Grand National Betting 2026

Looking for the latest Grand National betting? You’ve arrived at the perfect page.

The Grand National is a major event on the UK sporting calendar, drawing a global audience. It attracts a healthy mix of casual sports fans, avid thoroughbred horse racing fans, and gamblers. 

The leading bookmakers offer a long list of Aintree Grand National betting odds, interesting markets, and eye-catching specials. It’s all available today.

Experienced horse racing betting analyst Frank Monkhouse has everything you need to enjoy this year’s renewal on Saturday, 11th April.

I’ll round things off with my best Grand National bets 2026, and I’m siding with one that’s currently available at excellent odds.

I like the look of Iroko, priced at 13.0 with many major horse racing bookies. He falls into many of the most important categories. Iroko is a seven-year-old, looks about right in the weights, and has proven stamina in this race, finishing fourth in last year’s race. 

Iroko is also a Cheltenham Festival winner, which is always worth paying attention to, and he doesn’t carry the curse of being a short-priced favourite.

You can bet on any of the Grand National runners listed below. Here are the top five in the betting at the time of writing.

The odds displayed are generally available.

Visit any respected online bookmaker, and you’ll find an extensive list of Grand National betting markets. You can predict the winner, bet on a runner to land a place, rely on the head-to-head, call the winning distance, and more. But which markets are the best?

The simplest and most popular way to bet on the Grand National. Study the field, pick your winner, add a stake, and confirm. Your bet is now secure, and if your selection crosses the line in first place, you’ll get the profits.

Each-way betting is another incredibly popular Grand National market, and it’s the one best suited to less experienced or casual gamblers. 

When placing an each-way bet, you’re choosing a horse to either win or finish in the prize places, usually 1st to 4th or 5th. Some bookies pay more places than others. Please note that you must split your stake between the win and the place. A £10 each-way bet will cost you £20, with £10 riding on the horse to win and £10 on it to place.

If you expect a nice-priced runner to compete, but you’re unsure if it’ll win and you don’t wish to split your stake, place betting is ideal. Check how many places a bookmaker pays on the Grand National – I’ve seen as many as six covered – select your runner, and bet.

What I like about place betting is that it’s lower risk than shooting for the win, and it’s perfectly suited to those backing outsiders or seeking a high price.

Want to really challenge your horse racing knowledge? The forecast betting market is best for those who spend time studying the stats. 

With a forecast bet, you’re predicting which horse will win and the name of the runner-up. You must call the first two in the correct order to beat the bookies. Shoot for a big payout.

If your bookmaker doesn’t offer Non-Runner No Bet on the Grand National, it’s time to look elsewhere. It’s the single most useful promotion available on the race, especially to those who like to get in early and secure the value.

What is NRNB? It covers you in the event of your selection pulling out of the race for any reason. If you bet on a runner, your bookie doesn’t offer NRNB and your selection is injured or withdrawn, you’ll lose your stake and won’t get a run for your money.

With NRNB, your stake is refunded in cash, allowing you to withdraw or bet on another.

Here are some interesting stats to keep in mind before parting with your stake this month.

• Favourites have a poor record in the Grand National, winning just three of ten.
• Eight of the last ten winners have been aged between eight and nine years old.
• Results show the ideal weight in this event is under 11 stone.
• Each of the last 11 champions has multiple chase runs and wins.
• A surprising 14 of the last 16 winners were Grand National debutants.
• Irish-trained horses have an enviable record in recent times.

To have the best chance of predicting the winner of this year’s Grand National, it pays to learn the lessons taught by history. 

The Grand National history shows the event first took place in the winter of 1839. The race has undergone more than a few makeovers, resulting in today’s four-mile handicap. 

With modern prize money of a cool £1m, half of which is paid to the winner, the sport’s biggest and brightest names come out to shine.

Here are the last ten winners of the Grand National.

• Nick Rockett (2025)
• I Am Maximus (2024)
• Corach Rambler (2023)
• Noble Yeats (2022)
• Minella Times (2021)
• Tiger Roll (2020)
• Tiger Roll (2019)
• One For Arthur (2018)
• Rule the World (2017)
• Many Clouds (2016)

The most decorated jockey at the Grand National is George Stevens, who sat on five winners between 1856 and 1870. In more recent times, Ruby Walsh has enjoyed plenty of success, claiming victory in 2000 on Papillon and five years later with Hedgehunter.

The leading trainers to date have each won four races. George Dockeray collected his between 1839 and 1852, Fred Rimell between 1956 and 1976, and then Ginger McCain between 1973 and 2004. 

When analysing the top-performing owners at the Aintree spectacle, six names have three wins each. That list shows JP McManus, Trevor Hemmings, and the Gigginstown House Stud. McManus landed his treble in 2024 with I Am Maximus.

Red Rum and Tiger Roll lead the way as the most successful horses. Red Rum tasted glory in 1973, 1974, and 1977. Tiger Roll banked the prize money in 2018 and 2019.

The Grand National 2026 attracts both casual sports fans and experienced bettors, with favorites like I Am Maximum leading the odds. Popular betting markets include win and each-way bets, with the latter being ideal for beginners.

Historical trends suggest horses aged 7-9, with race experience, perform best. Iroko, a seven-year-old with Cheltenham Festival success, is highlighted as a strong contender at 13.0 odds. Favourites have struggled in recent years, and debutants have had surprising success.