Being able to watch the Grand National from Aintree returned in 2022 after coronavirus restricted fans from attending the previous year. It meant thousands of horse racing betting fans flooded the racecourse for this spectacular Festival, and it’s likely to be the same again in 2023.
The Grand National isn’t just about one race – there are three days of elite-level National Hunt horse racing before the ultimate, 30-jump showdown on the Saturday.
And fans who get tickets for the Grand National are usually in for a wild time. Here, Paddy Power explains everything you need to know about the Grand National attendance in our latest Demystifying Racing guide…
How many people watch the Grand National?
It is estimated 10 million people watch the Grand National online and on TV in the UK each year. Globally, the Grand National viewing figures are thought to hit around 500 million. That is a big draw for British and Irish racing and organisers make sure the Festival runs smoothly in order to keep those international broadcasters happy.
150,000 people usually attend the Grand National Festival (GETTY)
How many Grand National tickets are sold?
While 10 million racing betting fans watch the Grand National at home, around 70,000 lucky punters manage to buy Grand National tickets and attend the race live. Aintree can cater for this number of spectators thanks to its enormous grandstands and wide open spaces. Tickets range from basic ground passes to elite VIP suites within the grandstand. The 70,000 daily capacity for the festival returned in 2022.
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Grand National attendance figures
While a large chunk of Grand National Festival goers choose to attend on the Saturday of the three-day event, there are still thousands who rock up at Aintree to enjoy the horse racing on the Thursday and Friday.
Thursdays usually attract around 33,000 spectators and provide a basis from which the Festival builds until the big race on the Saturday. Friday is Ladies’ Day, with 50,000 tickets usually available for punters. In 2018 Ladies Day tickets sold out and there were over 49,000 at the racecourse on the same day a year later.
In total around 150,000 fans attend the Grand National Festival over its three-day duration, making it one of the biggest horse racing events on the planet. Only the likes of Cheltenham (250,000 over four days) and the Melbourne Cup (105,000 on Cup day) can rival the Grand National for annual spectators.
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