The UK’s largest horse race is the Grand National. It takes place in April each year.
The horse racing event attracts the attention of non-racing fans and horse racing enthusiasts from around the world.
It takes a particular horse to win the Grand National, so those horses and jockeys who achieve success in the Grand National go on to become legends of the sport and are remembered for a long time.
Grand National Betting Sites
New betting sites appear every year in the online sports betting industry. The industry is very competitive, so sites do what they can to stand out. This is especially true when it comes to betting on the Grand National.
Many big betting sites, such as Paddy Power, William Hill and Ladbrokes, will roll out the red carpet of betting deals and new sign-up offers (check out the Ladbrokes sign up offers & William Hill sign up offers here).
To save you searching, we have listed the best new betting sites (and offers) for Grand National bets. If you have already signed up for some of these sites, try other new betting sites to claim a free bet or welcome offer.
Grand National Betting Tips
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when placing your bets.
- The first thing to remember is that 40 horses are running in the race, so don’t get drawn into any one horse. Many variables can affect the outcome of the race, so it’s wise to think about betting on a few horses.
- Another thing to remember is that the race is very long, so anything can happen. Don’t get discouraged if one of your horses falls behind early on; anything can happen in a two-and-a-half-mile race.
- The favourite doesn’t always win. In fact, over the last ten years, only a few favourites have won the Grand National. So don’t be afraid to take a chance on an underdog.
- Remember that only two horses (Red Rum & Tiger Roll) have ever won the race twice, so don’t be tempted to back last year’s winner.
- Take some time to research the form of the horses and their previous performances over similar distances. This will give you a good idea of which ones are likely to stay the course and which ones might struggle.
- Pay attention to the weather. The weather can have a big impact on the race, so be sure to check the forecast before placing your bets. Wet conditions can make for a very different race than dry conditions.
And, remember to have fun – and gamble responsibly. The Grand National is one of the year’s most exciting races, so make sure you enjoy it regardless of the outcome of your bets.
Grand National Bet Online
During covid, many high street betting shops were closed. This force racing punters to register for online betting sites.
Many found this easier than getting to the local betting shop. As a result, betting online has seen a bit of a boom time.
Bookies know this, and that’s why many offer great odds online and give away free bet offers to new customers.
Free Bet Offers
It’s not surprising to learn that many free bets are up for grabs for the Grand National horse race. It’s when ordinary people and seasoned bettors look for the best horse odds and free bets if available.
Many bookmakers will offer free bets for the Grand National in the lead-up to and on the day of the race.
But be careful, as, on the day of the national, some bookies will choose not to offer any deals. Why? Well, they want to have customers sign up during the course of the year and not just those who sign up on the day of the Grand National. They call these people “bonus abusers”.
So if you spot a good Grand National betting offer, claim the offer before it becomes unavailable. If it happens to be a Grand National free bet offer, read the T&Cs, so you know what you need to do to claim the offer.
Grand National Existing Customer Offers
New bettors will obviously think about finding new customer sign-up offers when they are looking to bet on the Grand National. But bookmakers are changing their tact, as they now see the benefit of retaining existing customers.
It’s unlikely that existing customers will get a free bet, but they should be able to get something for being loyal customers. Here are three Grand National betting offers that you might get:
1. Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB)
With this promotion, if a horse you bet on does not run in the race, then your bet will be refunded to your account. Punters should check the T&Cs – as it generally means that if you backed a horse ahead of the race and the horse is withdrawn, then you will get your stake back. However, if the bookmaker does not offer this promo, then you will not get your money back.
If you are looking to place a bet well in advance of the race to get better odds, then as an existing customer, this is an offer you should look out for. It secures you against the horse getting injured, getting ill or being withdrawn for another reason.
2. Best Odds Guaranteed (BoG)
Best odds guaranteed is a smart choice for bettors. It allows you to get an early price (odds) on a horse on the day of the Grand National. As odds change in the lead-up to the race, you will always get the best odds whether it is the starting price (SP) or the odds you secured earlier.
For example, if you used a best odds guaranteed offer and managed to get odds on a horse at 8/1 early in the morning – this is then locked in.
As the odds change before the race, the bookies might update the odds on your horse so the starting price becomes 12/1. This means you will get paid out on 12/1 if your horse wins.
Likewise, if the odds drop so the starting price changes to 6/1, then you will get paid out at 8/1.
3. Extra Places On The Day
When it comes to “each way bets” (E/W), the standard payout is for the first four places. But sometimes bookies offer extra places on the day as part of a Grand National existing customer offer.
Their offers can extend to the first five horses home or the first six horses – so it pays to look out for these types of existing customers’ promos.
With “each way bets”, you get more of a chance to win. Effectively half of your stake is placed on the horse to win, and the remaining amount is put on a horse to finish in position 2-4. With an “extra places” offer, this extends to positions 2-5 or 2-6 depending on the number of extra places.
What Grand National bet is best?
The most common type of Grand National bet is the Each Way bet (around 75%). Many punters who bet on the race are unlikely to know the race form or history of all the horses. Most bettors only place a bet on the annual race because “it’s the Grand National” and it’s a bit of fun.
The Each Way bet covers a wider range of positions from the winner down to fourth place – and that is why it is used by most people.
More experienced punters who follow horse racing will bet on a particular horse to win, though they might spread their changes by picking a few horses to win. This means that should one of their horses comes in, they get the full odds i.e. 12/1 back from their wager.
If the horse wins, then this makes betting “to win” more profitable than placing an “each way” bet for the same horse.
One mistake that inexperienced bettors make with each way bets is that if you place £5 on an each way bet, it actually costs you £10 – as £5 is placed on the horse to win and £5 is bet on a placed position.
In the end, there is no right or wrong answer to what Grand National bet is best!
What People Also Ask
What date is the grand national?
The grand national is always held in April each year and is normally always run on a Saturday towards the start to middle of the month. Some years it has been the 9th of April, others the 15th of April – it all depends on when the Saturday falls.
How long is the Grand National course?
The Grand National race course is 4 miles and 2.5 furlongs (6.9km) in length. It is two laps of the Aintree race course.
How long does it take to complete the Grand National course?
It takes around 10 – 12 minutes for the horse and jockeys to cover the 30 jumps and a distance of 6.9 kilometres.
How many horses run in the Grand National?
40 horses and jockeys will start the Grand National. Though it’s quite unusual for them all to finish the race. More horses than jockeys finish the race, as it’s common to see horses go past the finish line without their jockey.
