What is Non-Runner No Bet? NRNB Meaning Explained

Article By
Diarmuid Nolan
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Key Takeaways
  • NRNB provides insurance.
    The safety net of NRNB means you won't have to worry too much about the horse you’re backing not running.
  • They can help your accumulators.
    If you place an early Cheltenham accumulator (also known as a parlay or a multi) with a site with NRNB, the bet will be shortened by a leg if one of your selections doesn't run.
  • Note different refund formats.
    NRNB refunds on singles can take the form of cash or bonus bets.
  • Read terms & conditions.
    Not every bookmaker offers NRNB, so double-check if it's available. Most sites make this clear in their horse racing odds section.
  • This goes beyond horse racing.
    While NRNB is most common in horse racing, some betting sites offer similar protections in other sports futures markets.

Non-runner no bet (NRNB) is a valuable concession that protects a bettor’s stake if their selection doesn't run.

Non-runner no bet is particularly useful for betting on the Cheltenham Festival, the UK’s premier jumps racing event. It should be a major factor when deciding where to place Festival bets.

Here, we cover how the non-runner no bet concession works and highlight horse racing betting sites that offer NRNB.

Note: This article uses terms common to UK and Irish horse racing, such as “non-runner no bet.” This type of wager may also be known as a “no action” bet in other regions.

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How Does Non Runner No Bet Work?

Standard ante-post terms and conditions dictate that if you back a horse and it doesn’t run for whatever reason (and there are many), you've lost your stake.

That changes when the bookmaker applies the non-runner no bet concession. In this case, bettors can back horses knowing that their stake will be refunded if their selection does not run.

Not all bookmakers have non-runner no-bet betting offers, and markets are usually live for several months before the concession is applied.

Cheltenham Non Runner No Bet

The safety net of an NRNB refund is a significant addition to any racing bettor’s arsenal.

Taking a horse's Cheltenham betting odds two months in advance is all good, but you must know that they could pick up an injury a few days or weeks later, which would kill your bet without NRNB.

The other considerable upside to the non-runner no bet concession is the ability to back a horse in a race it may not run in.

There are many options for horses at the Cheltenham Festival, but NRNB protects your stake if the horse is rerouted to a different race.

With NRNB, you can at least be safe knowing that you'll get your stake back if your selection goes to a race different from the one you placed your bet on.

You'll start seeing betting sites offering NRNB from early January onwards; the date it is introduced varies from one bookie to the next. 

Grand National Non-Runner No Bet

The Aintree Grand National is the UK’s most-watched and most bet-on race of the year. Non-runner no bet is among the most popular Grand National betting strategies.

Grand National NRNB is usually available as soon as the Cheltenham Festival ends in mid-March, with the National taking place around four weeks later.

Weights can be a significant factor in deciding whether a potential runner qualifies to take a chance at the big prize.

If a trainer feels like a horse is too high in weight, they might be tempted to change course and instead target a different race, which can ruin your Grand National bet.

This won’t be a problem for anyone who has backed that horse with the Grand National non-runner no bet concession.

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