How to Bet on the Grand National with Betfred

The world's-greatest horse race takes place on Saturday, April 5 (16:00), as the Grand National takes place at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool. 

With that in mind and conscious that some of our customers will be betting on Horse Racing for the first time, we've put together an easy-to-follow Grand National Beginner's Guide, with tips on how to pick your horses, watch the race and place your bets on Betfred.com.

Grand National Odds

When is the Grand National 2025?

The Grand National is the culmination of a National Hunt horse racing festival held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool. This year's Festival runs from Thursday, 3rd April through to Saturday, 5th April and the Grand National itself is held at 16:00 on the Saturday afternoon.

Where to watch the Grand National 2025 on TV?

You can watch the Grand National on terrestrial television on ITV1, which also covers the rest of the Aintree Festival  and runs from 13:30 to 17:00 daily. However, alternatively you can stream each race live (apart from the National) through your Betfred account, as long as it is funded.

What is the format of the Grand National 2025?

The Grand National is a 4 miles, 2 ½ furlongs horse race over 30 fences, with many of those fences having famous names, such as Becher's Brook, The Chair and The Canal Turn.

How many horses are running in the Grand National 2025?

Historically, there were 40 horses running in the Grand National but as of last year, the number was reduced to 34 for safety reasons.

How do I pick my Horses for the Grand National?

For a complete newcomer, the Grand National can seem like an absolute minefield, as there are so many horses to choose from. However, we've tried to simplify things here so it's easier to digest.

• Don't just blindly back the favourites

Yes, they are favourites for a reason, as they may possess the best form, best ratings and potentially are the fastest horse in the race. However, there is a lot to take into account in National Hunt racing, such as handicaps, jockeys and trainer form, ground (the condition of the racecourse) and of course some pretty fearsome fences to jump over.

In fact, only 16 favourites or joint-favourites have landed the Grand National since the turn of the 20th century, the most recent of which being I Am Maximus in 2024.

• Follow the Trends

Age - As a general rule of thumb, younger horses have more speed but less stamina and older horses are the exact reverse. The trick, therefore, is to try and find a horse that is in a prime sweet spot, which usually is between eight and 11 years of age. Of the last 31 National's, 24 have been nine or older. Other than Nobel Yeats in 2022, there hasn't been a seven-year-old winner of the National since 1940!

Weight - Weight is probably the biggest factor of the lot, as the more you carry, the harder it is to win the race. Of the last 32 winners, 25 have carried 10st 13lbs or less. 

Stamina - You can't just turn up at a course like Aintree, over these type of fences and this type of distance and expect to win first time out. 28 of the last 32 winners of this race had previously ran in a Chase over three miles.

Experience - Of course, if you have competed in a good level of race before, it will certainly enhance your chances of winning the biggest of them all. Wins in listed races or other Nationals (Welsh or Irish) are a huge plus, as is previous Grand National experience.

• Do your research 

A lot of people will select their favourite colours or their favourite-named horse and while that can be fun, it's not a very good way of actually picking your horses.

If you don't have time to dig into the form or do the work yourself, there are a myriad of experts or 'tipsters' who are paid good money to do exactly that. They spend all year watching and researching these horses, with the hope of providing you with a winner when the Grand National Festival arrives. We have a great team of tipsters here at Betfred Insights including our two chief racing writers Owen McMahon and Alan Firkins, who live and breathe the sport on a day-to-day basis.

We also have our Grand National Playlist which you can watch on Betfred Youtube, featuring views and tips from Matt Hulmes, Frankie Foster and Joel Ross amongst others.

• Single or each-way Betting?

A single bet is taking a horse just to win the race outright. Meanwhile an each-way bet is betting on the horse to win and/or place. The wager costs you double the amount of a single, as half the wager is on the win and the other half is on the place. So when should you take which?

This will vary from customer to customer, but roughly speaking, it's not worth placing an each-way bet on anything under around 4/1, as the place returns will be less than your original stake. Therefore don't be playing an each-way bet on a 11/10 favourite, as the place returns just won't be worth it.

Conversely, it's not worth backing an outsider as a single win-only bet as the returns can be huge if it does place. For example a 100/1 shot at 1/5 the odds will pay you out at 20/1 if it places - not to be sniffed at.

In a race such as the Grand National, it's very rare to have a short priced favourite. Tiger Roll was the shortest priced for years in 2019, when he went off at 4/1 favourite but it looks unlikely any horse will be as short as that this time. So, with that in mind, it looks prudent to back your chosen horses each-way.

• Maximise your value

Place terms can be confusing with different bookmakers paying 1/5 the odds and paying anywhere from 4 places all the way out to 7 in a race of this size. Of course, as the home of horse racing, Betfred is leading the way with a terrific 7 place offer on the Grand National.

• Be Prepared

Bookmaker websites can be incredibly busy during Grand National Saturday and you may find yourself struggling to access the website during peak times. With that in mind, it makes sense to be prepared and open your account in advance of the day and place your Grand National bets early. We have a Bet £10 get £50 in free bets opening account offer at Betfred. However, that offer ends at Midnight on Friday!

You can look on our Grand National Betting Tips page, which will give you all the offers and tips for the big race, so you can lean back and enjoy the Greatest Show on Turf.