The National Hunt season is approaching its finale but not until the Aintree Racecourse opens its gates to the world’s greatest steeplechase, the Grand National Festival. One of the most prominent horse racing events in British culture, it attracts even those viewers and bettors who might not engage with horse racing fixtures at other times.
We compiled a complete betting guide on how to bet on the Grand National online. Here we will take a look at the available markets, discuss the differences of betting online and at the venue, as well as go through every step of betting online.
How to Bet on the Grand National Online (Step-by-Step)
If you want to put a bet on Grand National online, here is a detailed guide on how to do it to make sure you understand and are prepared for each step.
Step 1 – Choose a Licensed Betting Site
Selecting a reliable bookmaking platform is your first step towards a safe betting experience. Before you commit your money, check if the sportsbook of your choice has been properly licensed and checked for fair game practices.
If the license was obtained from a regulatory authority like the UKGC, it guarantees that the bookmaker has secure mechanisms in place that will not only provide transparent betting processes but also protect your personal and financial information.
And last but not least, take a look at the betting markets and odds to check if the bookie has offers that you are interested in. While most large bookmaking platforms will offer a wide selection of betting markets on an event of such great significance as the Grand National, it is always a good idea to double check a particular offer.
As a UKGC licensed bookmaker, 7bet offers its customers a variety of horse racing betting markets and guarantees a safe and secure experience.
Step 2 – Create Your Account
If you are new on the bookmaking platform you chose for betting on the Grand National, head to the sign up section and fill out the necessary information. You will be asked to provide your email and/or phone number, a strong password, and some personal information.
Some bookmakers will ask you to verify your account and give you detailed instructions on how to do it.
Step 3 – Deposit Funds
To start betting, you will need to deposit a certain amount to your account. You are free to decide how much you want to commit, depending on your available budget.
Check what payment methods the bookmaker accepts and if it includes your preferred method. These days, most sportsbooks accept all major payment methods: debit cards (but not credit cards!), eWallets, payment services like PayPal or Skrill, Apple and Google Pay, and more.
Step 4 – Find the Grand National Market
Once you are all set to start betting, find the betting markets for the Grand National. Head over to the Sports section of the platform, from there find horse racing, and finally, look for Aintree, i.e. the racecourse where the Grand National is held.
Step 5 – Select Your Horse & Bet Type
Now it is time to select what bet you would like to place your wager on. Choose a horse that seems like the most likely candidate to excel in this betting market and put your bet on it.
For a better understanding of types of horse racing bets, take a look at the section below.
Step 6 – Place Your Bet & Track It Live
Placing a bet on a horse racing market follows the same process as any other sport bet. Once you confirm your bet, it is added to your account. Now it is time to sit back and wait for the results.
As the Grand National Festival is a fully televised event, you can follow the race (and the outcome of your bet) on screen or check your bet online with the bookmaker.
Why Bet on the Grand National Online?
While the main process of betting is the same both online and at a physical venue, if you place a bet on the Grand National online, there are a number of advantages that can enhance your betting process.
- Better odds and offers. Most bookmakers offer better odds when you place a bet online. This happens due to lower overhead costs and higher competition which causes them to offer interesting promotions as well as “best odds guaranteed” features.
- More markets. While most in-person betting venues focus on traditional betting markets, online bookmakers offer a wider variety, with markets that are connected to the race outcome as well as other parameters of the race.
- Access to live betting. Some bookmakers allow you to place a bet when the race is already in progress, taking into consideration the rapidly changing odds. You are more likely to find this feature on online betting platforms than at a venue.
- Cash out features. Be it a full, partial, or automatic cash out, this feature offers you to settle your bet before the race finishes. It allows you to secure a profit or minimise your losses depending on the developments on the track. Again, this feature is more likely to be offered by online bookmakers.
Best Online Bet Types for the Grand National
Understanding bet types and how they work is an important step towards responsible gambling. Below we will take a look at some of the most common bets you can place online when wagering on the Grand National.
Each Way Bets (Most Popular Online)
Rightfully considered the most popular bet online, each way is often overlooked by inexperienced bettors, however it can bring considerable value. Here you place two stakes on the same horse. One stake is for the horse to come to the finish line first and become the winner. The other one is for the same horse to be placed in the same race, i.e. take one of the winning places.
If your prediction about the winner was correct and your horse does come to the finish line first, you will get a double payout, both for the win and for the placement. If the horse misses the first place but still finishes in the winning top, you will lose your win stake but your placement stake will qualify you for a payout. You need to remember that the number of paid placements depends on the number of final declared runners and is announced before the start of the race.
Win & Place Bets
The win bet in horse racing works under the same mechanism as in other sports betting. Your task as a punter is to predict which horse will outrun all its rivals and finish the race in first place, taking the winner’s crown. Your bet is eligible for a payout if your prediction is correct.
One big difference that you will notice though is the number of possible outcomes. In most individual or team sports you can typically have two possible outcomes, three if the rules allow a draw. In horse racing, theoretically any horse can become the winner, so you have as many potential outcomes as there are runners in the race.
The placement bet works under the exact same mechanism but here you are placing a wager on a horse to be placed in the race, which means it doesn’t necessarily have to win first place, but should finish in one of the winning top places.
What works in your favour here is that you don’t need to predict the exact placement. Your horse can finish in any place of the winning top and it will count toward your bet. Again, the winning top is defined depending on the number of runners.
Forecast & Tricast Bets
These two betting markets are a little more advanced and involve higher risks. Let’s take a look at how this happens.
When betting on a forecast bet for Grand National, you are placing a wager on one horse to become the winner and another one to become the first runner up, i.e. to take the second place in the race. It can be a straight forecast, which means they will need to finish the race in the exact defined order. It can also be a reverse forecast, where both horses will need to take the first two places but it doesn’t matter which one wins and which one is the runner up.
In the tricast bet you have the exact same mechanism and goal, but you add yet another horse to your bet. In a straight tricast, all three horses will need to take the exact places you specified for them. In combination tricast, they can come to the finish line in any combination as long as all three are in the winning top three.
As you can see, here your results depend on the performances of not one but two or three horses, that’s why the risk of making a wrong prediction increases.
Special Online Markets (Top 10 Finish, Match Bets, etc.)
Some less traditional betting markets are only included in online betting offers. Most of them aren’t focused on the race outcome but rather on other aspects.
- Top 10 Finish. As the name suggests, you are betting on a horse to make it into the top 10. Of course, this bet will only work if there are more than 10 runners in the race.
- Match Bet. Here you are comparing the results of two horses to each other rather than to the race outcome. You bet that one of them will finish the race in a higher position than the other. The winner doesn’t affect your bet.
- Non-Runner No Bet. This is a promotion online bookmakers offer to ante-post bettors. If your horse has been declared a non-runner after you made an early bet (before the official declarations), your stake will be returned to you, whereas without this promotion it would typically be lost.
Understanding Grand National Odds on Online Betting Sites
Another important skill for betting is being able to read the odds and understand the expected probability of each outcome and your possible profit from each.
The UK bookmakers usually present their odds in fractions. The upper (first) number shows how much you stand to win if you stake the amount shown in the lower (second) number. For example, if a betting market has the odds of 4/1, it means that you will win £4 on every £1 you bet. So if you bet £5 and your prediction is correct, you will win £20. Adding your initial stake, your total payout will be £25.
Most European countries use decimal odds. They show you how much you will win on every betted £1. It also includes your initial stake. For example, if the odds are 2.25 and you bet £10, you will win £22.5, out of which £10 is your initial stake and £12.50 is your net winnings.
On some betting platforms you can switch between fractional and decimal odds, depending on which ones you are more comfortable with.
If the bookmaker allows live betting, the odds will change rapidly throughout the race based on the developments on the track. You will have to keep a close eye on the odds and remember that not every market will be available for live betting.
Another interesting feature that only online bets offer is boosted odds. This is a promotion offered by bookmakers on specific odds, usually for a limited amount of time. You are getting better odds compared to the standard market price, which means your potential payout will also be higher, while your risks remain the same.
Features of Online Grand National Betting Platforms
Online betting on the Grand National races offers several interesting features that can enhance your experience. These features aren’t available in traditional in-person betting.
- Live Betting. Otherwise also known as in-play betting, this feature allows you to bet while the race is in progress. You will have to make decisions on the spot, as the odds change rapidly. Keep in mind that this feature might only be available on certain markets.
- Cash Out. This feature allows you to settle your bet before the race finishes. If your horse is doing well, the bookmaker may offer you a fixed amount right away. If you accept it, you will get a guaranteed amount regardless of how your horse finishes the race. But keep in mind that if your horse wins the race, you won’t be eligible for the full payout any longer. If your horse is struggling in the race, the bookmaker might offer you a fraction of your original stake. Accepting it might mean you avoid losing the stake altogether.
- Bet Slip Functionality. A bet slip can be compared to a betting shopping cart. You add all your bets on the bet slip and from there control and adjust the stakes and place the bets. This helps you keep an eye on all your bets at once and follow live odds changes as they happen.
Common Mistakes When Betting on the Grand National Online
There are a number of mistakes some bettors, especially inexperienced ones, make when placing their bets. Taking them into consideration can’t guarantee you any fixed results, but it will significantly improve your experience when you bet on the Grand National online.
- Not checking odds across sites. Before you commit to any specific bookmaker, you should always compare odds and offers among several trustworthy platforms to see which ones are better suited for your betting goals and budget.
- Ignoring platform fees/limits. The most common fees on bookmaking platforms are deposit and/or withdrawal fees. Other types also include fees on each bet. Ignoring them means your final stake or the amount you wish to deposit or withdraw will be lower than you intended. Some bookmakers also impose limits on the maximum stake, which you should also check.
- Betting too quickly. Made easy, online betting sometimes causes you to fall into the pit of not thinking your betting decision through. Before you press that button finalising your bet, take a moment to evaluate it.
FAQ – Grand National Online Betting
Can I bet on the Grand National online in the UK?
Yes, many UK licensed bookmaking platforms offer a variety of betting markets on the Grand National Festival and all its races. Check our Grand National betting guide above to see how to place a bet.
What is the best online bet for beginners?
There are several online bets that are suitable for beginners. The win market is the easiest to understand and follow, while the each way market is the most popular online.
Are online odds better than at the racecourse?
It is very common for online bookmakers to offer better odds due to a number of reasons, including lower overhead costs, higher competition leading to better promotions, and others.
Can I cash out a Grand National bet online?
Yes, many online bookmakers offer a cash out feature when you bet on a Grand National race. This option helps you secure a higher profit or minimise your losses depending on what is going on on the track.
Betting is only available to participants aged 18 years and over. Please bet responsibly. BeGambleAware.org