Virtual Grand National’s NHS Donations From Bookmakers Could Add to 3% of 2020 Budget*. It is unlikely to happen.

*additional budget for nurses and hospitals.

However, it is unlikely NHS gets anything since the likelihood that more than 60% will bet on the favorite (Tiger Roll at odds 5/1) is high. If this is the case and the favorite wins then no profits left to donate.

UPDATES: The winner of Virtual Grand National 2020 is Potters Corner, number 30 on the odds list.

So if 1 mln people bet in total, and 1% of them bet on the winner, then the bookies profit is 8.2 mln GBP.

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A selection of the world’s biggest bookmakers will donate all profits from the 2020 Virtual Grand National to NHS charities in an effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

American Gambler estimates if just half of the 33 million betting accounts in the United Kingdom bet £10 on the race, that could lead to a £160 million donation, which is about 3% of the NHS’ £6 billion additional budget for nurses and hospitals in 2020.

All major sports have been suspended in a bid to limit the spread of COVID-19. Horse racing is among those affected by the pandemic, and it was recently confirmed the 2020 Grand National—scheduled to be held at Aintree on Saturday, April 4—was cancelled and will be replaced by a virtual equivalent.

Members of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) include some of the biggest bookmakers in the industry. Companies who have agreed to the NHS initiative include Bet365, William Hill, Betway, BetVictor, Flutter Entertainment, Sky Bet, GVC Holdings, BetFred, JenningsBet and Inspired Entertainment.

Iqbal Johal of GamblingInsider.com wrote customers will be restricted to a £10 bet per horse, and all profits will be donated to NHS Charities Together, which represents over 140 NHS charities.

The report included comment from BGC chief executive Michael Dugher, who said: 

“I am delighted our members have stepped up in this way to support the national effort to combat COVID-19 by contributing all of their race profits to NHS Charities Together. Millions of us love a flutter on the Grand National. For many, it’s the only time of the year they place a bet. This year, the big winner will be our NHS.”

The coronavirus has led to more than 44,000 deaths worldwide from almost 900,000 confirmed cases as of Wednesday, per the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

Can you bet on Grand National Horse Race from the USA?

Punters in the United States may soon enjoy the same horse-race betting benefits as those in the UK after fixed-odds betting on UK-based races was legalised, per American Gambler.

Saturday’s race will be broadcast and streamed by ITV on Saturday at 5:15 p.m. BST, with the runners intended to take part in the showdown set to be replaced by virtual counterparts.

Tiger Roll was hoping to become the first horse ever to win three Grand Nationals in a row, having last year become the first horse since Red Rum in 1973-74 to win back-to-back races.