The 2026 Aintree Festival kicks off tomorrow, Thursday 9 April. Sky Bet are one of the standout bookmakers for the meeting, with a £40 in Grand National free bets offer for new customers and paying out 6 places each-way terms.
They’re also offering Non-Runner No Bet on the race, so if your selection doesn’t make the final declarations, your stake comes back in full rather than going down the drain. If you haven’t got a Sky Bet account yet, now’s the time to get in on the action.
Sky Bet Grand National offer: How to claim £40 in free bets
Sky Bet’s sign up offer has the lowest qualifying bar of any major UK bookmaker. Place a 5p bet and you get £40 back in free bets. There’s no catch beyond the minimum odds requirement.
To claim:
- Sign up via the “Get £40 in free bets” link above.
- Deposit a minimum of £5.
- Place a £0.05 (5p) stake on any market at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater.
- Once your 5p bet settles, you’ll receive three £10 free bet tokens.
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The tokens are valid for 30 days and can be used on any single or each-way market. With three days of festival racing still to come, there’s plenty to aim them at, whether that’s the Grand National itself on Saturday or one of the Grade 1s on Thursday’s card.
Sky Bet existing customers: 10% Racing Single Boost
Existing customers have a boost running today. Sky Bet is offering 10% extra on any Horse Racing Win Single. You need to opt in; the maximum stake is £25, and it expires at 17:30 today. It applies to Win Singles only, so plan your bet accordingly.
Throughout the festival, keep an eye on the app for daily price boosts on key runners. Sky Bet regularly pushes enhanced odds on big race contenders in the 48 hours before the off, and Best Odds Guaranteed applies to all bets placed after 9 am on the day of the race.
Sky Bet Grand National analysis (Saturday, 4 pm)
I Am Maximus is the 6/1 favourite with Sky Bet, and it’s easy to see why. He won in 2024 and came a valiant second last year, carrying top weight. Willie Mullins has won this race back-to-back. Nick Rockett gave him a second successive National in 2025, with son Patrick Mullins riding, and both previous winners are back in the field. Backing the trainer rather than a specific horse is a reasonable approach.
Grangeclare West is the second favourite after a dominant season. Iroko had looked the horse to beat earlier in the campaign after wins at Haydock and Ascot, but a poor run in the Ultima at Cheltenham has seen him drift. Johnnywho beat Jagwar in the Ultima on what was his first run back after a wind operation, which makes for a compelling comeback story.
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Haiti Couleurs is looking to become the first Welsh-trained winner since Kirkland in 1905. That’s a storyline plenty of punters will get behind regardless of the form.
The 6-place each-way terms are worth considering when selecting. At a big price, even finishing fifth or sixth pays a return at this top horse racing betting site. In a 34-runner handicap with significant attrition, that extra place coverage is not trivial.
| Time | Race | Sky Bet value angle |
|---|---|---|
| 13:45 | Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle | Grade 1 – watch early prices |
| 14:20 | William Hill Manifesto Novices’ Chase | Grade 1 |
| 16:05 | William Hill Aintree Hurdle | Grade 1 |
| 16:00 Sat | Randox Grand National | 6 places E/W + NRNB |
Thursday schedule shown. Full three-day card on Sky Bet’s website and app.