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Betting Sites – Fun Facts About the Grand National

Betting Sites – Fun Facts About the Grand National

Sports betting is one of the most enjoyable and potentially rewarding pastimes in existence. Whether you prefer to make your way down to the bookies and place a bet, use betting sites, or even head to the races and bet there, there’s plenty of options for keen gamblers. If you look at the many betting sites now in operation, one thing you’ll notice is that they all focus very strongly on Horse Racing.

Horse Racing is synonymous with sports betting, and there’s one horse race that gets even the most casual of gambler excited. That race may be a few months away yet, but it’s the Grand National, and it’s this event we’re looking at today. To help you prepare for this year’s National, here are a few fun facts about the race that you probably didn’t know.

An ironic name – The Grand National has been going now for a very long time. In fact, the very first Grand National was held way back in 1839. Back then it was known as the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase. The winner of the race had a slightly ironic name, given the nature of the event. The winner was a horse named ‘Lottery’ that was ridden by James ‘Jem’ Mason.

A fan favourite – If you’ve read the Stephen King horror ‘The Shining’ or seen the movie, the words ‘Red Rum’ will probably send a shiver down your spine. If you’re a fan of horse racing however, they will delight you. The most popular, and arguably most famous, winner of the Grand National was a horse named ‘Red Rum’. The horse won the event three times, winning in 1973, 1974, and 1977. He also lived until the ripe old age of 30.

Heart of a champion – A famous jockey by the name of Bob Champion, has actually had a movie made about him, and his horse. The world loves a true underdog story and Bob certainly had that. Bob was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Rather than giving up and throwing in the towel, he fought to recover. He beat the disease, made a comeback to the world of racing, and eventually went on to win the Grand National in 1981 on a horse named Aldaniti.

Don’t always back the favourite – When casual gamblers head onto the betting sites to place a bet on the Grand National, a lot of them will put their money on the favourite. After all, the horse is the favourite for a reason, so surely that would make sense, right? Well, statistically, no. In the last two decades, the favourite has only won the race 4 times.

A piece of the Lakes – In the UK, the Lake District is one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Did you know however, that a small piece of the Lake District actually makes its way to the Grand National event? It’s true. You see, the jumps are topped with Spruce which is transported all the way to Aintree, Liverpool from the Lake District.