It would be unfair to merely label the Grand National as just a steeplechase race. Rather, it is one of the greatest shows on Earth, and it is a lottery as horses plot their way around a treacherous course filled with daunting hurdles. Aintree and the Grand National have become synonymous with drama. Need we remind you of Becher’s Brook!
But do you want to get your hands on some cracking Grand National free bet deals? We have sifted through and pinpointed four of the best UK bookies for this esteemed event.
TOP Cheltenham Betting Offers
- Smarkets UK Features:Smarkets UKBet ExchangeSmarkets: Zero Commission First 60 DaysCOMMFREEUse code COMMFREE to trade with 0% for 60 days. Min. £10 first deposit only using Debit Card or Instant Banking. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply.
- SBK UK Features:SBK UKBet Builder, Streaming & In-Play, Live Scores, Live ResultsSBK Bonus: Bet £10 Get £40 in Free BetsBRITISHG40SBK App Welcome Bonus: Terms: New UK customers only. Min £10 first deposit. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 2.0 and get £40 in Free Bets within 48 hours. Full T&C’s apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org.
- MrPlay UK Features:MrPlay UKFree Bet, Betting, Live OddsUp to £200, 100 Spins Or £15 Free Bet.BGPLAYThe Mr Play bonus/promo code is BGPLAY. Welcome Bonus Terms 2024: New UK players only. Min Deposit £10 Welcome package splits over 3 deposits, 35x Wagering requirement applies to match up bonus. 18+, GambleAware.org. See full terms.
- Grosvenor Sports Features:Grosvenor SportsLive Odds, Watch, enhanced oddsDouble the Odds18+, BeGambleAware.org. Grosvenor promo code is optional in 2024, use our link to register. Terms: New UK Customers only. Bet must be placed using real money in combination with the Odds Boost Token. Offer applies to Sport bets only. Maximum total stake is £10. Each way bets are a maximum of £5 each way (£10 total stake). If you stake less than £10 you will forfeit the remaining amount of the odds boost token.’Double the odds’ refers to fractional odds only. For the avoidance of doubt, it is the profit from the eligible bet that is doubled.
- Betfred UK Features:Betfred UKBet Builder, Live Odds, Streaming & In-PlayBet £10 get £50 in BonusesSUMMER50New customers only. Register with SUMMER50. First bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get Free Bets: £20 In-Play, £20 Acca & 50 x £0.20 (£10) Free Spins on Fishin’ Frenzy within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. 18+, GambleAware.org.
- bet365 UK Features:bet365 UKFree Bet, Horse Betting, Live Odds, Tote Betting, Paypal£30 in Free Bets365GMBLR18+, BeGambleAware.org. The bet365 bonus code is 365GMBLR in UK for 2024. New Customers Bonus Terms: Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way.
- 10bet Features:10betLive Odds, Streaming & In-Play bets,100% free bet match bonus up to £50SPORT18+, BeGambleAware.org.10bet Bonus: Claim £50 free bet. Promo code: SPORT. New bettors get 100% of deposit up to £50; Once per household; Min deposit £15 (no Skrill/Neteller); Wager a total of 8 times deposit + bonus, with max qualifying bet stake equal to your initial bonus amount; Bonus expires after 60 days; Min odds of 4/5 on singles, or 2/5 per leg for acca; Some bet types excluded.
The best Grand National bookies
So, which are the best horse racing betting apps in the UK for placing stakes on for the Grand National? We have done the groundwork for you and produced a short list, so check them out. We have also mentioned what they are renowned for.
Betting sites | Best for |
bet365 UK | Ongoing deals |
10bet UK | up to £50 in free bonus bets |
Betfred UK | Super welcome promotion |
SBK UK | Bet boosts |
Untangling the bookies’ top Grand National Offers 2025
Now you have seen who made the shortcut for best Grand National offers, let’s flesh out a bit more detail about their merits.
bet365 – Get £50
An undisputed giant in the betting world, bet365 and the Grand National go together hand in hand. However, just one glance at the horse racing promotions lobby, and it is stacked with ongoing deals, such as Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) and Racing Value, where you will get a payout in disqualified races, and with the Grand National, trust us, that happens a lot! Well, dismounts and pulling up are defining features of this gruelling race.
Compared to other sites, such as SBK, which we will discuss later on, the bet boosts aren’t as big. Nevertheless, the welcome promotion at bet365 consists of a Bet £10 Get £50 deal which is a middle-of-the-road but equally respectable offer. Oh, and with a brilliant live stream product too, bet365 is the full package, so they should be your first port of call.
Betway – up to £10 in free bets
Another experienced operator, Betway has its finger on the pulse when it comes to the Grand National. One of the standout features, promotions-wise is the Free Bet Club. Here, you can land up to £10 in free bets each week when you spend £25 or more on trebles and accas.
Free bet clubs are fairly common as Betfred also offers up to £10 in free bets, albeit this is just for greyhounds. Anyway, Betway doesn’t shy away from what it does well at. Arguably, there is a personal touch to the horse racing element with the Betway Clips where you can share your predictions, and this seems to imitate the more personalised platforms.
Indeed, free bets are where Betway comes into its own, but you will need to create an account to unlock rather than purely browse the site for free. On the last viewing, the deal was a £30 matched free bet if your acca loses, and with horse racing, there will need to be a minimum of three selections. Betway is a steady hand, so give them a go!
Betfred – Claim 2 x £10 acca bets
To truly kickstart your Grand National betting experience, a killer welcome promotion will be appreciated. Betfred, one of the oldest bookmakers in the business, serves a tantalising deal where new users can get up to £50 in free bets when they wager £10.
You heard correctly. The free bets will be split into 3 x £10 free bets and 2 x £10 acca bets, but any unused free bets will expire within 7 days of creating an account, so you’ve been warned.
Anyway, the Grand National is truly unpredictable, and in the past 40 horses used to line up for the race before new measures were enforced to make things safer. Nevertheless, Betfred’s existing users will appreciate deals such as a free bet if your horse finishes second, and this is applicable for win or each ways on any nominated race.
Betfred continues to move the needle, and when it comes to the Grand National, it should certainly be prioritised for free bet deals.
SBK – Promo 25% Boost
Operated by Smarkets, SBK is the newest site on this list, and it is also the sole mobile-app-oriented betting platform. But don’t let that put you off. This app has some treats in store.
The bet boosts, for example, are a treat, and for selected races, you can get a 25% boost which will saddle you up with more winnings and keep your bankroll ticking over nicely.
However, SBK is swarming with other deals including a Bet £50 each week to get £10 in free bets, which is their free bet club, and yes, less rewarding than Betway. However, there are other horse racing bet bundles which are distributed in tokens, and it is one of the most seamless areas for in-play. For a quick-fire betting experience, head over to SBK, although expect to see Grand National markets posted nearer the time.
Popular Grand National promos and free bets
Here’s a list of Grand National 2025 brand bonuses:
- Bet365 – Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets: New customers only. Deposit and place a qualifying bet of £10 or more, and get £50 in free bets. Min odds and other conditions apply.
- William Hill – Bet £10 Get £60 in Free Bets: New customers using promo code GN60. Place a £10 bet on the Grand National and get £60 in free bets split between sports and casino games.
- Betfred – Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets: Register using code GN50, place a £10 bet at odds of 2.0 or higher, and get £50 in free bets.
- Coral – Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets: Place a £5 bet on the Grand National to receive £20 in free bets. Offer valid for new UK customers.
- Paddy Power – Risk-Free Bet Up to £20: Valid: Grand National 2025. Place a bet on the Grand National, and if it loses, get your stake back in cash up to £20.
Faller Offers
This is a decent concession as bookies will return your stake if your horse falls at the first fence. At the Grand National, there are 28 fences to negotiate, and it is a bit of a marathon, stretching over four miles, making it the longest jump racing course in the UK.
Some bookmakers will have something up their sleeve, so keep your eyes peeled in the run-up to the big race.
NRNB (Non Runner No Bet)
An eminently popular deal, a non-runner no bet (NRNB) kind of deal will usually be latched onto. bet365, for example, offers this on selected ante-post races throughout the year, including the Grand National.
If you like to take a longer term view with your predictions, this is worth tapping into.
Extra Place offers
This is also worth exploring as you will be paid out extra for each-way places. Betfred, for example, offers 5 places instead of 4 for some races, and in the Grand National, this can work in your favour!
When is the Grand National 2025?
The Grand National is scheduled for Saturday 5th April, and this race has a storied history dating back to 1829. The Aintree festival covers three days, but the Grand National is the centrepiece of this event.
Who is the favourite for the Grand National 2025?
I Am Maximus is currently trading as the favourite with most bookmakers. The 2024 winner provided trainer Willie Mullins with his second triumph. In 2025, I Am Maximus will be looking to emulate other recent Grand National greats, such as Tiger Roll, a two-time winner who enjoyed success in 2018 and 2019.
Signing up for our top Grand National bookie
Do you want to make the most of free bet deals for the Grand National? Our step-by-step guide for signing up for the top-rated bookmaker on this page, which in this case is bet365, will stand you in good stead:
Step 1 – Head over to the main bet365 lobby and click the “Join” button.
Step 2 – Fill in all required fields of the registration form.
Step 3 – Make your first deposit and collect the welcome offer.
Step 4 – Agree to the T&Cs and bet on the Grand National. Good luck!
Tips for Grand National Free Bets and Promos
To enrich your betting experience on the Grand National, we have outlined a few tips that you should keep at the forefront of your mind.
- Hunt for value – Assess the merits of each free bet deal and consider what best suits your needs before signing up.
- Weigh up the stats – As mentioned, the Grand National is a bit of a lottery, so analyse factors such as the weight, age and stamina of the horse before picking up a deal.
- Manage your account – Don’t bet too big or exceed financial expectations. You should aim to bankroll your account well to make wagering on the Grand National more enjoyable.
Grand National Free Bets FAQs
When is the Grand National 2025?
The Grand National is set for Saturday 5th April, and it is one of the highlights of the horse racing calendar.
How many horses will line up for the Grand National?
For the 2025 edition, a field of 94 was initially entered, but this is likely to be whittled down to 34.
In past years, there were safety measures taken to reduce the size of the field, but more details will be confirmed nearer the time.
What kinds of Grand National free bet offers can you find at bookies?
Free bet deals come in all forms of guises, but some of the best ones include NRNBs (non-runner no bet), BOG (best odds guaranteed) and extra way places.
It’s worth scouring our recommended bookies to see what deal suits you.
Which is the best Grand National bookie for free bets?
Our research was extensive, but we unanimously agreed that bet365 is the best for free bet deals. Although Betfred might have more in their library, bet365 leaves no stone unturned and with a brilliant live stream product, what’s there not to like?