2024 Grand National Betting Guide – [Best Bets and Bookies to use]
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The Grand National is one of England's most popular annual horse racing events, so it only makes sense that UK bettors are also gaining interest.
When it comes to Grand National bets, there are plenty of options, owing to the variety of activities held at the Liverpool event each year.
UK players can even find online betting offers to enhance their bets at sites like StarSports and Betfred.
In this guide, we’ll highlight some of the most popular kinds of Grand National bets you’ll find online and the offers you should keep an eye on.
Keep reading along as we explain how these bets work and where you can find them, along with horse racing features, at various online bookmakers.
Overview
The Grand National Festival in 2023 takes place from 13-15 April, with the biggest race on the last day.
Grand National wagering is distinct from other types of horse race betting online for a couple of reasons.
- Namely, this race event draws in many spectators and bettors who don’t usually get involved.
- Further, the race involves a larger-than-usual prize and a harder-than-usual course for the horses.
When it comes to betting on this big race, a handicap steeplechase stretching more than 4 miles and 30 fences, there are many race factors to consider.
On the one hand, you have wagers such as the each-way, arguably giving bettors more chances to win.
And on the other hand, the event also opens the door to exotic bets, which are higher risk with higher rewards.
It’s good to familiarize yourself not only with how the Grand National race works but with the basic vs. more complicated bets as well.
Knowing how much you risk in certain scenarios can help you to strategize your plays at online betting sites.
Most Popular Types Of Grand National Bets Online You Can Place
There are several different ways to bet on the Grand National race, and your options will vary depending on the racebook that you join online.
Each-Way Bets
Each-way bets allow players to wager on a single horse to either win or place in the top 4 (or top 5 depending on the bookie).
Because you have the opportunity to win “each way,” as the title suggests, you do have to double your stake.
And when it comes to the payout, the amount will inevitably vary depending on which “way” you win.
As long as you are pretty confident in your horse’s performance level, this is arguably one of the “easier” Grand National bets.
That said, every bet is a risk, so you should still wield your bankroll carefully.
Exotic Bets
Exotic bets are generally high-risk wagers, but the upside is that they present higher potential payouts, too.
There are a few kinds of exotic bets that you’ll likely encounter at the Grand National:
- Exacta – you bet on the two horses that you think will place 1st and 2nd in the correct order
- Quinella – you bet on the two horses that you think will place 1st and 2nd (order does not matter)
- Trifecta – you bet on the three horses that you think will place 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the correct order
- Superfecta – you bet on the four horses that you think will place 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the correct order
As one might expect, exotic wagers get riskier as the number of horses increases.
To Win Bets
This is the classic bet that people think of when they imagine horse racing – simply picking a horse that you think will place 1st in the race.
Although it sounds simple, winning the large payout of this kind of bet at the Grand National is quite tricky, even for sharp bettors.
Place Bets
In a place bet, you’re wagering on a single horse that you believe will win 1st or 2nd place in the race. It’s lower risk than the win bet with a lower potential reward.
Show Bets
A beginner-friendly Grand National bet, the show bet is like the place bet but extends to 3rd place.
So, you would wager on a single horse that you believe will win 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the race.
Again, less risk and less potential reward.
What Are The Best Grand National Betting Offers To Look For?
Betting offers – sometimes referred to as boosted odds, rewards, bonuses, and promotions – increase the bettor’s chance of winning or lower the price of the bet.
At online sportsbooks, some unique offers enhance the Grand National wagering experience.
Look at some of the following that could be to your advantage.
Welcome Offers
Welcome offers may come in the form of a risk-free bet, a free bet, or a deposit match bonus.
In Grand National wagering, this means that when you first join the top sportsbooks, you can claim one of these rewards when you make your first deposit/bet on the Grand National.
Free Bets
Free bets aren’t always offered in the welcome period at bookies. As an ongoing promotion, a Grand National free bet may look like this:
Bet £10 get £50 in free bets on the Grand National race
This type of offer will inevitably have limitations, such as an odds minimum, deposit minimum, or wager-type restriction.
Reload Bonuses
If you plan to make multiple bets on the Grand National, you definitely want to look out for offers like this one.
Reload bonuses reward players each time they make consecutive deposits on qualifying events.
For the Grand National, look for online racebooks offering this bonus on related wagers.
Competitive Odds
Another factor to seek out in a sportsbook is great odds. You may have to do some research to find the site(s) with the most competitive odds.
Sometimes, bookies will also offer boosted odds or odds enhancements on Grand National wagers.
You may even find sites advertising “best odds guaranteed.”
Top 5 Grand National Betting Sites With Horse Racing Features
Top 5 Grand National Betting Sites
Not every online sportsbook features opportunities to bet on the Grand National. And not every site with Grand National markets will offer good markets.
This is why it’s important to seek out the best online bookies with racebooks and pick your favorite among them.
Below, we’re highlighting our pick of the top 5 Grand National betting sites that you should consider.
They have the best offers, markets, odds, and other betting features to choose from.
StarSports
StarSports is one of the best UK online bookies with horse race betting. When it comes to Grand National betting, you get exclusive offers such as YES/NO competitions, which put free bet rewards on the line. You also get access to cash bonus offers when you place minimum, qualifying bets online.
StarSports also has a large selection of horse racing markets, a secure payment system, mobile betting opportunities, and much more.
BetGoodwin
BetGoodwin is yet another solid UK online bookie with plenty of wagering opportunities. Bettors can wager on the Grand National while using responsible gambling tools, a secure online payment center, live chat customer support, and other great features.
BetGoodwin offers the best odds guaranteed on UK and Irish horse racing events, and you can even avail of certain free bet offers for horse racing events.
Betfred
Betfred is another online bookie with a worthwhile racebook. Their site boasts of various markets for the big race, ranging from beginner-friendly wagers to more advanced ones.
UK customers at Betfred can avail of an exclusive bonus offer as well – £40 in bonuses when you stake £10. Betfred even features live betting, mobile app betting, competitive horse racing odds, and much more.
William Hill
Last but not least, we want to highlight William Hill for UK players, as it features an exciting welcome offer. New customers can get £30 in free bets when they bet £10, and this reward is credited as 3 separate £10 free bets.
Grand National betting at William Hill also includes each-way betting for the first 5 places, which is exciting for bettors on the beginner side of things.
Summary
Grand National Betting is surely one of the most exciting horse racing events for UK online bettors each year.
When you join the right bookies – such as Boylesports, William Hill, and Betfred – you can avail yourself of the best welcome offers, promotions, and more.
Make sure to familiarize yourself with the popular Grand National bets we highlighted above, from exotic bets to win, place, show, and each-way bets.
Good luck with your Grand National bets!
FAQs on Grand National betting
How do I place a bet on the Grand National?
Just like placing a normal bet at an online bookmaker:
- Go to the bookmaker online and open an account by providing your details (name, address etc..)
- Deposit some money using the available banking methods (Debit cards, Paypal, e-wallets)
- Go to the Grand National horse racing market on the bookmaker site.
- Select your horse and enter the amount you want to bet in your virtual slip
- Press enter and confirm.
That's it - you should have received your confirmation of bet on screen and in your account.
Sit back, watch the race and enjoy!
Who is best to bet on Grand National?
It maybe tempting to back the favourite but they don't have a great record in the race.
In the last 10 years only 1 has won (2019 - Tiger Roll and at 4/1).
What I do is to back say 3 at Each Way (2 bets on each - one on it to win and one bet on it to place) using the Handicap system which I have devised.
I look for Course, Distance, Going and select the horses that have the highest in each.
Then I fine tune it down by Jockey and trainer in form and record at the track (in this case Aintree).
Ultimately it's a bit of fun and the good thing about the Grand National is that the odds are going to be big - so by backing each way you can still hope to get some money back or better.
How does the Grand National betting work?
You can place a Win bet or an Each way bet on the race.
The win bet means you only collect if your horse comes First. This is one bet amount you put on.
The Each Way bet means you are backing the horse to come first and also to place (you can get up to 5 places or more on the Grand National - it depends on the bookmaker).
This is a bet that comes in two parts:
1. Win amount
2. Each way amount.
So a £5 Each way bet would cost you £10 in total - £5 on the win and £5 on the place part.
Can I put a bet on the Grand National online?
Yes of course - All the bookmakers that offer horse racing betting (and most do) will accept your bet for the Grand National. See our list of best online bookmakers here or on this page.
How do you get the best odds on the Grand National?
By slecting and placing your Grand National bets at the bookmakers that offer - Best Odds Guaranteed - this is a feature that guarantees the best odds.
Here's how it works:
Select your horse and place a bet at the advertised odds.
If your horse wins and the odds are lower you will get paid out at the bigger odds you took.
If your horse wins at bigger odds than you selected originally you get paid out at the bigger odds.
The only problem maybe if the bookmaker doesn't offer Best Odds Guaranteed on the Grand National race - but as long as you stick with the better bookmakers online like bet365 you should be fine (check anyway of course).
Which horse is favourite to win the Grand National?
As of 10/01/2023 the favourite for the Grand National at bet365 was:
Noble Yeats at 10/1
Longhouse Poet was a 16/1 2nd favourite.
These odds are subject to change.
Can I bet in-running on the Grand National?
Yes you can and it makes it very exciting due to the length of the Grand National race (over 4 miles).
Stick with a reputable bookmaker like bet365 and remember there could be a slight lag in timing.
Do you win if your horse comes 4th in the Grand National?
You only win as such if you have:
Placed an each way bet on the horse.
..and there were enough runners for a pay out on 4 places (likely because of the number of runners).
The win part of the bet loses but the each way part of the bet you can collect on - as it will pay out either a 1/4 or 1/5 of the odds.
How do horses qualify for the Grand National?
The Grand National is a handicap race. Therefore there are specific qualifying conditions in order to make the grade.
The Grand National Qualifying conditions include:
- Official Rating (OR) of 125 or more
- Aged 7 or above
- Completed 3 or more steeplechases
- Completed 1 steeplechase in the current season
- Finished between 1st and 4th in a steeplechase over 2 miles 7½ furlongs or greater
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_National
https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/aintree/plan-your-day/betting-guides/
I have been a professional punter on the horses for many years. It is through my passion of sports betting in general that made me want to create this website and promote the best online bookmaker free bets and bonuses.
I currently enjoy punting on football and horse racing. My choice of bets would be correct scores and Lucky 15's. I wish you only the best of luck in your bets and hope you find the bonuses and free bets useful.