The Grand National is the standout event in the racing calendar. Held at Aintree since 1839, it’s sure to attract over 10million viewers with £300million bet on the day in the UK alone.
Minella Times is bidding for back-to-back successes on Saturday, starting the race at 8/1 as joint favourite with Snow Leopardess and Delta Work. But it’s not always the short priced horses that do well. On five occasions a horse at odds of more than 100/1 has won this event, the most recent of which was in 2009 when Mon Mome strode to victory.
Prices are subject to frequent change due to betting trends but let’s take a look at how you can bet on the action and be a part of this iconic sporting event.
READ MORE: Grand National 2022 tips: Favourites, nap and odds for Saturday 5.15pm race at Aintree
How to bet on the Grand National?
How to bet online:
If you are 18 years or older, you can sign up to a reputable bookmaker. They should make the sign-up process as easy as possible with Grand National betting options displayed across the bookmaker pages. You can bet via these steps:
1. Make an account with a bookmaker. Almost every online bookie will be offering promotional deals, so it's worth looking around for the best sign-up offers for you
2. If you are signing up through a promotional offer, make sure you read the terms and conditions of the offer you are claiming. They will also include important instructions on how you can claim your deal
3. Register for an account by clicking 'sign up' or 'create account'. You will then have to enter personal information which could include identification documents such as your driver's licence.
4. Fill in any personal details requested, then provide details for your preferred deposit method when prompted. You may need to deposit a certain amount to be eligible for a free bet or promotional offer
5. Then find the Grand National page on your chosen site or app. Many bookies will be displaying their betting options prominently on their homepage, so it should not be hard to find
6. If you're asked for a particular course or meeting choose Saturday 9 April, then select Aintree and the 5.15 meeting - the Grand National.
7. You should then be able to select the horse you want to bet on. Click on your chosen option and then fill in the amount you would like to stake. If you'd like it to place an each-way (EW) bet, then tick the appropriate box
8. Click 'place bet' and wait for the main event to begin!
How to bet in store:
If you prefer the traditional method of filling out a betting slip in person then follow these steps.
1. Once inside the bookies, pick up a horse-racing betting slip.
2. Write your horse selection on the slip, the time of the meeting and where it is. For the Grand National, the time is 5.15pm and meeting is Aintree
3. Then write down the horse's odds, your stake and whether it is 'to win' or each-way (EW). If in doubt, ask the cashier to do it for you
4. Give the cashier your slip and stake
5. Finally, keep hold of your betting slip. You will need this to collect any potential winnings
What does each way mean?
With more than 40 horses competing in the Grand National, picking a winner is a daunting task for passionate racing fans, let alone occasional punters.
As a result, a lot of people betting on the Grand National will opt for an each-way bet (often abbreviated to EW). This essentially means you place two bets: one on the horse to win and one on the horse to finish within a designated number of places which is advertised in the each-way terms for each race.
For example, each-way: 1/4 odds, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th places (up to 7 places with some bookmakers)
The place part of your each-way bet pays out at a fraction of the ‘to win’ odds that are listed. In this case the place part of your each-way bet pays out at 1/4 of the win odds if your horse finishes in the first four places. Better still, if your horse wins the race you will also be paid out for the win part of the bet at the full win price listed.
Example: You place a bet of £5 each-way (a total stake of £10) on Minella Times to win at 16/1 with the each-way terms above (1/4). So that’s £5 on the horse to win at 16/1 and £5 on the horse to place in the first four finishers at 4/1 (1/4 of the to-win odds).
If your horse wins the race: The win and each-way bet both win so your total return is £120. This consists of your win bet (£5 x 16 = £80), your place bet (£5 x 4 = £20) and your full stake back (£10).
If your horse finishes second, third or fourth: Only the place part of your bet is a winner, so your returns are £25 (£5 x 4 = £20 plus the £5 stake on the place part of your each-way bet).
