Every morning, thousands of bettors consult the press forecasts to prepare their Quinté+ ticket. Regional newspapers, specialized websites, and general media publish their selections, often the day before the race. However, not all forecasts are read the same way, and understanding their logic changes the way one constructs a bet.
Quinté+ payout rate: what press grids don’t show
Have you ever noticed that the winnings from Quinté+ seem concentrated on very few winning tickets? It’s not by chance. The payout rate (TRJ) of Quinté+ is the lowest in the range of horse racing bets. The difficulty of the bet (finding the first five in order or disorder) means that the jackpot is distributed among a limited number of players.
In contrast, the e-Simple Winner has seen its TRJ exceed 87.5% since July 1, 2025, after a regulatory revaluation. In practical terms, on a simple bet, the player recovers a larger share of their stake on average than on a Quinté+.
Websites that compile tomorrow’s press forecast for Quinté rarely display this data. They present the favorite horses, the most mentioned numbers, but not the expected return of the chosen type of bet. Keeping this asymmetry in mind helps to manage one’s budget between Quinté+ and simpler bets.
Press forecast for Quinté: how to read a summary of favorites
Summary tables group selections from several dozen newspapers. Each source proposes its five to eight favorite horses, ranked in order of preference. The aggregator site then adds up the mentions to highlight the most consensual runners.
The consensus does not guarantee the result
A horse mentioned by the majority of newspapers is a logical favorite. Its profile meets the classic criteria: recent form, suitable ground, regular jockey. However, in a race, a unanimous favorite pays little in Quinté+ because most bettors already include it in their combination.
The interest of a press summary lies elsewhere. It allows you to spot:
- The horses mentioned in the top three by only a minority of newspapers, a sign of an outsider identified by a few specialists but not yet recognized by the general public
- The runners absent from all selections, who become “forgotten” and can significantly increase payouts if the race turns in their favor
- Strong divergences between regional press and specialized turf press, which sometimes reveal a different interpretation of race conditions (ground state, distance, type of course)
Cross-reference sources with the program of runners
A press forecast remains an opinion. To exploit it, it must be compared with the official program of runners. Look at the discipline (flat, harness trot, mounted trot), the distance, the weight carried in handicap, and the recent performances of the horse on a similar course.
A press favorite on ground it has never raced on deserves caution. Newspapers do not always update their selection based on the announced change in ground on the morning of the race.
Structural decline in horse racing bets and impact on odds
The horse racing betting market in France is experiencing a decline described as a structural trend, not just a temporary slowdown. This decrease in betting volume has a direct consequence on the payouts of Quinté+: with fewer bettors, the pool to be redistributed decreases.
For the bettor who consults the press forecasts every morning, this means two things. First, big payouts become rarer when the volume of bets decreases. Secondly, very consensual favorites capture a larger share of the total wagered, further compressing their payout.
Betting on Quinté+ remains a fun exercise, but long-term profitability depends on the type of bet chosen. A tiercé in order offers a spectacular payout, while a quarté in disorder remains more accessible. Adapting one’s strategy to the economic context of turf, and not just to the horses, is part of the analysis.
Building your Quinté ticket from press forecasts
Rather than copying the selection from a single newspaper, a more robust method is to build your own ticket using the press as an initial filter.
- Select a base of two or three horses present in the majority of press forecasts, those that form the foundation of the ticket
- Add one or two outsiders identified in minority selections, to cover a less predictable race scenario
- Check each horse retained in the official race program: discipline (flat or trot), distance, ground, handicap ranking
- Set a fixed budget per day of play, regardless of the confidence placed in the forecasts
The press provides a starting point, not a turnkey ticket. The best results often come from bettors who cross-reference three or four sources before validating their combination.
When to consult tomorrow’s forecasts
Most sites publish tomorrow’s Quinté forecasts late in the evening or early in the morning. Consulting the selections after the publication of the final program (with confirmed non-runners) avoids betting on a horse that is ultimately withdrawn. The favorites from the previous day can lose all interest if the ground changes or if a serious competitor is declared a non-runner.
The press forecast for tomorrow’s Quinté remains a valuable tool for structuring one’s thinking. But its true value appears when combined with the data from the program, knowledge of the TRJ, and a rigorous management of one’s betting budget.
