The Grand National is not for everyone. It’s an acquired taste, that requires you to have an interest in British culture, if not horse racing. For those of us who love it, it’s hard to understand why some people don’t!
The Grand National is one of many major horse racing events around the world, but none can compare. The hats alone are enough to make your mouth water, make you long to be there, saving every moment of it. The three day spectacle has something for every one of us, and so it’s crucial we don’t have to miss a thing.
The 2018 event is happening in April, but it’s never too early to prepare. You want to make sure you are able to watch the Grand National live from anywhere, long before panic sets in.
This is how you can watch the 2018 Grand National.
Bypassing geo-restrictions
The Grand National is broadcast by ITV in the UK. For those living there, they have a nifty dedicated app which allows a live stream from just about any device. Unfortunately, they don’t allow viewers from the US. They’ll detect your IP as coming from outside the country, and you won’t be able to watch.
However, you can bypass geo-restrictions with a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN routes your data through an external server, making it look as if you’re connecting from somewhere else. For this purpose, you’ll need a VPN with servers in the UK.
Choosing a VPN
There are many VPNs to choose from, and all the information can be quite confusing. Nonetheless, it’s crucial that you do your research, as not all VPNs will be able to bypass the geo-restrictions. The first thing you need to ensure is that they have servers in the UK. But you also have to make sure that ITV has not found a way to block them. Read what other users have to say about the subject.
Unfortunately, for a good VPN that bypasses geo-restrictions you’ll have to pay. The average price is around $10 a month (and you can subscribe just for the month of April if you’d like). The truth is, the service is totally worth it. VPNs are necessary for protecting yourself from online identity thieves. They hide your location and encrypt your data, so that hackers can’t find out where you are and what you’re doing. In a day and age in which everything we do can be tracked (including any locations we visit, even when we’re not using a GPS), security is more important than ever.
Sign up (with a UK postal code)
When you sign up to ITV, they’ll ask you for a UK postal code. This is not too difficult to find online. Fortunately, they don’t ask you for an actual home address, which would make things slightly trickier. You also don’t need a British credit card, so it should be smooth sailing once you’re using a VPN.
By the time the Grand National rolls around, you should be well prepared to watch every moment, even if you have to wake up at crazy hours of the night!
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