What is a Straight Forecast?
A straight forecast is typically found in horse racing, trotting, greyhounds or motor sports. You are betting on the participants that will finish first and second in a race, in that exact order.
A reverse forecast is similar as you are still betting on who will come first and second. The only difference is that the participants can now finish in any order.
Example of a Forecast bet
For a straight forecast, you bet on Horse 4 to finish in 1st position and Horse 6 to finish in 2nd position. This must be the exact order the race ends for your bet to win. The returns for predicting this correctly will depend on the regular win-market odds of both Horse 4 and Horse 6, as well as other factors such as the number of other horses listed to race.
For a reverse forecast, you could bet on Horse 7 and Horse 9 to finish as the top two horses in any order. If Horse 9 wins and Horse 7 comes second, or vice versa, the bet is won. The odds won’t change depending on the order either horse finishes – it is a fixed payout regardless.
If betting on the same horses, the odds of a reverse forecast will always be lower than its straight counterpart. This is due to the added leeway for predicting the outcome in any order.
Pros and cons of a Reverse Forecast
Forecast bets are a good way of increasing the odds of a particular race, especially if the favourite has very starting low odds. For example, you may believe an F1 driver will win a particular Grand Prix but are not tempted by his value in the market. By also predicting who will finish 2nd, this will greatly increase the odds.
In a similar fashion, you may not be sure who to pick out of two fancied horses in an upcoming race. By selecting a reverse forecast, this removes the predicament of picking an exact winner. As long as they both finish above the other horses, the bet will be paid out.
The potential con of a forecast is that you are adding increased risk to your bet, especially in a field of big race participants. If just one of your top two picks is wrong, the whole bet will be lost. Evaluate if opting for a forecast provides better value than placing a regular win-only bet before making your decision.
How to use the bet calculator
The Unibet Betting Odds Calculator makes it incredibly easy to instantly view the returns of your selected bet type and stake. You can also easily change the odds display from fractional to decimal in the top right corner of the page, as per your preference.
To begin, first you must decide which type of bet you are looking to place. The Unibet Calculator ranges from simple doubles, trebles and combinations through to more advanced Trixies, Yankees, Heinz and Lucky 63 multiples, etc.
For example, if you select a ‘Goliath’ multiple bet, this will generate eight blank selections that make up a Goliath bet. You must now enter the odds of each of your eight picks manually, followed by the stake per line.
By pressing ‘Calculate Now’ this will display the total stake required to place the bet, along with the Total Return and Total Profit. Another great tool is that you can easily switch each selection from being a Winner into a Lost or Void outcome. Your overall returns will be adjusting automatically after calculating the returns again. This is a great way of visualising how your bet will perform should one or more selections not be successful.
Additional betting considerations
For horse racing gamblers in particular, the Unibet Betting Odds Calculator includes the provision for Each Way betting. By selecting this, the fields will now include an option for you to adjust the Place odds (as displayed on the race betting page itself) and thus instantly calculate the returns if your horse were to finish in the applicable place positions.
Another provision is that of Rule 4 deductions. This is implemented in a horse race if a participant is withdrawn after you have placed your bet – therefore adjusting the odds. Depending on the horse that has been withdrawn, you can adjust the deduction manually by selecting either 5% to 20% per Euro bet. Finally, you can also adjust the outcome to that of a Dead Heat should multiple horses cross the finish line at exactly the same time.