What counts as an "extra place" in each-way betting?

Standard each-way terms pay a fraction of the odds (commonly a quarter) on a fixed number of places, usually scaled to field size. An extra-places offer means a bookmaker pays more places than that standard on a specific race, so on the National a horse finishing seventh or eighth can still return the each-way part of a bet where standard terms might only pay to fourth or fifth.

Why does field size make extra places especially important for the National?

Each-way terms only return a place payout if your horse finishes inside the number of places the bookmaker is offering that day. A 34-runner maximum field spreads the finishing order much further than a typical race, so the gap between a bookmaker's standard place count and an extended one covers more realistic finishing positions, and more of your bets, than it would in a small field.

Does an operator that pays extra places on the Flat automatically do the same at the National?

No, and that's worth checking rather than assuming. Extra-places programmes are set per race by the operator's trading team, not applied as a blanket policy across the calendar. Our comparison above reflects what our own data currently confirms for the Grand National specifically, including one case, Star Sports, where the operator's own published position explicitly excludes the National from its extra-places offering.

Does Best Odds Guaranteed apply to the each-way part of a bet?

It can, but check the specific operator's terms: some each-way enhancement toggles are excluded from BOG even where the operator runs BOG on the win market. See our [Grand National BOG firms page](/bookmakers/grand-national-bog-firms/) for the operator-by-operator picture.

When are the National's extra-places terms usually confirmed?

Race-specific extra-places promotions are typically announced in the days immediately before the race rather than fixed months out, once the final field is confirmed after the 48-hour declaration stage. The operator-level pattern in this comparison, whether a firm runs a programme at all, is a more stable signal than any specific number of places quoted before then. Confirm the live terms on the operator's own promotions page once entries are finalised.

Compliance and responsible gambling

18+. Significant terms and conditions apply to every offer above; always check the operator's own promotions page before placing a bet, since terms can change without notice. Bet responsibly: [BeGambleAware.org](https://www.begambleaware.org). Take Time to Think.

Grand National 2027 Extra Places Compared

Why Extra Places Matter Most for the Grand National

Grand National 2027: the biggest each-way market of the year

Verified Monday 24 August 2026, around seven and a half months out from Grand National day (Saturday 10 April 2027, the final day of the Aintree Festival).

The National runs to a maximum field of 34, with six reserves on standby if anyone drops out before the off. No other jumps race in Britain gets close to that number. Two circuits of Aintree, 30 fences and 4 miles 2½ furlongs test stamina and jumping as much as form, and the results back that up: our own race research on recent renewals shows big-priced winners turning up again and again rather than as one-off flukes, Noble Yeats at 50/1 in 2022, Rule The World at 33/1 in 2016, Nick Rockett at 33/1 as recently as 2025. A field this size, over fences, at this distance, rarely goes entirely to form.

That's the case for each-way betting over win-only, and it's why how many places a bookmaker pays matters here more than at almost any other race on the calendar, the deepest each-way market of the British racing year. Standard each-way terms scale the number of places to field size, but a huge field doesn't automatically mean a firm applies its biggest place terms to the National specifically. A bookmaker that pays extra places on the Flat's cavalry-charge handicaps in the summer doesn't necessarily do the same over jumps in April. Below is what our own operator data confirms firm by firm, not carried over from a different meeting.

For the wider Grand National offers picture see our Grand National offers hub; for the other two levers worth checking before the race, Best Odds Guaranteed and Non-Runner No Bet, see our BOG firms and NRNB pages.

Which Operators Run an Extra-Places Programme for the National

William Hill: the clearest each-way case among our partners

William Hill is our strongest pick specifically for extra places. Our own research (assessed 23 July 2026) names "generous extra-place concessions" as one of the things partly offsetting William Hill's move to invite-only Best Odds Guaranteed, meaning the operator's current strength profile leans toward places paid rather than price protection right now. On a race where field size makes the each-way side of a bet do most of the work, that's a real point in William Hill's favour.

Betfred: an each-way extra-places programme confirmed

Betfred's own feature set confirms it runs an each-way extra-places programme, separate from its standard four-places baseline. Combined with Best Odds Guaranteed retained in full across UK and Irish racing (see our BOG firms page), it covers both levers without needing to switch accounts on National day.

QuinnBet: extra places confirmed alongside its Irish-market strengths

QuinnBet's own feature set confirms an each-way extra-places programme alongside Best Odds Guaranteed on both UK and Irish racing, useful given how many National fields include Irish-trained runners.

Star Sports: explicitly no extra-places programme on the National

This is worth stating plainly because it's the one place our data names the National directly rather than in general terms: Star Sports' own listed weaknesses include no headline extra-places programme on the Grand National specifically. Star Sports does have a long-standing presence at Aintree itself, on-course betting pitches at the meeting alongside deep ante-post markets with published maximum liabilities and the 0800 052 1321 phone trader desk for betting at size. What it doesn't offer is an enhanced-places product on the each-way side.

Bet365 and Paddy Power: extra places confirmed, not yet live through us

Both carry each-way extra terms in our research. Neither is a live affiliate partner on Stablebet at the time of writing, so check each operator's own site directly if you already hold an account.

LiveScore Bet: no standard programme, but check on the day

Our data confirms LiveScore Bet runs no standard extra-places programme, only occasional extra places on selected feature races via one-off promotions (assessed 2 August 2026). The National is exactly the kind of feature race that pattern would apply to, so it's worth checking LiveScore's promotions tab close to the race rather than ruling it out entirely.

Ladbrokes, Coral, 10bet, HighBet, Spreadex, BetGoodwin and Fruity King: no standard extra-places programme

Our data flags all seven as not running a standard extra-places programme. Ladbrokes and Coral are not yet live partners; the rest are, but extra places isn't where their racing offering is strongest, and Fruity King runs no racing concessions of any kind.

Summary: where the places actually get paid

Confirmed extra-places programme, live partner: William Hill, Betfred, QuinnBet
Confirmed extra-places programme, not yet live through us: Bet365, Paddy Power
No standard programme, worth checking on the day: LiveScore Bet
Explicitly no programme (the National named directly): Star Sports
No standard programme: Ladbrokes, Coral, 10bet, HighBet, Spreadex, BetGoodwin, Fruity King

For a race built around field size and unpredictability, William Hill and Betfred are our two live-partner picks specifically for places paid, worth setting up before declarations rather than after.

Frequently Asked Questions