The Grand National is one of the biggest horse racing events in the world, and any horse racing enthusiast will be familiar with this event. The 2023 Grand National is only months away, so we thought it was time to look at this major horse racing event, when and where it will take place as well as what we can expect. If you’re interested in placing Grand National bets, this guide will also list some of the UK’s best Grand National betting sites where you can start looking at odds and Grand National betting tips in advance.
The Grand National
The Grand National is one of the biggest highlights of the horse racing world, taking place every year in Liverpool in the month of April. Every year, between 30 to 40 horses compete at the Aintree racecourse, and no less than 600 million people tune in to watch the event! Besides being a major horse racing spectacle, it’s also one of the biggest sporting events, with up to 150,000 punters placing their bets on the winning horse and other betting markets every year. The length of the race is about four miles, with 30 fences of increasing difficulty over two laps.
The first Grand National took place in 1839, making the competition more than 170 years old! Given its history, it’s an integral part of British culture and even people or punters who aren’t typically big horse racing fans tend to watch the Grand National due to its significance.
Initially, the Grand National was a competition for ‘gentlemen riders’, meaning it was only open to men who weren’t paid to compete. Eventually, the rules changed, and the competition was open to amateur riders too, but it remained a male-only competition. It wasn’t until 1977 that female jockeys were allowed to compete in the Grand National, after which the competition saw a big volume of female jockeys entering the race.
In 2012, Katie Walsh became the first female jockey to finish in the top three, while in 2021, Rachael Blackmore became the very first female jockey to win the Grand National while riding Minella Times.
When and Where is The Grand National Happening
The 2023 Grand National will be the 175th edition of the race and will take place in April in Liverpool. The race will start on Saturday, the 15th of April, at Aintree, just a few miles outside of Liverpool. Last year, the 2022 Grand National winner was S.Waley-Cohen with his horse Noble Years, and he seems to be the favorite for the 2023 Grand National too.
Where to Bet on The Grand National
It’s still early to start betting on the 2023 Grand National, but it’s good to start looking at the odds-on different horse racing betting sites and reading up on Grand National betting tips well in advance. In anticipation of the upcoming 2023 Grand National, let’s take a quick look at some of the best betting sites where you can place your Grand National bets in a few months.
Betiton
Betiton is one of the newest sportsbooks in the UK, offering highly competitive odds on all the biggest and even the smaller horse racing competitions. All the Grand National betting markets can be found here, and if you’re a relative beginner, the very user-friendly interface of this site will make your betting process straightforward.
Unibet
Unibet is an established betting brand in the UK, offering multiple betting markets on the 2023 Grand National. You can find a useful horse racing guide on this site and live streaming on all major horse racing events. This is one of the sites’ best features, as it gives you access to the event while you bet on it, with in-match betting opportunities as well.
PaddyPower
PaddyPower is an Irish sportsbook that’s been around all the way since 1988, offering a reliable and trustworthy sports betting platform for all punters in the UK. They also offer live streaming on all major horse racing events and great odds to place your bets on too. Pre-match and live betting is available on the 2023 Grand National, and it’s a particularly great site for experienced punters.
888Sport
Another highly established betting brand in the UK is 888Sport, and one of the best aspects of this sportsbook is that expert tips on horse racing and other sports are available directly on the site. Live streaming, in-play betting, and pre-match betting are all available here, along with multiple betting markets like betting on the winner, betting on a horse to finish within the top three, and so on.
