# Ante-post

> Ante-post is a bet placed well before a race, before the final runners are known. Meaning, an example of the risk and where to read the rules.

Source: https://eachwayatlas.uk/glossary/ante-post/
Updated: 2026-11-07

Ante-post means a bet placed well before a race, before the final list of runners is known. The price is fixed at the time of the bet, but the stake may be at risk if the horse does not run. The each-way version is covered on [ante-post each way](https://eachwayatlas.uk/each-way/ante-post-each-way/). In UK betting it appears on festival and big-handicap markets.

## What ante-post means

An ante-post bet is struck early, in some cases weeks or months before the race, while the list of runners can still change.

A day-of-race bet is different: the runners are declared and the price moves up to the start. See [early price or starting price](https://eachwayatlas.uk/each-way/early-price-or-starting-price/).

Why it matters to you: the two bet types can treat a missing horse differently.

**The short version:** an ante-post bet is placed before the runners are known, so the rules on non-runners change.

## The risk an ante-post bet carries

Example: you place £10 to win on a horse at 12/1 in November for a race in March. A win would return £130, which is £120 profit plus your £10 stake.

If the horse is withdrawn before the race, the outcome depends on the operator's rules. Under ante-post rules that treat it as a loss, the £10 is gone. Under day-of-race rules the bet is void and the £10 comes back.

The operator's published rule decides which applies. We have not yet read those rules, so the checking table below shows Not verified.

**The short version:** an early price is fixed, but your stake can be lost if the horse never runs.

## Where ante-post bets appear in the UK

Ante-post markets are most visible before major meetings. Our pages on [Cheltenham Festival 2027](https://eachwayatlas.uk/racing/cheltenham-festival-2027/) and [Grand National 2027](https://eachwayatlas.uk/racing/grand-national-2027/) explain how each-way terms apply.

Withdrawals and deductions are explained on [withdrawn horses and Rule 4](https://eachwayatlas.uk/each-way/non-runners-and-rule-4/).

**The short version:** read the ante-post rule on the operator's site before you place the bet.

## What we have and have not checked

The example uses our own arithmetic. The rules are the part that needs a source.

**Operator ante-post rules · checked 7 November 2026**

| Fact to read | Where to read it | Status |
|---|---|---|
| The operator's ante-post non-runner rule | Betting rules of at least two licensed operators, with the date read | Not verified |
| Whether place terms differ for ante-post each-way bets | Operator rules and the market's terms on the day | Not verified |
| Any concession when a horse is withdrawn | Operator rules and offer terms | Not verified |

**The short version:** the example is our own sum; the operator rules are marked Not verified.