Tricast Bet Tool
Horse racing tricast (trifecta) payouts for three horses finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
How to Use This Calculator
- Pick the tricast type — straight (one specific order) or combination (all six orderings)
- Input the odds for each of your three horses
- Input your unit stake
- Read 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
How does a tricast bet work?
A tricast (the US trifecta) is a bet on which three horses finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd. A straight tricast needs the exact order; a combination tricast covers all six possible orderings for six times the stake.
When is a combination tricast the right call?
Go combination when you’re sure which three horses will fill the placings but unsure of the order. The cost is 6× stake. If you have firm views on the order, a straight tricast pays the same on the winning order at one-sixth the cost.
How is a tricast payout worked out?
UK bookmakers normally apply the Computer Tricast Forecast (CTF) formula based on starting prices and field size. The multiplicative model (Odds × Odds × Odds) is a rough approximation. Actual dividends can differ by 30%+ depending on field strength.
Does a tricast offer good value?
Tricasts carry very high variance — low win probability but huge payouts. Keep them to a small slice of your bankroll. Sharper bettors tend to target shorter-priced markets where structural edges exist; tricasts are mostly leisure bets.