
The Grand National is an occasion where people who don’t normally place a bet have a flutter. To help both casual and more seasoned bettors out there, I’ve put together this guide to the best Grand National betting sites.
Here I’ll show you the online Grand National betting sites I rate highly, and also take you through some of the most popular types of bets so you’ll know what to look for. I’ll even give you a checklist so you'll have all the facts you need to seek out the right Grand National bookie for yourself.
If you’re new to the sports betting world, the top UK online bookies may look the same at first glance, and if anything, there’s just too much choice. As somebody who has spent years checking out online horse racing betting sites, I can tell you they are not all created equal.
What I’ve got for you here are my top five betting sites for the Grand National, based on overall user experience and of course the welcome bonus you’ll get when signing up.
Grand National Betting Site | Welcome Offer |
---|---|
BetMGM | Bet £10 & Get £40 |
Bwin | £20 Back Up Bet |
Betano | Bet £10 & Get £30 |
Bet365 | Bet £10 & Get £30 |
Betfred | Bet £10 & Get £50 |
You'll also see full reviews of these top UK betting sites on betting.co.uk, but I’ve given you an overview of what to expect from each one below:
BetMGM tops my list for the all round experience it brings to new bettors and those moving from other bookies. The horse racing markets are fully loaded with UK and overseas races, with specials, ante post betting, and daily profit boosts, currently sitting at 10%.
The sign-up and deposit process is straightforward. Just place an initial bet of £10, and you’ll get £40 of free bets when it settles. This gives you the chance to explore the 30+ sports covered here in addition to horse racing, which include the Premier League, the NFL, cricket, tennis and golf.
The betting process is simple and intuitive, and you can change the odds format to suit your needs. Adding bets to your slip can be done with a few clicks, and turning a single bet into an each way bet, or an acca takes just a couple more. There’s also an early cash out button, which plenty of new bettors will love. But it may not be an option when you are using your bonus bets.
This is a bookmaker that features in our guide to the best Cheltenham betting sites, and for good reason. Here you’ve got another straightforward betting process whether you’re using your laptop or phone, with plenty of live betting markets as well. You can go to the horse racing markets and the Grand National easily, and you’ll also benefit from ‘Best Odds Guaranteed’ for most UK and Irish races.
Getting started here is quick and easy, and you’ve got the benefit of a £20 “Back-Up Bet” if your first £10 bet loses, which is sure to appeal to Grand National bettors.
But there’s more to Bwin than just a Grand National flutter, there's a wide range of other sports and betting markets here, so you’ll be fine if you're a fan of anything from the Premier League to cross country skiing.
Many of these events are not televised, but you can watch most via live streaming on the Bwin site, so you can keep up with the action as well as benefitting from the highly competitive Bwin odds.
Plenty of new bettors go for a name they’ve heard of, but don’t risk missing out on what Betano has to offer. Your first £10 bet after signing up will get you £30 in free bets to use on the plentiful betting markets, which cover a full range of sports from American football to water polo.
Placing a Grand National bet couldn’t be simpler. Selecting your horse brings up a betting slip and all you need to do is add your stake, or more selections for a multiple bet. Changing to an each way bet is just a matter of ticking a box.
Even though Betano is still a relatively new name in the UK, expect to see a wide selection of Grand National specials to sit alongside the horse racing odds boosts you can access every day. Better still, there are even some mini-games to play while you are waiting for the next race to start.
You will have almost certainly heard of Bet365. The brand has a ‘Bet £10 & Get £30’ offer for new bettors, which sets you up nicely for the Grand National and beyond. There are always odds boosts for horse racing available here, plus Bet365 offers 'Best Odds Guaranteed’ after 10.00am on the day the races take place.
As you would expect from such a big name, it’s easy to place that all important Grand National bet, and you’ll have access to race overviews and form guides.
You’ll find some unique features at Bet365 too, like Each Way Extra that allows you to extend the places available, and option to bet on a race at odds that exclude the favourite or second favourite.
All very useful if you are new to the sport. It’s not just about horse racing here, as just about every other sport you can think of is covered as well, with a wide range of markets to check out when using your bonus bets. You’ll also get the full experience at Bet365 as there is also a huge selection of casino games available for you to explore.
Betfred is another well established name among UK bookmakers, and it has a very attractive welcome offer for new bettors. You can get £50 in bonus bets when your first £10 bet is settled, so you can have a flutter on the Grand National and then see what else takes your fancy. You’ll be spoiled for choice as UK favourites like football, cricket and greyhounds, are covered, as well as international sports.
If you want to stay with horse racing, you’ll get live video coverage of all UK and Irish races, as well as information from the Racing Post to help you make informed decisions. Placing a bet is straightforward, and can be achieved in a couple of clicks, making this the perfect site for new bettors and established punters alike.
Whether you are looking for Grand National, Cheltenham Festival or Royal Ascot betting sites , then you are looking for a safe and secure experience.
The bookies I’ve detailed above are among the UK’s best betting sites for the Grand National, but they might not suit you, for some reason. If that’s the case, here’s a list of what to look out for when drawing up your own shortlist.
The Grand National might be your first betting experience, or you could be someone who likes to mix and match the type of bets they place. Here are the most common alternatives to a straight-up ‘Win’ bet you might want to try:
Regardless of which bets you want to place, there are some things worth looking out for before you place a Grand National wager:
Best Odd Guaranteed - Or ‘BOG’ for short. This is a feature offered by plenty of bookmakers like Bet365 or Bwin. But you need to be aware that it isn’t available in advance of the big day. For example, the BOG feature at Bet365 only kicks in after 10.00am on the day of the race.
No runner No bet - the field for the Grand National always includes reserves, as runners can be withdrawn in the lead up to the race. If you’ve picked one of these, or there is a horse that doesn’t start the race for any reason, you will get your bet amount returned. Just be aware that this doesn’t always apply to antepost bets, so make sure to check the bookmaker’s T&Cs carefully.
Bet Boosts - these can also be called odds boosts depending on which bookmaker you are using. Here you might see special odds for certain runners, or for a prop bet like a horse to win by more than a specified number of lengths. Just be aware that selections carrying boosted odds are usually excluded from BOG, and cannot be added to an accumulator bet.
If you are placing a bet on the Grand National there is plenty to be excited about. Hopefully, this guide has made finding a Grand National betting site a much easier task for you. I’ve shown the welcome offers from big names like BetMGM, Bwin, Betano, bet365 and Betfred to get you started, and they might even hand you some Grand National free bets.
You also know what types of bets you can place on the big race, and what to look out for to make sure you have the best experience possible. The Grand National is arguably the biggest betting day of the UK year, and using the links on this page can take you straight to the right site to place yours.
The Grand National is probably the highest profile race there is, so you’ll have no shortage of choices when it comes to placing a bet on the day. You can pick up some big offers from bookies like BetMGM, Bwin, Betano, bet365 and Betfred that will give you a great deal when you sign up, all you need to do is to pick the one that’s right for you.
You will find plenty of special offers from UK bookmakers for the Grand National, but like everything, some will be better than others. You’re sure to see odds boosts or specials available, and look for features like non-runner no bet to make sure you aren’t left disappointed.
BOG, or Best Odds Guaranteed to give it its full name, means that you’ll get a better price for your selection if the odds drift, or the same price if they shorten. The best brands like Bwin or bet365 offer BOG on most UK races, so you can expect to see it in place on Grand National day as well.
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