Be ready for the 2025 Grand National: Capitalising on racing’s biggest event and beyond

Be ready for the 2025 Grand National: Capitalising on racing’s biggest event and beyond  

The dust has barely settled on an action-packed Cheltenham Festival, but the racing calendar waits for no one. With industry estimates suggesting that a staggering £250 million was bet throughout Cheltenham week, attention now shifts to the 2025 Grand National—an event where betting turnover could top half a billion pounds. And that’s just on the big race itself, not accounting for the rest of the wagers across the three-day meeting. 

As betting volumes continue to rise year-on-year across racing’s biggest festivals, from Cheltenham to Aintree and beyond, iGaming brands must be ready to engage punters at every major moment. The challenge isn’t just attracting bettors—it’s ensuring they choose your platform when the stakes are at their highest. 

Key Dates & what’s in store 

The 2025 Grand National Festival runs from Thursday, 3 April, to Saturday, 5 April, at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool. The feature race—the Grand National—takes place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, drawing millions of viewers and punters worldwide. 

Beyond the main event, the festival includes high-calibre contests such as the Aintree Hurdle and the Melling Chase, offering plenty of opportunities for brands to engage audiences throughout the week. 

And it’s not just Aintree—Cheltenham’s record betting turnover highlights the increasing appetite for festival betting. The momentum will continue into Royal Ascot, the Guineas, and the Epsom Derby, giving brands multiple touchpoints to engage audiences and maximise conversions throughout the year. 

Runners to watch at Aintree 

The 2025 renewal promises to be one of the most competitive in recent history. Here are four horses set to dominate the betting markets: 

• Intense Raffles – Following the withdrawal of Inothewayurthinkin, the 2024 Irish Grand National winner is now favourite. Second in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February, he has the form to go all the way. 

• I Am Maximus – Last year’s Grand National winner returns to defend his title under top weight (11st 12lbs). A dominant seven-and-a-half-length victory in 2024 makes him a strong contender. 

• Iroko – Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, Iroko finished runner-up to recent Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase last year and has been well-supported in the ante-post betting. 

• Nick Rockett – Winner of the Bobbyjo Chase, beating current favourite Intense Raffles. If he navigates the Aintree fences cleanly, he could spring a surprise for Willie Mullins. 

Winning the betting battle: How iGaming brands can capitalise 

With record-breaking betting volumes across racing’s biggest festivals, the opportunity for operators has never been greater. Here’s how to position your brand for success: 

• Data-driven insights: Understanding player behaviour is critical. What bets are trending? How do punters engage in the lead-up to major races? Our proprietary tools provide deep market insights to optimise acquisition and retention strategies. 

• SEO & content strategy: From competitive keyword benchmarking to targeted content campaigns, ensuring your brand ranks at the top when bettors search for big meeting betting odds, tips, and promotions is essential. 

• Responsible gaming leadership: With increased scrutiny on compliance, responsible gaming should be front and centre. We help brands balance commercial performance with ethical marketing, ensuring adherence to UKGC and CAP guidelines. 

Are You bet-ready for racing’s biggest moments? 

Receptional works with leading iGaming brands to create high-impact marketing strategies that drive results. Whether it’s optimising paid media, enhancing organic reach, or refining conversion strategies, we ensure you capitalise on every key festival. 

Want to maximise your Grand National and festival betting campaigns? Let’s talk. Get in touch today to discover how we can help you win big in 2025 and beyond.