ask, “what is a reverse tricast bet?” or “what is a combination tricast bet?”, the same might apply. Hopefully, this tricast bet article has answered those questions for you.

Another common mistake is losing control of your budget. A combination tricast with three horses requires six stakes. However, you can add a fourth horse to increase your chances of winning. This wager is a success if any of the four occupy the top three places in any order. But this bet requires a massive 24 stakes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a tricast is a bet on the top three in the right order. It is most popular in horse and dog racing. However, you can also place tricasts on events like F1. Moreover, they can also be used in outright markets, such as naming the top three in the Premier League.

There are several variations on a straight tricast that make it easier to win but may require a higher stake. A reverse, or combination tricast, means the three can finish in any order. You can also select or perm more than three runners. Alternatively, you can use a banker pick to act as a halfway house between a straight and a combination tricast.

You can place tricasts in subtly different ways with different sites, and this may affect the odds and how they are calculated. In general, however, tricasts are best used by experienced punters or those looking for a win with a small stake. However, in this scenario, punters should be aware that their chance of landing a tricast is slim.