Offers for this event
New customers. Min £5 deposit. First bet only: min 5p single/each-way at odds 1/1+ within 30 days of registration. 3 x £10 Free Bets (singles/each-way, excl. virtuals), expire after 30 days. Free Bet stakes not returned. Neteller and Skrill deposits excluded. No wagering on Free Bet winnings stated.
Promo code:
AB5G30· Low qualifying stake (5p) and Free Bets usable on singles and each-way.Full T&Cs
New Sky Betting and Gaming customers 18+ only (previous Sky Bet, Vegas, Casino, Bingo or Poker account holders excluded). Register, add card details and make a minimum £5 deposit. Your first bet must be a single or each-way bet of at least £0.05 on any Sky Bet market at odds of 1/1 or greater; accumulated smaller stakes do not count and only your first bet counts. Staking requirement must be met within 30 days of registration. Rewards: three £10 Free Bet tokens, usable on any single or each-way market excluding virtuals, not with any other offer. Free Bets expire 30 days after crediting, are non-withdrawable and stakes are not included in returns. One claim per customer. Customers depositing with Neteller or Skrill do not qualify. Offer may differ if you arrive via another link. Sky Bet General Promotion Terms apply.
New customers. Opt in at sign-up. Deposit £10+ and place a £10+ bet at odds 1/1+ within 7 days (excl. virtuals, esports, non-UK/IE racing). 4 x £10 Free Bets: 2 for football accas (4+ legs), 2 for sports multiples (2+ legs), valid 7 days. Free Bet stake not returned.
Rewards credited on settlement of one £10 qualifying bet, win or lose.
Full T&Cs
New BetMGM customers 18+. Select the Sports Welcome Offer at sign-up. Deposit at least £10 and place at least £10 on a qualifying bet within 7 days of registration: min odds Evens 1/1 (2.0); each-way bets need £10 each way (£20 total); Bet Builder total odds must be 1/1+. Excludes virtual sports, esports and non-UK/IE horse racing. Free Bets, Profit Boosts, Odds Boosts, void, cashed-out, partially cashed-out and system bets do not qualify. Not with other offers. On settlement you get 4 x £10 Free Bets: 2 x £10 on football accas (4+ selections) and 2 x £10 on sports multiples (2+ selections), selected via the betslip checkbox. Free Bets expire after 7 days; stake not included in winnings. Once per household/computer/IP. Operated by LeoVegas Gaming plc (UKGC 39198). General and promotional T&Cs apply.
New customers. Opt in at sign-up. Deposit £10+ and place a £10+ bet at odds 1/1+ within 7 days (excl. virtuals, esports, non-UK/IE racing). 4 x £10 Free Bets: 2 for football accas (4+ legs), 2 for sports multiples (2+ legs), valid 7 days. Free Bet stake not returned.
Same LeoVegas offer structure as BetMGM, with UK/IE racing allowed for the qualifier.
Full T&Cs
New BetUK.com customers 18+. Opt in by selecting the Sports Welcome Offer at sign-up. Deposit at least £10 and place at least £10 on a qualifying bet within 7 days of registration: min odds Evens 1/1 (2.0); each-way needs £10 each way; Bet Builder total odds 1/1+. Excludes virtual sports, esports and non-UK/IE horse racing. Free Bets, Profit/Odds Boosts, void, cashed-out, partially cashed-out and system bets do not qualify. Once only; not with other offers. On settlement: 2 x £10 Free Bets on football accas (4+ selections) and 2 x £10 on sports multiples (2+ selections). Unused Free Bets expire after 7 days; stake not included in winnings. Operated by LeoVegas Gaming plc (UKGC 39198). General Promotional and General T&Cs apply.
New GB customers. Opt in. Deposit and bet £20+ on sports at min odds 1/1 (2.0) within 7 days. £40 in Free Bets, expire 7 days after issue. Debit card or instant bank transfer deposits only. Geo restrictions and T&Cs apply.
Qualifying bet can be on any sport at evens or bigger.
Full T&Cs
18+. New GB customers only. Opt in. Deposit and bet £20+ on sports at minimum odds of 2.0 (1/1) for £40 in Free Bets within 7 days. Debit cards or instant bank transfers only. Free bets expire within 7 days of issue. Geographical restrictions and T&Cs apply. (Summary terms as published on the Unibet promotions page; the full offer page could not be opened from our checker.)
- Debit card
- Instant bank transfer
New customers. Code BETGET30. Deposit £10+, place a £10 bet (single, acca or bet builder; no each-way) at odds 1/1+ within 14 days. 1 x £10 single (1/1+), 3 x £5 pre-match bet builder (3/1+, 3+ legs), 1 x £5 pre-match acca (4/1+, 4+ legs). Free Bets expire after 7 days. Stake not returned.
Promo code:
BETGET30· Qualifying bet can be a single, acca or bet builder.Full T&Cs
New Midnite customers 18+. Register with code BETGET30, deposit at least £10 and place a £10 sportsbook bet at min odds 1/1 (2.0) within 14 days of sign-up. Singles, accumulators or Bet Builders allowed; each-way excluded; virtual sports excluded. Void, cashed-out or Free Bet/promotional bets do not qualify. Rewards on settlement (win or lose): 1 x £10 single Free Bet (min odds 1/1), 3 x £5 pre-match Bet Builder Free Bets (min odds 3/1, 3+ selections), 1 x £5 pre-match acca Free Bet (min odds 4/1, 4+ selections). Rewards are non-withdrawable, expire 7 days after crediting; free stake not returned. Free Bets usable on singles and straight accas only, not each-way, not with other promotions. Once per person/household/device/payment account. Midnite Terms of Service and General Promotion T&Cs apply.
New customers. Choose bonus at sign-up. 100% of first deposit up to £50 as Sports Bonus. Wager bonus 10x within 30 days; singles 1/1+, accas only if every leg 1/2+. Cash used first. Withdrawing before wagering is complete forfeits the bonus. Skrill and Neteller deposits excluded.
Wagering is at the 10x legal cap with a 30-day window.
Full T&Cs
Select the Sports Welcome Bonus at sign-up and make your first deposit: 100% Sports Bonus up to £50 credited to your Sports Bonus balance. To convert it to cash, wager the bonus 10x within 30 days. Single bets below 1/1 (2.00) do not count; accumulators do not count if any selection is below 1/2 (1.50). Virtual sports, voided, cancelled, drawn, cashed-out and Free Bet wagers do not count; only the first settled bet per event counts. Withdrawal before completing wagering forfeits bonus and bonus winnings. Cash balance is used before bonus. Skrill or Neteller deposits not eligible. Not with other promotions. 10bet general T&Cs and Promotion Terms apply.
18+ only. Gambling should be entertainment, not a way to make money. If it stops being fun, stop. BeGambleAware.org
On this page
- The festival at a glance
- A short history
- The format
- Previews and offers
- Common types of racing offer (a guide only)
- Each-way betting and non-runners
- What are the standard each-way terms for the Grand National?
- Can you bet on the Grand National 2027 before race day?
- Responsible gambling at big race meetings
- Frequently asked questions
The Grand National is the most famous steeplechase in Britain and one of the best-known horse races in the world. In 2027 the race is scheduled for Saturday 10 April at 4.00pm, the final day of the three-day Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, which runs from Thursday 8 to Saturday 10 April. This guide covers the race’s history and format, and explains the types of betting offers bookmakers often run around it.
Dates, distances and race details are taken from The Jockey Club, which runs Aintree Racecourse. Times can change; check the official racecard on the day. We do not provide tips, runners or odds.
The festival at a glance
| Day | Date | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thursday 8 April 2027 | Opening Day |
| 2 | Friday 9 April 2027 | Ladies Day |
| 3 | Saturday 10 April 2027 | Grand National Day |
Each day has seven races, including several Grade 1 contests. The Grand National itself is the sixth race on Saturday’s card.
A short history
Racing at Aintree dates back to 1829. According to The Jockey Club, a race called the Liverpool Grand Steeplechase was first run in 1836, and in February 1839 a horse named Lottery became the first official winner of the race that would become known as the Grand National. Early runners had to jump a stone wall, cross ploughed land and finish over two hurdles.
The race became a handicap in 1843, after four years as a weight-for-age race. That change was made by Edward William Topham, a respected handicapper whose family later bought the course outright in 1949. After a difficult period following the Second World War, the race’s future was uncertain for a time before Aintree’s revival. Today the course is owned and managed by Jockey Club Racecourses.
The race has produced many famous stories. Red Rum remains the only horse to have won the Grand National three times.
The format
- Type of race: a handicap steeplechase. In a handicap, horses carry different weights, set by the official handicapper, with the aim of giving every runner a more equal chance.
- Distance: about 4 miles 2½ furlongs – the longest jump racing distance in the UK, according to The Jockey Club.
- Fences: 30 jumps in total. There are 16 fences on the course, 14 of which are jumped twice.
- Field size: a maximum of 34 runners. In 2023 The Jockey Club announced a reduction in the limit from 40 to 34 as part of a package of welfare changes, citing evidence linking the number of runners with the risk of falls.
Some of the fences are among the best known in racing, including Becher’s Brook, the Canal Turn, Valentine’s and The Chair. The Jockey Club has made a range of changes to the course and race conditions over the years with horse and rider welfare in mind.
Because of the size of the field, the distance and the number of fences, the Grand National is famously unpredictable. That is part of its appeal as a spectacle – and a good reason to keep any bet small and within your budget.
Previews and offers
Previews and offers relating to the Grand National are listed on this page. Every offer shows its significant terms next to the headline and the date it was last checked.
Common types of racing offer (a guide only)
Bookmakers often run promotions around big race meetings. The examples below describe common formats only – they are not current offers. Each operator sets its own terms, which can change at any time, so always read the significant terms shown next to any listed offer and the full terms on the operator’s site.
- Sign-up free bets. New customers place a qualifying bet with their own money and receive free bet tokens. Usually the free bet stake is not returned with any winnings, and there are minimum odds and expiry dates.
- Extra places. Some bookmakers pay each-way bets on more places than the standard terms for selected races. Only the place part of an each-way bet benefits, and the extra places apply only to named races.
- Best odds guaranteed. On qualifying horse racing bets, some bookmakers pay out at the starting price if it is bigger than the price you took. There are often stake limits and exclusions, and it may apply only to certain bet types or races.
- Money back as a free bet. If your selection finishes in a specified position (for example, second), the bookmaker may refund your stake as a free bet token rather than cash, up to a maximum.
- Price boosts. Enhanced prices on selected outcomes, usually with a low maximum stake.
Since 19 January 2026, a single promotion may not mix gambling products – for example, it cannot reward a racing bet with casino spins – and any wagering requirement is capped at 10 times (Gambling Commission, LCCP SR Code 5.1.1).
Read our guides to free bets and how free bets work before you claim anything.
Each-way betting and non-runners
Many people place each-way bets on the Grand National, which are two bets in one: one for the horse to win and one for it to finish in the places. This doubles your total stake. The number of places paid and the fraction of the odds applied depend on each bookmaker’s terms, and can differ from race to race.
Horses can be withdrawn before the race. How bets on non-runners are treated – and whether any deductions apply to other bets – is set out in each bookmaker’s rules. Check these before you bet.
What are the standard each-way terms for the Grand National?
Unless a bookmaker shows different terms, an each-way bet on a handicap with 16 or more runners is settled at a quarter of the odds for the first four places (Tattersalls Committee Rules on Betting, Rule 3). The Grand National is a handicap with a maximum of 34 runners, so that is the default. Some bookmakers advertise extra places on the race as a promotion; the terms shown on your bet slip when you place the bet are the ones that count. Rule 3 covers bets settled on the actual number of starters and doesn’t apply to ante-post bets.
Example (illustration only): £5 each-way at 20/1 costs £10. If the horse finishes fourth, the win part loses and the place part is paid at 5/1, a quarter of 20/1, returning £30. If it wins, both parts pay: £105 from the win part and £30 from the place part. Our each-way betting guide and calculator works through other prices.
Can you bet on the Grand National 2027 before race day?
Any bet you place before the day of the race is an ante-post bet, and ante-post bets follow different rules. Under Tattersalls Rule 4(A), a single ante-post bet made before 10am on the day of final declarations is only void if the race is abandoned or declared void, the race conditions or the venue are changed, or the horse is eliminated under the British Horseracing Authority’s Rules of Racing. A horse simply being withdrawn isn’t on that list, so the stake is normally lost. Some bookmakers offer “non-runner no bet” on selected races, which refunds your stake if your horse doesn’t run; check whether it applies before you bet.
The upside is that Rule 4 deductions only apply to prices taken on the day of the race, so an ante-post price isn’t reduced when other horses are withdrawn. With a field limited to 34 runners, it is worth reading the bookmaker’s ante-post rules before you bet months ahead.
Responsible gambling at big race meetings
Big festivals bring a lot of betting promotions and a lot of races in a short space of time. That can make it easy to bet more often, and with more money, than you planned.
- Set a budget before the meeting starts, and a deposit limit to match. Every licensed bookmaker must offer deposit limits.
- Decide how many races you will bet on rather than betting on every race.
- Never chase losses. If you lose your budget, stop – there is always another race.
- Avoid betting after drinking, whether at the course or at home.
- Remember that offers are marketing. Do not open new accounts or deposit more just to claim a promotion.
If betting stops being enjoyable, take a break. You can use a time-out on your account, or self-exclude from all online gambling sites licensed in Great Britain for free with GamStop. Free, confidential support is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (England and Scotland) or 0808 2819 265 (Wales). See our responsible gambling page.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Grand National 2027?
Saturday 10 April 2027 at 4.00pm, according to The Jockey Club. The festival runs from 8 to 10 April.
How many horses run in the Grand National?
A maximum of 34.
How long is the Grand National?
About 4 miles 2½ furlongs, with 30 fences to jump.
Do you give Grand National tips?
No. We explain the race and the offers, but we do not provide tips or predictions.
What are the each-way terms for the Grand National? By default, a quarter of the odds for the first four places, because the race is a handicap with 16 or more runners (Tattersalls Rule 3). Some bookmakers offer extra places as a promotion; the terms on your bet slip are the ones that apply.
Is an ante-post Grand National bet refunded if my horse doesn’t run? Normally not, unless the bookmaker offers non-runner no bet. Under Tattersalls rules a single ante-post bet is only void in specific cases, such as the race being abandoned, the venue changing or the horse being eliminated under the BHA’s Rules of Racing.
Affiliate disclosure: onlinebetfree.co.uk may receive a commission if you open an account through links on this page. This does not affect the offers we list or how we describe them, and it never changes the terms a bookmaker gives you.
18+ only. Please gamble responsibly. For free, confidential support visit BeGambleAware.org or call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.