Bookmaker claims Tiger Roll's Grand National victory cost industry £250 million

Tiger Roll steamrollered the bookmakers with his second Grand National success, a win estimated to have cost the industry £250 million.

There was, however, a spectrum of reaction from firm to firm, with Paddy Power claiming to have actually won on the race.

Tiger Roll had been well backed since his striking success in the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and was sent off at 4-1, becoming the shortest-priced winner since Poethlyn landed odds of 11-4 exactly 100 years earlier.

Betway's Alan Alger said: "The quarter-of-a-billion pound bombshell has landed.

"Tiger Roll has gone back-to-back and inflicted the most expensive result in Grand National history. People have been backing this horse since he got his head in front here last year, and he'll go down as the greatest ever result for punters.

"There have been a few favourable results across the week for us bookies, but it was always going to come down to the National and we've been wiped out."

The crowds are packed up against the rails bookmakers, but some layers didn't take quite the hit that was perhaps expectedCredit: Edward Whitaker

Betfred's Fred Done said: "We have been mauled by the Tiger once again. There's no doubt this is the costliest result since the legendary Red Rum landed his third Grand National in 1977.

"However, when such a fantastic little horse achieves something so special and makes history, we can only pay out with a smile."

Sky Bet's Michael Shinners said: "Tiger Roll was well supported throughout the day and, although the places were kind to bookmakers, it was certainly a great result for punters."

Inevitably, some firms fared better than others, and at one point on Saturday afternoon Tiger Roll drifted to 11-2 and was easy to back.

Coral's David Stevens said: "As expected Tiger Roll was a popular choice throughout the busiest day of the betting year. However, there was a tremendous spread of money for many of his National rivals as well, which softened the blow in terms of payout.

"It was certainly nowhere near as bad as we'd feared in the build-up to the race."

Betfair Sportsbook spokesman Barry Orr concurred, saying: "When a 4-1 favourite wins the biggest betting event of the year you'd think it should be an absolute stinker for us but, bizarrely, it wasn't that bad a result at all."

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield went even further, saying: "Unbelievably, despite Tiger Roll prevailing again, and the placed horses not being ideal, we've won on the race."

Runner-up Magic Of Light, at 66-1, would have been a good result for bookmakers, but she was followed by popular each-way choices Rathvinden (8-1), Walk In The Mill (25-1), Anibale Fly (10-1) and One For Arthur (25-1).

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