For many, the Grand National next month from Liverpool, England, will be one of the highlights of their sporting year. The steeplechase is the most famous of its kind anywhere in the world and is a race which attracts a lot of bets.

If you are new to betting on the 4m 2½f contest, here is some advice which may just help you find the winner this year.

Study The Weights For the Handicap

The Grand National is a handicap contest which means, in theory, each runner has an equal chance of winning. Obviously, it does not always work out like that, as reflected in the betting as Tiger Roll is the +500 favorite with the bookmakers, while many of his rivals can be backed at +10000.

Last month, the official weights for the race were revealed. The dual-winner Tiger Roll has been handed the top weight of 11st and 10lb, as he is the highest-rated horse in the field.

The stats suggest anything over 11st 5lb is difficult to carry in the Grand National so many punters prefer to look further down the weights. Recent results do go against that view though, as a lot of top-class horses have prevailed.

Course Form Is Huge

Course form counts for a lot at most racecourses around the world, but none more so than around the Grand National course at Aintree. The fences are far different from any other National Hunt track.

When you are putting together a shortlist of runners to choose your selection from, it is worth including horses which have run well at this course before.

Tiger Roll is obviously the one which stands out the most this year as he has won the last two renewals on the Grand National. Gordon Elliott’s runner is set for the same path as in 2018 and 2019 as he is scheduled to run in the Cross Country Chase, where he has Cheltenham Festival odds & betting of +200 for that race. That outing will be his final prep run before Aintree.

Another horse in the field which has had multiple success over the bigger fences is Walk In The Mill. He is a two-time winner of the Becher Handicap Chase which takes place on the Grand National Course. He is +1400 in the betting and is sure to attract many takers at those odds.

Don’t Be Afraid To Back An Outsider

It is not uncommon for outsiders to prevail in the Grand National. In 2009, Mon Mome prevailed at odds of +10000, while in 2013, Auroras Encore came out on top at +6600.

Those at the bottom end of the betting cannot be ignored in the Grand National. In many respects, the race can be described as a lottery as the winner certainly needs a bit of fortune to go their way at various points in the race.

If you fancy a horse at a big price at Aintree, stick with your selection, even if the bookmakers don’t give it much hope.

Best of luck if you are having a bet on the thrilling steeplechase, and let’s hope it is your horse passing the winning line in first place!