How to Bet on the Grand National - A Beginner’s Guide

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: Tue 31 Mar 2026 13:06

Jon Vine 31 Mar 2026

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Single bets are straightforward; each-way adds a safety net
Course experience is less essential; focus on overall form
Older horses can still succeed despite current trends favoring younger ones

The 2025 Grand National. (Getty)

Grand National Betting

Types Of Bet
Grand National Form
Age Is Just A Number
Watch Your Weight
Bet On The Day
Trust Your Gut

Here's our beginner's guide to betting on the 2026 Grand National, which takes place at Aintree on Saturday 11th April.

With just over a week to go until the 2026 Grand National, anticipation is building fast. On April 11th at 4:00pm, millions of viewers across the globe will tune in to watch 34 of the best National Hunt horses compete for one of the sport’s most prestigious prizes.

Placing a bet on the Grand National can be quite tricky, especially if you're not a seasoned punter. Here are some helpful hints and tips for anyone looking to place a bet on the 2026 Grand National.

Grand National Betting - A Beginner's Guide

Types Of Bet

The simplest and most popular type of horse racing wager is a single bet, where you pick one horse to win the race and receive a payout based on the odds available when you placed the bet. Another common option is an each-way bet, which is effectively two bets in one. Part of your stake goes on the horse to win, while the other part is on it to finish in the places. In the Grand National, many bookmakers often pay out on the first five, six or even seven finishers, depending on their offer.

For those looking for something a little riskier, there is the forecast bet. This involves correctly predicting which horses will finish first and second in the exact order. A reverse forecast gives you a bit more flexibility, as your two selections can finish first and second in either order. Like an each-way bet, a reverse forecast costs double the original stake.

A tricast takes things one step further by requiring you to predict the first three horses home in the correct order. If you choose a combination tricast, you are covering every possible finishing order for your three selections - as there are six different combinations, you will need to place six separate bets.

tiger roll aintree — The great Tiger Roll winning his second Grand National. (Getty)

Grand National Form

The Grand National course is unlike any other in British racing. Its famous fences are unique, the track itself is full of bends and turns, and the long run-in to the line - including the famous elbow before the finish - can catch out even the strongest stayers.

In the past, course experience was often seen as a major advantage, with many punters favouring horses that had already tackled Aintree’s unusual fences. However, that trend has changed in recent years.

The Grand National fences have gradually been modified to make them safer and easier to jump, which has reduced the importance of previous experience over the course. In fact, across the last 15 runnings, only three winners had raced over the National fences before, and one of those was Tiger Roll, who won the race twice. These days, proven form at Aintree is no longer considered essential.

Age Is Just A Number

Horses as young as seven and as old as 11 will be running in this year's Grand National. A popular betting tactic with punters is to back the younger "less exposed" horses in handicaps, as older horses have run more times and established their level of ability.

Seven of the last ten Grand Nationals were won by seven and eight-year-old horses. Yet, in the 14 years before that, we saw five ten-year-olds, four 11-year-olds and even a 12-year-old win the world's most famous handicap. Horses aged ten or older have finished in the paid places in eight of the last ten renewals, so don't be put off if the horse you fancy is one of the oldest in the race.

Watch Your Weight

As the fences have become less testing, the classier horses - those towards the top end of the Grand National weights - have enjoyed more success. I Am Maximus carried 11-06 to victory in 2024, with Nicky Rockett striking under 11-08 12 months ago.

The last horse to carry top weight to victory in the Grand National was the legendary Red Rum, who won his second National under 12-00 in 1974. Since then, only eight horses have won the Grand National carrying 11-05 or more and almost 80% of the winners in that time carried 11-00 or less. Carrying lots of weight to victory is possible, but it's very difficult.

You can find the official weights for this year's Grand National on our website...

Bet On The Day

In horse racing, the two most popular times to place a bet are either when the market first opens or shortly before the race begins.

The final 34-runner field for the Grand National will be confirmed on Thursday 9th April, and some people may choose to place their bets as soon as declarations are made. That can work well if you believe the horse you fancy is likely to shorten significantly in the betting before race day.

For most people, though, waiting until the morning of the Grand National can be the smarter approach. By then, you will have a much clearer picture of the weather forecast and the official going, you can see which trainers are in form, and you will also be able to read race previews and opinions published on the day itself.

Another benefit of waiting is that many bookmakers offer extra incentives on race day. For example, bookmakers like bet365 run a popular Best Odds Guaranteed offer. If you place your Grand National bet after 8:00am on race day, you will be paid at the starting price if it is bigger than the odds you originally took.

Bookmakers also tend to increase the number of places paid on each-way bets on the day of the race, alongside a range of other promotions and special offers.

Trust Your Gut

At the end of the day, all betting relies on an element of luck. All you can do is pick your horse, and the rest is out of your control.

If a horse's name or number sticks out to you, go with it. If your favourite jockey is riding in the race, side with them. You'll be annoyed if that horse goes and wins and you haven't backed it, because someone on the internet said another horse was "a certainty".

For many people, the Grand National is the only day of the year they have a bet on horse racing, so it is important to remember that it should be enjoyable above all else. Back the horses you like, trust your instincts and have fun with it - you never know, your gut feeling could end up being spot on!