Make A Bet On The Grand National
The Grand National is such a major event that it has become a part of British culture, above and beyond merely being an annual steeplechase race. The most valuable jump race in all of Europe, the Grand National is popular even among many people who have no affinity for horse racing at any other point in the year.
Indeed, so iconic is the race, that it is watched by an estimated 500 to 600 million people in over 140 countries around the world. Audiences across the Atlantic are also at an advantage, as its broadcasting rights are protected in the United Kingdom, meaning that it has to be shown on free-to-air TV in the UK, as opposed to satellite or cable.
The Grand National Betting and Event Guide, 8th, 9th & 10th April 2021. Those that don’t know much about horse racing as a sport may genuinely not realise that there are two main types of racing: Flat Racing and Jump Racing. For the majority of those unfamiliar with racing they may well not even be aware that there is a Flat Racing season at.
Best Racing Sites to Bet on The Grand National
Grand National Betting Offers – Non-Runner, No Bet. In the build-up to the 2021 Aintree Grand National, many bookmakers will offer non-runner, no bet markets. “Non-runner, no bet” simply means that if the horse you wager on doesn’t run on the day, your stake returns to your account. If it was an ante-post bet, which is a bet made before. To make those bets, you can attend the Grand National in person, which would require you making it out to Liverpool, England, in the spring. It could also mean finding a bookmaker near you or perhaps going to an off-track wagering location to get it done. How To Bet On A Horse At The Grand National Log in or sign up to the online bookmaker you wish to play with Visit the horse racing section of the website and find the Grand National markets Click the selection/odds in which you wish to place a bet on You’ll then find this in your betslip.
Ways to Bet on the Grand National
In the USA, it is possible to place a bet on the Grand National by the following means:
Online Betting
In foreign nations and US states where betting on the Grand National is legally possible, online horse betting is the go-to solution for anyone seeking out jackpot prizes relating to the event. Users can then add horses to their betting slip with one click, and place a wager with a second click, making it the easiest way by far to wager on horse racing events.
All of the online betting sites that can be considered worthy of a bettor’s attention will always have at least one or two active offers for any new signups. Typically, these will take the form of free bets and matched bet bonuses, and they can be claimed straight away when a user creates a new account
‘Free bet’ offers are a popular type of offer, but users will receive only the payout from winning bets made using the offer’s funds, which means that the stake normally returned alongside the winnings is not awarded. On the flipside, matched bet bonuses return both the winnings and the amount wagered. However, in a majority of cases, the person claiming the offer must wager the bonus value a particular number of times before being able to claim any winnings.
Horse racing events across the world are viewable instantly via the ‘horse racing’ section of a betting site. In other countries, particularly the UK and Australia, horse racing is often given an extra degree of presence.
Teller Window
People travelling to Aintree for the Grand National, and who do not wish to use a betting app on their phone or a mobile website for any reason, can instead go to a window teller to place their bets. Upon noting down the race number, the nature of the bet and the wager amount, a teller can provide an instant calculation of odds and potential winnings.
Off Track Betting (OTB)
Bets can also be placed at OTB parlours. These provide simulcasting from different racecourses at the same time, and betting terminals which are essentially computerized versions of tellers.
Legal betting options in the US (OTB)
Notable OTB locations in the US are restricted to just a few states rich in horse racing culture. Legal options for horse betting in the US include:
Betting in New Jersey: Back in March 2007, Favorites at Vineland became the state’s first off-track betting location, shortly followed by ‘Favorites at Woodbridge’ several months later. Two more Favorites branded parlors opened a few years later in Gloucester Township and Toms River. The state’s first Winners branded OTB, located in Bayonne, also opened during that time.
Betting in Pennsylvania: OTB parlors which provide betting services on thoroughbred events can be found in Grantville, Erie and Bensalem. Parlors which provide simulcasting and betting facilities on Harness races. These can be found in Wilkes-Barre, Washington and Chester.
Betting in West Virginia: The Hollywood Casino located in Charles Town is the state’s nucleus when it comes to thoroughbred wagering in West Virginia. Simulcasting and offering odds for hundreds of prestigious events across the racing calendar. The Mountaineer Casino Racetrack in Chester is also highly respected, and offers the same range of betting opportunities.
Betting in Indiana: Indiana has two OTB locations at present, and these are Hoosier Park (in Anderson) and the Indiana Downs Racetrack (in Shelbyville).
Best online betting sites for Grand National
In the US, there are three sites that stand out in particular as excellent providers of the latest Grand National odds for American bettors.
Bet at TVG: Associated with popular fantasy sports site FanDuel, TVG offers live race simulcasting and a seamless online betting experience. Its relationship with FanDuel makes it well-known as a provider of potentially life-changing jackpots and prizes.
BetAmerica: BetAmerica is a leading authority when it comes to thoroughbred horse racing. Maintained by racing experts, the site offers odds and liver coverage of over 300 tracks across a number of different continents. The daily contests relating to handicapping also promise some significant payouts to winners, and there is not a day that goes by where this is not the case.
Twin Spires: With users across the world, Twin Spires not only provides the latest odds for the most important events, but also retains a sizeable chunk of the global horse racing audience through its video service, Twinspires TV. It offers live streaming, via an interface that can be customized as the user desires.
Legal betting options in the UK
Over in the UK, bookmaker shops – which are essentially much smaller versions of OTBs that also offer sports betting – are plentiful on just about any major street. Even so, online betting is still the most popular way to place bets on the Grand National across the Atlantic. Two of the most popular online bookmakers are bet365 and Betway.
Bet at bet365.com: Most customers of bet365 live in Canada, Australia and the UK. bet365 covers hundreds of racing tracks, with live streams of races in the UK & Rep. Ireland also available to customers, provided that they meet a minimum wagering requirement.
Bet at Betway: Gaining over two million customers since launching in 2006, Betway offers a very attractive bonus offer for new registrants. One of its unique selling points is the HorseFinder function, which displays very competitive prices on across multiple markets in hundreds of different horse racing events on the calendar.
Popular types of bet
Single bet: With a single bet, the horse must come first – nothing else is good enough. Two or more single bets in one betting slip form a multiple, or an accumulator where all must prevail. Naturally, this leads to a bigger payout.
‘Place only’ bet: Normally, ‘Place’ bets require a horse to finish first or second, but payouts are available for third or fourth-placed horses depending on the number of runners.
- 5-7 – 1st or 2nd
- >8 – 1st, 2nd or 3rd
- Handicap (12-15 runners) – 1st-3rd
- Handicap (15+ runners) – 1st-4th
The bookmaker’s payout rate is unaffected, but place bets typically reduce any forthcoming payout (vs a ‘single’ bet) by 50%, 75% or 80%. With place bets, there is no difference in the payout between a horse finishing first and finishing second/third/fourth, unless there are special conditions – usually via a promotional offer – which dictate otherwise.
Each-way bet: The horse is backed to win and place, and if the horse is victorious, then the win and the place pay out, alongside the two stakes.
Accumulator / Multiple bet: There are several types of accumulator that are popular amongst bettors, as only some of the horses involved need to win/place. The number of winning lines is also the automatic stake multiplier.
Trixie/Patent/Yankee
Trixie: A minimum of two selections from three must win. Winning lines: 4
Each Way Trixie: As with the regular Trixie, but now a horse merely being ‘placed’ is good enough. Winning lines: 8
Patent: 2/3 selections to win/place. Winning lines: 7
Yankee: 2/4 selections to win. Winning lines: 11
Lucky 15/31/63 and ‘Goliath’
Lucky 15: 1/4 selections Winning lines: 15
Lucky 31: 1/5 selections Winning lines: 31
Lucky 64: 1/6 selections Winning lines: 63
Grand National odds
The horse that all eyes will be on for the 2020 Grand National is Tiger Roll. The horse is famous for winning the Grand National in 2018 and 2019, becoming the first horse to claim repeat wins in such a way since the legendary Red Rum.
As of October 2019, Tiger Roll can be backed at around +800 for a ‘threepeat’, with weights determining if a chance is likely. Another horse looking likely, and with great odds at +2000, is Burrows Saint. This horse is trained by Willie Mullins, and was the Irish Grand National winner in 2019, but with Burrows Saint still only seven years old, he may be too young for the gruelling Aintree race.
Grand National predictions & picks
Make A Bet On The Grand National Today
One of the best aspects of the Grand National is that it simply throws up surprise result on surprise result. One horse to watch this year, aside from the two horses already highlighted, is Magic of Light. Trained by Jessica Harrington, the horse finished second at the Grand National in 2019 at staggering odds of +12500. The mare is a +3300 shot this time out, and other contenders around the same price include Pleasant Company (photo-finish in 2018, unseated rider in 2019) and Rathvinden who was ridden to third place under jockey Rudy Walsh in 2018
Past Winners
While Tiger Roll is now written into Grand National history as a double champion, the horse that most associate with the famous race is Red Rum. A horse with one of the most recognisable names on the planet, Red Rum achieved a trio of Grand National wins when he was first over the line in 1973, 1974, and 1977. His 1973 race stands out in particular, with the thoroughbred closing a 30-length gap to win the race. Red Rum, who it is claimed never fell in over 100 races, is such a part of Aintree legend that he was buried at the winning post, to watch over all future Grand National winners.
At the other end of the winners’ scale is Foinavon. A +10000 shot back in 1967, Foinavon was at least 100 yards behind the field when Becher’s Brook was jumped for the second time. A loose horse at the 23rd fence cut across the entire field, causing every horse in the race to either be unseated, or refuse to jump – with two exceptions. Foinavon was so far behind that he had a clear shot at the fence, clearing it and running on for the most improbable victory of all.
Who was the fastest horse to win the Grand National?
For years the time of Red Rum in 1973 was seen as an unbeatable mark around the Aintree course. That time of 9 minutes and 1.9 seconds smashed the previous record of 9 minutes 20.2 seconds set by Reynoldstown in 1935. ln 1990, Mr. Frisk put in by far the most astonishing Grand National run of all time, finishing the race in just 8 minutes 47.8 seconds. That race is one of only two to end before the nine-minute mark, with the other being Many Clouds’ win, in 8 minutes 56.8 seconds, back in 2015.
The Road to the Grand National
There are a number of steps a horse must take in order to be qualified, and able to take a place in the Grand National. Each year there are hundreds of horses that set out looking for Grand National bids, but those horses are whittled down, until a maximum of 40 are left to take their place at the starting post.
The first criteria is the horse’s age, as any horse running in the Grand National must be at least seven years old in order to take part. Horses must also show good form in the National year, running in at least three recognized chases. The horse must also have shown the ability to ‘stay’, finishing in the top four of a race at least three miles long. The horse must also meet a minimum handicap standard, attaining a rating of 120 or greater by the BHA Head of Handicapping.
Meeting all these requirements will give a horse a shot at being selected for the race, but given the number of horses that hit the selection criteria, nothing is guaranteed.
How the Event Runs
Run at Aintree Racecourse on a left-handed track, the Grand National is a handicap steeplechase, and the maximum handicap is 11 stones, 10 pounds. The race is known for its difficulty, with the full race length being 4 miles, 514 yards, on a natural grass surface that is often soft, or even boggy, as one might expect in North-West England in early April.
The race sees the horses jump 30 fences over the span of two laps of the course. This means that by the second lap, the fences are often slightly battered by the horses, and the jumping point is soft under hoof. The fences are also much larger than those on conventional National Hunt tracks, though their height has been reduced through the years for safety reasons.
Many of the fences (such as The Chair, Canal Turn, and Becher’s Brook) are now just as famous as the course itself. The fences themselves are topped with spruce, sourced from the nearby Lake District, and since 2012, their cores are composite plastic – as opposed to the traditional wooden core. The Grand National even features a water jump, which adds another twist to the layout of this famous race.
History of the Grand National
The Grand National is an old race. Just how old it is has become a matter of debate over the years, but the race was founded by William Lynn, who leased the land in Aintree from the 2nd Earl of Sefton. Lynn set his course and built a grandstand, laying the foundation stone in February 1829.
The races from 1836-1838 may have been the first Grand Nationals, and they also may have been run at Maghull rather than Aintree, with the exact specifics lost to history. The 1839 race was certainly run on the Aintree course though, and this is often accepted as the first true Grand National. This was also the time that the race sprung from local to national, with the building of the railway reaching the Liverpool area, and opening up the race to people from all over England. The 1839 race was won by Jem Mason, on a horse named Lottery.
The race changed from a chase to a handicap in 1843 after Edward Topham, a member of Lynn’s syndicate, took over from the original proprietor, who was suffering from ill health.
The first, and far from last, wild race in the history of the Grand National was run in 1928. In misty conditions and heavy going, 41 of the 42 starters fell, leaving Tipperary Tim as the only horse still going. At odds of +10000, he snatched the win from Billy Barton, the only horse who was remounted by his jockey.
The Grand National is one of the biggest days on the horse racing calendar and it’s almost upon us once again. It’s the time of year where bets are placed in their tens of thousands from novices to experts, and if you’re the former you’ll find all you need to know about how to bet on the Grand National 2019 right here.So before the Grand National gets underway at Aintree on April 6, here’s how to place your bets, find the best free bets and more...
How To Bet On A Horse At The Grand National
Betting on the Grand National is many people’s only wager of the year so can prove confusing for many who look to navigate through online bookmakers.But it really doesn’t need to be a hardship and betting on horse racing can be incredibly simple, particularly the Grand National.
The entire process of placing a bet on the Grand National can be done in just a few clicks. To bet on any market via online bookmakers just take these simple steps…
- Log in or sign up to the online bookmaker you wish to play with
- Visit the horse racing section of the website and find the Grand National markets
- Click the selection/odds in which you wish to place a bet on
- You’ll then find this in your betslip. Enter your stake into the betslip and click E/W if you wish to bet Each Way.
- Click Place bet and your bet will be active
Reading The Racecard Basics
If you wish to really study the horse racing form a little more than a racecard really can tell you everything you need to know about the horses running the Grand National.
Above you’ll find an example of a racecard and notice that there are various numbers and pieces of information noted across it.
Below you’ll find the meaning behind everything you might find on a racecard ahead of the big day.
The largest name on a racecard is that of the horse and will be ordered downwards in order of the odds the bookmakers are offering.
The favourite will feature at the top and work downwards in order of how well they are fancied by bookmakers. The smaller name on the card underneath the horse is that of the jockey, while you’ll also find the trainer and owner.
The age of the horse and weight and official rating is also found on the racecard as you move right and the horse’s form, perhaps the most important part of the racecard can be found beside the horse’s name. This usually looks a little like this 121-345.
You’ll find various numbers and letters within a horse’s form. The numbers signify the position of the horse in its previous races, while below you’ll find a number of other figures with their meaning…
0 - Didn’t finish the race in the first nine horse’s
F - The horse fell during the race
U - The horse unseated the rider in the race
P - Pulled up and didn’t finish the race
B - The horse was brought down by another horse
R - The horse refused to race or jump during it
Types Of Grand National Bets
There are many different types of bet you can place during the Grand National with the most common and simple being To Win and Each Way wagers.
To Win Bets
To win bets are wagers on the horse you think will win the race. They’re simple to understand and all you have to do is select the horse you’re backing to win and enter your stake within the betslip.If that horse wins, you win.
Many bookmakers will also allow you to bet on by how far it’ll win, so for example you may be able to bet on a horse to win by four lengths in a race. This adds an extra dimension to your bet and will boost your odds as ultimately it’s harder to win.
Each Way Bets
Each Way bets are bets that are split into two and require you to double your stake.What they do is back the horse to win the Grand National or place. To place a horse will usually have to finish in the top three or four, although it does depend on the bookmaker and number of horses in a race.
If the horse wins, you will receive your winnings for both parts of your bet. If it only places, you will lose your stake from the To Win section, but win the Each Way section, which is usually offered at 1/5 of the odds.
Grand National Free Bets & Offers
As the race approaches you’ll find dozens of brilliant free bets offered by bookmakers which you can play on both the above markets.The likes of Paddy Power, William Hill and BetVictor always have magnificent promotions, with the former currently offering punters a risk free £20 bet to new customers.
Here at Bet & Skill we’ll make sure you’re delivered all the latest Grand National free bets, which can be found in all our horse racing previews and our Promotions page, making sure you don’t miss out on a single one.
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The Grand National Favourites
Looking for Grand National Betting Tips? Our horseracing experts have shared their recommended bets! don't miss the chance to copy our researched picks!And now... ready to place your bets? Head over to our Bookmakers Page to find the right site for you and bet on your Grand National favourite today.
If you need a bit of inspiration, here are the current favourites for the race ahead of April 6…
Tiger Roll - 7/2
Make A Bet On The Grand National 2020
Rathvinden - 10/1
Anibale Fly - 12/1
Vintage Clouds - 14/1
Lake View Lad - 14/1
How Do I Place A Bet On The Grand National
Pleasant Company - 20/1
Pairofbrowneyes - 25/1