One Grand National punter has remarkably scooped just under £1million after I Am Maximus triumphed at Aintree this afternoon. It represents one of the largest winning wagers, with the gambler collecting a staggering £900,000.
Bookmaker Johnny Dineen disclosed on ITV that somebody had staked £100,000 on I Am Maximus at 8-1 odds. The horse captured the National in 2024 and came second in last year’s contest. Yet this year, the Willie Mullins-trained runner earned the punter an extraordinary £800,000 profit by securing victory, with Paul Townend guiding the horse to triumph.
Speaking on ITV before the race, Dineen confessed it was the largest wager he had ever accepted. Broadcasting live on ITV1, he stated: “We’ve laid a whopping bet on I Am Maximus, and it’s the biggest bet we’ve ever laid by a mile.”
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It left betting ring presenter Brian Gleeson stunned, and he responded: “Oh my God.” Dineen then joked his bookmaker could face liquidation if I Am Maximus won.
Michael, 47, of bookmaker Fitzwilliam which took the monster bet, said: “It was a disaster as a result for us. It was a very bad race. This is our maiden voyage in Aintree. That’s the biggest bet we’ve laid ever. It’s a bad result.”
Fans had piled cash on the popular bay gelding throughout the day sending its odds tumbling so it started 9-2 favourite. Shattered bookie Mike Gannon said the lucky punter was a ‘well-established person’. Mike said the employee who took the bet was ‘on a plane with his arse handed to him’.
Mullins became the first trainer since Vincent O’Brien in the 1950s to claim three consecutive victories in the Aintree showpiece.
Mullins, who joins Red Rum’s trainer Ginger McCain and Fred Rimell as a four-time National-winning handler, said: “It was a good call from JP, I’d been going down the Gold Cup route with him, but he said to stay in Aintree with him as he felt he was well handicapped. Paul just executed it so well.
“It is (hard to win off top-weight), but maybe the modern-day National is changing and we’re looking at it a bit differently.
“It’s the race we aspire (to win). It’s the race you want to win and be a part of – just to have a runner is a tremendous sensation.
“He is just a superstar – nothing fazes him. He comes out, does what he has to do and wins Nationals.”
Iroko (18/1) came home in second as JP McManus secured a 1-2 in the contest, while Jordans (28/1) finished third and Jonnywho (12/1) came fourth. High Class Hero (66/1) came fifth, sixth was Favori De Champdou (33/1).
Rounding off the minor places was Final Orders (22/1) in seventh, Champ Kiely (25/1) in eighth, Three Card Brag (50/1) in ninth, and Monty’s Star (14/1) in 10th.