Grand National Odds

Betting on the Grand National is a national pastime that comes just once a year. People that would never normally step foot inside a bookmakers or consider placing a bet on any sporting event, will put a few pounds on a horse that really takes their fancy in the hope of picking the winner. This year’s event will see no more than 40 entrants set off to round the famous circuit twice and attempt to write their name in the annuls of history and with the latest Grand National odds, you too could be in with a chance of winning.

One of the first factors to consider when looking at the Grand National odds is the fact that a maximum of 40 horses will be permitted to start the race. There were initially, nearly 100 horses declared for the race, but this number will be whittled down. Some will withdraw prior to the big day while others will be unable to race. The horse at number 50 in the list of runners may make it to the start, but those at 60 and higher are unlikely to do so.

The massive number of entrants and the unpredictability of the race means that Grand National odds are often very high, even for the winner. In fact, only 8 of the last 50 favourites have won. In 1967, when a loose horse scythed down the leading pack, and in 1928 when just two horses finished the race, the winning rides had staggering odds of 100-1. The horses were Foinavon and Tipperary Tim respectively. Most recently in 2009, 100-1 outside shot Mon Mome also won the prize. With that said, approximately half of the winners in the last 50 years have had Grand National odds of 16-1 or shorter.

Grand National odds can be affected by many factors. The going is one common factor, with some horses preferred good ground over soft and vice versa. Even the starting position, how the horse looks before the race, and whether any major names have tipped a particular horse for success can directly influence Grand National odds.

For the latest Grand National odds and the latest information on the biggest horse racing event of the year visit TheGrandNational.co.uk for more information.