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Forecast Betting Explained

If you’re an avid horse racing fan, you’ve surely heard (or even tried) the forecast bet. It’s a bit of a different wager than backing up a horse and falls in the category of exotic bets. It means that you need a bit more knowledge of horse racing betting to try it out, and that’s exactly what this article aims to provide.
What Is a Forecast Bet?
The forecast is a special bet where a punter tries to predict the 2 horses to pass the finish line. It’s a bet available on the horse and greyhound races and an important part of horse racing betting. As a punter, placing a forecast means choosing the horses to finish 1st and 2nd in that particular order. It is called a straight forecast prediction bet. Although there are 2 other types, you can bet on them.
These are the reverse forecast that allows you to pick the horses in any order and a combination forecast involving 3 horses and 6 bets.
How to Work Out a Forecast Bet
Forecasts are not hard to understand once you get the hang of them. Instead of choosing one horse as the winner, you’re predicting which 2 horses finish in the 2 top spots. That’s only for the straight forecast bet. The reverse and combination spice things up a bit, allowing you to pick a random order or bring a third horse into the equation.
As long as you place a straight forecast, you’re betting on 2 horses to finish first and second.
Things to Consider When Placing a Forecast
To successfully place a forecast, you should think hard about it. Picking a single horse to win a race is hard enough, but choosing the first 2 finishers is harder. You can’t just put your money on random horses and hope for the best.
- Bookies usually have a field of 3 horses on forecasts
- The more your bets differ from the favourites, the harder it will be to get it right
- Make sure to shop for bet forecast odds to find the best value, as not all bookies offer fixed forecast odds
- Trust your hunch, but make sure not to go wild with dark horses unless you want to fail
- When in doubt, a reverse forecast can help
Types of Forecast Bets
You can place 3 types of forecast bets, starting with a straight. However, you can also place bets on the horses to end in reverse order and add a third one for fun.
What Is a Combination Forecast Bet?
The combination forecast introduces the third horse in the equation, which greatly affects the outcome. There are 6 possible outcomes with this bet, so it costs 6 times a straight forecast.
Of course, you also stand to win more, but it’s a stretch. You can add more horses, increasing the combinations and the possible bets. In the end, it’ll be too costly to run it.
Dual Forecast Bet Explained
The dual forecast bet is not only used in horse racing but in motor racing too. It involves 3 or more participants (horses, jockeys, drivers), and the punter predicts the result of any 2.
What Is a Dual Forecast Bet in Golf?
A dual forecast in golf betting is when you select 2 golfers to finish 1st and 2nd in a tournament or event.
What Is a Dual Forecast Bet in Football?
Like a dual forecast in golf, this bet forecast in football enables you to choose the winner and runner-up in a competition.
What Is a Dual Forecast Bet in the F1?
In the F1 dual forecast bet, you predict the 1st and 2nd finishers among 20 drivers (as usual) in any order.
What Is a Straight Forecast Bet?
A straight forecast is the ‘default’ forecast based on horse races. It’s also among the best bet forecast options, allowing you to pick the winning horse and runner-up.
What Is a Straight Forecast Bet in Golf?
To put things into perspective, a straight forecast in golf is choosing Tiger Woods to win a tournament and Rory Rory McIlroy to finish second.
What Is a Straight Forecast Football Bet?
It’s similar in football, where a player chooses 2 teams to win the event and place second.
How Is a Forecast Used in Sports Betting?
Forecasts are easy to use once you get the hang of them. The forecast bet meaning is simple – you’re essentially predicting the forecast of the tournament or event. It means choosing the winner of a race or event and successfully picking the runner-up.
What Is a Forecast Bet in Horse Racing?
The forecast is originally a horse racing bet. To place a forecast on a race, choose a horse to finish 1st and another to finish 2nd.
What Is a Forecast Bet in Football?
The NFL is a competitive league in American football where you can place a forecast bet to correctly predict the winner of the regular season and the runner-up.
What Is a Forecast Bet in Soccer?
Football forecasts are especially popular in pre-match markets for competitions such as the Premier League. A good forecast would be to choose Manchester City to win the league and Liverpool to finish second.
Final Words
The forecast is a great bet that packs more punch than a single bet. It’ll cost a bit more, but getting it right can be pretty lucrative. Why choose the winner when you can also select the runner-up?
We hope our straight and reverse forecast bet explained guide helped you realize what this bet promises. Try it on a horse race right now, and you’ll see why it’s a favourite one for thousands of racegoers.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a reverse forecast bet?
A reverse forecast bet is just what it says – it allows punters to pick the first 2 horses to pass the finish line, but now they can pass in any order.
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What is a forecast from 3?
Any forecast that includes 3 runners or more is a combination forecast bet.
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What is a forecast dividend?
The forecast dividend in sports betting represents the amount of money bet into the pool and how many punters got the winning forecast bet.
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