A reverse forecast bet picks two horses or greyhounds to finish first and second – in either order. You don’t need to call the exact sequence. As long as your two selections take the top two spots, the bet wins. If either one finishes third or worse, it loses.

Reverse Forecast Bet Meaning

A standard straight forecast requires you to name which horse wins and which finishes second, in that precise order. Get it backwards and you lose, even if both selections hit the top two. A reverse forecast drops that requirement entirely – first and second in any order is enough.

The mechanics behind it are simple: a reverse forecast is two straight forecasts running simultaneously on the same pair of selections. One bet covers Horse A first, Horse B second. The other covers Horse B first, Horse A second. Both run as separate bets, which is why the stake doubles. A $5 reverse forecast costs $10 total – $5 on each direction.

In the UK and Ireland you’ll see it abbreviated as RF on the bet slip. Some sportsbooks label the option „Any Order” when selecting forecast selections. Either way, the bet works identically.

Reverse Forecast Bet Explained: How It Works

Pick two runners. The sportsbook places two bets automatically:

• Bet 1: Horse A to finish 1st, Horse B to finish 2nd
• Bet 2: Horse B to finish 1st, Horse A to finish 2nd

If either of those two outcomes occurs – you win one of the two bets. If both horses hit the top two, both bets win and both payouts are added together.

Wait – can both bets win simultaneously? No. Only one finishing order is possible: either A beats B or B beats A to the line. So a reverse forecast always returns the payout from exactly one winning leg, assuming your selections fill the top two places.

The losing leg costs you its stake – you don’t get it back. The net result is you paid for two bets and collect on one. Whether that’s profitable depends on the odds, which is where the forecast dividend comes in.

Reverse Forecast Payout: How It’s Calculated

Forecast payouts aren’t fixed before the race. Most bookmakers use the Computer Straight Forecast (CSF) formula, which calculates the dividend based on the number of runners and the starting prices of the horses that finished first and second. The figure is published shortly after the race settles.

The key variables in the calculation:

• Number of runners – more horses in the race generally increases the forecast dividend
• Starting price of the winner – a longer-priced winner produces a bigger dividend
• Starting price of the second – same principle applies

A simple example: Horse A wins at 4/1 (5.0 decimal), Horse B finishes second at 3/1 (4.0 decimal). The straight forecast dividend on that result might come out around 18.00. On a $5 reverse forecast ($10 total stake), you’d collect $5 x 18.00 = $90 return from the winning leg, minus the $5 losing leg already paid, for a net return of $90 on $10 staked.

Tote-based alternatives exist too. The Combination Exacta on pool-based systems works on the same any-order principle, but the payout is determined by the pool size rather than the CSF formula. Payouts differ between the two systems on the same race.

Reverse Forecast vs. Straight Forecast

The straight forecast pays more on the same result because you called the order correctly – that precision earns a higher dividend. The reverse forecast gives up some of that return in exchange for order flexibility. It costs twice as much and pays on one leg, not two, so you’re breaking even on structure and gaining only the any-order coverage.

If you’re genuinely confident which of the two horses will win, the straight forecast is more efficient. If both look capable of taking first and the order feels like a coin flip, the reverse forecast removes the coin flip without requiring you to pick a side.

Reverse Forecast vs. Each-Way Bet

An each-way bet covers your selection to win outright and to place (finish in the top 2, 3, or 4 depending on the field size). The place portion pays a fraction of the win odds – typically 1/4 or 1/5.

A reverse forecast requires both your selections to finish in the top two. An each-way bet only requires one selection – your single pick – to place. The reverse forecast generally pays more when it lands because it’s harder to hit. Each-way offers a broader safety net on a single horse at a lower return on the place portion.

When to Use a Reverse Forecast

A reverse forecast makes sense in a specific scenario: you’ve identified two horses that look clearly superior to the rest of the field, but you can’t confidently separate them on who takes first.

Situations where it fits:

• Two well-matched horses at similar odds where the market isn’t pricing either as a clear winner
• A race where the favorite looks solid but a second runner at bigger odds looks capable of outrunning it
• When both selections carry value at their current prices and backing both straight up to win would miss the forecast dividend

It’s less useful when one selection is heavily favored and the order feels obvious – a straight forecast on the clear market leader to beat the second pick is cheaper and produces a better return on the same result. The reverse forecast premium only pays for itself when the order is genuinely uncertain.

FAQ

What is a reverse forecast bet?

A bet on two horses or greyhounds to finish first and second in a race, in either order. It combines two straight forecasts on the same pair of selections. The stake doubles to cover both directions. You win if your two picks fill the top two spots regardless of which one leads them home.

How is the reverse forecast payout calculated?

Most bookmakers use the Computer Straight Forecast (CSF) formula, which factors in the number of runners in the race and the starting prices of the first and second finishers. The dividend is published after the race settles and is the same across bookmakers using the CSF system. Tote-based Combination Exacta bets use pool size instead, so payouts differ.

Does a reverse forecast pay out on both bets?

No. Only one finishing order is possible in any race, so only one of the two straight forecasts within the reverse can win. You collect the dividend from the winning leg. The stake on the losing leg is already spent. The net return is the winning dividend minus the total outlay on both bets.

What’s the difference between a reverse forecast and a combination forecast?

A reverse forecast covers exactly two selections in two possible orders – two bets. A combination forecast scales the same logic across three or more selections, covering every possible 1st-2nd pairing from the group. Three selections produce six straight forecasts (combination forecast), covering all six possible first-and-second permutations. The reverse forecast is the smallest version of a combination forecast.

Can you place a reverse forecast on sports other than horse racing?

Forecast markets exist primarily in horse racing and greyhound racing. A handful of sportsbooks offer forecast-style bets on motorsport or cycling where finishing positions matter, but availability is limited. The reverse forecast is firmly a racing market – it doesn’t apply to team sports where there’s no individual finishing order.