The Aintree Grand National isn’t just a horse race. It’s become a cultural phenomenon. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a dyed-in-the-wool National Hunt racing fan or a casual sports fan that bets on the Grand National once a year in the office sweepstake, the event is now firmly engrained in British popular culture.
As a matter of fact, the impact of the Grand National on various social media platforms is growing year-on-year.
If you’re a regular user of X (formerly known as Twitter), TikTok, Instagram, or even Reddit, the chances are you’ll have seen Grand National content or footage from Aintree Racecourse on your timelines.
Why the Grand National Works as a Social Media Spectacle?
Let’s face it, the Grand National is tailor-made for social media. It’s dramatic and unpredictable, due largely to the inherent nature of the race – with 40 steeplechase horses storming over challenging fences and obstacles.
Aintree racegoers love to share their reactions, whether it’s an outrageous long-shot winner, a painful near-miss or just the sheer adrenaline rush of being a part of the race in person.
Online Sports Betting Sites Help to Fuel the Social Buzz
It’s no secret that online bookmakers revel in the excitement of the Grand National. After all, it’s one of their most popular betting events of the calendar year.
It’s the one time when nearly everyone has a flutter, whether it’s a tiny bet on a rank outsider or a serious punt on a pre-race contender.
Online sportsbooks do all they can on socials to keep racegoers and casual fans engaged. In recent years, they’ve turned social media platforms into marketing goldmines.
Whether it’s the promotion of exclusive offers, the change of a horse’s pre-race odds or expert insights from horse racing analysts, there’s a huge amount of hype in the days and weeks leading up to the Grand National.
It’s no surprise that bookmaker comparison sites lean heavily on the Grand National timelines on social media, since much of their revenues are generated through commission from new customer sign-ups.
For instance, Oddschecker regularly promotes its table with bookmakers and their Grand National sign-up offers in the days and weeks leading up to Aintree’s iconic festival.
There’s a growing number of social media influencers and tipsters, too, who each take to social media to share their own predictions and make it easier for casual punters to get involved.
TikTok is one off the fastest-growing platforms for promoting horse racing influencers and tipsters to gain traction.
However, given the accessible nature of this platform, it’s easy for anyone to label themselves a tipster.
Members of the public should stick to getting information from Grand National tipsters who are transparent about their wins and losses, or from well established platforms.
Second-screen Betting and the Power of Social Media
As a growing number of viewers tune in to watch the Grand National via live, online streams, second-screen betting – where viewers place bets on their phone or computer as they watch – has skyrocketed.
The best part is that social media helps to make this process even more entertaining and engaging. As the in-play odds shift live during the race, platforms like X and TikTok light up with reactions, giving punters the chance to find valuable odds in the markets.
For those who missed the race in real-time, social media has also made it easy to head over to the #GrandNational hashtag and catch instant highlights or replays of the race.
Social media platforms like Reddit, Discord and even X have fostered communities of Grand National and horse racing betting fanatics.
These hubs make it possible to read insights and share your own opinion pre-race or even mid-race, reacting to the action together.
It’s clear that social media’s role in driving excitement for the Grand National will be just as important, if not more so, in the next decade.
Expect even more interactive experiences, from augmented reality (AR) driven betting apps to live Q&As with jockeys and trainers, taking you up close and personal to the racing, even if you don’t have a ticket for Aintree’s Randox Grand National 2025.
