Bookies set for £250m gambling bonanza ahead of Grand National weekend

Bookmakers are braced for a £250million gambling bonanza this Grand National weekend.

Wagers on the famous horse race are set to top records with betting shops reopened and a quadruple of crunch sports events on Saturday and Sunday.

Rachael Blackmore, 32, aims to make history again by retaining her Grand National title on 14/1 Minella Times.

She became the first female jockey to win the steeplechase last year. In 2021, around £120m was wagered in the UK on the Covid-hit Aintree showpiece.

But with bookies open again, an extra £30m in wagers and three million bets are expected for Saturday’s race.

Golf legend Tiger Woods’ stunning return to the US Masters this week could bring in £20m in wagers while F1 fans will splash the cash on Lewis Hamilton in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix. Later, bookies expect the Premier League “title decider” between Manchester City and Liverpool to net the most football bets since England lost to Italy in last summer’s Euros final.

The four massive sporting events means bookmakers anticipate in Britain at least a quarter of a billion pounds-worth of flutters will happen as almost all sports have key fixtures on Saturday or Sunday.

Coral’s David Stevens says the fact betting shops were shut during last year’s Randox Grand National had a big impact on the amount wagered in 2021.

He explained: “With betting shops still closed when last year’s National was run, punters had to have their flutter online.

“While plenty did, with the High street up and running again in 2022 we’re braced for the busiest day of the year on Saturday and that will see £150 million bet in the UK on the biggest race of them all.”

Video: NEWS OF THE WEEK: Big winners at the 2022 Academy Awards (Cover Video)

A Rundown of