Tricast Calc
Tricast (trifecta) racing payout for three horses in order.
How to Use This Calculator
- Pick your tricast type — straight (one specific order) or combination (all six orderings)
- Enter the odds for each of your three horses
- Enter your unit stake
- Read off total stake, combined odds, return and profit
Formula
Combined Odds = Odds₁ × Odds₂ × Odds₃
Straight Tricast: 1 bet at unit stake.
Combination Tricast: 6 bets at unit stake (3! orderings) — total stake = 6 × unit stake. Only the correct ordering pays.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a tricast bet?
A tricast (the US calls it a trifecta) is a bet on which three horses finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd. A straight tricast demands the exact order; a combination tricast blankets all six possible orderings for six times the stake.
When does a combination tricast make sense?
Go combination when you’re confident on which three horses fill the places but you’re hazy on the order. The trade-off is paying 6× stake. If you’ve got firm views on the order, a straight tricast pays the same on the winning order at one-sixth the cost.
How do tricast payouts get worked out?
UK bookmakers typically run the Computer Tricast Forecast (CTF) formula, built off starting prices and field size. The multiplicative model (Odds × Odds × Odds) is just a rough approximation. Actual dividends can swing by 30%+ depending on field strength.
Is a tricast good value?
Tricasts run extremely high variance — slim chance of winning, but the payouts are enormous. Keep them to a small slice of your bankroll. Sharper bettors gravitate to shorter-priced markets where structural edges exist; tricasts are mostly for fun.