Bookies feel the pain on Grand National results

The annual Grand National horse race in the UK took place over the weekend, leaving many bookies totting up their losses following a win by Scottish horse One for Arthur at 14 to 1.

A win for One for Arthur was largely unexpected and only the second victory in the epic race by a Scottish horse since the late ‘seventies.

William Hill reported that it took in bets worth around GBP 25 million and admitted that it would most likely have to “give it all back”, with a spokesman saying ruefully:

“It was a National to forget for us but a fairly grand one for punters in Scotland.”

In past years the bookmaking giant has averaged around GBP 5 million in revenue each year from the Grand National, but not this time.