As the first major event of the calendar year in British horse racing, the Cheltenham Festival always draws a huge amount of interest. It’s incredibly well-attended, with the Prestbury Park racecourse in Gloucestershire receiving hundreds of thousands of visitors over the course of the Festival’s four days every March. Many more people watch from home, of course, so Cheltenham betting offers drive a huge amount of this interest.
If you’re new to placing bets on horse racing, Cheltenham is an excellent place to start. There are 28 different individual events you can wager on, across various distances and ability levels. If you’re a veteran user of Cheltenham betting sites, then you will already have tasted the high levels of excitement and drama which this unique festival provides.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Cheltenham betting offers and promotions. We’ll cover all the best special offers, explain how you can get Cheltenham free bets, give you tips on winning your wagers, and plenty more besides.
Bet £10, Get £40
Bet £10, Get £40
Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 Free Bet
Bet £10 Get £30 Free Bet
Bet £10 & Get £40 in Bonuses
Bet £10 & Get £40 in Bonuses
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £40 in Bonuses
Bet £10 Get £40 in Bonuses
Bet £10, Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £10, Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £15 Get £15 Free Bet
Bet £15 Get £15 Free Bet
Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets
£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins
£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins
Bet £10 Get £30 Surprise Bet
Bet £10 Get £30 Surprise Bet
Deposit & Stake £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
Deposit & Stake £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £5, Get £20 in Free Bets
Bet £5, Get £20 in Free Bets
£30 Matched Free Bet if your first Acca loses +50 free spins
£30 Matched Free Bet if your first Acca loses +50 free spins
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10, get £30 in free bets
Bet £10, get £30 in free bets
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Football Bet Builders
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Football Bet Builders
Bet £20 and Get it Back if it Loses
Bet £20 and Get it Back if it Loses
Every top sportsbook really does pull out all the stops with their Cheltenham betting offers and promotions. Horse racing might be a popular year-round sport to wager on, but the ‘big three’ festivals still generate the bulk of the betting action. Of course all the championship races are covered, with Cheltenham ante post betting markets opening months in advance. Most bookies will take things a step further though, by also providing a variety of offers.
We’ve covered the most eye-catching special deals and promotions later in the Cheltenham Festival Offers section. For now, let’s concentrate on the more practical deals which should appeal to almost every racing punter, none of which require a promo code to use.
Most major bookmakers will offer ante-post markets, in addition to regular pre-race betting. This is a much longer-term variation, in which you wager on Cheltenham races days, weeks, or even months before they happen.
The main advantage here is that you’ll typically get better prices compared to the pre-race odds, which are usually released the night before a race. The major drawback, of course, is the risk involved. Betting two-time winner Al Boum Photo for the Gold Cup might seem like a safe pick in July 2020, for example, but – by March 2023 – there’s no guarantee he’ll even be in the race.
If ante-post betting tickles your fancy, we’d recommend using Paddy Power. They open their markets nice and early, and invariably provide competitive odds.
The popularity of this promo among Cheltenham betting sites has grown significantly in recent years. Now, it’s pretty much commonplace. Non Runner No Bet (NRNB) terms mean you are guaranteed a run for your money or the stake back as cash in full.
This is essentially an insurance deal, then. If you back a horse to win a particular race, and it doesn’t even run (usually through injury), the bookies give your entire stake back no questions asked.
This offer might not help you make money, but it’ll certainly help you avoid losing it. Betfred is a great option here, providing Non Runner No Bet protection on the four major championship races – the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup – from early January.
This is very similar to Non Runner No Bet. The only major difference is that – instead of being a pre-race deal – it applies during the race instead. If your chosen runner begins the event, but ends up falling, getting brought down or unseating its rider, you’ll get your money back. This promotion isn’t quite as widespread as NRNB, despite serving the same general purpose.
Coral is very strong when it comes to Faller Insurance coverage, though, with their Fail To Finish promo covering more than just fallers. It’s stakes back as a free bet on your first wager on a race if the horse fails to finish for any region. That includes pulling up, refusing, running out, slipping up and being carried out.
Money Back Specials are another great way to avoid making a loss on Cheltenham betting sites. They will typically offer you the full return of your initial stake, but only if certain conditions are met.
Paddy Power often run Money Back Specials on certain Festival races, giving you a refund if your chosen winner ended up finishing 2nd, 3rd, or 4th. Sky Bet offered the same deal, with a refund of up to £10 available. Watch out for these during the big meeting.
We’re huge fans of free bets here at Safe Betting Sites. Their versatility makes them one of the best rewards you can get from a betting promotion, aside from straight cash. And – if you’re planning to follow a no-risk matched betting strategy – they can actually be even more valuable.
When it comes to Cheltenham free bets available, we’re pleased to say that bookies find plenty of different ways to dish them out. Most of these will be delivered via welcome offers, which are exclusively available to new customers. Some bookies, however, will also let their existing customers get in on the fun.
These promotions can come in a variety of different forms. Some take place in the build-up to the Festival, such as Betfair’s Cheltenham Free Bets Pot. With this deal, each time you bet at least £20 on the Exchange on the Saturdays leading up to the Festival, you’ll be given a £10 free bet with an expiry date long enough to use it on the the big meeting itself.
Others happen during the action. 888sport, for example, often run brilliant Cheltenham free bets and deals. If you wagered at least £10 on the first race of the whole festival, you would subsequently be given a £5 free bet to spend on every other race that took place that day. They call this kind of promo a bet through the card (BTTC) offer.
Below, you can check out some of the best ways to gather Cheltenham free bets and bonuses for the 2023 Festival.
Recent editions of the Cheltenham Festival have delivered in spades on sporting drama. During the 2021 edition, Envoi Allen was the banker bet or NAP of the meeting for many pundits and punters alike. However, he fell early on in the Marsh Novices Chase on St Patrick’s Thursday leaving favourite backers stunned. Bookmakers like nothing better than the market leaders in their Cheltenham betting odds getting beaten, as it means they have avoided big payouts.
Henry De Bromhead trained the winners of the three most important races at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival. Honeysuckle was well found in the Champion Hurdle betting for the feature race on the opening day of the meeting. This tough, consistent and classy mare had no problem dropping back in trip after winning the Mares Hurdle over further the previous year. Sent off with Cheltenham betting odds of 11/10 for Champion Hurdle glory, Honeysuckle delivered.
De Bromhead then pulled off a surprise in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Ladies Day. Put The Kettle On enhanced her course and distance record to four from four with a late swoop, becoming the first mare to land the 2m championship contest at the Festival. With a starting price of 17/2, her Cheltenham betting odds meant she wasn’t among the favourites.
Last and by no means least, the Cheltenham Gold Cup went to De Bromhead but with the stable’s second string according to the market. Minella Indo, a previous Festival winner over hurdles, struck in the blue riband event of steeplechasing when defeating shorter-priced stable companion Allaho and dual race winner Al Boum Photo. This was an outside ride for jockey Jack Kennedy, whose usual retained owners Gigginstown House Stud, didn’t have a runner. Minella Indo was returned at 9/1 for his Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph.
Cheltenham betting odds are available on every single one of the 28 races at the Festival as well. These range from the opening Supreme Novices Hurdle to a number of competitive handicaps where ideally the bookies should offer you extra places and unique events like the Cross Country Chase and even amateur riders’ races. To get an idea of the kinds of prices you’re looking at, here’s a rundown of the current best prices you can get on the top 10 in the Cheltenham Gold Cup betting for 2022:
The Cheltenham betting offers we looked at earlier were mostly about saving you money. There are plenty of promotions out there, though, which are designed to help boost your winnings. Here are three such betting offers and deals to look out for.
This is one of the most popular horse racing promotions out there, and we’re pleased to say you can find it easily for Cheltenham too. As always, it will only apply to your each way bets. While the ‘win’ part of those wagers will remain unchanged, the number of spots you get for the ‘place’ part will increase.
While only one place is normally added, some bookies take it up a gear for Cheltenham. Betfred, for example, have been known to offer a hefty five places with this deal in place, instead of the regular four. Ahead of the 2023 Festival, they offer ante Cheltenham betting odds with extra places on almost half (13) of the 28 races.
We’ve already touched on the kind of Cheltenham betting offers that give you free bets but the most common is the welcome bonus. There are several other forms of sign up deals out there though, each of which provides different kinds of rewards.
One of the best types is that which gives you massively inflated odds for a fancied outcome. In 2020, for example, Paddy Power offered new customers a ridiculous price of 40/1 on Tiger Roll to win the Cross Country race. He finished second only to win the race again the following year.
Most of your Cheltenham free bets and stakes should go on fairly safe, standard bet types (explained in the next section). The top bookies will also provide some Cheltenham-specific specials bets, though. These will definitely be harder to win, but typically deliver bigger rewards, and – quite simply – can be fun to take.
Most specials bets will apply to the entirety of Cheltenham, rather than specific races. You can bet on the top overall owner, for example, whose horses take the most victories. Similarly you can also bet on the top overall jockey across the four days, or the top trainer. The rider or handler with the most winners (with seconds, third, etc used as tiebreakers if needed) during the meeting is crowned the winner.
Finally, an absolute classic among special Cheltenham betting offers is the Prestbury Cup. This trophy is given to either the UK or Ireland, depending on which country provided the most winners at the Festival that year. Naturally, you can bet on either the British or Irish to triumph. Emerald Isle runners have dominated in recent years, so expect something similar in 2023.
As mentioned, while there are some more exotic markets out there, the bulk of your Cheltenham betting should revolve around tried-and-tested bet types. Let’s look at each of the four main ones in turn.
This is the most straightforward horse racing wager there is. Quite simply, you’re betting on which horse is going to win a given race. That sounds simple in theory. In reality though, it’s anything but.
For the very first race of the Cheltenham Festival each year, the Supreme Novices Hurdle (which features the famous ‘Cheltenham Roar’), up to 22 horses can take part. With that many competitors, your chances of picking a winner are pretty slim. That’s why even the highest-rated horses will typically only have odds of 6/1 or 7/1, and these can grow to a massive 150/1 for the biggest underdogs.
In large and highly competitive fields – like the many handicap hurdles and chases at Cheltenham – each way bets are the most sensible wagers you can place. Each ways actually consist of two individual bet.
The first is the ‘win’ part, which works the same as a regular race winner bet. The second is called the ‘place’. This means that – if your horse doesn’t win but finishes within a certain range – you’ll still get paid. The return will usually be small, with place odds usually being 1/4 or 1/5 of the outright win, but it’s better than making a loss.
As in other sports, multiple bets on Cheltenham are high-risk, high-reward wagers. You’ll usually take them here by placing race winner bets on a succession of different races.
Trying to predict the winner of each race across a single day, with a small stake, is one popular route to take with Cheltenham free bets and betting in general. Given the sheer number of runners involved, however, do be aware that your chances of winning these wagers are smaller than just finding one winner.
We’ve generally focused on sportsbooks here, but there is an alternative. Betting exchanges are peer-to-peer, and allow you to back a horse you like to win or lay one you don’t fancy to lose, as long as someone is willing to match your bet. The drawback to this extra freedom is that you’ll pay a commission on your winnings to the exchange.
Betfair is the most famous betting exchange, and provides excellent coverage of the Festival. They also charge relatively high commissions, however, and there are several impressive competitors out there. They also run Cheltenham betting offers for both the Exchange and Sportsbook in the weeks leading up to the big meeting.
Most bets are obviously made on an individual basis. You place your own bets, then either keep the winnings or accept the losses.
Tote betting is a completely different way to gamble, which works in the same way as pool betting or patimutuel wagers. Punters combine their stakes together into one big pot for a particular market, then dividends are paid out on winning wagers based on how popular that horse was among the total money wagered.
If you’re looking for a fresh approach to your Cheltenham betting, this is an interesting – and potentially lucrative – route you can take. There’s a decent amount of variety in how you do so too. Simple winner bets are the most straightforward, of course, but you can also join pools for trifectas or a horse to place. There are also multi-race pools, such as Placepot bets and jackpots, which are even harder to win.
While a few different bookmakers offer pool betting, like William Hill and Unibet, the best one remains The Tote. It’s popular, covers plenty of bet types, and has a reasonable £2 minimum stake limit.
Cheltenham betting can be a whole lot of fun, assume you gamble responsibly. While there’s no guarantee you’ll turn a profit from it, there are certainly measures you can put in place to boost your chances. These are our five top Cheltenham tips for making money from your betting on the Festival.
Plan Out Your Stakes
Creating a staking plan is one of the biggest keys to betting responsibly, and you should definitely do it before Cheltenham kicks off. Begin by identifying an overall amount you’re comfortable betting, and – potentially – losing.
Then, try to create a staking plan. Work out roughly how many wagers you want to place, and allocate your stakes accordingly. Remember to drop those stakes for riskier bets, and ramp them up a little for safer picks.
Mix Your Risk/Reward
As noted above, there are several different ways you can bet on Cheltenham and the Festival. Don’t limit yourself to just one. In addition to safer each way picks, for example, look to mix some more high-risk, high-reward wagers onto your betslip.
Whether it’s joining a Tote pool, or sticking down a multiples wager, hitting just one ambitious bet – even with a small stake – can transform your profits on Cheltenham betting like that.
Do Your Research
As the first major event of the calendar year, the Cheltenham Festival receives a huge amount of attention from the experts. A huge number of betting tips are released in the weeks leading up to it, via social media and websites like the Racing Post.
The vast majority will be completely free, and you should gather as many as you can get your hands on to help inform your betting. Also, study the form of runners in any races you’re interested in – not just their recent races, but their past performances at Cheltenham too.
Look Outside Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting
The Gold Cup is the most prestigious event at Cheltenham, and draws the most betting attention. Limit yourself to just wagering on this though, and you’ll miss out on a variety of other excellent opportunities.
There are 27 other races taking place during the Festival. All of these will be covered by the experts, and all of them represent chances to make money.
Have Multiple Accounts
There’s no rule that says you must stick to one account for your Cheltenham betting. In fact – because there are so many great welcome offers for the Festival – now is the perfect time to sign up with some new bookies. Naturally, check the full T&Cs for stipulations on payment methods, minimum odds and so on before doing so.
This will also allow you to snatch up the best odds for a horse on any individual race, rather than being stuck with whatever your specific sportsbook is offering you.
One of the main reasons for its popularity is its timing. Cheltenham is always held in the middle of March, meaning spring is on the way in the UK and there is usually same jumping ground for all National Hunt racehorses.
The Cheltenham Festival runs for four days, starting on a Tuesday and ending the same week on the Friday with 28 different races held in that time. This includes 13 Grade 1 events for hurdles and steeplechasers of different ages, abilities and genders. There is also a Grade 1 National Hunt Flat race where no obstacles are jumped. This is called the Champion Bumper.
These not only draw the most attention from racing fans, but also the most Cheltenham betting offers and action. While the likes of the Champion Hurdle and Queen Mother Champion Chase are important, the action culminates in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the final day. Below, you can see a rundown of the winners of this all-important event over the past decade.
Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
2021 | Minella Indo | Jack Kennedy | Henry De Bromhead |
2020 | Al Boum Photo | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
2019 | Al Boum Photo | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
2018 | Native River | Richard Johnson | Colin Tizzard |
2017 | Sizing John | Robbie Power | Jessica Harrington |
2016 | Don Cossack | B.J. Cooper | Gordon Elliott |
2015 | Coneygree | Nico de Boinville | Mark Bradstock |
2014 | Lord Windermere | Davy Russell | Jim Culloty |
2013 | Bobs Worth | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
2012 | Synchronised | A.P. McCoy | Jonjo O’Neill |
2011 | Long Run | Sam Waley-Cohen | Nicky Henderson |
There are many eyes keeping a close watch on Cheltenham live throughout not just the Festival but the entire season. Many trials for the big meeting are run in the autumn and winter with a good example being the Cleeve Hurdle for horses hoping to go to the Stayers Hurdle. All leading bookmakers now offer a Cheltenham live stream for those who place qualifying bets on that particular race.
However, the very best let punters watch Cheltenham live for free. That way you don’t miss any of the Festival action Many live streaming bookies just require you to have a funded account, that is a positive bank balance, and you’re off to the races with the best seat in the house – your own. You can watch Cheltenham live anywhere with an internet connection online or on mobile with these bookmakers:
Bet £10, Get £40
Bet £10, Get £40
Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 Free Bet
Bet £10 Get £30 Free Bet
Bet £10 & Get £40 in Bonuses
Bet £10 & Get £40 in Bonuses
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £40 in Bonuses
Bet £10 Get £40 in Bonuses
Bet £10, Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £10, Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £15 Get £15 Free Bet
Bet £15 Get £15 Free Bet
Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets
£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins
£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins
Bet £10 Get £30 Surprise Bet
Bet £10 Get £30 Surprise Bet
Deposit & Stake £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
Deposit & Stake £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £5, Get £20 in Free Bets
Bet £5, Get £20 in Free Bets
£30 Matched Free Bet if your first Acca loses +50 free spins
£30 Matched Free Bet if your first Acca loses +50 free spins
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10, get £30 in free bets
Bet £10, get £30 in free bets
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Football Bet Builders
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Football Bet Builders
Bet £20 and Get it Back if it Loses
Bet £20 and Get it Back if it Loses
Cheltenham betting offers are always a welcome prospect each March. If you’ve been lying low with your racing betting over the winter too since the busy Christmas and New Year period, this is the perfect time to come out of hibernation.
When practiced responsibly, few gambling experiences are more fun than Cheltenham betting. There are simply so many events to wager on – many of which are of the highest quality – with hundreds of different horses involved.
To give yourself the best chance of making money from Cheltenham free bets and offers, we’d highly recommend following the tips in this article. Be sure to use as many special offers as possible too, in order to both avoid losses, and maximise your profits on wins.
You have a lot of great options, but Betfair, Paddy Power, Betfred, and 888sport are arguably the best of the best. If you prefer pool betting however, you can use a specialist like The Tote.
The first way is via welcome offers. You’ll usually need to place a qualifying bet, and will be given free bets in return - e.g. ‘Bet £10, Get £30’. The second is via ongoing promotions. Betfair, for example, gives you free bets in return for meeting wagering requirements in the buildup to Cheltenham.
Aside from free bet offers, there are plenty of other Cheltenham promotions available. Some reduce your chances of making a loss, such as Non Runner No Bet and Faller Insurance. Others help maximise your returns, like Extra Places, Best Odds Guaranteed, and certain welcome offers.
It works in the same way as pool betting. A group of punters pool their stakes together into one big fund, which is placed on a certain market. If that big bet wins, profits are divided between the tote’s backers.
ITV Racing and Racing TV each provide live coverage of Cheltenham, via both television and online streaming. Several bookmakers also provide live streaming of the event, including Ladbrokes, Coral, and Betfair.