SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Global payments processor and services provider Worldpay have predicted that online bookmakers are set for their biggest Grand National ever this weekend.
Alan Watson, Vice President Gambling, Worldpay eCommerce, said:
“The Grand National is always the most popular betting event in the sporting calendar and we are already seeing huge excitement around this year’s race. Racing fans were emboldened by a Cheltenham Festival that saw bookies take a bit of a pasting and we anticipate that punters will pile in on Saturdayafternoon. We expect this to be the biggest Grand National ever for the online bookies, and the fact Champion Jockey AP McCoy is riding the race for the very last time only adds to the drama.”
According to Worldpay, last year’s Grand National saw a 71% increase in online betting activity and a 43% spike in total betting value compared with the week before the event.
Watson added: “Technology has made it even easier to place a bet and watch the race online. You can expect a lot of people to be glued to their smartphones at 4.15pm on Saturday, in addition to the millions of people in pubs and homes around the country placing their bets online from the comfort of their barstool or sofa.”
The Grand National is the most famous horse race in the world, offering over £1 million in prize money. The race, which takes place at Aintree every year in April thrills more than 70,000 spectators at the Liverpool racecourse, with a further 600 million watching on TV and online worldwide.
