Grand National Each-Way Terms 2026: Who Is Paying the Most Places?
With the Grand National field of 34 runners jumping off at 4:00pm today at Aintree, one of the most important decisions for each-way punters isn't which horse to back - it's which bookmaker to back it with.
Each-way terms vary across the market this year, and the difference could be decisive in a race where the margins between a payout and nothing can come down to a single place.
Six Places at 1/5: The Market Standard
The majority of major bookmakers are paying six places at 1/5 of the odds for the 2026 Grand National.
That group includes:
Six places is well above the standard four-place each-way terms you'd find on a typical race day, and in a 34-runner field, it provides solid each-way coverage for punters.
Your selection only needs to finish in the first six to return a place profit - useful in a race where historical form shows only around half the field tends to complete the course.
BetGoodwin: Fewer Places, Better Odds Terms
BetGoodwin stand apart from the rest of the field, paying just four places but at 1/4 of the odds - more generous place terms than the 1/5 offered everywhere else.
Whether that's better value than six places at 1/5 depends entirely on the price of your selection.
As a rough guide: for shorter-priced horses - say, anything under 10/1 - the 1/4 odds terms can edge ahead in value.
For longer-priced runners at 14/1 and beyond, the additional places at 1/5 offered by the six-place books are likely to represent better overall each-way value.
What the Terms Mean in Practice
To put this in context, here's how the terms play out on a £10 each-way bet on a 20/1 shot that finishes fifth:
| Bookmaker | Places Paid | Place Odds | Place Returns |
| bet365, Paddy Power etc | 6 | 1/5 | £50 profit |
| BetGoodwin | 4 | 1/4 | No return |
That fifth-place finish returns £50 in place winnings at the six-place books and nothing at BetGoodwin.
However, flip the scenario to a third-place finish at 10/1, however, and BetGoodwin's 1/4 terms (paying 5/2) edge ahead of the 1/5 terms (paying 2/1) offered elsewhere.
Don't forget - you can use our free each-way betting calculator to calculate your Grand National winnings.
Our Verdict
For each-way punters backing longer-priced runners, the six-place group - led by bet365, Paddy Power, and SpreadEX - represent the best value for the 2026 Grand National.
BUT, if you're siding with a shorter-priced market leader, BetGoodwin's 1/4 terms are worth a look.
As always, check the latest terms directly with your bookmaker before placing - these can occasionally be updated in the hours before the race.
Latest Grand National Odds
Check out the latest Grand National odds from the top UK betting sites below.
And don't forget!
Browse the best Grand National free bets available now at Freebets.com, where we've compared every offer from UKGC-licensed bookmakers so you can secure the top deal ahead of race day.
