Last Updated on 01/04/2026 by Andy Clark
Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB) is a horse racing betting market where your stake is returned in full if your selected horse is declared a non-runner. Instead of losing your bet because a horse never makes it to the racecourse, you get your money back in cash and can place it elsewhere.
It is the most important concession in ante-post horse racing betting and is now offered by every major UK bookmaker on the Cheltenham Festival, the Grand National and most major horse racing festivals throughout the year.
What Is Non-Runner No Bet?
In standard ante-post betting, if your horse does not run for any reason – injury, a change of plans by the trainer, ground concerns, or any other reason – your stake is lost. The bet is settled as a loser regardless of whether the horse ever set foot on the racecourse.
Non-Runner No Bet changes that entirely. In a clearly labelled NRNB market, if your selection is declared a non-runner, your full stake is returned as cash. The bet is voided rather than lost.
NRNB applies to ante-post bets only. Once a race reaches final declarations – typically 48 hours before the off – the day-of-race market opens and standard non-runner rules apply. NRNB is the ante-post concession only.
Some bookmakers use slightly different terminology. Non-Runner Money Back (NRMB) is the same thing under a different name – the mechanics are identical. Betfred use NRMB; most others use NRNB.
Why NRNB Matters
Ante-post betting offers significantly bigger prices than day-of-race betting on the same horse. A horse available at 12/1 ante-post months before the Grand National may be 6/1 on race day once the field is confirmed and money has poured in. Backing early gets you the best value.
The problem is risk. Horses get injured. Trainers change their minds. Targets switch. Ground conditions shift. Without NRNB, every ante-post bet carries the risk that your horse simply does not turn up and your stake is gone with nothing to show for it.
NRNB removes that risk entirely. You can take the best early prices without fear of losing your money if the horse does not run. It is why NRNB has become the defining ante-post promotion across all the major horse racing festivals.
NRNB vs Standard Ante-Post – Which to Use?
NRNB is not always the right choice. The protection comes at a cost – NRNB prices are consistently shorter than standard ante-post prices on the same horse at the same bookmaker. How much shorter depends on how likely the horse is to run.
Use NRNB when:
A horse has genuine dual entries where both races are live possibilities. If connections have not committed to a specific race and the horse could go one of two ways, backing standard ante-post in either race risks your stake if they choose the other. NRNB on both covers you completely.
A horse from a yard known for switching targets late. Some trainers routinely hold back final declarations and move horses between races. NRNB is the logical default for any horse from these yards with more than one entry.
You want to take an early price but cannot be fully confident the horse will start – fitness concerns, a recent setback, or ground sensitivity make the run uncertain.
Use standard ante-post when:
A horse has a single confirmed entry, and the trainer has committed to the race. No dual entry concern and a fit, on-course horse means the bigger standard price outweighs the small non-runner risk.
The price difference is significant. If a horse is 8/1 NRNB and 12/1 standard and you are confident it will run, the standard market gives substantially better returns. The extra 4/1 needs to be weighed against the non-runner risk.
Some bookmakers – notably Betfred – only offer NRNB with no standard ante-post market. In these cases you have no choice, but their NRNB prices are set accordingly.
Best Bookmakers for Non-Runner No Bet
The bookmakers below have historically offered NRNB on the major horse racing festivals including Cheltenham and the Grand National. Specific availability for each festival is confirmed by bookmakers in the weeks ahead of the meeting – check each bookmaker’s promotions page for the current position.
bet365 – historically offer NRNB on all races at Cheltenham and the Grand National. Cash refund. Offer both a standard ante-post market and a separately labelled NRNB market side by side, giving punters the choice.
Betfred – historically NRNB exclusively at the Festival with no standard ante-post market. Every ante-post bet automatically has non-runner protection built in. Prices are correspondingly shorter than the standard market elsewhere.
Boylesports – historically offer NRNB on all Cheltenham Festival races and the Grand National. Cash refund. Both NRNB and standard markets available. Their Best Odds Guaranteed from 8am on race day combines well with NRNB.
William Hill – historically offer NRNB across the Festival, with a standard ante-post market retained on the five Championship races for punters who want bigger prices without protection.
Ladbrokes, Coral, Paddy Power, Sky Bet – all have historically offered NRNB on all major Festival races. Cash refund. Both markets typically available.
NRNB in Multiples and Accumulators
Every major bookmaker applies the same rule to NRNB in multiples: a non-runner is treated as void and removed from the bet. The remaining selections stand as a smaller multiple.
A four-fold accumulator with one NRNB non-runner becomes a three-fold. A treble with one non-runner becomes a double. The odds recalculate accordingly – you do not lose the stake, but you lose the odds contribution from the non-runner’s leg.
Worked example:
Three-fold NRNB treble: Horse A (3/1), Horse B (5/1), Horse C (4/1). Combined odds approximately 119/1 on a £10 stake – potential return £1,200.
Horse B is a non-runner. Bet becomes a double: Horse A (3/1) and Horse C (4/1). Combined odds approximately 19/1 on a £10 stake – potential return £200. Stake is not lost; the bet continues as a double.
Without NRNB, the entire treble would have been a losing bet the moment Horse B was declared a non-runner.
NRNB and Best Odds Guaranteed
NRNB and Best Odds Guaranteed are the two most valuable promotions for horse racing ante-post punters, and they work well together.
NRNB protects your stake if the horse does not run. BOG protects your price if the Starting Price is bigger than the odds you took. Using both simultaneously gives you stake protection if the horse does not start and price protection if it does.
Bookmakers that offer both NRNB and BOG include bet365, Boylesports, Betfred and most of the major names. See our Best Odds Guaranteed guide for the full list of BOG bookmakers and their start times.
Common NRNB Terms and Conditions
While each bookmaker sets their own terms, the following apply consistently across virtually all NRNB markets:
Cash refund. Every major bookmaker refunds NRNB non-runners as cash, not free bet tokens. The refund is withdrawable immediately.
Ante-post bets only. NRNB applies to bets placed in the ante-post NRNB market before final declarations. Day-of-race bets are not covered.
Applies to each-way bets. Both the win and place parts of an each-way bet are refunded if the horse is a non-runner. The full stake is returned.
Free bet stakes. If you place a NRNB bet using a free bet token and the horse is a non-runner, most bookmakers return a free bet token rather than cash. Check individual terms.
Cashed out bets excluded. If you cash out a NRNB bet before the race, the protection no longer applies.
You must bet in the NRNB market. NRNB is a separately labelled market. You must place your bet specifically in the NRNB market to receive protection. Betting in the standard ante-post market does not give you NRNB protection even if a NRNB market exists for the same race.
No opt-in required. NRNB markets are available without opt-in at all major bookmakers.
NRNB FAQs
What does Non-Runner No Bet mean? NRNB means that if you place an ante-post bet on a horse and it is declared a non-runner, your full stake is returned as cash. The bet is voided rather than settled as a loser.
What is the difference between NRNB and NRMB? Nothing – they are the same concession under different names. Non-Runner No Bet and Non-Runner Money Back both mean your stake is returned if your selection does not run. Betfred use NRMB; most others use NRNB.
Do I get cash or a free bet back? Cash at all major bookmakers. The refund is credited directly to your withdrawable balance, not as a free bet token.
Does NRNB apply if my horse is withdrawn on the morning of the race? Yes, provided the bet was placed in the NRNB ante-post market. A horse declared a non-runner at any point before the race triggers the NRNB refund.
Does NRNB apply to each-way bets? Yes. Both the win and place parts are refunded if the horse is a non-runner. The full stake is returned.
Can I have NRNB and standard ante-post bets on the same horse? Yes, at bookmakers offering both markets. Some punters split their stake – NRNB protection on part of it and the bigger standard price on the rest.
Does NRNB apply in accumulator bets? Yes. A non-runner in a NRNB accumulator is treated as void and removed. The remaining selections continue as a smaller multiple. You do not lose your stake because of the non-runner.
Does NRNB apply on race day? No. NRNB only applies to ante-post bets placed before final declarations. Standard non-runner rules apply once the day-of-race market opens.
What is the difference between NRNB and ante-post betting? Ante-post refers to the market type – betting before final declarations. NRNB is a concession within the ante-post market that returns your stake if the horse does not run. Standard ante-post has no such protection; NRNB ante-post does.
Related Horse Racing Guides
- Best Odds Guaranteed Guide
- Each-Way Betting Explained
- Cheltenham NRNB Guide
- Grand National Tips 2026
- Grand National Free Bets
- bet365 Grand National Offers
- ITV Racing Tips
- NAP of the Day
- Lucky 15 Tips
- Horse Racing Free Bets
- Free Bets Hub
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Andy is the founder, owner and editor of thatsagoal.com, with over 20 years of experience in betting on sports. He has a keen eye for stats, particularly when looking at players to be carded, and these form a large part of the bet builder tips you see on the site. As well as creating daily football tips, Andy also keeps thatsagoal updated with all the best bookmaker promotions and offers for our readers. The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest weeks on the sporting calendar, and his expertise in betting promotions and marketing means you always get the best offers.