Beyond welcome offers, Irish bookmakers run a range of ongoing betting promotions. Best odds guaranteed, price boosts, acca insurance, and enhanced specials all add genuine value — if you understand how they work. This guide explains the mechanics honestly.
What Is Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG)?
Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) is a promotion offered on horse racing by most major Irish and UK bookmakers. When you take an early price (the odds available before the race begins) and the starting price (SP) at the off is higher, BOG means you are automatically paid at the SP.
Example: You back a horse at 5.0 at 10am. By race time, it drifts to 7.0 SP. With BOG, you are paid at 7.0 without having to do anything. Without BOG, you receive 5.0. The difference on a €20 bet is €40.
BOG applies to horses only at almost every bookmaker. It does not apply to greyhounds, football, or other sports. It is typically available on races in Ireland and the UK. BOG is worth using consistently: over time, backing horses that drift at the off is a systematic edge.
Under GRAI rules, bookmakers must apply BOG consistently if they advertise it. Check whether a bookmaker's BOG applies to phone bets, online bets, or both.
Price Boosts and Enhanced Odds
Price boosts (also called enhanced odds, super boosts, or specials) temporarily raise the odds on a specific selection. A football team priced at 3.0 might be boosted to 5.0 for one day. The boost is genuine — you receive 5.0 if it wins.
The catch: maximum stake limits. Most price boosts cap the bet at €5–€10, so the maximum extra profit from a boost to 5.0 (from 3.0) on a €10 bet is €20. Worthwhile, but not as valuable as the headline odds suggest.
Price boosts are best used on:
- Selections you were going to back at standard odds anyway
- Markets where the standard margin is high (each-way, specials) so the boost genuinely improves value
- Large-field races where you already rate the horse
Never chase a price boost on a selection you do not rate simply because the odds look attractive. The selection still has to win.
Acca Insurance Offers
Acca insurance refunds your stake if exactly one leg of a qualifying accumulator loses. The refund is typically paid as a free bet (SNR), not cash, and is usually capped at €10–€20.
The maths: on a five-fold acca, the probability that exactly one leg fails (all others winning) is relatively low. Most accas fail because two or more legs lose, which is not covered. Acca insurance adds value at the margin but should not change how you build an acca. Build accas on selections you back for their own merit, then apply the insurance as a secondary benefit.
Some offers require a minimum of four or five legs and minimum odds per selection (e.g. 1.5+). Read these carefully — cutting a leg to meet odds restrictions might make the acca worse overall.
How to Get Real Value from Promotions
Three rules that apply to every betting promotion:
- Would you make this bet without the promotion? If not, the promotion is leading you to a bet you do not rate. That is how margins work in a bookmaker's favour.
- What is the maximum stake? A “double your odds” boost on a €5 max stake is worth a maximum of a few pounds in extra profit. Do not build a betting strategy around chasing boosts.
- Is the refund cash or a free bet? Cash is worth face value. An SNR free bet token is worth roughly 60–75% of face value depending on odds used. A €20 free bet refund is not €20 in your pocket.
Welcome offer for new customers. Min odds and T&Cs apply. 18+. No guaranteed wins — this is a betting offer, not a cash equivalent.
See Current Offer →Frequently Asked Questions
Best Odds Guaranteed means if you take an early price on a horse race and the SP is higher when the race goes off, you are paid at the higher SP. It applies automatically at most bookmakers on Irish and UK horse racing.
Yes, when they apply to selections you would back anyway. The enhanced odds are genuine, but maximum stakes (usually €5–€10) limit the extra profit. Never bet on a boosted market purely because of the odds.
Acca insurance refunds your stake as a free bet if exactly one leg of your accumulator loses and all others win. The refund is SNR and usually capped. It adds value at the margin but does not cover accas that fail on multiple legs.