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| April 4, 2003 | Friday | Safar 1, 1424 |
Grand National set for betting bonanza
LONDON, April 3: British bookmakers are predicting a record 150 million pounds ($235 million) will be bet on Saturday’s Grand National at Aintree.
The figure is ready to eclipse the previous record of 120 million pounds set last year in the first National following the abolition of betting tax in Britain.
Bookmakers estimate around 25 percent of a population of just under 60 million will have a bet on Saturday.
Many punters are riding the crest of a wave, playing up winnings after 10 of the 20 favourites won at last month’s big Cheltenham Festival won.
David Stevens, spokesman for Coral’s bookmakers, said on Thursday: “Since Cheltenham, results have definitely gone the punters’ way and we’ll be hoping that on Grand National day they give some of their winnings back.”
Last year’s race went to 20-1 outsider Bindaree and in 2001 Red Marauder foiled most punters by winning at 33-1.
Favourite backers will be pinning their faith on Saturday on Ad Hoc (13-2) closely followed by Shotgun Willy at 7-1.
More women are likely to bet as well, according to research from Coral’s bookmaking rivals William Hill.
Hills spokesperson Jennie Prest said: “Betting has never been so customer-friendly as it is now and women no longer have to worry about walking in to a male-dominated betting shop.
“We have seen a recent upsurge in new registrations on the telephone and the internet and over one in four new account holders are female, which is a 100 percent increase on last year.”
Grand National favourites have a modest record over the years, the last to win being Earth Summit at 7-1 in 1998. Big-price winners include Ben Nevis at 40-1 in 1980, Last Suspect at 50-1 in 1985 and, famously, Foinavon at 100-1 in 1967.—Reuters
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