The best Grand National free bets and betting offers 2024

More on the best Grand National betting offers 2024

The best Grand National betting offers for 2024

The Grand National is a unique sporting spectacle that captures the attention of the whole nation. 

As the UK’s premier betting event, it attracts millions of eager individuals looking to place their bets on a race that provides more thrills and spills than any other. 

This year’s renewal of the marathon steeplechase at Aintree takes place on Saturday April 13, 2024. In this piece, we explore the great possibilities for bettors with the top bookmakers in the UK.

1. bet365 – Competitive odds
2. Paddy Power – Brilliant existing customer offers
3. William Hill – Very user-friendly
4. Tote – Pool betting experts
5. Betway – Great customer service
6. BetUK – Terrific value

Grand National betting offers: Why don’t all the top betting sites have them?

As the long-awaited 2024 Grand National nears, bookmakers will begin unveiling their promotions for the event. We will keep this page updated with each offer as soon as it is released, ensuring that you don’t miss out as the Aintree showpiece approaches.

In addition, recognising that some operators may not introduce specific promotions for the National, we have curated a list of the current horse racing sign-up offers from reputable and prominent bookmakers for your convenience.

Offers are correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.

The best Grand National betting offers and UK horse racing betting offers for 2024

Paddy Power

Paddy Power’s appealing promotion offers the highest value in free bets, totalling £50. In this offer the bookmaker will refund your first five wagers, up to £10 each, in the form of free bets if they do not yield a win.

Essentially, this provides you with a £10 free bet to use on the Grand National, with the stake being reimbursed in free bets if it does not result in a win. Furthermore, you will receive an additional four £10 bets, which can be used in a similar manner, allowing you to diversify your bets on this year’s race.

You can check out the Paddy Power sign-up offer here

T&Cs Place 5x £10 sportsbook bets on any horse racing market at minimum odds of 2.0 (evens), and get money back as a free bet if you lose. Maximum refund per qualifying bet is £10 (up to £50 in total). Only deposits made via cards will be eligible for the promotion (Apple Pay excluded). T&Cs apply.

Betfair

The Betfair offer has one of the best deposit-to-bonus ratios, with the plus of a low deposit requirement of £5 that compares favourably with the industry-standard £10.

Once you have deposited £5 you will get £20 in free bets to use on the Grand National, credited as four £5 free bets to give you plenty of options.

You can check out the Betfair sign-up offer here

T&Cs: 18+. New customer offer. Place a minimum £5 bet on the sportsbook on odds of minimum 1/2 (1.5), get £20 in free bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org

Sky Bet

For some time, the Sky Bet horse racing offer has remained among our top picks, primarily as you only need to wager 5p to unlock the generous sum of £30 in free bets. 

This unmatched offer sets it apart from any rivals and has an unparalleled deposit-to-bonus ratio.

The £30 of free bets are credited as three separate £10 free bets, once again providing ample opportunity to explore the platform and its offerings.

You can check out the Sky Bet sign-up offer here

T&Cs: New customers only. First single and each-way bet only. Minimum stake 5p. Odds of 1/1 or greater. Three £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets exclude virtuals. Free bets are non-withdrawable. Free bets expire after 30 days. Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply. 18+. begambleaware.org

How to use your Grand National free bets and betting offers

Once you have successfully signed up and registered with a new bookie and had some free bets credited to your account, the next step is to strategise their use.

The 2023 Grand National runner-up Vanillier is the current ante-post favourite to go one better this year, while Corach Rambler is just behind in the betting as he bids to become just the second horse this century to secure back-to-back triumphs.

Alternatively, you might consider dispersing your free bets across some of the less-favoured contenders, who have more enticing odds and are deemed worthy of an each-way punt.

Determining whether to support your selection each-way stands as a significant decision in itself. Should you opt for the former strategy, backing one of the favourites each-way might not yield significant returns.

Seeking expert guidance? Look no further than our Grand National hub, your go-to destination for outstanding Aintree tipping content as the excitement mounts for Britain’s premier horse race.

Types of Grand National betting offers and free bets

Grand National betting offers for 2024: Free bets 

Similar to the new customer promotions that are available all year round, the most sought-after Grand National new customer offers typically centre on a free bet.

While these offers may appear enticing, it’s crucial to understand that you are likely to need to deposit or wager real money with a bookmaker to unlock the free bet. Therefore, having a clear understanding of the terms and conditions is vital.

On fulfilling all the necessary terms and conditions, you will receive free bets that ideally match or exceed the value of your initial deposit.

This presents an excellent opportunity for the Grand National – the decision on how to best utilise your free bets is now in your hands.

Furthermore, in addition to their Grand National 2024 betting offers, bookmakers will also continue to advertise sign-up promotions as the renowned race approaches.

Grand National betting offers for 2024: Enhanced odds

As the Grand National is a one-off event, bookmakers will entice new customers by offering some big enhanced odds on some of the favourites, which can give you a hefty amount of free bets.

In 2024, this could be enhanced odds on last year’s winner Corach Rambler to repeat the trick.

If you end up winning, you will not be paid out in cash at these enhanced odds. Instead, you will be limited to a wager that will usually range between £1 and £5 that is then paid out at the starting price (SP). 

The winnings from the boosted odds are then paid out as free bets with specific restrictions.

Grand National betting offers for 2024: No-lose bets

While free bets and enhanced odds are expected to be the most common types of Grand National betting offers, certain bookmakers will also offer no-lose bets on the big race.

With this type of offer, you can place a bet on a horse (up to a specified amount) and if it doesn't win, you will receive your stake back in full as cash. If the horse does win, the winnings will be credited to your account.

Once the refund is deposited into your account, you are free to withdraw it to your bank account or use it for another bet.

A variation of this offer may involve your stake being returned as a free bet rather than as cash. In this case, you won’t be able to withdraw the free bet to your bank account and your only option will be to use it for another bet.

It’s important to note that specific terms and conditions, such as time limits and odds requirements, will accompany these free bets. Therefore, it’s essential to carefully review the terms and conditions of the particular Grand National betting offer you intend to use.

Grand National betting offers for 2024: Existing customers

Bookmakers will be focused on enticing new customers with the Grand National but that is not to say there are no Grand National existing customer offers.

Grand National betting offers for 2024: ITV Racing

All the biggest and best racing is shown live via ITV Racing, and the Grand National is no different. Bookmakers will provide some brilliant horse racing betting offers that match with every broadcast. The best of these ITV Racing offers come from bet365 and its great price promise.

bet365 ITV Racing Price Promise

For each race shown live via ITV, including the Grand National, bet365 will not be beaten on starting price by Ladbrokes, William Hill, Paddy Power, Sky Bet or BoyleSports. This means you will not be able to find better odds from those bookmakers than the one offered by bet365. 

Applies to bets placed on win and each-way fixed-odds markets from 10am on the day of the race up to 15 minutes before the scheduled “off” time for each ITV race. Prices matched against selected bookmakers. Bet restrictions and T&Cs apply.

Grand National 2024 betting offers: Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) 

If you are looking to place your Grand National bets today, it is vital that you place them with a bookmaker that has Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG). 

It is a promotion that runs all year round and comes in handy for the Grand National where a lot of money is staked on the race so the odds fluctuate in the build-up to the race.

A BOG means that if you place a bet at odds that are worse than the eventual SP you will be paid out at the bigger odds. For example, say you backed Corach Rambler to win the 2023 Grand National at 6/1 on the morning but the starting price (SP) drifted out to 8/1, you would have been paid out at that SP.

While the vast majority of bookmakers listed here have a BOG, they each have specific terms and conditions and kick in at different times on the morning of the race, so we have listed the details below in our handy table.

Note: Check daily for Best Odds Guaranteed as some of the smaller bookmakers may introduce it on the day of the 2024 Grand National.

Grand National 2024 betting offers: Extra each-way places

The Grand National has the capacity for 40 runners but there may end up being slightly less than that on the day because of late drop-outs. It will be at least near capacity so this gives you a good opportunity to find some value in each-way bets.

Usually, for handicap races that are of a similar size to the Grand National, bookmakers will only pay out each-way bets for the first four past the post.

It is different for the Grand National as the bookmakers compete to attract punters looking for the very best value. It is not difficult to find bookmakers paying out for the first five and six. This may increase closer to the race so it is worth checking again.

We have produced a list that details what bookmakers are paying out the most Grand National places for this year’s race here and we will update it once again before the off if things change.

Grand National 2024 betting offers: Faller insurance

The Grand National field often experiences a number of fallers due to the difficulty of the race and because of how many horses run at Aintree.

A lot of bookmakers offer this great betting offer for the Grand National where they will give money back as cash or a free bet should your horse fall at any specific point of the race on April 13.

It’s a great option to take up, and means you don’t lose any money should your horse fall early on in the 2024 Grand National.

Closer to the race, the bookmakers will begin to confirm whether they are offering fallers insurance.

Grand National 2024 betting offers: Non-runner, no-bet (NRNB) promotion

With changes to the field common even on the day of the Grand National, it is wise to bet with a bookmaker that is offering a non-runner, no-bet promotion. 

This means that if the horse you have backed does not compete in the race, for whatever reason, you will receive your stake back as cash. If the bookmaker is not running this promotion, you will have lost your stake with no chance of winning it back.

Again, bookmakers will begin to confirm whether they are offering non-runner, no bet closer to the race. The big firms such as Betfred, bet365 and William Hill will open the market early while others will do so nearer to the race so it is worth checking back closer to the time.

Note: Some bookmakers will pull their NRNB market once the field has been finalised

How we tested these Grand National betting offers

We have garnered years of experience in Grand National betting and have been providing the biggest and best offers to Telegraph readers for some time. This means we have signed up and placed bets on the race with both the big players and smaller and newer bookmakers.

The Grand National is the perfect time to take advantage of a new customer betting offer as you can maximise your winnings if you fancy a specific horse to win the race.

UK Bookmaker Awards 

We have registered with each and every bookmaker that we have listed to ensure we are confident recommending them to Telegraph readers. However, you do not have to simply trust us.

Every year, the UK Bookmaker Awards highlights the best firms in a number of categories that reflect what customers find important. 

The results are based on in-depth and regular surveys that are reviewed every month and weighted appropriately to create a league table at the end of the year.

We have produced tables below from the 2023 awards that are relevant to those looking to bet on the 2024 Grand National. 

For everything you need to know about the UK Bookmaker Awards you can find a link here.

Best horse racing odds

Best overall

Important things to understand when betting on the Grand National 

There are plenty of bets you can make for the Grand National and lots of aspects of the race you need to consider, from the various betting offers to the bets you can use, such as each-way, to how the winnings are calculated.

It is extremely important to understand the correct ways to sign up to the various bookmakers as well as how to place a Grand National bet.

• Here’s our simple guide to place a bet on the Grand National 2024
• As well as this, you can learn what an each-way bet is here
• Find out about what SP means in horse racing

The Grand National 2024

The Grand National is the most watched horse race in the UK and unsurprisingly it is one of the biggest betting events in the whole sporting world. It is for this reason that bookmakers will provide a huge range of Grand National betting offers.

National Hunt racing does not come any better than the Grand National and every aspect of the Aintree course is iconic with 40 horses tested over 30 spruce-covered fences and a mammoth distance of four miles, two furlongs and 74 yards.

In theory, each horse has the same chance of coming out on top because it is a handicap chase. This means you should be able to find double-figure odds on all the horses outside the frontrunners. For example, in 2022 Noble Yeats won the race at a massive starting price of 50/1.

With the attention that the National attracts, horses and jockeys can become icons with a win. In 2021, Rachael Blackmore won on Minella Times, the first female jockey to do so. Red Rum (1973 and 1974) and Tiger Roll (2018 and 2019), the only two horses to win back-to-back Grand Nationals since the Second World War, are household names.

The 2024 Grand National

• Date: Saturday April 14
• Time: 4pm
• TV channel: ITV

Last year’s race was won by the favourite Corach Rambler, at odds of 8/1, and he is current favourite for the 2024 race at 20/1.

Grand National favourites: How have they performed?

The five most iconic Grand National fences

Aintree’s Grand National course is famous for its 16 unique spruce-covered fences, several of which are so well known that even once-a-year punters can reel off their names. Because of the marathon distance of the race, 14 of the 16 are jumped twice.

Becher’s Brook – Fence 6 and 22

Named after 19th-century soldier and steeplechase jockey Captain Martin Becher, this was originally a fence set a yard in front of an 8ft-wide brook, with the ground on the landing side three feet lower than the take-off side. Modified for safety reasons over the years, the fence remains a formidable obstacle.

Foinavon – Fence 7 and 23

At 4ft 6in, this is one of the smallest fences in the race, but its name is a reminder of how tricky it can be. Foinavon won the 1967 National at 100/1 after a loose horse caused chaos at the 23rd fence, bringing most of the field to a complete halt. Foinavon, a backmarker ridden by 17-year-old John Buckingham, escaped the melee and, left 200 yards clear of the field, won the race by 20 lengths.

The Canal Turn – Fences 8 and 24

This obstacle is followed by a turn of almost 90 degrees so jockeys always look to jump it in at an angle that maintains as much of their momentum as possible. Were they to keep going straight rather than turn at this point they would end up in the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

Valentine’s Brook – Fences 9 and 25

The second of the brooks on the Aintree Grand National course, this one was named after Valentine, a runner in the 1840 race who was reported to have jumped the fence backwards. He attempted to refuse as he approached it, but his momentum caused him to turn on his way through the air.

The Chair – Fence 15 

So called because a judge would sit here to record goings-on in the race, the name resonates still because the ground on the take-off side is six inches lower than on the landing, creating a step up that can be visualised as similar to the back of a chair. The tallest fence in the race at 5ft 2in.

Previous 10 Grand Nationals

Trends of past Grand National winners

There are a few trends and statistics from the previous Grand National winners we can see, including the age of the horse. Of the 21 winners in the 21st century, only one has been a seven-year-old, six have been eight-year-olds, five apiece have been nine or 10-year-olds, four have been 11 and one was 12 when they won.

Twelve of the previous 14 winners were having their first run in the race and Irish-trained horses also have a strong recent record in the Grand National, winning four of the past five runnings.

Normally, past winners and previously placed horses fare poorly on their return, but legendary Tiger Roll bucked this trend by winning in 2018 and 2019.

Noble Yeats had hoped to emulate that achievement in 2023 after his extraordinary triumph in 2022 but finished fourth behind Corach Rambler.

Grand National 2024 streaming

It has never been easier to watch the race live as you can stream it via a number of bookmakers – and it is broadcast on ITV as it happens.

The big betting sites, such as bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes and William Hill, will all have a live stream of the big race along with various enticing new and existing customer offers.

Here are some of the best places to watch the Grand National:

Looking for the latest news and betting insight for the Grand National meeting?

Visit our Grand National hub for all the best betting offers, picks and analysis across all the three days of the action from Aintree, including the big race itself, the 2024 Randox Grand National.

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