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Click here<\/a> to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here<\/a><\/p>\n Punters defeated bookmakers in this year\u2019s Randox Grand National with the victorious I Am Maximus<\/a> widely reported as the worst possible winner of the race for layers.<\/p>\n With the well-fancied Iroko<\/a> and Johnnywho<\/a> also finishing in the first four, William Hill predicted they would be facing a \u201cpayout north of \u00a310 million\u201d on the result of this year\u2019s Grand National.<\/p>\n Confidence was high with the betting public that I Am Maximus could emulate Red Rum by recapturing the Grand National, with him being forced into 9-2 favourite at the off having been briefly usurped in the market earlier in the day by Panic Attack.\u00a0<\/p>\n The public belief was well placed, as I Am Maximus scored by two and a half lengths, leading Betfred founder Fred Done to declare: \u201cIt\u2019s been a gladiatorial bloodbath for us bookies.\u201d<\/p>\n The result contrasted sharply with last year\u2019s winner, Nick Rockett, according to Sky Bet, whose spokesman Michael Shinners said: \u201cAfter last year\u2019s 33-1 winner, this year has certainly gone the way of the punters. I Am Maximus was very well backed throughout the day.<\/p>\n \u201cWe paid seven places and the popular Final Orders<\/a> finishing seventh was also a good result for a number of our customers.\u201d<\/p>\n The success of I Am Maximus combined with the placed efforts of Iroko, Jordans<\/a> and Johnnywho, has left William Hill facing \u201ca historically high payout on the Grand National\u201d.<\/p>\n Willie Mullins, Paul Townend and JP McManus after I Am Maximus had won the Grand NationalCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com\/photos)<\/p>\n Spokesman Lee Phelps said: \u201cWe\u2019ve been stung heavily. I Am Maximus winning was one of our worst-case scenarios, and with well-fancied horses in the places, we\u2019re facing a payout of north of \u00a310 million in the race. We’re licking our wounds and this is a payout we’re going to remember for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n Ladbrokes said they would be describing this year as a \u2018punters\u2019 Grand National\u2019, and head of PR Nicola McGeady said: \u201cHats off to the punters who stayed loyal to I Am Maximus; there was a massive wave of support for him all week. It was a result we didn\u2019t want.\u201d<\/p>\n And despite I Am Maximus being \u201cthe worst result in our book\u201d, Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said the horse\u2019s victory was beneficial to the sport and that excitement would be high should he attempt to emulate Red Rum in next year\u2019s race.<\/p>\n \u201cI Am Maximus provided empirical evidence that he\u2019s now a Grand National legend,\u201d Binfield said. \u201cIt was a bruising result \u2013 punters have had it right off, getting involved in what was a mammoth public gamble.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we\u2019ve taken a battering, the publicity for the sport will be invaluable as, hopefully, he\u2019ll be back at Aintree next year in a bid to emulate the great Red Rum with a record third victory in the world\u2019s most famous steeplechase.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more . . .<\/strong><\/p>\n Grand National: I Am Maximus joins Aintree greats as he regains title and lands huge gamble<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘We’ll come back and win it next year’ – Iroko camp confident it will be third time lucky in Grand National in 2027<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Willie](\"https:\/\/www.racingpost.com\/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fprod-media-racingpost%2Fprod%2Fimages%2F169_1008%2F03e89413b72a-mullins.jpg&w=3840&q=75\"\/)
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