The Best Grand National Betting Sites (2024)

How We Choose the Best Bookmakers for the Grand National

On this page, you will find a complete guide to help you choose the best Grand National betting sites in the UK including which bookies have the best sign up offers, the highest odds, live streams, faller insurance, ante-post bets and much more.

To start, we first consider whether a betting site lists odds for the Grand National. Although this is obvious among bookies in the UK, horse racing may not be popular in other parts of the world.

You are good to go as long as the bookmaker features your desired meeting. Still, it would help to consider a few more factors that may affect your winnings and betting experience.

What is the Grand National?

Also referred to as the Grand National Handicap Steeplechase, this is an annual English horse race held at the Aintree course, Liverpool, towards the end of March or early April. We can trace it back to 1839, thanks to a Liverpool innkeeper called William Lynn. However, the race’s present name was not adopted until 1847.

The Grand National is a handicap race, meaning horses carry varying weights according to their capabilities. It is an exciting event filled with difficulties to challenge the skills and spirit of the most resilient, daring professional and amateur riders. Horses enter the competitions in large numbers and are eliminated progressively until only a handful finish.

No other steeplechase race in the world draws more attention than the Grand National, which also happens to be Britain’s most significant sports betting event. It registers seven figures in bets from approximately 13 million punters. Some betting sites report over 150,000 customers a minute during the race.

The payouts for such a prominent meeting can be significant, especially if you choose the right bookie. This review looks at the top Grand National betting sites that check the most important boxes for a punter looking to bet on the Grand National. We also let you in on our ranking criterion.

Grand National Free Bets/ Betting Offers

With the most considerable betting turnover of any English horse racing event, it is no surprise that you are spoilt for choices as far as promotions surrounding the Grand National go.

Many betting sites offer free bets when you sign up for the first time, although some withdraw this promotion just before the Grand National.

You might want to open an account at least a week early if you want to take advantage of the new customer bonuses on less popular betting sites.

Extra Places

Sometimes it gets too challenging to pick the winning horse, so betting each way may make things easier and increase your chances of winning. Bookies that offer extra places process payouts even if your horse doesn’t finish first, but places. The only caveat is that you will often get paid at ¼ the odds or lower. For instance, if you back a 20/1 horse and it finishes second, you will be paid 5/1. A £10 each-way bet in such a case would cost you £20 but return £60 instead of £210.

Most sites go with four places, which means you get paid if your horse finishes 1st, 3rd, or 4th. However, the big names in horse racing have up to 5, 6, 7, or 8 places. The Grand National often has several dozen horses, so you want to be allowed as many places as possible to increase your luck. Here are some popular bookmakers that offer extra places:

• Bet365: 5 places (¼ odds)
• Boylesports: 7 places (⅕ odds)
• BetVictor: 6 places (⅕ odds)
• 888Sport: 6 places (⅕ odds)
• Paddy Power: 6 places (⅕ odds)
• Spreadex: 5 places (⅕ odds)
• Betfair: 6 places (⅕ odds)
• Coral: 6 places (⅕ odds)
• William Hill: 5 places (⅕ odds)
• Unibet: 4 places (¼ odds)

From the above list, it is clear that bet365 offers you great value for your money because you get up to 5 places at ¼ of the odds, while other bookies with 5 places only give ⅕ of the odds. Boylesports has a great deal, allowing you 7 places at the same ⅕ of the odds paired with 5 and 6 places by other bookies.

Enhanced Odds

Betting sites offer enhanced odds on specific events and markets, including the Grand National and its numerous bet types. For instance, the odds for “Augusta Gold” may be 13/1, but if your bookmaker is offering enhanced odds, you may get something like 20/1. William Hill and 888Sport are the two most popular bookies that offer enhanced odds.

Price Boosts

Much like enhanced odds, price boosts translate to bigger winnings than usual. The only difference is that price boosts are often smaller than enhanced odds. William Hill, Paddy Power, and Betfred are among the best places to search for price boosts on races and horses in the Grand National.

Live Streaming

Maybe you won’t be at home to watch the race or don’t have it covered in your cable tv subscription package. Whatever the reason, you are always at an advantage if your bookie also has live streaming services. Many of the best sites we keep listing here let you steam horse races. Some will require that you have funds in your account to access the feature even though they don’t charge.

Bet365 has the most extensive live streaming portfolio. Other sites with excellent horse racing streaming services are:

• Paddy Power
• Unibet
• Betfair
• Betfred
• William Hill
• Coral
• BetVictor
• Ladbrokes
• Betway

Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG)

One of the most popular racing offers is best odds guaranteed, abbreviated as BOG. When this offer is available, it means you get the best odds between the starting price of a horse and its final price just before the race. Suppose you go with an early price or a fixed odds on a particular race, and the starting price (SP) ends up being more significant. In that case, your winnings are calculated according to the SP.

Here are some bookies to keep an eye on and how quick they are to make the BOG offer available for punters to get started:

• Bet365: the day before the race
• Boylesports: the day before the race
• Sportingbet: the day before the race
• Betfred: 8 am on the day of the race
• Betfair: 8 am on the race day
• Unibet: 8 am on the day of the race
• Paddy Power: 8 am on the day of the race
• Quinnbet: 8.30 am on the race day
• BetVictor: 9 am on the day of the race
• Ladbrokes: 7 am to 15 min before race

Ante-Post Bets

Ante-Post betting is the phrase used in betting when you are allowed to place your wager at least 2 days ahead of an event. The Grand National pages of many bookies are filled with dozens of horses alongside their odds months before the actual event. Such ante-post markets often feature enormous odds, although you are also taking a considerable risk in the sense that your favourite horse may not get in the race. These are our top picks for Grand National ante-post betting:

• William Hill
• Bet365
• Ladbrokes
• Coral
• Paddy power
• Unibet

Non-Runner No-Bet (NRNB)

What if you back a horse in ante-post betting, and it doesn’t run? You’d be safer if you went with a non-runner no-bet offer. This promotion means that the bet you place in advance is insured in the sense that you get your money back should your lucky horse fail to feature in the Grand National. Our top picks of bookies that are quick to confirm the availability of non-runner no-bet deals are:

• Bet365
• Betfair
• William Hill
• Betfred
• Paddy Power
• Ladbrokes
• Mansionbet
• Coral
• 10bet 
• Unibet

Faller Insurance

Also referred to as money back, Faller Insurance is another betting offer that looks out for punters. It guarantees you get your stake back, usually in the form of a free bet, in case your favourite horse falls or unseats its rider. This provision is beneficial for a meeting as demanding as the Grand National, where horses fall all the time. Coral, Mansionbet, and 10bet are the best sites for Faller Insurance.