Best 2026 Grand National free bets & betting offers

Just weeks after Cheltenham, the best Grand National free bets for 2026 are already rolling in, and if you’re planning a punt on the iconic steeplechase at Aintree, this guide is for you.

It’s the biggest race in the UK calendar, with total betting over the three-day festival reaching up to £500 million, so naturally the bookmakers go big with enhanced welcome offers, free bets and bonus offers throughout.

We’ve trawled through the latest and greatest Grand National festival offers, including boosts and specials across all 21 races, to bring everything together in one place, jargon free and easy to digest, so you’ve got everything you need to make your selections.

So whether you’re a casual punter or a seasoned pro, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know in this one-stop shop betting hub.

Top 5 Grand National sign-up offers for 2026

Let’s run through the top five Grand National new customer sign-up offers for 2026.

BoyleSports Grand National offer

Offer: Bet £10, Get £50 in free bets

BoyleSports offers one of the biggest Grand National sign-up deals, with £50 in free bets available when new customers sign up and place a £10 bet. The free bets are applied after the qualifying bet is settled.

talkSPORT BET Grand National offer

Offer: Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10 on racing

talkSPORT BET goes with a simple bet and get deal for the race. New customers need to opt in, deposit and place a £5 bet at odds of 1/1 or higher, with £20 in free bets credited once the bet settles.

SBK Grand National offer

Offer: Bet £5, Get £30 in free bets

SBK is a mobile-only sportsbook, so everything is geared towards app users during the Grand National. To claim, deposit £10 and place a £5 bet at odds of 2/1 or higher. Once the bet settles, £30 in free bets is credited within 48 hours.

Tote Grand National offer

Offer: Bet £10, Get £40 in free bets

Grand National betting wouldn’t be the same without Tote. They kick things off with an enhanced offer, giving new customers £40 in free bets when they sign up and stake a tenner on the action. The rewards are split into £20 in Tote Credit, a £10 free sports bet, and 2 x £5 football accas.

Betfred Grand National offer

Offer: Bet £10, Get £50 in free bets

Betfred offers £50 in free bets for the Grand National when new punters register, deposit with a debit card, and place a £10 bet at 1/1 or higher. Once that bet settles, the free bets are credited, split into sports and acca bets.

Grand National betting rules you must know: NRNB & each-way terms

Before diving in, it’s worth a quick recap on two key rules that can make a big difference when betting on the Grand National.

What is Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB)?

Non-Runner No Bet means exactly what it says. If your horse doesn’t run in the race, your stake is returned as cash.

It’s mainly used in the ante-post market, where runners can drop out before the final Grand National field is confirmed.

So if you’ve backed a horse early, at the start of the week for example, and it doesn’t line up at Aintree, your stake is refunded instead of lost.

Not all bookmakers offer NRNB, so it’s important to check before placing your bet. Look for “Non-Runner No Bet” or “NRNB” clearly displayed on the market or race page.

How each-way betting works

Given 34 runners line up for the Grand National, each-way betting becomes far more appealing than in a typical race.

Bookies usually pay out on four places, but during the week of Aintree, many push that up to five, six or even eight places across the market.

For instance, Senior Chief finished 6th in last year’s race at 40/1. Normally, that would have meant you lost your bet.

But with extra places on offer, it would have been a winner. A £10 each-way bet (£20 total stake) would have returned around £90 from the place payout alone, so it’s important to shop around and see how many places you can get for your selection.

The 2026 Grand National Festival: Dates, times & schedule

The 2026 Grand National Festival runs from Thursday, April 9 to Saturday, April 11 at Aintree. Across the three days, there are 11 Grade 1 races, all building up to the main event on Saturday.

Here’s what to expect across the festival.

Opening Day (Thursday, 9 April 2026)

Opening Day gets things underway, with gates opening at 11:00 AM and the first race at 1:45 PM.

There are four Grade 1 races on the card, with the highlights undoubtedly the Aintree Bowl (2:55pm) and Aintree Hurdle (4:05pm). Both are worth watching, especially after last year’s winners Gaelic Warrior and Lossiemouth went on to land big wins at Cheltenham in March.

Ladies Day (Friday, 10 April 2026)

Ladies Day is one of the biggest days of the festival, with gates opening at 10:30 AM and the first race at 1:45 PM. It’s no surprise tickets are already sold out.

It’s known for the Style Award as much as the racing, with thousands heading to Aintree dressed to impress. Big prizes are up for grabs, including a luxury trip to Ibiza for the best dressed, alongside awards for best suited and best hat.

On the racing side, the key races include the Topham Chase (4:05pm), run over the famous Grand National fences, and the Melling Chase (3:30pm).

Grand National Day (Saturday, 11 April 2026)

The final day? Well, this is the main event, and rightly so, with around £250 million typically bet on the race alone.

Gates open at 10:00 AM, with a full day of racing building up to the Randox Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase at 4:00 PM.

It’s the headline race of the festival and one of the biggest sporting events in the UK, if not the world. The race is run over 4 miles and 2½ furlongs, with 30 jumps and a maximum field of 34 runners.

A £1 million prize fund is on offer, with the winner collecting £500,000.

Step-by-step: How to claim your Grand National free bets

Claiming Grand National free bets is pretty straightforward, but there are a few key steps and restrictions to be aware of.

Most offers follow a “bet and get” format, just like our top five at the top of this page.

1. Pick the offer you want to claim: Choose a bookmaker and offer that suits you, then head to the site or app to get started.
2. Sign up and opt in: Complete the registration process. Most bookmakers only allow one account per person, and may restrict multiple accounts linked to the same IP address or payment details.
3. Make a deposit: Deposit the minimum amount required using an accepted payment method, such as a debit card, PayPal or bank transfer. Some deposit methods like Skrill, Neteller or Paysafe may be excluded, so check the T&Cs.
4. Place your qualifying bet: Place a real money bet that meets the offer requirements. This will often be £5 or £10 at odds of evens or greater. The bet must usually settle before any free bets are awarded.
5. Receive your free bets: Once your bet has settled, free bet credits are added to your account, either instantly or within a few hours.
6. Use them before expiry: Free bets come with time limits, so make sure you use them before they expire. You will often have seven days, but always check the T&Cs apply.

Existing customer offers for Aintree 2026

Most standout deals are aimed at new customers, but what about existing players?

There are still plenty of special offers available for those who already have an account. Below are a couple of the most common promotions you’ll see across the festival.

Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG)

Best Odds Guaranteed, often shortened to BOG, is one of the most common offers available to existing customers during the Grand National.

It means if you take an early price on a horse and the starting price (SP) is bigger, your bet is settled at the higher odds. For example, if you back a runner at 10/1 and it drifts to 14/1 at the off, you’ll be paid out at 14/1 if it wins.

Faller insurance & accumulator boosts

Faller insurance is another popular offer for existing customers during the Grand National festival.

It’s basically like any other insurance. If your horse falls or loses all chance during the race, your stake is returned as a free bet. In a race like the Grand National, with 30 jumps and a big field of runners, it’s a useful option to have.

You’ll also see accumulator boosts and enhanced returns on multiples. These offers increase your returns if all selections in your acca come in.

We’ve already seen a couple of these in action, with Betfred offering a 10% Winning Tricast Bonus and “Multiply Your Odds” deals, which boost returns on accumulator bets during the festival.

Bet-through-the-card offers

Bet-through-the-card are very popular with betting sites during the big racing festivals. They tend to require you to place a small bet on the opening race on Grand National Day and then you will receive a free bet on every subsequent race that day, including the Grand National.

You might find that some operators will offer this for the whole of the Grand National Festival, so placing a bet on the first race on the Thursday could potentially get you 20 subsequent free bets.

Ambassador-related offers and promotions

You may have noticed that almost every horse racing trainer, jockey and personality has an ambassadorial deal with a bookmaker and there are usually plenty of betting offers around it.

For example, Harry Cobden was an ambassador with Paddy Power and they offered enhanced prices on his rides at last year’s Grand National Festival at Aintree.

Trixie/Yankee/Lucky 15 bet offers

You will generally struggle to find free bet offers around multiples, though some offer free sportsbook bet builders when you sign up and stake a given amount.

If you already have a an account and like to place lucky 15, trixie and yankee multiple bets, it’s worth keeping in mind things like best odds guaranteed offers, competitive pricing and place terms before placing bets on the racing at Aintree. 

Boosted odds

A really popular promotion that bookmakers offer is boosted odds on popular runners during major festivals. The exact terms will vary from site to site, but you may find that major stars like Galopin Des Champs and Constitution Hill have their odds boosted if they are trading at short prices during the week.

These bets are often capped to a certain max bet amount, so it’s worth checking the terms and conditions fully before playing. 

Full list of Grand National 2025 runners

Now, it’s time to look at the entries for the 2025 Grand National. At the time of writing the final field has not yet been confirmed, but nonetheless, we will take you through the current 34 entries for the Grand National.

2026 Grand National betting FAQ

Here are answers to some of the most common questions around Grand National betting.

1. Are Grand National winnings paid in cash?

Yes, winnings are paid in cash if you’ve placed a standard bet using your own money.

If you’ve used a free bet or taken part in a welcome offer, it works slightly differently. In most cases, only the profit is returned as cash, while the free bet stake itself is not included.

2. Can I use a free bet on an each-way selection for Aintree?

Yes, you can almost always place an each-way bet using a free bet, just like a normal bet. Just check the terms and conditions of the specific offer or free bet.

3. What are the main payment exclusions for Grand National bonuses?

Some payment methods won’t qualify for Grand National free bet offers. From experience, I’ve found that e-wallets like Skrill, Neteller and Paysafe are the ones most commonly excluded.

If you want to keep things simple, it’s usually best to use a debit card. And as always, check the T&Cs before you deposit to avoid any issues.

About the author

Nick Seddon

A sports journalist with more than a decade of experience, Nick has covered some of the biggest events in sport, from the Grand National and the Epsom Derby in horse racing to Walsall against Wigan Athletic in League One.

Follow Nick on X: @nickseddon_

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