How to place a Grand National bet at a racecourse
Last Updated 25 Sep 2026 | By The GrandNational.org.uk StaffMost people place their Grand National bets online these days, but there’s still an enormous amount of money going through the bookmakers at the track. With around 150,000 racegoers expected at Aintree across the three days of the 2027 Festival, the on-course bookies will be busy.
If you’re heading to the course and have never bet there before, it’s simpler than it looks. Read on for how it works, or have a look at our Grand National betting offers if you’d rather get your bet on before you set off.
How to bet at a racecourse – A step-by-step guide
If you’re still wondering exactly how to place your Grand National bets at the track, read on for our step-by-step guide.
- Get your bearings. The bookmakers are hard to miss. They’re lined up in rows in front of the grandstand, along the rail, each with their odds up on a board.
- Pick a horse. Exactly how to decide which horses to back is entirely up to you. Some people spend hours poring over the form, others go on the name or the colours, and both approaches have produced plenty of winners over the years. Make a note of the horse’s number, as it’s useful when you get to the front of the queue.
- Decide your stake. Work out what you’re happy to spend across the day and split it between the races you fancy. Sticking to that is much easier decided in advance than in the moment.
- Decide your bet type. You can back a horse to win, back it each-way so it pays out if it finishes in the places, or get into more involved bets that ask you to name the first two or three in order. If it’s your first time, keep it simple.
- Look for the best price. Odds vary from one bookmaker to the next, so have a look at a few before you join a queue. It takes a minute and can make a real difference.
- Place your bet. Tell the bookmaker three things. Your stake, your horse, and the type of bet. “£5 on number four to win, please” is all it takes.
- Check your ticket. You’ll get a printed receipt showing your bet and your potential returns. Have a look at it before the race rather than after.
- Collect your winnings. If your horse wins, take the ticket back to the same bookmaker after the race and they’ll pay you out on the spot.
The betting jungle – where to place Grand National bets
The rows of on-course bookmakers are known as the betting jungle, and it’s one of the best bits of a day at the races. It’s loud, it’s busy, and on Grand National day it can look a bit daunting if you’ve never been before.
You’ll find it in front of the grandstand, near the finishing line. At a meeting the size of the Grand National, you can expect to see between 50 and 100 bookmakers down there, which sounds overwhelming but is actually good news. With that many competing for your money, someone will be offering a better price on your horse than the bookmaker next to them. It’s worth looking at a few before you decide.
Image provided by horseracingphoto.co.uk and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
If you can’t make it to Aintree Racecourse on the day, we recommend placing your bets online with the UK bookmakers you’ll find at the Grand National:
Can I take a price with on-course bookmakers?
At the track you always “take a price”, which means you’re locked into the odds showing when you hand over your money. Online or in a shop you can ask for the starting price instead, and be paid at whatever the horse goes off at. That option doesn’t exist with the on-course bookmakers.
So if you think your horse’s odds might get bigger as the race approaches, it’s worth waiting until closer to the off before betting.
The reason is that each on-course bookmaker runs their own book and needs to know exactly where they stand on every horse. Locking in prices as bets are struck is how they keep track of what they’d owe.
Almost all of them will give you a printed ticket showing the race time, your horse, your stake, your potential returns and, importantly, the bookmaker’s own name. Keep it somewhere safe. There are dozens of them down there and the name on the ticket is how you’ll find the right one afterwards.
Download our Grand National Betting Guide
If I win my Grand National bets, what happens next?
Check the name on your ticket, head back to that bookmaker, join the queue and hand it over. They’ll count out your winnings there and then.
Can I bet on my phone at the racecourse?
You can, and plenty of people do. It’s worth knowing that some betting apps have restricted access at racecourses unless they’re an official partner of Aintree, so it pays to have your account set up and your bets planned before you arrive.
The easiest approach is to get your bets on online before you travel, when you’ve got time to compare prices and claim any Grand National betting offers going. Then you can enjoy the day without queuing. If you’d rather decide race by race once you’re there, the on-course bookmakers are always an option.
Can I bet on future races with on course bookies?
Some will, but it’s uncommon. Most rails bookmakers, as the ones lined up along the track are known, are only interested in the next race, and their board will only show the runners and prices for that one. If you want to get several bets on at once, head for one of the betting shops inside the grandstand or use the Tote.
Top tips when betting with on course bookies
Shop around. With so many bookmakers in one place, you’ve got a real advantage. It’s no different from any other kind of shopping. Why take 10/1 when the bookmaker next door is showing 14/1?
Know what you want before you get to the front. The queue moves quickly and nobody wants to be doing their thinking at the counter. Have three things ready: the horse, the bet and the stake. Remember it as HBS (Horse, Bet, Stake) and you’ll be fine.
Know your other options. As well as the rails bookmakers, you can bet with the Tote at the track, and most courses have ordinary betting shops inside the grandstands.
Pick up the lingo. Our Grand National betting guides cover the terms you’ll hear on the day.
Other useful pages
Hopefully you now know how to place a bet at the racecourse, but at grandnational.org.uk we’ve got your other needs catered for too. Check out our bet calculator page to find out exactly how much you’ll win from your bets, or learn how to bet online, for a stress-free experience when you’re betting from the comfort of your own home.
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The GrandNational.org.uk Staff
