The Grand National is an extremely popular race for horse racing betting in the United Kingdom. The famous National Hunt horse race is held each year at the Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. The National, as it is often referred to, is a handicap steeplechase race run over 4 miles and 4 furlongs with 30 fences for the horses to jump. 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. Look for Ante post (or future races). If you are placing your Grand National bet on the day of the race, you need to head to ‘Today’s Racing’ or ‘Today’s Races’. At the moment the Grand National is run at 5:15pm. Once you’ve found the 2021 Grand National odds and runners, the current odds will be. Whether you back a horse because of its Grand National odds, the colour of the jockey’s silks, or because of the horse’s name, everyone has a chance of betting on the winner of the historic race. Look around these pages to get the lowdown on the Grand National Runners and riders, to get Grand National Free Bets, or to get the best Timeform.
The Grand National is a very popular handicap steeplechase race that takes place each year at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England.
The race is an extremely popular race to bet on in the UK and around the world. Many people who don’t follow or bet on horse racing for the rest of the year still place a bet on the Grand National each year. There’s always a ton of new bettors placing their first online wager on the Grand National. For this reason I wanted to add this page to provide a simple guide for Canadians who are new to sports betting online, but want some action on the Grand National race.
On this page you will find our recommended sportsbook for Canadians looking to bet on the Grand National, the odds for the race and a simple 3 step guide to walk you through getting your bet placed quickly and easily.
Sportsbook | Rating | Bonus | Review | Visit |
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100% up to $200 |
Bodog is one of our 3 recommended betting sites for Canadians and our favourite site for betting on the Grand National race. I will be using Bodog for both the odds and the 3 step guide to betting on the race below.
Here’s a screenshot of the 2019 Grand National odds from Bodog.eu. These odds will change as raceday approaches. To see the up to date odds head to Bodog and select ‘Horse Racing Futures and Props’ in the sportsbook.
***On race day you will be able to wager on the Grand National in the ‘Horses’ section of Bodog.eu.
The field is massive at the Grand National and it’s very difficult to pick the winner. This year Tiger Roll is actually a fairly big favorite at 5/1, compared to 2018 when the shortest odds for a horse were 10/1.
That said, the Grand National is definitely anyone’s race to win each year. The great thing about that is if you are able to pick the winner you’re in for a big payday.
Follow these three steps to bet on the Grand National within minutes.
Bodog is our top rated betting site for wagering on the Grand National. They are primarily focused on the Canadian market and this commitment allows them to offer a betting platform, banking options and customer service that caters towards Canadian bettors. Bodog also has a terrific Racebook section and offers futures odds on big horse races, which makes it the perfect site for betting on the Grand National.
New sign ups to Bodog through one of our links will receive a 100% matching bonus up to $200 on your first deposit. Once at the Bodog website click on the big red ‘Join Now’ button and fill out the form to create your account.
For a wider selection of sites taking bets on the Grand National, check out our sportsbooks review section for in depth reviews of our 3 recommended sportsbooks.
Bodog accepts Visa, MasterCard and bitcoin deposits. Each of these deposit methods is straight forward and easy to use.
Withdrawals are available via bank transfer, wire transfer, check by courier or bitcoin.
Now that you have funds in your account you’re ready to bet on the Grand National. Depending on if you are betting leading up to the race, or on race day, there are two different ways to place your bets.
Leading up to race day you will be able to place your bets through the Sports section of the Bodog website. Once in the ‘Sports’ section click on ‘Horse Racing Futures and Props’ to see the futures odds for the race.
Bets placed through the Sportsbook will use fixed odds, which means your bets will be locked in at the odds they were when you placed your bet.
On race day you can bet on the race through the ‘Horses’ section of the Bodog website. Click on the ‘Today’s Tracks’ drop down menu and select ‘Aintree Racecourse’. You should then locate the Grand National race and place your wagers.
Check out our horse racing section for a more in depth look at how to bet on horse races online.
Grand National • Grand National betting • Grand National odds
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Unsurprisingly, due to the popularity of the race, UK betting sites and others from across the world offer countless odds and markets on the Grand National. Using our tried and tested research strategy, the team at SBO.net has identified the best betting sites for the Grand National. We’ve done the hard work for you, so you don’t have to waste time on less than great sites.
In addition to finding you great offers and top Grand National betting odds, we also make sure the sites we recommend are safe and secure. Our criteria for selection includes:
No great offers, no dice. We scour all the best Grand National betting sites to bring you the absolute best deals on the market. Our recommended sites will typically offer you generous joining perks, including deposit match bonuses and free bets.
We shortlist the best bookmakers through our odds comparison research. Using regularly updated data, we provide you with the best Grand National odds currently on the market, giving you a bigger bang for the same bet.
When we recommend horse racing betting sites to you, their ability to offer you a whole host of markets is key. All our sites offer everything from spread betting to faller offers. Plus, we examine the best betting sites for Grand National action that also offer sports markets with competitive offers.
Last but not least, we check the security credentials of all potentially attractive Grand National online betting sites. We look into how sites store your personal information, in addition to checking the levels of encryption on selected sites.
If you’re new to Grand National online betting, don’t worry. We’ll show you how to place a bet, so you can relax and watch the excitement unfold.
Firstly, shop around our recommended best betting sites for Grand National wagers, as listed above. When you find a site you like, click on the open account or join here buttons.
Next, enter your standard personal registration details, and your card details if you’re making a deposit. If you’re new to any particular Grand National online betting site, they will usually offer you a free bet. Regardless, always look for the secure padlock icon whenever making a transaction on payment pages.
When you’re ready to rumble, click on the link to your chosen site’s Grand National page. You’ll now see all the runners, with the current odds beside each horse’s name. Simply select the odds you fancy, and your selection will be added to a betslip. Open your betslip, enter how much money you wish to stake and your bet type. Then simply confirm your bet and that’s it, you’re under starters’ orders!
Good grand national betting tips don’t just mean getting some inside knowledge on a horse or jockey. We’ve outlined a few important things to consider before you bet on the event:
Many bookmakers put the brakes on their new customer offers. So, we strongly recommend you open your new account with a bookmaker several weeks ahead of the Grand National in April. Now that the bookies don’t suspect you’re a one-time-wonder, you can tuck into their regular joining offers.
The Grand National is a notoriously difficult race to win. There are upsets a plenty in the history of the race, but also some outstanding horses and jockey’s who have had incredible success. With so many variables out there, it makes sense to back more than one horse, so don’t be afraid to spread bet.
Another helpful tip is don’t turn your nose up at hold-up horses. Remember One For Arthur in 2017? While its accepted wisdom to be up with the pace from the start, slower starters have shown that ‘tortoises’ can overcome ‘hares’.
If you’re not sure about different types of bets and what they mean, we’ve put together a few examples of common Grand National bets below.
Does exactly what it says on the tin. Evens are Grand National betting odds where your stake exactly equals your winnings, for example £25 at evens wins a further £25.
An each way bet is where you bet on a horse to win and to finish in the top 4 or 5 (this is called a place bet). This means you effectively make 2 different wagers in the same bet. The win and the place.
For example:
As mentioned before, the best Grand National betting sites offer free bets to punters opening new accounts, but generally not on the day of the Grand National. Free bets mean after you have made a deposit, you get to place a bet that will usually be refunded if you lose.
A few weeks before the National, many online sites will offer Non-Runner, No Bet markets. This means if you place a bet and, for whatever reason your horse does not run, you will be refunded your stake.
You can even bet on a negative outcome. Some Grand National betting sites will offer you a set amount (typically capped at £25) whereby should your horse unseat, fall or be brought down, you’ll get a free bet up to a set amount.
Similar to the above, place a bet to win and even if your horse does not win, but places, you’ll be refunded your stake according to the offer’s set limit.
If you have a gut feeling about a certain horse, even if the runners for the Grand National haven’t been announced yet, you can bet on your dark horse in advance. This is called the Ante-Post market.
Boosters
Odds boosters can seriously enhance your Grand National betting odds. Online bookmakers offer many different offers during the race and just before it. Prices can be boosted by up to 20% and, although stake limits do apply, they offer great value.
Since COVID-19, sports betting online is now not only the most convenient way to wager, it’s also the safest. For one, getting special offers from traditional high street bookmakers, or even those at the track, are very rare and Grand National betting odds are often extremely unfavourable. Betting online, from the comfort and security of your own home, is super-convenient and hassle-free.
Even more satisfying, you don’t have to wait in a queue for your bookmaker to cash in your winnings. When you bet online, winnings are automatically credited to your account.
Picking a winning horse can be based on science, skill, intuition, luck or a combination of all four. We recommend making your own luck, by doing your homework beforehand.
Reading form is a great way to gauge how a horse is performing. Form is a series of numbers and letters next to each horse’s name. If you are seeing lots of 1s and 2s, you know you’re looking at a potential winner. Conversely, if 7s and 8s are more prevalent, you’re less likely to be looking at the next Red Rum. Also keep an eye out for C, indicating that a horse has won on that course before, or D, which means the horse has won over that distance before.
Only Ginger McCain has successfully defended a National title. In the last 30 years, only trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has more than one winner under his belt. By all means study the trainers, but remember, lightning doesn’t strike the same trainer twice in this event.
Stamina is vital for any horse to win the National. Twenty-four of the last 26 winners won a three-mile chase beforehand. Experience is also key. Young horses, with more speed than stamina, tend to struggle. Nine of the last 10 winners have been aged between nine and 11.
A winning competitor must show confidence in jumping. Eighteen of the last 20 Aintree winners fell or unseated their riders at most just twice in their careers.
Held in Liverpool since 1839, the Aintree Grand National is a hugely popular festival. The Grand National steeplechase itself, known as the ‘people’s race’ is where every single horse stands a chance of winning. This fairy-tale factor is why, for eight minutes, an estimated audience of up to 600 million tunes in.
In 1928, Tipperary Tim and amateur jockey William Dalton won everlasting fame by being the only horse and rider, out of 42 runners, to cross the finish line. In recent history, few will forget jockey Davy Russel winning both the 2018 and 2019 National on Tiger Roll. And when it comes to legends, trainer Ginger McCain and his 3-times winning horse Red Rum are household names.
Becher’s Brook stands at 5ft with the landing side typically 6-10 inches lower. The Chair is the highest (5ft 3ins) and widest Grand National fence. Only jumped once, it is preceded by a 6ft-wide ditch and has a landing side 6ins higher than the take-off side. Standing at 5ft tall, Canal Turn is considered the trickiest fence, as horse and rider have to turn 90-degrees left immediately on landing.
There are a multitude of Grand National betting sites. We’ve cherry-picked the very best sites for you above.
You can find the betting odds for the favourite as soon as they are published on any of our recommended sites.
Yes, the betting sites we suggest for you include great offers on other sports markets.
Many of the sites we propose offer free bets, just be sure to join up a month or more before the race.