Which Bookmakers Pay First Past the Post?

30/04/2022 | Categories: Horse Racing | Published by: Andy Nelson

Updated: 27th November 2023

Luckland, Boylesports, William Hill, and BetGoodwin are some of the biggest bookmakers that pay first past the post, thus providing a winning bet even if your horse is disqualified.

Watch the video below to learn more about how first past the post works at the online horse racing bookmakers.

What is First Past The Post in Horse Racing Betting?

Contents show

You can read more on the conditions of first past the post from each bookmaker below.

Bookmakers that Pay First Past the Post

See the list of UK bookmakers below offering First Past The Post on your horse racing bets.

About First Past the Post

When it comes to horse betting, online bookmakers‘ rules to settle those bets can be quite different.

How much they pay, terms and conditions, and exceptions are variables that need to be considered when choosing a bookie to ensure you maximise your chances of winning.

Most UK horse racing bookmakers payout bets based on the official results, but horses can be disqualified occasionally for several reasons.

This means that, even though your horse crosses the finish line first, it may not be awarded the race, and therefore your bet is lost.

Bettors can't always predict if a horse will get disqualified, so some online bookmakers have started paying first past the post to maximize their chances of success.

When bookmakers pay first past the post, it means you will be paid as a winner if your horse crosses the finish line first, even if they get disqualified afterward.

But that's not all.

These bookies also pay out the horse awarded the race in the final results, meaning if you bet on both horses, you can win the race twice and double your rewards.

This situation is very beneficial for bettors, as they can miss out on plenty of winning situations if their bookie does not pay first past the post.

Below, we listed five online bookmakers who pay first past the post to help you choose one that maximises your chances of success.

Which Bookmakers Pay First Past the Post?

All these online bookmakers below pay first past the post on horse racing bets, so make sure you side with them for a double result.

Learn more about the conditions of the First Past the Post offer at each of the online bookies in our short reviews.

William Hill

William Hill seemed to have joined other bookies in offering the First Past the Post insurance offer.

So now, First past the post means that you will be paid out on the winning horse (i.e., the first horse to cross the finish line), even if they are subsequently demoted or disqualified by way of the dreaded Stewards Inquiry.

See the terms of the William Hill First Past The Post offer below – so you can be wise to any exceptions and avoid disappointment in case the scenario happens to you.

The First Past the Post does not apply to the following terms:

The Aintree Grand National
Ante-post bets
Forecast or tricast bets
Void races
A selection taking the wrong course, a selection given as the winner in error by the judge, a selection carrying the wrong weight, or a jockey failing to weigh in
Totepool bets
Favourite markets and distance markets
Bets placed on a two-runner race
Special match bets and novelty bets

Further Note:

First Past The Post is applicable to win single/multiple bets, and the win part of each way single/multiple bets placed on the race winner market only
It does not apply to placed horses that are demoted
Staking restrictions do not apply
This only applies to UK and IRE horse racing

Bet William Hill Bet William Hill

Hollywoodbets.co.uk

Hollywoodbets is one of the online bookies that pay first past the post, based on specific terms and conditions. The concession applies to day-of-race win and each-way markets only and is offered to all UK and Irish Racing to both simple and multiple bets.

Pay-outs are subject to the bookmaker's maximum pay-out limits, and there are no other restrictions on stakes.

Horses disqualified because they failed to weigh correctly or took the wrong course are not considered for first past the post.

Races declared void or winners selected in error by the judges are also disregarded for first past the post payout.

Go to Hollywoodbets Go to Hollywoodbets

Kwiff

Place your horse racing bets confidently at Kwiff, knowing that their first past the post promotion will cover you.

If the horse you backed crosses the winning line in the first place, you'll get paid out, even if your tip gets disqualified or demoted. This offer applies to all UK and Ireland horse races.

Kwiff also pays out on the “Double Result” if your selection is awarded a race or promoted to a place as a result of a Stewards Enquiry. This means you will also be paid out.

There are exceptions to the FPTP offer, which should be noted – as with all the bookmakers offering first past the post, it's best to check for any exclusions that apply.

Go to Kwiff Go to Kwiff

Betfred

All bets placed on Betfred's UK and Irish horse racing will be settled on either a first past the post or official result basis, meaning you have two times more chances to win.

Betfred has some exceptions like other bookmakers where their first past-the-post rule does not apply.

These exceptions include a horse taking the wrong course, a horse or jockey failing to weigh in, a void race, or a horse being declared the winner due to judge error.

First past-the-post offers do not apply to a range of unique markets, including Ante-Post bets, Forecast or Tricast bets, and bets placed on a two-runner race or a particular event.

Go to Betfred Go to Betfred

Boylesports

For all best placed in UK, Irish, UAE, and South African horse racing, Boylesports offers a First Paste the Post and official result settlement.

Their offer applies to single and multiple bets and the win part of Each-Way bets.

Pay-outs will be subject to the limits you can find on the bookmarker's website, and there are no restrictions on stacking.

Exceptions that first past the post do not apply include void races, a horse taking the wrong course or carrying the wrong weight, or the jockey failing to weigh in.

Ante Post bet6s, Forecast, or Tricast bets are also excluded. All other races outside the UK or UAE meetings will be settled on the official results confirmed by the weighed-in announcement.

Go to Boylesports Go to Boylesports

Vbet.co.uk

Vbet UK offers first-past-the-post returns for all UK and Irish races, with no stake limits. The only condition is your bet must be made on the day of the race, and it can be placed on any win or each-way market.

First past the post does not apply when a horse is disqualified due to taking the wrong course, failing to weigh in, or if a race was declared void.

Bets placed on PMU or Tote odds and ante-post or future horse racing bets will also be disregarded.

Go to Vbet Go to Vbet

First Past The Post Verdict

Choosing a bookmaker that pays first past the post results maximizes your chances of winning and helps you avoid some of the most significant issues with horse racing:

determining if a horse gets disqualified or not.

This way, if you made the correct choice but the horse got disqualified for a particular reason, your skills will still be put to good use, and you will get rewarded.

FAQ's

Your questions on the First Past The Post promotion are answered below.

Do all bookies pay first past the post?

No they don't. While first past the post is a very beneficial option for bettors, not all bookies offer it. This is why it is advised to read their terms and conditions before opening an account to ensure you leverage all potential advantages.

Does Betfred pay first past the post?

As you read above, Betfred is one of the online UK bookies that pay first past the post for its bettors.

Make sure you read their bet terms to ensure you get a good understanding of their general rules applicable to all types of horse racing betting.

What happens if my horse is disqualified?

When a horse gets disqualified, the short answer is you will lose your stake.

However, if your bookie pays first past the post, you can end up winning big even if your horse got disqualified.

There are, however, a number of rules that need to be followed in order for your bet to qualify.

Horses that, for example, have been disqualified because they failed to weigh-in correctly, or because they have taken the wrong course, do not qualify for first past the post.

Does Boylesports pay first past post?

Boylesports pays first past the post, as well as on amended results, based on specific criteria that you can find mentioned above in our short review.

Does William Hill pay first past the post?

William Hill will payout on horses that finish first - cross the line in front of all other horses even if they are demoted by way of a Stewards Enquiry at a later time.

There are exceptions to the rule so please check above in our article which details all the rules to the horse racing insurance offer.

The William Hill demoted horses rule is applicable to Win and Each Way singles only. It does not apply to Multiple bet selections. It is available on all UK & Irish Horse Racing.

Go To All Horse Racing Betting Sites List