What is Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB)?

Tales of my ante-post punting woes would be enough to fill another article, and not one I am particularly keen on writing...I am sure we have all been there.

Having meticulously studied the form ahead of a big race such as the Epsom Derby, Ascot Gold Cup, or Champion Hurdle, we unearth a horse at an outrageously good price in the ante-post market. Sticking to our guns, we place a healthy punt on our noble steed at odds of 16/1, for example.

As the months, weeks, and days count down, a smug glow surrounds us, as our horse shortens into 10/1…8/1…9/2…5/2. And then, just as we are mentally spending our winnings, our hero wakes up with a cough the day before the race and is withdrawn. Best laid plans down the drain, smug glow turned to rage, and just another losing slip for the real or virtual dustbin. However, if we have placed our bet under Non-Runner No Bet conditions, we will at least receive a small consolation prize.

Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB), also known as the slightly clearer Non-Runner Money Back (NRMB), does pretty much what it says on the tin. If you place a bet with the NRNB offer in place, you will get your money back if your selection is declared a Non-Runner. Whether the horse is withdrawn weeks in advance or decides they don’t fancy it on their way to the starting stalls, your stake will be returned.

What Happens to Non-Runners on Day-of Race Bets?

If you bet on the day of the race and your horse is declared a Non-Runner, your bet is void, and you get your money back. This is an industry-standard rule followed by all bookies. Most bookmakers also apply this rule to bets placed at early prices, i.e. any time after the 48-hour final declarations for the race. As such, NRNB is irrelevant when it comes to your standard day-to-day bets, as you already get your money back anyway.

The only real downside to non-runners in day-of-race markets occurs when the non-runner is a horse other than the horse you have backed. If the non-runner is withdrawn after you place your bet, any winnings may be subject to a Rule 4 Deduction. Rule 4 deductions do not apply to ante-post bets, whether they are placed under standard ante-post conditions or with NRNB in play.

NRNB vs Standard Ante-Post Betting

Under standard ante-post rules, if your selection is declared a Non-Runner, your bet is settled as a loser, and you receive nothing back from the bookmaker.

Non-Runner No Bet removes this risk from ante-post betting. Whenever you see an ante-post market labelled as “Non-Runner No Bet”, “NRNB”, or “NRMB”, you can rest assured that you will get your money back if your selection does not line up in the race.

When is NRNB Available?

NRNB is an excellent offer for those who like to remove an element of risk from their punting. Unfortunately, it isn’t available all that often. Bookmakers offer ante-post markets on hundreds of races. The vast majority of these events do not offer NRNB – if your selection doesn’t run, you lose your stake. Hard lines, and on to the next one.

The good news is that bookies specifically target the NRNB promotion at the races and meetings that punters are most interested in betting on in advance. While Flat events such as Royal Ascot occasionally see NRNB conditions applied around a week before the race, this promotion truly shines at the springtime jumping highlights of the Aintree Grand National and the Cheltenham Festival.

Exactly when NRNB begins can vary slightly from year to year and between bookmakers. However, as a general rule, you can expect to see Grand National NRNB around 4–7 weeks before the race. For the Cheltenham Festival, the offer can kick in from the turn of the year – a full two months before the meeting begins.

The Cost of NRNB

As with most good things in life, NRNB comes with a cost. In this case, the price is taking lower odds for your selection. Whenever a bookmaker applies the NRNB concession to an ante-post market, it will simultaneously shorten the price of each runner.

For example, a horse available to back at 16/1 under standard ante-post rules may shorten to 11/1 or 10/1 as soon as the market changes to NRNB conditions. This may seem unfair, but it is understandable from a risk/reward perspective.

Under standard ante-post rules, the punter takes on the additional risk of losing their stake if their horse is declared a Non-Runner. The higher odds reflect this additional risk. With NRNB, the risk is lower – you get your stake back if the horse doesn’t run – and therefore so is the reward.

Another way to think of NRNB is as a form of insurance. Taking a lower price is the premium you pay for the security of getting your money back if your horse doesn’t run.

How Does Non-Runner No Bet Affect Your Bets?

The difference NRNB makes to a single bet is fairly obvious. If you place a bet on a Non-Runner without NRNB, you lose your stake. With NRNB, you get your stake back. But what happens if your Non-Runner features in a multiple bet? An Acca or Lucky 15, for example?

Let’s start with the humble acca. Simple on paper, but prone to causing a headache or two; from last-minute goals to wondering what to do with one leg left on a horse racing acca. If you bet without Non-Runner No Bet, your acca anguish might extend to ante-post racing betting.

Without NRNB, if your Non-Runner is part of a straight accumulator, e.g. a double, treble, fourfold, etc., your whole bet will lose. With NRNB in place, the Non-Runner leg is void, seeing the bet roll on to the remaining legs. This scenario can be particularly painful for those betting without NRNB.

Consider two punters who place the same £10 ante-post treble on Randolph’s Reign (5/1), Torzel’s Terrific (4/1), and Hobo Harrison (8/1) ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. Punter A bets without NRNB, Punter B bets with NRNB. On the eve of the race, Hobo Harrison is found to be running a temperature and declared a Non-Runner. Randolph’s Reign and Torzel’s Terrific, meanwhile, do the decent thing and win their races. The differing returns for our two punters would be as follows:

The same theory applies to combination multiple bets, such as the ever-popular Lucky 15. Let’s take a look at the difference NRNB can make to a Lucky 15 containing four selections at 5/1.

Which Betting Sites Offer NRNB?

NRNB is a key selling point ahead of the year's major racing events. In addition to discussing the likely winners of the Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Grand National, punters await news of when the bookies will introduce the NRNB offer. Many UK punters simply won't place ante-post bets on the Cheltenham Festival until the NRNB offer is active.

Despite that popularity, not every betting site offers Non-Runner No Bet. However, the following sites are highly recommended by newbettingoffers.co.uk and offer NRNB plus a rewarding welcome offer and a host of other perks.

• Betfred
• Coral
• Ladbrokes
• QuinnBet
• Unibet
• Virgin Bet
• LiveScore Bet

Non-Runner No Bet Pros and Cons

Pros

• Get your money back if your horse is a Non-Runner.
• Ideal for backing horses with multiple entries ahead of major events such as the Cheltenham Festival.
• A good option for ante-post multiple bets. With NRNB, trebles become doubles, doubles become singles, etc. Without NRNB, any leg containing the Non-Runner is settled as a loser.

Cons

• Odds are usually lower than when betting without NRNB.
• May not be worth it when backing a horse with a stated target relatively close to the event.
• There is still a risk that the price you take may be shorter than that available on the day. Best Odds Guaranteed does not apply to ante-post bets.

Non Runner No Bet FAQs