The Grand National, taking place on 9 April, attracts tens of millions of pounds in bets every year.
It’s estimated that a quarter of British adults bet on the race, and that the majority of these gamble their money on little more than the name of the horse.
According to the Grand National Statistics website, people bet on a variety of different factors, most relating to the physical appearance or name of the horse:
- 47.4 per cent because of horse name;
- 19.4 per cent because of horse colour;
- 19 per cent because of jockey number;
- and 7.3 per cent because of a jockey.
But what are the patterns seen among the previous winners of the Grand National? Do any of these factors actually influence whether a horse will go on to glory?
We’ve crunched the numbers to see how a horse’s names, age, weight and more can hint at whether they are tipped for success.
Grand National betting: Your guide to the best odds, free bets and offers
Should you bet on the favourite on the day?
Many novice punters on the Grand National know very little about horse racing and instead rely on betting odds to make their choice. They may decide to place their bets on the bookie’s favourites, which currently are Vieux Lion Rouge (10/1) and Definitly Red (11/1).
But this may not be wise. 16 per cent of Grand National races have ended up with the favourite winning – around one in six.