What is Tricast?

A tricast is a bet that predicts the first, second and third finishers of a race in the exact correct order, most commonly offered on horse racing and greyhound racing markets. Because getting three runners right in a precise sequence is difficult, the tricast pays out at high odds, making it a popular high-risk, high-reward wager among racing punters. Unlike a forecast, which only names the first two finishers in order, the tricast adds the third place, and its returns are typically not set as a fixed price. Instead, most bookmakers calculate the payout using an industry dividend derived from the starting prices of the runners involved (a computer straight tricast), so the exact return is only known after the race is settled. Worked example: you place a £2 straight tricast on horses A, B and C to finish first, second and third in that order. Those three fill the top three places in exactly your sequence, and the computed tricast dividend returns £486.50 to a £1 stake. Your £2 bet therefore pays 2 × £486.50 = £973 in total. Had the same three finished in a different order, your straight tricast would lose, which is why some punters prefer a combination tricast covering every order of their selections. Practical context: tricasts are usually available only on races with a minimum number of runners (often three or more, sometimes six-plus), and the dividend can swing dramatically with the field's prices. Always check whether your selection is a straight or combination tricast, as the latter multiplies the stake across each permutation.