THE jewel in the crown of the horse racing calendar, the Grand National, takes place today at Aintree.
With more than 7.5 million people expected to tune in from home, interest will be high as we wait to find out who will emulate last year’s winners Noble Yeats and Sam Waley-Cohen at the Aintree Racecourse.
Almost everyone will be having bets on the showpiece Aintree handicap, meaning that bookmakers pull out all the stops for the Grand National to ensure that you’re betting with them. As the riders line-up and the course fences are prepared, there are some excellent odds, customer offers, and prices to be found as a result, and we've put together some top tips about wagering on the 2023 Grand National for our customers in this handy guide.
Best sites for Grand National bets 2023
- BetUK
- Spreadex
- William Hill
- Betway
- Tote
- kwiff
- MrPlay
- Ladbrokes
- 10bet
- bet365
How we chose the bookies with best odds for the Grand National
With so many options on the market, there are lots of things to consider when choosing a bookmaker to bet with on the races at Aintree. To help you play the field, we’ve put together our top nine betting sites in our guide with all of the following in mind.
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- Grand National odds and offers: This is the easiest point to explain – when you’re betting on the Grand National you want the most competitive odds and offers on the big race, so we’ve gone through the market to find nine operators who are worth a look.
- Other promotions: Away from price boosts, daily doubles and best odds guaranteed, bookmakers offer lots of other promotions on a regular basis – like casino bonus or a slot bonus. Some are better than others at this, so we’ve taken this into consideration too.
- Website design and user experience: When you’re betting on horse racing, you want a website that is quick and easy. User experience is key and you don’t want to be using a website where you can’t even find the market you want to bet on!
- Security and licencing: When you’re placing a bet you’re doing so with your hard-earned cash, which means security is paramount. We take this seriously and we only recommend betting sites which are properly regulated and licenced.
- Customer support: If you happen to encounter a problem, you want to know that it will be resolved quickly. Some betting sites are better than others at dealing with this, something we’ve considered for you as we want happy customers!
Bookies with the latest Grand National odds: An overview
As we mentioned above, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to finding a site to bet on the 2023 Grand National. With each firm in the field offering something different to try and entice you in, we’ve put together a guide with some pros and cons below.
1. BetUK
Top of our list is BetUK, one of the newer names on the betting scene. They have hit the ground running however and offer an excellent service for horse racing.
Pros
- Highly competitive odds, including joint-best price on Corach Rambler at the time of writing
- Offering ‘non-runner, no bet’ on the Grand National
- They are best odds guaranteed on all British and Irish racing after 11am on the day of the race
Cons
- Best suited to punters looking to keep it simple with win only singles and each-way bets
2. Spreadex
Also scoring well are SpreadEx, who are the go-to name if you are in to spread betting. This isn’t for everyone however and they also have a solid sportsbook.
Pros
- A unique betting offering, with spread betting offered by very few providers
- Also offer a sportsbook for those looking to keep it simple
- They are ‘non-runner, no bet’ on the Grand National
Cons
- Their more specialised offering means that the sportsbook is lacking in things like a ‘Best Odds Guaranteed’ promotion that most other operators would offer to you
3. William Hill
One of the most recognisable names in betting is William Hill and they scored very highly. With competitive odds and strong markets on every race in the UK and Ireland, it’s no wonder they score well.
Pros
- They are paying six places on the Grand National
- They are very competitive with Grand National odds, offering the joint-best price on Corach Rambler
- They are ‘non-runner, no bet’ on the Grand National
Cons
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- You can find stronger welcome bonus offers elsewhere
4. Betway
Another bookmaker to score well was Betway, another established name in the sphere. Alongside some competitive offers on the Grand National, you can also earn free bets with their unique promotion.
Pros
- They are ‘non-runner, no bet’ on the Grand National
- Their ‘Best Odds Guaranteed’ offer begins at 9am, which is one of the most competitive on the market
- You can earn £10 in free bets each week when you stake £25 on sports trebles and accumulators with their ‘Free Bet Club’ promotion
Cons
- Their broad offering of sporting markets means that their odds for the Grand National aren’t as strong as some of their competitors
5. Tote
One of the most unique names on this shortlist are the Tote, who are a specialist racing provider. Betting on the Tote is done through a pool, which means that the starting prices on each of the horses are determined by the weight of the market.
Pros
- You can earn 10% on your winnings if you opt into their Tote+ promotion
- If the Tote price falls below the starting price, they will match it with their Tote Guarantee
- There’s a chance to earn free prizes with both their Grand National sweepstake and their Grand National betting tournament (you need to qualify for the latter by placing three bets totalling £10)
Cons
- The Tote aren’t the best option if you’re looking to combine your horse racing betting with bets on other sports like football – with limited options available
6. kwiff
kwiff is an established and trusted name and they scored well on our assessment, particularly on logistics. Their site is nice and easy to navigate and their sports markets are solid.
Pros
- Supercharged sports betting offers
- Horse racing money back promotion ideal for the Grand National
- Doubles as a casino
Cons
- No best odds guaranteed offer
7. MrPlay
A newer name in this sphere is Mr Play, but they scored highly on our assessment, with a very solid offering on horse racing and a strong banking interface for things like card payments.
Pros
- Generous welcome bonus of up to £200
- Lightning quick deposits and withdrawals with their instant banking function
- They offer plenty of betting tournaments with ‘Mr Play Battle’ feature
Cons
- Their website isn’t as smooth as some of their competitors and you need to log in to navigate it properly
8. Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes is a famous name in the betting world. This season, it has a promotion specialized for the Aintree festival, making it ideal for any aspiring and veteran punters looking to win big.
Pros
- Special Grand National promotion
- Established bookmaker with longstanding reputation
- Build Your Own Racecard feature for those who want to bet on multiple Aintree races
Cons
- Welcome offer could be more generous
9. 10bet
With several interesting promotions, 10net scored highly for punters who are looking for extra incentives.
Pros
- They are ‘non-runner, no bet’ on the Grand National
- They’ll give you money back as a free bet (up to £10) if your horse is beaten by a neck or less
- You can earn £5 in cash if Corach Rambler wins the race – you just have to have staked £50 on the sport in the run up to the National
Cons
- Their horse racing offering isn’t quite as in-depth as some other horse racing bookmakers and suits more rounded sports punters
10. bet365
One of the best-known names in the sphere are bet365, so it’s no surprise they score highly on our quota, with an excellent all-round service.
Pros
- They’re best price on every horse shown live on ITV Racing at the Grand National meeting
- You can get boosted prices on selected runners at Aintree every day with their bet boost promotion
- Their 8am ‘Best Odds Guaranteed’ promise on racing around the world (excluding Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore) one of the best on offer
Cons
- They’re aren’t too many promotions available for existing customers
Which horse will win the Grand National?
The resounding favourite at the time of writing is the Lucinda Russell-trained CORACH RAMBLER (6-1), a two-time Cheltenham Festival winner who’s bidding to provide his trainer with a second winner in the race since 2017.
Other runners in the Aintree field who have excellent chances according to the betting include last year’s winner NOBLE YEATS (8-1), though he carries a lot more weight this time.
DELTA WORK (9-1) is another Cheltenham Festival winner (in the Cross Country) for Gordon Elliott, while MR INCREDIBLE (14-1) and GAILLARD DU MESNIL (14-1) figure prominently for Willie Mullins. Two more Irish raiders to consider are LONGHOUSE POET (16-1) and Any Second Now (16-1).
British challengers that can’t be discounted include the Coral Gold Cup winner LE MILOS (16-1) for Dan Skelton, MINELLA TRUMP for Donald McCain (66-1) and MISTER COFFEY (50-1) for the legendary Nicky Henderson. Also catching the eye are ROI MAGE (40-1), COKO BEACH (33-1) and VELVET ELVIS (40-1).
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How to place a bet on the Grand National and get the best odds
Finding the best price for you selection in the Grand National can be simple, but if you follow these simple steps, you should quickly be on your way…
- Look at the racing form and pick out your selection for the races
- Once you’ve picked your horse, head to Oddschecker and navigate to the Grand National betting market
- This should give you a good idea of which bookmaker is offering the best price – you’re looking for the boxed odds
- Once you’ve found your bookmaker, head to their site and sign up
- Log in and navigate to the Grand National market
- Select your horse and the selection should appear in the betslip
- Input your stake and place your bet. Good luck!
How are the odds for the Grand National calculated?
Odds serve two purposes, the first is to tell you what chance the bookmaker thinks the horse has of winning and the second is to tell the punter how much they stand to win if they back it.
To calculate the odds, bookmakers work out the percentage chance that they think each of the horses have of winning and each percentage builds a market. A perfect betting market will see all percentages add up to 100% - with any extra accounting for the bookmakers’ profit margin.
For example, an even money shot (evs) would have a 50% chance of winning by the bookies and anything shorter than that (or odds-on) would be greater than 50%, and so on.
Grand National ante-post betting tips and predictions
There are so many different angles to consider when looking at the Grand National, but it’s difficult to look past Corach Rambler. Lucinda Russell won the race with One For Arthur in 2017 and there are plenty of similarities with this horse, who carries a nice weight. With stamina assured, it’s very difficult to look past him.
At a much bigger price, it may be worth chancing a bit of cash on Mister Coffey each-way for the legendary Nicky Henderson, who is still searching for his first winner in the race – 44 years on from his first runner. He could sneak into a place. Meanwhile, it’s impossible to discount the Irish raiders Delta Work and Gaillard Du Mesnil.
Which site has the best odds for the Grand National?
Several of the sites in our list scored well in this, but it’s difficult to look past William Hill, who are best price or joint best price on the vast majority of Grand National runners at the time of writing, including favourites Corach Rambler and Gaillard Du Mesnil. Other sites to score well were bet365, Tote, and BetUK.
Who are the most successful Grand National trainers?
Winning the Grand National just once is an achievement that most trainers can only dream of, but there are three trainers in history who have won the race four times.
Each of George Dockeray, Fred Rimell and Ginger McCain (the trainer of the legendary Red Rum) all have four winners in the race.
Current trainers to note include Delta Work’s trainer Gordon Elliott, who has won the race three times with Silver Birch (2007) and Tiger Roll (2018 and 2019).
Will betting sites live-stream the Grand National?
Almost every single bookmaker on our list offer live streaming on horse racing. The only two we couldn’t verify were Mr Play and 10Bet, though the Grand National will be shown live on ITV Racing.
Why do Grand National odds change before a race?
Betting odds change according to how popular or an unpopular a selection is and how much money has been put on them, so it’s only logical to think that the prices of some horses will shorten and widen as we get closer to the race – as that’s when the highest volume of bets are placed.
Our top 5 tips for finding the best Grand National odds
Finding the best prices can be a daunting task, but following these top tips should put you on the right path and hopefully into the winners’ enclosure.
- Don’t rush – It’s tempting to just pick a horse and weigh into your pick straight away, but taking your time is key
- Shop around – There are so many sites to choose from, that it makes sense to have a proper look at the market
- Make the most of price comparison sites like Oddschecker – they will give you a strong indication of where you’ll get the best odds
- Don’t leave it too late – This can go either way, but leaving it too close to the race can mean that your selection shortens, and you may not get an optimum price
- Don’t trust betting forecasts – You may see forecast odds at the bottom of race cards, but they were written in advance of the race and are just a prediction. Take the time to check yourself
Remember to gamble responsibly
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- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
