King George VI Chase 2026: odds, tips and Boxing Day free bets

King George odds: how the Boxing Day market forms

The King George is a Grade 1 with a small, high-class field, so the market is usually dominated by two or three names. Prices settle after the big November and early-December chases, when connections declare their Christmas plans.

With few runners, the margin between bookmakers matters. A quarter of a point on the favourite is worth having, so compare before you bet.

King George 2026 favourites: who heads the betting?

Recent King Georges have gone to horses outside the head of the market. The Jukebox Man and Banbridge both won at 7/1, and Hewick took the 2023 running at 12/1.

Final declarations for the King George VI Chase are made shortly before the race. From then, this section shows every runner with the best price, bookmaker and market-implied chance.

King George free bets and betting offers

The King George brings out some of the best racing offers of the year. Each of these lets a new customer place the qualifying bet on horse racing, and every one is for new UK customers aged 18 and over, with the significant terms in full.

Compare every welcome offer on our horse racing free bets page.

Best betting sites for the King George

At a meeting as big as the King George, the bookmaker matters as much as the horse. These are the sites we would use, and why each one earns its place at Kempton Park.

1. bet365: the best all-round King George betting site. It paid extra places in more races than any other bookmaker in our data, and streams UK racing to funded accounts so you can watch every race of the King George live on your phone. Best Odds Guaranteed covers UK and Irish racing.
2. SBK: the best King George odds. SBK had the top price on more UK runners than any other bookmaker in our daily comparison, because its prices come from the Smarkets exchange. At a meeting as competitive as the King George, a few points more on your selection add up.
3. Betfred: the best for racing bonuses at Kempton Park. Best Odds Guaranteed from 8am, earlier than most, plus Lucky 15, 31 and 63 bonuses for a King George multiple and Super Extra Place terms on selected big races. Its £50 welcome offer is the most racing-friendly on our list.
4. William Hill: the best high-street name for the King George. Best Odds Guaranteed on UK and Irish racing, extra places on high-profile races and WHTV streams of UK and Irish racing after a £1 bet. Promo Code S30 gets new customers £30 in free bets, all usable on the King George.
5. Grosvenor Sport: the best for boosting your King George pick. The welcome offer includes a 100% odds boost token, so a 10/1 selection at the King George would be paid at 20/1. Best Odds Guaranteed starts at 9am and UK racing streams free to funded accounts.
6. Ladbrokes: the best for extra places and the Tote. Daily Extra Place Races and the Tote Guarantee on selected races, plus Best Odds Guaranteed from 8am once you opt in. A £5 qualifying bet gets new customers £30 in free bets.
7. Virgin Bet: the best for choosing your own places. Each Way Your Way lets you pick how many places you are paid on, trading price for cover. Streams are free with any funded account.
8. Coral: the best for big-race promotions. Pipped at the Post pays out on close finishes, Best Odds Guaranteed starts at 8am with an opt-in, and its £5 qualifying bet is the joint-lowest stake on this list, with Ladbrokes.
9. SpreadEx: the best for King George spread betting. Race Index, Favourites and Jockey Index spreads let you bet on how the whole race unfolds, and First Past the Post payouts settle on the horse first past the line. Spread betting losses can exceed your deposit.

Our full ranking of the best horse racing betting sites scores each one on price, Best Odds Guaranteed, each-way terms and streaming.

King George live odds and racecards

Racecards for the King George appear here, and on our racecards page, from the day before each race day. Every race gets runners, form, jockeys, trainers and the best odds from our UK bookmakers, with a link to each horse’s profile.

Today’s racecards · Today’s best odds · Kempton Park racecourse guide

King George tips: trends from recent winners

Kempton’s flat, sharp three miles suits a fluent jumper with speed, and the last three runnings were all won at decent prices.

What the market tells you

None of the last three winners started favourite, and the biggest-priced winner in that time was Hewick at 12/1 in 2023. Don’t be afraid to look beyond the head of the market.

Expect a close finish

The Jukebox Man beat Banbridge by a nose in a photo finish in 2025, with Gaelic Warrior third

Never give up on a runner

Hewick came from last to first in a six-runner 2023 renewal after hitting 550 in running on Betfair

Watch the Nicholls runners

Paul Nicholls is the race's leading trainer with 13 wins

Read the ground at Kempton Park

Kempton’s Christmas ground is often good to soft, and the course is flat and quick. Speed and slick jumping count more here than raw stamina. Our Kempton Park racecourse guide shows how the course rides.

How to bet on the King George

1. Choose a bookmaker. Pick one licensed by the UK Gambling Commission with Best Odds Guaranteed on UK racing; our best horse racing betting sites list ranks the leading ones.
2. Claim a welcome offer. Most sign up offers let you place the qualifying bet on the King George. Compare them on our horse racing free bets page.
3. Pick your horse and bet type. A win single is the simplest bet; an each-way bet also pays if your horse is placed, which suits the bigger fields of the King George.
4. Take a price, or the SP. With Best Odds Guaranteed you can take an early price and still be paid the starting price if it is bigger. See our BOG sites guide.
5. Check the result and any Rule 4. Late withdrawals can reduce winnings; our Rule 4 guide explains how.

King George each-way betting and extra places

Small fields make each-way tricky: fewer than eight runners means two places at a quarter of the odds, and fewer than five means win only. Check the declared field before you bet each-way on the King George.

Our each-way betting guide shows how the place part of a bet is settled.

The Christmas Festival at Kempton

The Christmas Festival runs over two days. The King George and the Christmas Hurdle headline Boxing Day, and the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase leads the second day’s card.

1. Saturday 26 December · Boxing DayKing George VI Chase
2. Sunday 27 December · Kauto Star Chase DayKauto Star Novices' Chase

Other big races at the meeting include the Christmas Hurdle and the Kauto Star Novices' Chase.

Recent King George VI Chase winners

Kauto Star is the only five-time winner, all under Ruby Walsh, and the race’s best novice chase now carries his name.

King George FAQs