For many of us, betting on major events like the Grand National is something we have been doing for a very long time.
Whether it was the horse your mum or dad let you pick from the newspaper when you were younger, the office sweepstakes, or just the general excitement surrounding the event every April, it is part of the general social fabric in the UK.
Therefore, you would assume that betting terminology goes hand in hand. However, as times have changed, along with our betting habits, so too have the acronyms.
But before I give you the breakdown of what’s what, let me tell you a short story.
Back in March 2024, during the Cheltenham Festival, I spotted a horse that I absolutely knew my own mother would want to put a bet on. She’s generally a once-a-year punter and only goes by the name of the runner, and it has worked for her so far!
As expected, she put a whopping £2.50 each way on the horse in question, Limerick Lace, and when I told her that the mare was also a Grand National entry, she was equally as enthusiastic about getting her bet on for that race as well.
It was then that I explained the horse was antepost for the National and that she should hold off for NRNB, which was when I realised that she had no clue what either of those terms meant.
It occurred to me that she was not alone. There are millions of people out there who don’t rely on informed betting decisions or know much about betting markets.
That is why it is sometimes better to wait it out when it comes to betting on the biggest races of the year.
With that in mind, I’m going to tell you what NRNB is and why it’s the best option for the Grand National, particularly if you’re the kind of person who only has a flutter once in a blue moon.
What Does NRNB Actually Mean?
NRNB stands for Non Runner No Bet.
What that means is if you back a horse in a race where the betting market (the odds available for that specific race) are classed as NRNB, and that horse does NOT run for any reason, your bet is cancelled, and your stake – the money you bet – is returned to you.
This may not sound like a big deal so let me tell you why it is so important in the context of the Grand National.
Every year, around 100 horses are entered into the race. Depending on the race date, the list is published towards the end of January/early February.
From that point on, every bookmaker across the country will have odds available on every horse on that list. The issue is that, as of 2024, only 34 of those horses will actually get a spot in the starting line-up. So, roughly two-thirds of all entries will not run in the Grand National.
The situation then gets even trickier when the weights are announced. Starting with the heaviest and guaranteed a place in the race, the horses are numbered from one to the last entry on the list in descending order.
This provides a little more certainty, but even then, your horse is not guaranteed to run. This can be for a variety of reasons, such as injury, options in other races, or even a change of heart on the part of the trainer or owners.
This is where NRNB becomes important.
Why is NRNB Important?
The line-up for the Grand National can change right up until the day before the race. With NRNB, you don’t have to worry about these last-minute changes costing you your bet.
Even if the horse you backed gets scratched from the race, your money is safe, and your wager will be returned to you.
This is the opposite of ante-post betting, where you may get bigger odds, but if your horse is withdrawn, you lose your bet and, consequently, your money.
The biggest advantage, as mentioned above, is that you get your money back if your horse doesn’t run. This removes the risk due to circumstances beyond your control.
You can place your bet as soon as the odds change to NRNB, confident that you won’t lose out, and you can spend more time thinking about which horse you genuinely believe will win rather than worrying about whether or not it will even run.
Are There Downsides?
Like all forms of betting, NRNB is not a magic bullet, and there are some downsides that more seasoned bettors will not be too keen on.
For example, the odds available will almost certainly be lower than those offered in the ante-post markets. They are reduced to offset the extra protection NRNB gives you.
You also have to wait a lot longer to place your bet, so where ante-post odds may be available for months before the race, NRNB odds may only be announced a few weeks or days before.
If you don’t mind being a bit more patient, this will limit your risk, and the horse you back will be more likely to actually run in the Grand National, which is a better proposition all around.
So, for the 2025 Grand National, remember that patience is key, and if you don’t want to risk your money, check that the odds on offer are classed as NRNB. All you have to do then is hope that you backed a winner.
