BGC states bookies can expect around quarter of a billion pounds to be bet on The Grand National

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At the Grand National, the million-pound race will be contested by a field of 34 horses, including the current favourite and last year’s winner I Am Maximus. 

With £1m on the line, the Festival Trophy Handicap Chase takes place at 4pm on Saturday, 5 April, at Aintree racecourse; with races for the three-day long festival having already started.

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The Grand National is not only the most popular and widely watched race in the UK, but according to Entain, it’s also the most popular globally. 

According to research by the Betting and Gaming Council, punters will bet £250m on the main event, with around £150m of this coming from casual bettors who don’t ordinarily partake in horse racing betting. 

The race we now know as the Grand National was first run in 1836 when it was called the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase. The cross-country steeplechase saw horses and riders jump stone walls and across ploughed fields. 

Just four runners took part in the first race, which was won by a horse called Lottery. 

It then became known as the Grand National Steeplechase in 1839 before handicapping was introduced in 1843. 

The first year the race attracted a seven-figure prize pot was in 2014 which still remains in place today. 

And recent years have seen further changes made to the race, in a bid to try and improve safety standards for the horses; like the field size being reduced from 40 to 34 in 2024.

This year’s event is expected to be watched by around 600 million people in 140 countries around the world, with one of the reasons for the race’s popularity being the opportunity for punters to pick long-odds winners. 

Most recently, Noble Yeats won the 2022 Grand National at odds of 50/1. 

However, while many bettors enjoy looking for long-odds outsiders, the race still sees its fair share of favourite winners. 

Last year’s winner, I Am Maximus went off as the 7/1 joint favourite, and 2023’s winner, Corach Rambler, was the 8/1 favourite. 

This year’s main event looks set to be one of the most open in recent history following the withdrawal of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin; which had early odds of 2/1 and looked set to be the shortest-priced Grand National favourite ever. 

Lee Phelps, of William Hill, said: “Given the open nature and big odds available across the field this year, we’re expecting plenty of betting interest up and down the country and could see turnover on the race north of £150m. 

“It’s a huge week at Aintree, where total betting turnover for the three days could comfortably hit a quarter of a billion.”

Currently, I Am Maximus is the favourite at 13/2 via Coral, closely followed by Stumptown at 7/1. 

But, any of half a dozen or so horses could start the race as favourite, including Iroko (10/1), Hewick (11/1), Intense Raffles (11/1), Vanillier (11/1) and Perceval Legallois (12/1).