Aintree Betting Offers: Free Bets & Bonuses

Aintree Racecourse is home to the world's most famous obstacle course, the Grand National. This flat British left-handed horse racing venue outside Liverpool, holds events on two lanes, multiplying aintree betting options for punters. The mildmay course hosts antree races on the inside is narrower over a full course of less than a mile and a half. On the other hand, the aintree grand national course is nearly two and a half miles long and has unique fences like The Canal Turn, Bechers Brook, and The Chair. Over the years, the aintree racecourse have drawn more fans and participants from all over the world through unique horseracing events. In this review, we’ll take you through the best betting sites that bring aintree betting offers and live bets in addition to free bets as bonuses. You’ll equally get some aintree betting tips on how to bet on hurdles course and mildmay course races.

There are many huge horse races that take place in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, and one of the biggest ones is, without a shadow of doubt, the Grand National that takes place at the Aintree racecourse each year. Anyone who loves their horse racing should head over to Aintree at least once to watch the Grand National. In the following review, we will tell you all that you need to know about betting on this prestigious event as well as take a closer look at the Aintree racetrack.

Author: Annsley Payne , Last Updated on 13.09.2023

How We Rate The Top Online Betting Sites For Aintree

• Security
• Reputation
• User Experience
• Live Betting
• Fast Payout
• Banking Option
• Mobile and App
• Customer Service

When we are thinking about what rating to give a bookmaker, our expert team will take into consideration all of what we just mentioned above.

History of the Aintree Racetrack

Aintree is part of the Jockey Club which has been at the heart of British racing for more than 260 years. The club is the largest commercial sports group in the territory and operates the biggest racecourses in the UK by prize money contribution, total prize money, attendance, and quality racing.

In 1829, William Lynn, a hotelier from Liverpool, approached William Philip Molyneux, who was the Second Earl of Sefton, and required about leasing some land in order to organise some flat racing. Lord Sefton was a fan of racing, so he agreed and put down the foundation for a racecourse and grandstand that we now know as Aintree.

The first ever Grand National at Aintree tool place in 1939, and it was won by a horse that was called Lottery. In that very same race, Captain Becher fell down at the brook, which is how it got its name that we still use today and is known all over the world. Back then, the horses had to jump over a stone wall, travel over some farmed land, and then jump a double hurdle to finish.

There are some who argue that the first Grand National was actually run three years before, but most experts have disregarded this. From 1836-1838, races that were called the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, are thought to have been run at Maghul, Merseyside, although there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the three races also took place at Aintree since racing at Maghull is thought to have stopped in 1835. Either way, because of the confusion, the first Grand National to take place has officially been marked down as happening in 1839.

One of the main aspects that helped to propel the Grand National into one of the biggest racing events in the country was the construction of railway in the 1830s. The popularity of this race was also increased when the Great St. Alban Chase was cancelled in 1839, after which they formed a committee to organise the Liverpudlian racing event. This led to a highly publicised horse race in 1839 with a field of the best horses and a lot of press coverage.

Edward Topham, in 1843, turned this chase race into a handicap one, and within 5 years he had bought the course. From 2012 onwards, huge improvements to Aintree such as rebuilding facilities, stables, and fences have been introduced as a means to improve the horses’ welfare during the Aintree Grand National.

In 2012, Katie Walsh a currently retired Irish jockey became the first female to mount the podium after finishing third in that year's Grand National on Seabass. Sir Anthony Peter McCoy OBE, commonly known as Tony McCoy made his last professional aintree racecourse appearance in 2015 after his legendary career that saw him amass 74 winners in a year, about a decade earlier.

A mega event of aintree races was in 2017 when the aintree grand national held its 170th race during which an estimate of £300 million was said to have been spent on the aintree grand national betting. Four years after that, Rachael Blackmore an Irish set a record for female jockeys by winning the Grand national aintree races in 2021. During the 2022 edition of the aintree grand national held on April 9th, Noble Yeats trained by Emmet Mullins won the competition. This made his rider Sam Waley-Cohen, the first amateur jockey to take home the winning cash prize since Marcus Armytage in 1990.

A Closer Look at the Grand National Horse Race

The aintree grand national prize fund total for 2022 was £1 million, with over half of it, £561,300 given to the winning owners. £211,100 went to the second-placed horse's owners while the jockeys also got a percentage of the prize money. For upcoming aintree grand national betting in 2023, punters can expect three days of world-class racing from Thursday 13th to Friday 15th of April as we bring in the best aintree betting tips.

The Grand National is a handicap steeplechase race that is 4 miles, 2 1/2 furlongs long, with 30 fences to navigate. This is Europe’s most valuable jump race, with a prize fund in 2021 of £750,000. This race has become synonymous with British culture, and is popular among those who do not even follow horse racing closely. There are plenty of people out there who have only ever placed a bet on the Grand National, despite knowing very little about it.

The fences that the horses have to jump over during the Grand National race at Aintree are much higher than those that you find during conventional National Hunt races. Many of these fences, such as The Chair, Canal Turn, and Becher’s Brook have become pretty famous and, when combined with the long distance of the race, are the main reasons why many declare that this race is the ultimate test of the rider and horse. Nowadays, there is a limit of forty horses in the race for safety reasons, and it is very unlikely that every horse finishes the race. In 1928, just two horses crossed the finish line, making it the fewest horses to finish in the history of this race.

One of the reasons why the Grand National has become such a popular race in the UK is the fact that it has been aired for free on terrestrial TV since 1960. However, it is not just popular in the UK, and to give you an idea of just how popular it is around the world, it is estimated that 500-600 million tune in to watch this race each year from more than 140 countries.

The most successful horse to participate in this race was Red Rum, who won it three times in 1973, 1974, and 1977. There have been eight other horses that have won the race twice, with The Duke being the one that stands out. When it comes to jockeys, the most successful one in the Grand National is George Stevens, who won this race an impressive five times. On the 10th of April 2021, Rachel Blackmore became the first female jockey to win this prestigious race when she led Minella Times to victory. The jockey who has raced in the Grand National the most times without actually going on to win it is Richard Johnson – he raced 21 times and the best he finished was second place.

The build-up to this prestigious race can go on for a number of months, but the action lasts all of about ten minutes. The fastest recorded Grand National took place in 1990, when Mr. Frisk won in a time of 8 minutes and 47 seconds. When it comes to the slowest time, we have to go all the way back to the very first Grand National ever run in 1839 – as we mentioned earlier, this race was won by Lottery, and the recorded winning time was 14 minutes and 53 seconds.

How do we choose the best betting sites for Aintree?

There are numerous bookmakers out there that sports betting fans in the United Kingdom can create an account with in order to place bets.

For new sports gamblers, choosing can be quite a challenging task, but we have done all the analysis for you.

Below we will explain the different aspects of a sportsbook that we analyse when we are deciding whether a particular bookie is worth recommending to our readers.

Best Aintree Racecourse Sportsbooks – Our Review for 2023

There is another review section on the page itself of brands, 888Sport and Ladbrokes. This should be taken off.

Below are 6 top aintree betting sites that provide competitive betting offers coupled with hundreds of other sports events. These bookies bring aintree betting for hurdles courseMildmayay course, and much more.

Betiton

Betiton is one of the best aintree betting sites you can find in the UK. It was launched in 2020 and is owned by Sharp Connection Ltd which is regulated by the gambling laws of the UK under account number 39483. Though the brand has not been in business for long, it has already won several awards that show its commitment to delivering world-class gambling solutions. Betiton brings more than 1,500 events spread across about 35 sports disciplines. Its major horse racing competitions are brought from international-level games in the UK, Ireland, and Argentina. To keep your aintree betting offers at hand, the brand has a mobile app which is compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows devices. Sports wagering for new players at Betiton starts with a £10 deposit via numerous methods including ecoPayz, Astropay, Neteller, Skrill, and bank cards.

Grosvenor Sports

Grosvenor may be popular in the UK for its casino but that doesn’t make it less of a worthy aintree betting site. Its sportsbook option was launched in 2016 and has since been a place where punters can bet on 25+ sports dominated by football and ice hockey. The site is operated by Rank Interactive Ltd and regulated by the UKGC under account number 57924. Its website brings the best aintree grand national betting offers plus over 500 horse racing events with the latest odds and in-depth information on each race. The website provides daily race cards including expert insights on riders, runners, and recent forms. Place single bets or accumulate multiple bets before or during horse racing with its live bet option. To get started at this bookie, use Visa Card, MasterCard, or Paysafe to make an initial minimum deposit of £5. Alternatively, a £10 deposit can be made via PayPal.

888 Sport

888sport is one of the most reputable and dynamic aintree betting sites in the world. It is a subsidiary of 888 Holdings Plc which is a multi-award-winning company, regulated by the UKGC and MGA under account number 39028 and license number MGA/CRP/543/2018 respectively. The 888sport site brings thousands of sporting events in football, tennis, virtual sports, and over 24 other sports disciplines. It is equally unique in that it has betting offers in politics and novelty options. Besides pre-game bets, in-play bets are made possible via constantly updated odds and live statistics brought by 888sport live sportsbook. In addition, 888 sport can provide aintree betting tips to guide your bets. To bet for real money at this operator, punters signing up for an account must make a £10 deposit via Trustly, bank cards, PayPal, ApplePay, or Paysafe card.

Bwin

Bwin may be a casino brand but it’s very popular for its sports betting platform which covers a countless number of events yearly. Bwin sport is operated by LC International Limited under the regulations of the UKGC and has account number 54743. It is a leader in online aintree betting, bringing competitive odds and numerous markets. Aside from racing competitions in the UK, Bwin sports delivers betting for horse races in Ireland, the USA, and France. Its platform is easy to use featuring a calendar where upcoming and live games are listed. Its acca builder helps you combine multiple odds to form a single bet while its search tab is very handy in finding events rapidly. To make use of any of bwin’s aintree betting offers, create an account and deposit at least £10 via PayPal, Interac, Bank transfer, or MasterCard.

Betfred

Betfred is home to numerous online aintree betting options for UK punters. The company started as a single shop when it was founded in 1967 but now is among the best aintree betting sites worldwide. It is traded by Petfre Limited and is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission under account number 39544. This online betting site is a great choice for players who would love to switch between casino games and sports betting options in the twinkle of an eye. Its aintree betting offers are just a few of the over 25 sports disciplines covered by the bookie. To start betting at Betfred starts, make a £10 minimum deposit through a MasterCard, Visa card, Skrill, Neteller, PayPal, or Paysafe Card.

Unibet

Unibet is a gambling site operated by Platinum Gaming Limited, a Gibraltar-based company licensed by the UKGC under account number 45322.Unibet welcomes players with its green and white-themed platform where sports, casino, live casino, bingo, and poker options are easily accessible. It is also home to a wide variety of games on the aintree racecourse in addition to over 36 other sports disciplines. Competitive odds for less popular sports such as Netball and Chess can equally be found at the site. Its mobile experience is like none other, combining a mobile-friendly website and a swift mobile app that enables live streaming and live bets through a straightforward process. By signing up with Unibet, punters can enjoy live hurdles course races, in-play aintree betting offers, Cheltenham Festival bets, Royal Ascot, and much more. Interac, Bank transfer, and bank cards are a few methods available for deposits and withdrawal of funds at Unibet: £5 minimum via cards and £10 via other methods.

Betting on the Grand National at Aintree

The Grand National, like many other huge horse races, is full of entertainment, but you can make it even more entertaining by betting on it. When it comes to betting on the Grand National or any other horse racing events that take place at Aintree, you can jump right in (no pun intended) and make your bets with little research, but more often than not this type of strategy will just lead to you losing money.

Below we have provided you with some very helpful Aintree betting tips that you should remember whenever you are betting on races at this track. We should point out that a number of these tips are relevant regardless of where the horse race is taking place.

Trainers Are Vital

Those of you among us who are new to world of betting on horse racing will probably not pay much attention to who the trainer is when you are selecting a horse to bet on. However, completely ignoring who trains the horse is a silly thing to do because having a very good trainer can be the different between a horse having a good chance of winning the race or little to no chance of being victorious.

For example, when it comes down to the Grand National, the most successful trainers since it began have been George Dockeray, Fred Rimell, and Ginger McCain. All three jockeys have four Grand National wins to their name, but all three of them are no longer with us. When it comes to more recent trainers, Gordon Elliot has had plenty of success, having won with Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019. Henry de bromhead was the reigning 2021 Grand National trainer champion, having been the one who trained Minella Times. A new record was set by the 7-year Noble Yeats trained by Emmet Mullins won the 2022 Grand National.

Whenever you come across a horse that you like the look of, one of the first things that you should think about doing is checking out who they have been trained by and how much success that trainer has throughout his career. If the trainer in question has had little to no success, then you are better off putting your money on another horse.

Do Not Forget about the Jockeys

We focused on the trainers first because we feel that they are the most important, but this is certainly not us telling you that it does not matter who the jockey is. The jockey’s job is to ensure that their horse stays completely focused during the race, so during a big race such as the Grand National, where there is a lot at stake, you do not want to ignore the jockeys. You need to look at a jockey’s previous performances in this race as well as whether they have had any success lately.

One jockey that has had recent success in the Grand National includes Davy Russel, who was the jockey that was racing Tiger Roll when he was victorious in 2018 and 2019. Then, of course, there is Rachael Blackmore, who, as we mentioned above, became the first ever woman jockey to win this race. It only goes further with the amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen who rode Noble Yeats into the 2022 grand national victory.

Before you go ahead and bet on any horse running in the Grand National at Aintree, you need to take a bit of time to do some research and find out all that you can about the jockey that will be riding the horse you want to bet on. You should take a look at the type of form that they have been in lately and how they have done at the Grand National in the past. The more useful information that you can find regarding a jockey, the higher your odds will be of getting a nice win.

Looking at Past Trends is Vital

Before you dive into placing bets, you will be able to do yourself a huge favour by looking at the trends of previous races. By looking at different trends of the Grand National, you can get a very good idea about what might happen in the following edition of this race. Below we have given you some recent trends for this prestigious race:

• Eight of the previous eleven winners were 8, 9, or 10 years old.
• Two of the previous 11 favourites have gone on to win the race, while three of them were in the top three.
• Three of the last eleven winners were victorious in their last race before the Grand National, while four of the previous eleven winners placed in their last run.
• Nine of the previous eleven winner had run at least once at Aintree, while three of the last eleven winners had at least one win at Aintree.
• Ten of the last eleven winners have managed at least seven runs over three miles, while nine of the last victors have managed at least one win over three miles.

Betting Tips on the Mildmay Racecourse at Aintree

The Mildmay racecourse at aintree hosts the novice chasers as a grade one national hunt meeting in the UK. It is run by horses at least five years old over a total distance of about three miles and one furlong each year during the grand national meeting. To be successful when exploring aintree betting offers for mildmay, it is wise to question yourself on what the chances of each horse are to someday compete in the grand national. Also, consider the performances of both the jockeys and horses at other major races. However, note that the top three jockeys and trainers at the time are Sean Bowen, Henry Brooke, and Harry Skelton: Dan Skelton, Olly Murphy, and Emmet Mullins.

Betting Tips on the Hurdles Racecourse at Aintree

The hurdles course is the oldest of the three aintree courses. It is open to horses of at least four years of age over a total distance of about two and a half miles. The best aintree betting tips we can give you here are about past trends of competing horses. Essentially, promising horses at the hurdles course are those that have previously run the Champion Hurdle or similar races. However, note that the top three jockeys and trainers at the time are Aidan Coleman, Harry Skelton, and Paddy Brennan: Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson, and Gordon Elliott respectively.

Popular Racing Bets for Races at Aintree

Above we gave you some great betting tips that can lead to success when you are betting on the Grand National and other big horse racing events, and now we are going to look at some of the popular horse racing markets that you can bet on. When it comes down to horse racing betting, you will find plenty to keep you thoroughly entertained.

Win: This is a simple bet since all you are doing is choosing a horse that you think will go on to win the race. For the 2023 grand national, if you choose for example Noble Yeats, should he take the first position, your bet will pull through but if he any other place, you lose.

Forecast: With a forecast wager, you choose a couple of horses and guess which one will finish second and which one will come first. The two horses that you can select for the 2023 grand final are Noble Yeats and Corach Rambler for the first and second positions respectively. If they win opposite places instead, your bet will be a losing one. This is a tricky bet to predict and often has very enticing odds at aintree betting sites.

Reverse forecast: This is similar to the aforementioned forecast with the difference being that this one does not require you to get the exact final positions. All you have to do is select two horses and if they go on to finish in first or second, you will win your bet. Since this is an easier bet, the odds will not be as high as there are with a forecast bet.

Tricast: If you’re in for aintree betting tips and would like to go for bets that you can easily predict, the tricast is for you. With this bet type, you choose three participants at the 2023 Aintree racecourse and predict the position that the three horses will finish. Due to the extreme difficulty of this kind of bet, the profit that you can make is a big one if you manage to get it right.

Each way: With regards to each way bets, you are basically placing two bets at once. The first wager is for your selected horse to win, while the second wager is for your chosen horse to place. A place is often second or third, although there are a number of bookies now that will pay out an each way bet on third, fourth, and fifth. There are even some that will pay out on sixth. The odds for a place are a fifth of those that were on offer for your chosen horse to win.

Best Bonuses and Free Bets for the Grand National at Aintree

With regards to competitiveness, there are not a lot of industries out there that can rival the sports betting one. While this highly competitive nature is a negative for bookmakers, it is awesome for us sports bettors since it is what forces sportsbooks to offer us attractive welcome bonuses to try and tempt us to open an account with them. Any bookmaker that offers a below par Welcome bonus is one that people will steer well clear of.

Bonuses are different depending on the bookmaker that you sign up with, so it is important that you take some time to do a bit of research before you register an account with a bookie that you like. Below we have provided you with four bookies that are, in our opinion, offering the best welcome bonuses around at the moment. We are definitely not forcing anyone to sign up with these bookies, but you will have a very good sports gambling experience if you do.

Betiton: If you believe that Betiton is the bookie where you want to sign up to place sports bets, then you could claim up to £10 in free bets. To get this bonus, you’ll have to fulfil some wagering requirements including a bet of £15 with at least 2.00 odds. Punters can also enjoy Betiton’s cashout feature that enables them to take control of single or Acca bets before a selection is settled.

888sport: If you decide that 888sport is the bookie for you, then you can claim a Welcome Bonus that is a 100% match up to a value of £100. This means that if you decide to deposit £100 as your first deposit, you will receive £200 in your account. The 888sport bonus is available to use on any sport, but we recommend that you spend some of it on the Grand National if you sign up when the race is near.

Unibet: If you register with Unibet, then they will treat you to a £40 money back bonus. With this kind of bonus, you just have to place a wager that has a value of up to £40, and if it goes on to be a loser, your stake will be given back to you as a free bet. This free bet can be used on any sport you like, but we recommend you use it on a horse or two in the Grand National if you sign up when the race is near.

Grosvenor Sports: at this bookie, new subscribers often get a 100% odds boost after signing up for an account. There’s also a weekly free bet package of £5 which can be claimed after staking more than £25 during the previous week. At the time of this post, the operator was also offering one scratch card to each customer per day.

N.B. Online sports betting sites have to constantly switch their bonuses because they have to keep things fresh and innovative in order to stay ahead of competitors. A bookie that has an attractive bonus that punters can claim is one that will get many more customers register with them than a bookie that has a poor one, and every bookmaker knows this. Therefore, we obviously cannot guarantee that the four bonuses that we just mentioned are the ones that are on offer when you make your way to the bookmaker’s website to sign up. We apologise if this happens to you, but we just do not have enough spare time to always look for updated bonuses.

There is one more thing that we want to discuss before we move on with this guide and that is the importance of reading any T&Cs that apply to the bonus you are thinking about claiming. By taking your time to read the terms and conditions, you will learn all about the wagering requirements, the min deposits, the number of days you have to spend the bonus, and so on. It is important that you read each T&C as this will decrease your chances of forfeiting the bonus.

Where to Find the Best Aintree Betting Odds

You will not find the same odds at all sportsbooks because they are aware that they can get one over on their rivals by offering better odds. A bookie that consistently has high odds for the markets on offer is a bookie that people will be more than happy to register with, while a sportsbook that consistently has low odds risks going out of business because punters will not sign up with them.

Therefore, before you register with a bookmaker, you should take some time to carry out a bit of research to make sure that the odds on offer are worth your while. You will only ever get deserved value for your money by using good odds. When you buy something else on the Internet, we are pretty sure that you do a bit of research to make sure you are getting a good deal, so it stands to reason that you should do the same when searching for a bookie to bet at.

We shall now provide you with an example that shows how even a slight difference in odds can make a difference over time. For the 2022 Kempton Park race, for example, Unibet had Dragonball Prince at 1.44 odds while Betiton was at 1.25. By comparing the two offers, if you would like to place a wager oDragonballll Prince’s victory, the site offering the most profitable odds is Unibet. If you place a £10 bet using the 1.44 odds, you will make a profit of £4.4 whereas if you go for 1.25 odds, your profit will be £2.5. It is thus recommended to check odds at two or more bookies before placing a wager on aintree betting offers.

So, which bookies do we suggest you have a closer look at for Aintree betting as well as other types of horse racing betting? Well, we feel that these bookies will not let you down when it comes to the odds they are offering:

• 888sport
• Betiton
• Ladbrokes
• 10Bet

Aintree Live Betting Odds

Betting on sports became a lot easier for punters during the 90s when sportsbooks transitioned to the Internet. While this was a move that meant sports bettors could place wagers on their favourite sports from their own living room, there was a key part of sports betting missing, which was the ability to place a live bet. If you are a novice when it comes to betting on sports, then we know that there is the possibility that you are sitting there wondering what a live bet is. Well, to put it as simply as possible, a live bet is one that you make when the sport event you are betting on is still in play. Live betting was not available back then, but technology has improved so much that every bookie nowadays has some type of live betting arena.

Sportsbooks are aware that the majority of their players enjoy live betting, so they know that if they fail to offer a good live betting arena then they will miss out on potential customers. While the majority of bookies have live betting available, some bookies have much better live betting options than their rivals. If you like to place live wagers on horse races such as the Grand National at Aintree, get aintree betting tips, and even watch live aintree races in 2023, below are four bookies we recommend you take a closer look at.

• Ladbrokes
• BetBull
• NetBet
• Karamaba

This Aintree betting guide has given you all the useful information that you need to have a great horse racing betting experience, so take it all in, and good luck.

FAQs