The Ultimate Guide to Betting on the Grand National horse Racing Event

The Grand National is the ultimate horse race from the calendar of the UK’s National Hunt. It’s held annually at the famous Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool. This page is all about the major jump competition and how to place your wagers on it. There are plenty of Grand National betting sites nowadays. 

Many are safe and easy to use, offering great features, like 24/7 customer support, live streaming, and competitive odds. Most online bookies also come with brilliant bonus offers and boosters to make your experience even more thrilling. We’ll show you how to pick the best Grand National betting sites and arrange your wager. 

The thoroughbred horse races in the United Kingdom and Ireland become more and more popular every year. Don’t miss our dedicated section, where we’ve shared some facts about the race and intriguing details. But before that, spend a few minutes to explore our top-recommended Grand National betting sites: 

  • Bet365 
  • Tote 
  • William Hill 
  • PaddyPower 
  • Ladbrokes.  

Grand National Betting Offers

The best bookies are not too difficult to spot as they are usually the operators offering the finest Grand National betting offers. These don’t have to be bonuses, although some nice freebies can always be useful. The odds or the horse price are much more valuable, especially for those punters with significant experience. 

The terrific additional value of your wagers is always a reason to place a bet on the Grand National with that particular provider. That’s quite easily achievable, as the top bookies offer win boosters, cashback, and insurance. The good and competent customer service is also deeply appreciated by bettors, just like the user-friendly interface. 

Below, you can see some of the best Grand National betting offers for players from the United Kingdom. Keep in mind that some deals activate after registration, while others require the making of a deposit. Always read the Terms & Conditions and the betting requirements, if any: 

  • Bet365 
  • PaddyPower 
  • Betfair 
  • 888sport 
  • FansBet.  

Grand National Betting Odds

The Grand National betting odds are not too different than those in the other horse racing events. The traditional way of displaying those is with a couple of numbers and a slash between them. The number on the left shows your potential reward for every wager worth the number on the right. 

For example, an equine with Grand National horses odds of 5/1 will deliver £5 for every £1 wagered. It’s essential to know that the bigger the first number is, the lower the horse’s chance is to win the jumps. Even so, history knows some pretty wild cases when long shots outpace the entire field. 

Discover the best odds Grand National in the sites of the UK’s top bookmakers. Check the conversion table widespread online to see the expected win probability. For example, 1/5 means 83% winning chance, 10/9 – 47%, 30/1 – 3%, etc. The 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats was a 50/1 long-shot (2%)!  

How to Bet on the Grand National

The Grand National betting sites offer the classic betting types. They are called straight and usually include Win, Place, Show, and any possible combination between them. As their names suggest, you bet for a horse to win the race, to place (1-2), or to show (1-3). Combinations allow you to win two or three ways. When betting on the Grand National, most bookies offer extra places, meaning your horse can finish in 4th, 5th or sometime even 6th and you’ll still get a payout. 

At the same time, the best online betting sites for Grand National provide the chance for punters to place more exotic wagers. If you feel lucky, try Exacta, Trifecta, or Superfecta! You’ll be allowed the first two, three or four horses, but they must finish in the exact order as shown on your ticket. 

The Quinella bet is like Exacta, but the first two horses may finish either way. This option isn’t always available, but you may find it in the best betting site for Grand National. Bookmakers often tempt punters with multiple bets as well, including systems, only in case of multiple races in the racecard.  

Historical Info and Interesting Facts about The Grand National

Finding the best bookmaker for Grand National isn’t always easy, so while searching, here are some interesting facts about the race. It’s part of the National Hunt calendar and was inaugurated in 1839. It’s a handicap steeplechase over two laps, with 30 fences and a total length of four miles and two-and-a-half furlongs. 

The Grand National is held every spring and in 2022, it took place on the 9th of April. Runners compete at the legendary Aintree Racecourse, which was established about a decade before the first handicap chase. The Grand National is capping the three-day racing festival in Liverpool, attended in 2022 by more than 150,000 racegoers. 

The Aintree Racecourse has a capacity of 75,000 and hosts other events as well, including music concerts, golf, motor racing, and more. Although most Punters prefer to place Grand National bet online, the facility offers plenty of on-site options as well. Noble Yeats was the surprising winner running 50/1 against the odds. 

The then six-year-old Irish-bred thoroughbred gelding outpaced the bookmakers’ favourite 15/2 Any Second Now with jockey Mark Walsh. Noble Yeats was ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen and won by two-and-a-quarter lengths. But that isn’t the longest shot at the Grand National ever! Five horses won against even greater odds of 100/1. 

Arranged chronologically, these were Tipperary Timm Gregalach, Caughoo, Foinavon, and most recently Mon Mome in 2009. Knowing that it might be wise to consider latest betting Grand National next year. Anyway, let’s check on some more track records. The thoroughbred with the most Grand National wins (3) is the fabled Red Rum, but Mr Frisk was the fastest. 

It set a new record of 08:47:80 in 1990. George Stevens is the leading jockey with five wins on four different horses. Three trainers have recorded four wins – George Dockeray, Fred Rimell, and Ginger McCain, who trained Red Rum. The Grand National had the smallest field of 10 runners in 1883. 

The biggest was in 1929 – 66 riding pairs, but only one returned safely to the stables – the 100/1 shot winner Gregalach. Another curious fact is regarding the famous jockey Richard Johnson, who was quite a prolific winner in general. However, between 1997 and 2019, he made 21 Grand National rides and won none. 

Keep in mind that he retired, so you don’t need to consider his participation when you’re ready to bet online Grand National in 2023. Another thing to have in mind is that British-bred thoroughbred horses are more likely to win the handicap chase. Only a few foreigners did that in the past. 

Besides the two French geldings (Huntsman & Cortolvin), horses from Australia, the US, New Zealand, and Austria triumphed, but not in this century. Finally, we would like to mention a few details about the fences. A few of them have gained a reputation of being very dangerous, like the notorious Becher’s Brook. 

It comes as a 6th and 22nd obstacle on the course, and it’s five feet high. However, the landing side is six to ten inches lower compared to the takeoff position. This fence was bypassed several times during the years due to horse casualties. Explore our glossary to find more of the famous fences.  

Glossary: Know Your Grand National Jargon

Hopefully, we have managed to deliver enough intriguing details to ignite the passion in you about the Grand National. As with any other major horse race, it also has some terms that could sound awkward to newbies. If you want to bet online Grand National, it might be good to get used to the jargon: 

  • National Hunt – jump thoroughbred horse races in the UK, Ireland and France. They could be steeplechases, hurdles, bumpers, or cross-country; 
  • Handicap – a type of horse race, where equines carry weights. They are allocated by the respective handicapper; 
  • Steeplechase – a jump horse race, where the runners go through fences instead of hurdles. They are usually higher, wider, and may include water jumps and open ditches; 
  • Purse – the full prize money pool of a horse race
  • Aintree Racecourse – a famous race track near Liverpool. It hosts the Grand National and many other popular events; 
  • Abandoned Race – a race stopped for reasons related to the hosting track, often for stormy weather; 
  • Photo Finish – when the finish is so tight that only a slow-motion replay can show the winner; 
  • Stewards Enquiry – a referee who will make the final decision in case of a dispute between two or more jockeys; 
  • NAP – a description of a racehorse that is the experts’ largest favourites to win the race; 
  • Non-Runner – a horse that is withdrawn from a race for health issues or for not being able to cover the qualifying parameters; 
  • Nose, Neck, Head – units of horse measurement used to define the winner’s lead when it’s smaller than a length 
  • Dead Heat – when even the photo finish can’t point to the winner. In such cases, both runners are declared as such; 
  • Red Rum – legendary horse with three Grand National victories from 1973/74/77; 
  • Becher’s Brook – the most dangerous fence at Aintree Racecourse. It’s the sixth and 22nd obstacle with a height of five feet; 
  • Foinavon – one of the smallest fences, coming as number seven and 23. It has a height of 4 feet 6 inches; 
  • Canal Turn – the eighth and 24th Grand National fence. It’s five feet tall, and after landing, the horse must make a sharp 90-degree turn to the left; 
  • Valentine’s Brook – ninth and 25th fence on the track. It’s five feet high and with a heavy brook of 5 feet 6 inches; 
  • The Chair – the 15th fence is noted as the highest one on the course – 5 feet 2 inches. The bigger problem is the six feet wide ditch just before it; 
  • Grand National Bookies – bookmakers accepting wagers on the race; 
  • Ante Post Bet – type of a bet when the respective market is still closed; 
  • Straight Bets – when punters wish to wager on one horse only – Win, Place, Show; 
  • Exotic Bets – types of wagers on more than one runner – Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, etc. They can be individual and multiple.  

FAQs

Where Can you bet on The Grand National? 

We always bring to the attention of our readers the best bookies for Grand National, offering services online. Of course, you can get your ticket in person from the Aintree Racecourse on the day of the event. However, you can count on better Grand National betting deals using an app, including bonuses and sharper odds.

 Which is the best betting site for The Grand National? 

You have to choose the most suitable bookmaker from all the Grand National betting sites, as that’s a rather personal decision. However, always make sure that the operator is licensed, offers wagers on BHA-certified races, and boasts a positive reputation. The best online bookies for Grand National also offer premier customer support and competitive odds. 

How do I place a bet on the Grand National? 

To place a bet on the Grand National online, you need to register an account on a suitable platform and make a deposit. Claim a bonus if that’s an option, even if you can’t use it on this race. Select from all available Grand National bets online, enter a stake, and finish the transaction.