Grand National Free Bets — Best UK Offers for the 2026 Race

Best Grand National Free Bets & Betting Offers

Here are the top-ranked UK bookmakers with the best free bet offers for Grand National betting in 2026. These horse racing betting sites are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and are the most trusted by UK punters.

Bet365

With a welcome offer of £30 in free bets, which you can use entirely on the Grand National, Bet365 has one of the best Grand National betting offers for UK punters. To claim this offer, you only need to open an account, deposit £10, and then wager £10 or more on any sports at minimum odds of 1/5 (1.20).

Bet365 is also the top UK bookmaker for Grand National bet builder offers and allows you to choose from four main horse racing markets: Win & Place, Winning Distances, Match‑Ups, and Either to Win. It also stands out for Grand National Each-Way betting as it pays out up to five or six places.

Betfred

If you’re looking for the highest welcome bonus for Grand National betting, Betfred’s sign-up offer is a good choice. By just creating an account, topping up your account, and placing a minimum wager of £10 at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater on any sports markets, you get £50 in free bets.

Besides the sign-up free best offer, Betfred also offers lots of other Grand National promotions, including enhanced odds and a 10 Winning Tricast bonus and up to 25 cashback bonus on select races. It also offers consistently competitive Grand National betting odds, particularly on popular runners.

William Hill

William Hill is another top Grand National betting site and app in the UK, and it welcomes new Grand National bettors with a sign-up offer of £30 in free bets. You need to deposit and stake at least £10 on any sports markets (except virtual markets) at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater to claim this promotion.

The bookmaker also has some of the best Grand National bet builders and accumulator offers for existing bettors. It also offers high-quality live streaming of the Grand National and excellent in-play betting features on its mobile app. This allows you to smoothly watch races and place bets conveniently on your iPhone, iPad, tablet, or Android smartphone.

Betfair

The Betfair free bet offer for the Grand National is also one of the best around, with new UK bettors getting £50 in free bet builders, accumulators, or multiples. This bonus can help you get started at the bookmaker and stake on your favourite Grand National runners. Remember, you must place a minimum bet of £10 on any sports market at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater after signing up to qualify for the offer. And as an existing player, you can also claim various Grand National betting offers on select races, such as odds boosts, winning boosts, and even cashback.

Paddy Power

For those on a tight budget or looking for the best Grand National betting sites with low minimum deposits, Paddy Power is a perfect choice. With as low as £5, the bookmaker allows you to start betting on horse races and other sports you enjoy.

Even better, placing your initial £5 minimum bet on any sports market at minimum odds of Evens 1/1 (2.0) as a new bettor awards you £30 in free bets. These free bets are valid for 30 days; thus, you can place your qualifying wager well in advance of the Grand National. Keep in mind, though, that only Pay by Bank, Apple Pay, and Debit Card deposits qualify for this promotion.

Spreadex

Of all the best Grand National betting offers for new UK bettors that we recommended in this guide, Spreadex’s sign-up offer is the highest and most generous. This bookmaker is also the top horse racing betting app for spread betting.

When you sign up at Spreadex, make your first deposit and place a £10 fixed odds single or £10 Each-Way bet at minimum odds of 1/2, you receive £60 in free bets. The offer comprises 3x £10 free fixed odds bets, 3x £5 Total Goals football spread bets, and 3x £5 Winning Favourites spread bets. You also get an additional £1 racing Race Index spread bet.

Spreadex also features on our list of the best horse racing betting sites, head over to that page for more information.

How Grand National Free Bets Work

The Grand National is one of the biggest and most celebrated events in the UK’s horse racing calendar. Due to its immense popularity, sports betting sites in the UK roll out a wide range of Grand National free bets and betting offers. If you are new to Grand National betting or you have never claimed Grand National free bets before, we will explain how they work.

Each year, bookmakers roll out Grand National betting offers to attract thousands of bettors looking to cash in on this horse racing event. The most common type of Grand National free bet offer is the ‘bet and get’ promotion. Here, you simply need to place a bet that meets certain criteria, such as a minimum stake and minimum odds, and then you can receive a free bet offer.

At the best apps and sites for Grand National betting that we recommend, you can get either £30, £50, or even £60 in free bets when you make an initial minimum stake of £10. When using these free bets, keep in mind that you can only receive and withdraw the profits from the free bets if your bets win. This is because free bets are not returned with winnings. 

In addition, free bet offers often come with wagering requirements, which specify the number of times (often 1x or 3x) you must wager the free bet winning before you can withdraw. But if the bookmaker you’re using offers cash bonuses instead of free bets, you don’t need to meet any wagering requirements, and you can even withdraw the cash bonus amount immediately, unlike free bets.

Besides ‘bet and get’ promotions for new bettors, there are other types of Grand National betting offers you can claim in the form of free bets. They include Money-back if your horse falls or fails to finish the race, extra places on Each-Way bets, Non-runner No Bet (NRNB), and enhanced odds. We will discuss each of these offers later in the guide.

Why Bookmakers Offer Grand National Free Bets

The Grand National attracts massive crowds and millions of casual bettors every year. To take advantage of this UK’s top horse racing event, many bookmakers devise different strategies to attract new and more UK bettors looking to bet on the race, including one-year bettors with dormant betting accounts.

The most effective strategy bookmakers use is offering Grand National free bet offers. These promotions act as incentives, encouraging casual punters looking to bet on the Grand National to sign up and place their bets. With free bet offers, you get more funds to bet with, even if you’re on a budget, which can increase your potential returns.

Before deciding on the Grand National betting offer you want to claim, we recommend that you shop around for free bet offers and choose UKGC-licensed horse racing betting sites in the UK offering free bet offers with the most value.

Grand National 2026 – Key Details & Race Info

The 2026 Grand National is the 178th meeting of the world’s most famous steeplechase and takes place at Aintree Racecourse, just outside Liverpool. This three-day event starts on Thursday, April 9 and commences on Saturday, April 11, with the Grand National race taking place on the final day. Initially, 78 horses were entered to run the Grand National, but the number has been reduced to 34 runners.

Throughout the meeting, there will be a total of 21 races showcasing different aspects of the National Hunt racing. And each day features distinctive races that attract top runners, jockeys, and trainers from across the UK and Ireland.

Day 1: Opening Day – Thursday, 9 April 2026

The first day of the festival features four key Grade 1 races, setting the stage for a high-class racing spectacle. The four races include;

• Manifesto Novices’ Chase: A race for novice chasers over two and a half miles.

• Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle: A top-level contest for four-year-old hurdlers.

• Aintree Bowl Steeple Chase: A key race for staying chasers.

• Aintree Hurdle: A hurdle race over two and a half miles.

The Grade 3 Red Rum Handicap Chase is also a popular race on the first day of the festival.

Day 2: Ladies Day – Friday, 10 April 2026

The Ladies Day features four major Grade 1 races and one Grade 3 race, including;

• Mildmay Novices’ Chase: A race for novice chasers over three miles.

• Top Novices’ Hurdle: A fast-paced hurdle race for novice hurdlers.

• Melling Chase: A two-and-a-half-mile chase for top middle-distance chasers in training.

• Sefton Novices’ Hurdle: A stamina-testing hurdle race for novice hurdlers over three miles.

• Grade 3 Topham Chase: A race over the Grand National fences.

Day 3: Grand National Day – Saturday, 11 April 2026

On the final day of the festival, you can bet on Grade 1 races, as well as the legendary Grand National race. The main races of the day include;

• Mersey Novices’ Hurdle: A top race for novice hurdlers over two and a half miles.

• Liverpool Hurdle: A championship race for staying hurdlers over three miles.

• Maghull Novices’ Chase: A two-mile chase for novice chasers.

• Grand National (the final race): A premier handicap steeplechase featuring 2½ furlongs and 16 unique fences over a distance of more than 4 miles.

Grand National Free Bets for Existing Customers

While the majority of Grand National free bets you will come across are aimed at new bettors, you are also not left out of the action as an existing punter. Below are various Grand National betting offers you can claim – some existing customer offers even provide better value than some welcome offers.

Price Boosts

Many bookmakers offer price boosts on specific Grand National runners or markets. For instance, a top runner might have 10/1 odds across the board, but the bookmaker boosts the price to 12/1 or 14/1 for a limited time. This increases your potential returns on your bet.

Extra Places Each-Way

This is a very lucrative Grand National betting offer that you can take advantage of on select races, particularly on the 34-runner race. While standard Each-Way bets pay 1/4 odds on four places, the top UK Grand National betting sites and apps pay on extra places (sometimes five, six, seven, or even eight places) on the Each-Way market.

Faller Insurance

A faller insurance is a Grand National betting offer where the bookmaker refunds your stake in free bets or cash bonuses in the case the horse you are betting on falls, is brought down, or unseats its jockey during the race. With this betting offer, you can expect lower odds for bets, but you gain additional insurance for your wagers.

Money-Back Specials

While these offers are most likely not available on the final Grand National race, many bookmakers offer these money-back specials on the majority of other races in the Grand National festival. In the promotion, you normally get a refund either as cash or free bets if the horse you are betting on finishes within a specific number of places in a race. The terms of the money-back special vary from bookmaker to bookmaker, although most refunds your stake if your horse finishes 2nd in the race.

Bet Builders

This is a promotion that you can use to build your own bets by combining multiple Grand National markets from a single race. For instance, you can combine the Winner, Winning the Distance, or more markets into a customised accumulator bet.

Grand National Enhanced Odds Offers

Grand National enhanced odds are promotions where a bookmaker increases (enhances) the odds for select runners or horse racing betting markets, intending to give you better returns on your bets. Bookies also offer this promotion to encourage new bettors to sign up and to bet on the Grand National. 

Depending on the bookmaker, you can find Grand National enhanced odds presented in different ways. At Betfred, for instance, they are called price boosts, while at William Hill they are referred to as Bet Boosts.

An example of a Grand National enhanced odds is when a bookmaker increases the regular odds of a horse, jockey, or trainer to win a race to 40/1 or 50/1 from 30/1. The minimum stake for horse racing enhanced odds tends to be around £1, meaning that you are likely to get £40 or £50 in returns if you bet £1 and your selection wins.

Grand National Each-Way Betting Explained

Each-Way bet is the most popular type of bet and market in the Grand National, and it usually makes up almost 75% of all bets placed on the festival every year. But although this market is quite common, it can be daunting for once-a-year casual bettors. So, how does Each-Way Grand National betting work?

Each-Way betting involves betting on the possibility of the horse you are backing winning the race and finishing within the first few places. When you place an Each-Way bet, denoted as EW or E/W on bookmakers, your stake is split into two parts. One part goes on the horse to win the race, while the other half goes on the runner to ‘Place.’

A horse to ‘Place’ simply means that the horse finishes in the first four or five places, although the exact number of places varies depending on the UK horse racing betting site you are using. Moreover, keep in mind that the odds on the ‘Place’ wager are usually 1/4 of the win odds.

Let’s look at an example;

Assuming you place a £20 stake Each-Way bet on Nick Rockett, who won the 2025 Grand National, your first £10 wager goes to Nick Rockett to win the race, and the second £10 goes to the horse to Place.

If the odds for Nick Rockett to win are 18/1, and the horse actually wins, your win part for the Each-Way bet returns £190.

That is;

£10 x 18/1 odds = £180 + (your first £10 wager); which is £190

For the Place part, your Each-Way bet pays out as follows;

The odds for the Place part = ¼ of the win odds. That is; ¼ x 18/1 = 18/4

So, the £10 Each-Way Place bet part returns 18/4 x £10, which gives you £45 + (your second £10 wager). The total is £55.

Therefore, the total overall winnings for your Each-Way bet will be (£190 + £55) = £245.

But if Nick Rockett doesn’t win the race and finishes 2^nd, 3^rd, or 4^th, you only get £55 from the Place part.

NRNB (Non-Runner No Bet) – Why It Matters for the Grand National

Every year, around 80 horses are entered into the Grand National race. And depending on the dates of the festival, the list of horses to run in the race is published towards the end of January or early February. This gives bettors the opportunity for ante-post Grand National betting.

However, line-up for the Grand National can change right up to 24 hours before the race and given that only 34 horses can compete in the final race, the number of Grand National Non-Runners is very high. With that in mind, bookmakers offer No Runner No Bet (NRNB) offers, an ante-post Grand National betting promotion that gives you your money back if your horse doesn’t run.

So, if you place an ante-post Grand National bet, and the bet is covered by NRNB, you automatically get a refund of your stake if your horse is disqualified or drops out of the race. But make sure you read the terms and conditions of the NRNB offer as they vary between bookmakers.

To confirm that the bet you want to place is covered by Grand National NRNB, check whether the bet odds are included in the bookmaker’s Ante-Post odds list, particularly if you are using Bet365. In case you are not sure of the odds, we recommend that you contact the support team for confirmation. Many top UK horse racing betting sites begin offering NRNB odds weeks leading up to the Grand National festival.

Grand National No Deposit Free Bets – Do They Exist?

While Grand National no deposit free bets are the most sought-after horse racing betting offers because they allow you to place bets with no risk or spending your money, they are quite rare. However, some Grand National betting sites may offer these no deposit free bet offers in small amounts, usually £1-£5 free bets, as sign-up offers for new bettors. Other bookmakers also offer these free bets promos through SMSs and emails to casual bettors activating their dormant accounts. Additionally, some horse racing betting sites offer no deposit free bets through affiliate partnerships or referral programs.

Grand National Betting Tips & Free Bet Strategy

The Grand National is one of the hardest events to correctly predict the outcome of a race. This is due to unique features like fence attrition, stamina test, and large field, among other features. But here are expert tips and free bets strategies you can use to enhance your betting experiences and boost profits.

1. Use your free bets on outsiders: Since 1999, the favourite has won the Grand National only six times. So, even if the majority of fans are supporting the favourite, you should use your free bets on the outsiders as they have a higher chance of winning the race. If you decide to bet on the favourite, however, make sure to study the horse’s form.

2. Split your free bets between different races to spread risks: Instead of betting all your free bets on one race, we recommend that you split the bonus into small stakes and bet on different races in the Grand National festival. This will help you get the most out of the free bets.

3. Prioritise Each-Way bets: We also recommend that you include Each-Way horse racing markets in your Grand National betting strategy, as it gives you two ways through which you can gain profits. You can even increase your potential winnings if your horse wins the race and places.

4. Study the horse form: Before you make your final decision, you should also study the horse's form, such as its stamina test, age, weight, as well as its Aintree past performance. You should also study the course form as it can influence the performance of the horses.

Grand National Mobile Betting Offers & App Bonuses

Whether you are attending the festival or you will be following the event on the go, it makes sense to bet on the Grand National from your mobile device. Many UK bettors even prefer betting on mobile betting sites and apps as they are more convenient and allow you to bet on races from anywhere, anytime.

Betting on the Grand National from your mobile device also comes with more benefits. For instance, the UK’s best betting apps for Grand National betting offer app-exclusive promotions such as enhanced odds and price boosts when you download and place bets with the apps. Many Grand National betting apps in the UK, including the Bet365 app, the Betfred app, and the William Hill app, also offer high-quality HD live streaming of the festival. This allows you to smoothly watch races from your mobile device, whether using an iOS or Android device, while placing bets.

How to Claim Grand National Free Bets

Here is a simple step-by-step guide on how to claim your Grand National free bets.

1. Choose the right UK bookmaker: Scroll to the top of this page and choose your preferred bookmakers from our featured list of the best Grand National free bet offers and sites.

2. Create account: Once you pick a bookmaker, click/tap on the bookmaker banner, and you will be redirected to the bookmaker’s official site, where you can sign up. Remember, you must be over 18 years of age and a UK resident to register at the Grand National betting apps and sites we recommend. Also, keep in mind that many bookmakers require you to opt in to claim the bonus, and if you fail to opt in, you might not get the Grand National free bet offer.

3. Make a qualifying deposit and bet: After creating an account, you should then make a qualifying deposit and bet to unlock the free bet offer. When depositing, keep in mind that deposits from payment methods like Skill, Neteller, and other e-wallets are often excluded from claiming bonuses. So, avoid using these deposit methods. In addition, pay attention to the minimum odds requirement for the qualifying minimum bet.

4. Claim your bonus: Upon meeting the minimum bet requirement, the free bet offer will be credited to your account. It can take minutes to a few hours to get the bonus. To make sure you get the most out of the offers, carefully read any terms and conditions of the free bets offers, including bonus expiry, wagering requirements, and minimum odds.

Payment Methods for Grand National Betting Sites

The top Grand National betting apps and sites in the UK accept multiple payment methods, catering to bettors with different preferences. Some widely used payment options by UK punters that you can use are Debit Cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and bank transfer options. You can also use e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller, but you should be cautious with these payment options when making deposits since many UK bookmakers exclude them from claiming bonuses.

When it comes to transaction speed, all deposit options are often instant, only taking a few seconds to minutes for your funds to be credited to your betting account. Withdrawals, however, can take longer, depending on the withdrawal method and the bookmaker. PayPal and Instant Bank Transfer options usually offer the fastest withdrawals, as you can get your money within minutes. Other options like Debit Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Skrill, Neteller, and other e-wallets process withdrawals between 30 minutes and four hours, although they can take longer at some bookmakers.

Responsible Gambling

While Grand National betting can be quite lucrative, you should always bet responsibly. And given that predicting the correct winners of races in the festival is extremely difficult, you should always assume your bet might lose; and thus wager with the money you can afford to risk. You should also take responsible measures like betting within your means, setting a budget and bet limits, as well as avoiding chasing losses.

Using responsible gambling/betting tools and resources available on the bookmaker you are betting on, such as reality check, self-assessments, deposit limits, time-outs, and self-exclusion, can also help manage your betting habits. The best Grand National betting sites and apps for UK bettors that we recommend even offer resources like contact details and links to help organisations such as GamStop, GamCare, Gamblers Anonymous, NHS, and GambleAware, where you can get assistance if you are struggling with gambling problems.

Final Thoughts

Using Grand National free bets and betting offers is one of the best ways to enjoy betting on the Grand National festival, as you get more funds to bet with. But to get the most out of these offers and betting opportunities, we recommend using UKGC-licensed bookmakers. These betting sites and apps are regulated in the UK and are compliant with bettors’ safety and security standards.

Before claiming Grand National betting offers for UK punters, we recommend that you compare offers at different horse racing betting apps and sites to ensure you are claiming promotions with the most value. You should also sign up at different reputable UK bookmakers to take advantage of more free bet promotions and different odds throughout the Grand National festival. The leading Grand National betting sites and apps with the best free bet offers include Betfred, Bet365, Betfair, William Hill, Spreadex, and Paddy Power.

Frequently Asked Questions