Grand National 2026 Betting for Beginners: How to Pick a Horse & Place Your First Bet

What Is the Grand National?

The Grand National is a steeplechase, a race where horses jump fences. It has been run at Aintree since 1839, making it one of the oldest sporting events in the world.

The Course

The race is run over 4 miles and 2 furlongs, roughly twice the length of a standard steeplechase. Horses complete two circuits of the famous Aintree course, jumping 30 fences in total (16 unique fences, with 14 jumped twice).

The most famous fences are:

• Becher's Brook (fences 6 and 22): a fence with a steep drop on the landing side. Horses who jump it boldly tend to be fine; those who get too close fall.
• The Canal Turn (fences 8 and 24): a 90-degree left turn immediately after a fence. Jockeys must plan their angle of approach or lose significant ground.
• The Chair (fence 15): the tallest fence on the course (5ft 2in) with a wide ditch on the take-off side. Only jumped once.
• The Water Jump (fence 16): a shallow water ditch after a low fence. Only jumped once, in front of the grandstands.

The Field

A maximum of 40 horses can enter, but the field is typically cut to 34 runners after final declarations on the Wednesday before the race. Each horse carries a handicap weight determined by the BHA (British Horseracing Authority), better horses carry more weight, which levels the playing field.

Weights typically range from about 10st to 11st 10lb or more, and history shows the ideal weight has usually been between 10st 2lb and 11st 0lb. That said, 2026's winner, I Am Maximus, carried 11st 12lb, the second-heaviest winning weight on record behind only Red Rum's 12st in 1974: a reminder that "heavy weights rarely win" is a strong historical lean, not a rule that will always hold.

Why It Is So Hard to Pick

The Grand National is the hardest race to predict in the calendar because:

1. 30 fences: even the best jumper can make a mistake
2. 4 miles: stamina runs out; form over shorter distances does not always hold
3. 34 runners: the biggest field in any race; traffic problems, interference, and luck play a huge role
4. The handicap: every horse is theoretically given an equal chance by the weights

This is exactly why once-a-year punters can win. Upsets are not rare. They are the norm.

How to Place a Bet

Step 1: Open a Betting Account (5 minutes)

If you do not already have one, you will need an account with a licensed UK bookmaker. The main options are Bet365, William Hill, Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, Betfred, and Coral. All are regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.

You will need:

• An email address
• Your name, address, and date of birth (for age verification: you must be 18+)
• A debit card to deposit funds

Most bookmakers offer a free bet for new customers. Check our Grand National offers page for the latest promotions. For detailed bookmaker comparisons, see our best bookmakers for horse racing guide.

Step 2: Deposit Money

Deposit whatever you are comfortable losing. For a once-a-year Grand National bet, £5–£20 is a sensible starting point. You can deposit via debit card (Visa/Mastercard), Apple Pay, or bank transfer.

Never deposit more than you can afford to lose. This is entertainment, not an investment.

Step 3: Find the Grand National Market

On the bookmaker's app or website, navigate to Horse Racing → Aintree → 5:15 Grand National. You will see a list of runners with odds next to each name.

Step 4: Choose Your Bet Type

There are two main bet types for the Grand National:

Win Only You back a horse to win. If it wins, you get paid. If it finishes second, third, or fourth (or falls) you lose your stake.

Each-Way (Recommended for Beginners) An each-way bet is actually two bets in one:

• Half your stake goes on the horse to win
• Half goes on the horse to place (usually top 4 or top 5 in the Grand National)

If your horse wins, both parts pay. If it finishes in the places, you lose the win part but get paid on the place part (typically at 1/4 or 1/5 of the win odds).

Example: £10 each-way on a 20/1 horse = £20 total stake (£10 win + £10 place).

• If it wins: you get £210 win return + £50 place return = £260 total (£240 profit)
• If it finishes 4th: you get £50 place return (£30 profit)
• If it finishes 5th or worse: you lose £20

For the Grand National, each-way is almost always the right choice. The race is too unpredictable to bet win-only unless you are very confident. For more on each-way betting, see our each-way guide.

Step 5: Place the Bet

Select the horse, choose "each-way", enter your stake, and confirm. You will receive a digital betting slip as confirmation. The bet is now live.

How to Pick a Horse

You do not need to be an expert to pick a Grand National horse intelligently. Here are the four things that matter most, in order of importance.

1. Weight

Weight is the factor with the clearest historical link to Grand National performance, though it is a lean rather than a hard rule:

• 10st 0lb to 11st 0lb: the zone most modern National winners have carried.
• Above 11st 4lb: historically rare, but not as rare as it looked before 2026. I Am Maximus won that year carrying 11st 12lb, the second-heaviest winning weight on record behind Red Rum's 12st in 1974.
• Below 10st 0lb: usually indicates a horse of lower quality who got into the race off a low handicap mark.

Quick filter: Favour, rather than automatically eliminate, horses carrying 11st 4lb or less. That will narrow a full field of 34 down considerably, without ruling out a shortlist entirely on weight alone.

2. Age

The ideal Grand National age is 8 to 10 years old.

• Below 8: too inexperienced for the fences
• 8–10: peak combination of experience and athletic ability
• Above 11: declining physical capability, though exceptions exist (12-year-old Tiger Roll won in 2019)

3. Course Form

Has the horse run at Aintree before? If it has run over the National fences (even in the Topham Chase on Friday) and jumped well, that is a strong positive signal.

The Grand National fences are unique. They are taller and stiffer than fences at any other UK racecourse. A horse who has proven it can handle them is at a significant advantage over a first-timer.

4. Trainer and Jockey

Two trainers dominate the modern Grand National:

• Willie Mullins: the all-time champion trainer by winners. If he has a fancied runner, pay attention.
• Gordon Elliott: multiple National winners and always enters a strong team.

For jockeys, experience over the National fences matters more than overall riding statistics. Look for jockeys who have ridden in multiple Nationals, they know when to be patient, when to kick, and how to navigate the Canal Turn.

A Simple Method for Picking Your Horse

If you want one quick method:

1. Take the list of 34 runners
2. Cross out anything carrying above 11st 2lb
3. Cross out anything younger than 8 or older than 11
4. Cross out anything that has never run at Aintree
5. From what is left, pick the one at the biggest odds

This gives you a horse with the right profile at the best price. It will not win every year, but it gives you a genuine chance, and a horse to cheer for with a story to tell.

For our specific picks for 2026, see our Grand National tips guide.