The Virtual Grand National (VGN) brings the excitement of the real-life Grand National to the virtual world. This year there will be 40 horses and riders taking place, courtesy of Inspired Entertainment’s team. The virtual race along with the Virtual Grand National Race of Champions will attempt to predict the outcome of the 2022 Grand National.
- What Is the Virtual Grand National?
- Best Betting Sites for the Virtual Grand National
- What Is the History of the Virtual Grand National?
- Differences between the Virtual Grand National and the Grand National
- Virtual Grand National Winners
- When Is the 2022 Virtual Grand National Taking Place?
- Other Virtual Horse Racing Events
- Virtual Grand National FAQs
- ThePuntersPage Final Say
What Is the Virtual Grand National?
The VGN uses the latest CGI technology for a computer simulation of the real-life race at Aintree, replicating it with winners and even fallers!
The dedication to the world’s most famous horse race has ensured that all the elements of the meet are captured perfectly, offering almost the complete package of the real-world race in a virtual environment. It is no surprise that horse racing and the growing market of virtual sports have combined to great success, and we're looking forward to the latest iteration of the virtual Grand National.
The team behind this virtual race is ‘Inspired', who are game and content developers for the betting industry, including other virtual sports and casino-related games. They take into consideration many factors in order to make the experience and end result as realistic as possible: weather, previous races, riders and trainers’ records, and much more.
The results have also been confirmed by Steve Rogers, CCO for Virtual Sports at Inspired: “In 2017, Cause Of Causes won the VGN and came a close second in the real race hours later.
“The 2018 result was breathtaking as Tiger Roll won both in almost identical circumstances and the computer chose three of the top five finishers, including Tiger Roll, in 2019.”
BetVictor
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 at odds 2.00+ within 7 days, no cashout. Get 3x £10 Free Bets, set events at odds 2.00+. Plus a £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw max £250. Plus 100 Free Spins. 100 Free Spins have no wagering. Bonuses and Spins expire in 7 days. Card payments only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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Paddy Power
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
New Customer offer. Place a £10 Sportsbook bet, min odds 1.5 (1/2) and get £10 in sports free bets. Only deposits made using cards & Apple Pay will qualify for this promotion. Free bets will be awarded after the qualifying bet has been settled and are valid for 30 days. T&Cs apply. |
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 Coral
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ New UK+ ROI Customers only. Deposit & Bet min £5 as first bet at minimum odds 1/2 to qualify for 1x £20 Free Bet. Certain deposit methods and bet types excluded. Free bet valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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 Unibet
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. No deposit required for NI customers. Call 08081699314 to claim. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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 William Hill
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+. Play Safe. New customers only. Minimum £10/€10 stake on Grand National. Offer available from 14:00 (BST) on 08.04.21 until 17:15 (BST) on 09.04.21. Maximum £10/€10 free bet credited to account on 10.04.21. Terms and conditions apply. #ad |
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 SportNation
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
Valid for new UK & Irish customers. Only customers registering and playing via mobile are eligible for this offer. Min qualifying deposit £25. Min odds apply for free bets. 2 day expiry for free bets. Full T&Cs apply. |
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 Ladbrokes
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first 5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x 5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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 BoyleSports
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
*New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile only. £20 in FREE Bets (FB) as £10 in sports bets & a £10 casino bonus (CB). Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7 day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept £10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable £100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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Above is a list of the best betting sites who offer the Virtual Grand National. Follow the links to read our reviews of the bookies.
If you like our options here, check out the top betting sites for Non Runner No Bet for the 2022 Grand National, offering compelling wagering odds and promotions for the event.
What Is the History of the Virtual Grand National?
- The Virtual Grand National began in 2017 with its inaugural race, and has been held every year since. The 2022 race will be the sixth iteration of the event, and it continues to go from strength-to-strength. The VGN has become a tradition in itself and has earned itself a regular spot for broadcasters the day before the event. Punters can even use the VGN as a predictor for their betting options for the Grand National itself, as the software used by ‘Inspired’ does include an authentic feel for the contest at Aintree, taking into account all of the rigours of the famous racecourse.
- In 2020, the VGN took on greater prominence in popular culture after the Grand National was cancelled for the first time since World War Two due to the pandemic. The race was broadcast by ITV at the actual time of the usual Grand National to help fill the void left by the lack of real-life action. The VGN was watched by 4.8 million viewers in the United Kingdom on ITV at the peak time of 17:15 BST.
- In light of the pandemic, bookmakers altered the style of their wagers for the contest, offering bets only up to £10 each way. However, the top betting sites in the industry teamed up with NHS Charities Together, raising £2.6m as part of the profits from the event. Although the Grand National returned in 2021, the Virtual Grand National remained prevalent both on television and as a betting event as a whole as Potters Corner won the virtual race. The horse was not as a successful in the Grand National, but the record of the VGN has proven to be a solid indicator of how the real-life charges will fare over the four miles and 40 fences of the prestigious race.
Differences between the Virtual Grand National and the Grand National
The primary difference between the Virtual Grand National and the Grand National is obvious: one is a computer simulation and the other is a real-life event.
When it comes to the actual Grand National, anything can happen, from incredible feats of speed and athleticism from horses to dramatic falls that can end the fortunes of even the most talented of competitors. The roar of the crowd can also not be accounted for during a simulation, with up to 75,000 spectators cheering on their respective horse to get over the line in first place.
There are also differences between the betting options for the Virtual Grand National and the Grand National. Your Virtual Grand National betting options will be more basic compared to Grand National odds. The markets that will be available include the outright and each-way options, which offer great value for your bets.
However, the betting odds for the main meet are a lot more diverse, featuring each-way Grand National betting, outright wagers, forecast, tricast and many other types of wager on the signature race of jumps racing.
Virtual Grand National Winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Cause of Causes |
| 2018 | Tiger Roll |
| 2019 | Rathvinden |
| 2020 | Potters Corner |
| 2021 | Cloth Cap |
When Is the 2022 Virtual Grand National Taking Place?
Other Virtual Horse Racing Events
Following the success of the Virtual Grand National, Inspired have also created a computer simulation for the US's most famous horse race, The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown. This is takes place between the 13 horses in history who have won the Triple Crown.
Virtual Grand National FAQs
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The Virtual Grand National is a simulation of the Grand National, created using CGI technology to emulate the look and feel of the prestigious race at Aintree Racecourse.
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The first Virtual Grand National was staged in 2017 and was won by Cause of Causes.
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The 2022 Virtual Grand National is scheduled to be staged on Friday 8th April at 20:00 BST.
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You can bet on the Virtual Grand National on many of the top betting sites in the industry, notably BetVictor, Unibet and William Hill.
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You will be able to bet on the outright winner and place each-way bets on the Virtual Grand National.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
The VGN might not be the ‘real’ thing, but thanks to the technology behind it, it's as close as it gets.
This makes for an increased amount of fun when betting on the Grand National, as punters can try their luck twice on the day: once on the real race, and a second time on the virtual race.
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