Best Cheltenham betting offers and free bets for 2025

Known as the ‘greatest show on turf’, the Cheltenham Festival is four days of horse racing at the highest level, and it is less than a month away!

The Cheltenham Festival is a great opportunity to take advantage of some generous offers from bookmakers. Whether it is Cheltenham free bets they are offering or Cheltenham betting offers like ‘money back’ promotions if your horse gets beat there really is something
for everyone.

I will run through some of the best of them below so you can make sure you’re getting the best value heading into Cheltenham 2025.

Best Cheltenham Festival free bets in 2025

Almost all of the Cheltenham betting sites offer free bets, and they are quite similar, but here I will point out the sites that offer the biggest amount and the best free bet offers. The only criterion is the biggest and best free bet you can claim.

Best Cheltenham betting offers for new and existing customers in 2025

Are you ready for the biggest horse racing action of the year?

Considering that Cheltenham week is one of the biggest of the year for horse racing betting sites, it should come as no surprise that there are some lucrative offers up for grabs. All of the best betting sites are keen to ensure that punters choose to give their bet stake to them and, with that in mind, there’s plenty for both new and existing customers to take advantage of. 

Below, I will give you the best Cheltenham betting offers from my top list. The offer type, how to claim it, and the all-important how to get them.

New customer offers include:

• Sign up offers
• Best odds Guaranteed (BOG)
• Free bets
• Price promise
• Run for your money
• Non-runner no bet
• Price boost
• Cashback

New customers should wait as long as they can for their registration for a Cheltenham betting site, as bookmakers usually wait until right before the meeting before dropping their juiciest offers. One of their favourite offer types is to boost the price of some of the shortest-priced runners of the week to silly proportions, to ensure that you start your betting account with a victory.

Meanwhile, existing customers can take advantage of Cheltenham free bets, with lots of the high street brands keen to ensure they’re betting on one of the big weeks of the year. Keep an eye on your inboxes in your betting accounts, as the bookies will message you throughout the week and in the run-up to the Festival with free bets and offers. On top of this, you can find a full list of offers for both new and existing customers by heading to the promotions page of your bookmaker. 

Top 10 Cheltenham betting sites

1. Betfred offer

• Offer type: New sign up offer
• Offer value: Bet £10 Get £50
• Minimum odds: Evens or greater
• Maximum payout: £50 bonus
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

Betfred’s bet £10 get £50 in free bets offer is one of the best for Cheltenham as it will provide new customers with huge value when it comes to the festival. All new users have to do is register their details and bet £10 on any race to get £50 in free bets.

To claim this offer, it is important to use the promo code ‘BETFRED50’ as this will ensure eligibility for the £50 bonus. The qualifying bet must be £10 or more on any market at odds of Evens or greater.

2. SBK

• Offer type: New sign up offer
• Offer value: Bet £10 Get £40
• Minimum odds: Evens or greater
• Maximum payout: £40 in free bets
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

SBK’s generous sign up offer of Bet £10 and Get £40 in free bets is perfect to use for the Cheltenham Festival. It is available to new customers only and to unlock the free bets you need to place a £10 bet at Evens or greater and they will be released within 48 hours.

Free bets are credited upon settlement of qualifying bets. Distribution of Free Bets may vary depending on territory.

3. talkSPORT BET

• Offer type: New sign up offer
• Offer value: Bet up to £40 (minimum £20) Get £40
• Minimum odds: Evens or greater
• Maximum payout: £40 in free bets to use on Football
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

With plenty of football in the evening after the Cheltenham Festival talkSPORT BET has a great sign up offer. Bet up to £40 (minimum £20) on any football market at odds of Evens or greater in 7 days. Once you’ve done that you will get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets.

The bonuses will expire in seven days but there’s plenty of football action for you to make the most of over the festival period.

4. bet365

• Offer type: New sign up offer
• Offer value: Bet £10 Get £30
• Minimum odds: Evens or greater
• Maximum payout: £30 in free bets
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

The bet365 sign up offer is perfect for the Cheltenham Festival as new users can claim £30 in free bets to use across the four days. There is a minimum odds requirements of Evens when placing the qualifying bet, so as long as this step has been met, you are eligible for the £30 bet365 sign up offer.

bet365 are one of the best bookmakers and they have one of the UK’s top betting apps as they constantly reward existing customers with money back promotions as well as racing and football ’Super Boosts’ which are always worth taking advantage of as they offer great value.

5. Paddy Power

• Offer type: New sign up offer
• Offer value: Bet £5 Get £30
• Minimum odds: Evens or greater
• Maximum payout: £30 in free bets
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

PaddyPower’s current generic offer means you can claim £30 in free bets after making your qualifying wager of just £5 on any race at the Cheltenham Festival. This means that you won’t need to spend as much on your deposit and use that betting on the races themselves.

To get Paddy Power’s sign up offer you must use their promo code. Adding this when filling in your details will give you that all important £30 in free bets once the first wager has been made at odds of Evens or greater.

6. Sky Bet

• Offer type: New sign up offer
• Offer value: Get £40 When You Place Any Bet
• Minimum odds: Deposit £5 and place a bet at any odds
• Maximum payout: £40 in free bets
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

SkyBet has a superb sign up offer for the Cheltenham Festival with amazing value. All you need to do is sign up to SkyBet and deposit £5 into your new account ahead of the races. Although you have to deposit £5, your qualifying stake can be as low as just 5p, meaning you can keep your remaining deposit cash for any bets you like at Cheltenham. Once you have met the minimum qualifying stake, you will receive £40 in free bets to use on the races. These come in 4x£10 free bets which you can use on a variety of Cheltenham markets.

This gives you excellent value for money and the flexibility to use your newly acquired free bets across a variety of markets, from winners and tricasts to each way bets ensuring SkyBet has you covered.

7. BetMGM

• Offer type: New sign up offer
• Offer value: Bet £10 Get £40
• Minimum odds: Evens or greater
• Maximum payout: £40 bonus
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

New users to BetMGM are in for a treat in March when you can go big on the Cheltenham Festival with this exclusive sign up offer. All a new customer needs to do is sign up to BetMGM, place a qualifying wager of £10 and they will receive £40 in free bets, which you can use on any race at the Cheltenham Festival.

There’s no bonus code or anything else to remember, simply signing up and placing the bet of £10 on odds greater than evens (1/1) will unlock that £40 prize. These free bets will come in the form of four £10 free bets and you must use them within seven days of signing up. This is a must-claim ahead of the biggest event in the horse racing calendar and is one of the best offers out there on the market.

8. Casumo

• Offer type: New sign up offer
• Offer value: Get 50% back as a Free Bet up to £25
• Minimum odds: 2/1 or greater
• Maximum payout: £25 in free bets
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

The Casumo Spoort sign-up offer is Get 50% back as a Free Bet up to £25. There are certain things that a new customer has to do to be able to claim the Casumo Sport welcome offer, so keep reading to find out what to do as well as all that Casumo Sport can offer you after their new account offer.

To take full advantage of the Casumo Sport sign-up bonus, paying attention to the small print is crucial. You must place a qualifying bet of a minimum of £2 on an accumulator with minimum 3 legs and minimum odds of 3.0. If your bet wins then you are paid out as a winner, and your bonus is forfeited. However, if If you lose your qualifying bet, you will be credited 1x Free Bet equal to 50% of your original stake, up to £25.

9. Tote

• Offer type: New sign up offer
• Offer value: Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets + 20 free spins
• Minimum odds: Need to place a £10 qualifying bet
• Maximum payout: £30 in free bets +20 free spins
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

Tote has become a go-to choice for many horse racing enthusiasts, as the bookie’s promotions, such as their current bet £10 get £30 in free bets + 20 free spins sign-up offer, are tailored to enhance the excitement of the Cheltenham Festival.

By placing a qualifying £10 bet, you’ll unlock a total of £30 in free bets, plus, you’ll also receive 20 free spins, allowing you to explore more betting opportunities with minimal risk.

10. Star Sports

• Offer type: Welcome Bonus
• Offer value: Get up to £25 Free Bets + 25 Free Spins
• Minimum odds: Evens or greater
• Maximum payout: £25 + 25 Free Spins
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

New customers at Star Sports can get 50% back as a Free Bet up to £25 + 25 Free Spins if their first bet loses.

Simply open an account and place a real cash bet up to £50 on odds of evens or greater and get 50% of your stake back to use as a free bet if your qualifying bet loses. The minimum stake is £10 and the maximum free bet awarded is £25. Free bets expire after seven days.

11. AK Bets

• Offer type: New sign up offer
• Offer value: Up to £100 Winnings Boost on your first acca
• Minimum odds: Acca at evens or greater (minimum 3 selections)
• Maximum payout: Up to £100 Winning Boost
• Expiration date/offer length: N/A

AK Bets are a relative newcomer to the online bookmaker space, but they have wasted no time in offering the market exactly what they want. This is further accentuated by their latest AK Bets sign up offer, which will see new customers claim a winnings boost of up to £100 on their first acca bet.

To qualify, you simply need to sign up using the AK Bets welcome offer, deposit for the first time so you are ready to place an accumulator bet, and then create a multiple bet, with at least three selections, and minimum odds of Evens (2.0). Once you have placed this bet, you will then sit tight and wait for the result. If your bet wins, you will receive another 25% profit bonus (up to £100), which will be paid out in the form of free bets.

Special offers from the best Cheltenham bookies

The 2025 Cheltenham Festival offers plenty of opportunities to maximise value through a range of betting promotions. Since no two bookmakers are alike, their offers for new and existing customers also vary.

Many bookies enhance odds on select horses in major races, while others provide extra places, giving you better returns on Each Way bets. Below is a list of options you’ll frequently come across throughout the four-day festival at Cheltenham.

Bookie	BOG	Non-runner No bet	Money back as cash	Risk-free bets	Enhanced odds
Betfred	(From 8am day of race)
SBK
talkSPORT BET	(From 9am day of race)
bet365	(From 8am day of race)
Paddy Power	(From 8am day of race)
SkyBet	Only available to Sky Bet Club qualifiers from previous week from 9am
BetMGM	Only available to selected players
Casumo
Tote	Yes Tote Guarantee (From 8am day of race)
Star Sports	(Online only from 9am day of race)
AK Bets

My favourite Cheltenham betting offer

To choose one of the Cheltenham betting offers was not an easy task. I had to take into consideration what would be best for new customers, and what was best for existing customers, along with what is the best for not only the build-up to Cheltenham but one you can use each day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

And in the end I had to take everything in to the account with 1 though on my mind – what is the best for my bet-slip – and that was Betfred’s £50-pound offer.

This offer is valid for every race at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, and in my opinion, offers the most long-term value for you the bettor.

Types of Cheltenham betting offers and free bets

Now I will give you a run-through of some of the most popular free bets and offers for the Cheltenham Festival.

Cheltenham odds on favourites

Betting on odds on favourites at the Cheltenham Festival is not the most appealing bet for an everyday punter. But the likes of Paddy Power, SBK, bet365, talkSPORT BET, Betfred, and Sky Bet all offer you an alternative with the ‘Betting Without’ market.

This option gives you the chance to bet on a race without the favourite or chosen horse but at reduced odds. If the odds-on favourite wins, but you come 2nd and have backed in the betting without market, then your bet is a winner.

Money back Cheltenham offer

Each year you will find bookmakers offer Money Back special on Cheltenham races, and this year should be no different.

Paddy Power, Tote, and Betfred from my toplist of bookmakers have previously offered Cheltenham money-back offers.

Check out my toplist for all the money-back Cheltenham offers.

Best odds guaranteed for Cheltenham

For many punters, the best odds guaranteed is a must for the Cheltenham Festival. When you are parting with your hard-earned cash, you want to ensure that you will get the best for your buck, and with BOG, you will always get paid at the best odds.

You would be forgiven to think that all bookmakers offer the best odds guaranteed, but unfortunately, that is not the case.

But I have some of the top bookmakers on my toplist that offer best odds guaranteed for Cheltenham – Paddy Power, Sky Bet, bet365, SBK, Betfred, talkSPORT BET and BetVictor all offer best odds guaranteed for the Cheltenham Festival.

Cheltenham extra each-way places

Extra each-way place or enhanced place specials are a massive plus when it comes to the Cheltenham Festival handicap, giving you extra places to play within these competitive handicaps.

I will not know what races will have extra each-way places on the day before/day of, so be sure to check with my top list of bookmakers for more information.

Non-Runner No Bet special for Cheltenham 

The most popular bet when it comes to Cheltenham Festival ante-post betting, the Non-Runner No Bet gives you the security of backing a horse in any of the Cheltenham Festival races under ante-post rules, and if your selection does not run in that race, then you will get you money back, no questions asked.

Bookmakers who offer this from my list are Paddy Power, Tote, bet365, SBK, talkSPORT BET, and Sky Bet.

Cheltenham free bets

Lastly, I come the the king of kings when I am talking about amazing Cheltenham betting offers. For existing customers, this will all depend on who you have a betting account with as not all bookmakers will be offering free bets for the Cheltenham Festival.

You can check out my top list above as well as my previous 2025 Cheltenham Betting Offer to find the best free bets for new and existing customers.

What is a Cheltenham free bet offer?

A Cheltenham free bet is a bonus that you as a punter can use to bet on the Cheltenham festival races in the period of 11th to 14th of March 2025. It is an exclusive bonus that works only for Cheltenham races. In its form it is very similar to any other free bet offer, however it is valid only during these 4 days.

Same terms and conditions apply as for other free bets, meaning no withdrawing free bets as cash and same wagering requirements apply, but as always please check the terms and conditions for each free bet you use to check if you are eligible.

How does a Cheltenham free bet work?

A Cheltenham free bet offer is a promotion that I really like, because it is essentially risk-free. I’ll explain why:

1. Decide on which Cheltenham betting site you would like to play
2. Choose the Cheltenham betting offer you like
3. Check eligibility, wagering requirement and Terms and Conditions
4. Claim your Cheltenham free bets
5. Identify the horse you would like to place the bet on
6. Have fun!

If you need help with identifying the winning horse you can take my pick as a place to start. My personal favourite which I’ll be cheering for is definitely Native River. I started liking that horse back in 2018 when Colin Tizzard secured his inaugural Gold Cup triumph.

Cheltenham Free Bets guide

Essentially all free bets are the same, they function the same, meaning that the operator always provides you with free cash to use that you can’t withdraw and must be eligible to claim, and read the Terms and Conditions to see if you can use it. However, there are some variations that spice up the Cheltenham free bets a bit further:

• Deposit Bonus – Bookies offer an extra amount on the initial deposit as free bets to use on Cheltenham betting.
• Enhanced Odds Offers – Boosted odds that you can use your free bets on, however they are capped, usually something quite low – max bet stake is from £1 to £5.
• Matched Free Bets – Cheltenham free bet that matches your initial deposit.
• Money Back Specials – If a certain event happens, such as a specific horse finishing in 2nd place, the bookie will provide you with a free bet valued as the initial stake.
• No Deposit Free Bets – Risk-free bonus that gives you a certain amount of free bets just for registering.
• Risk-Free Bets – A great safety net that gives you back your money, up to a certain amount, when you lose.

How to claim and use a Cheltenham betting offer – A step-by-step expert guide

Claiming a Cheltenham free bet for a new customer can seem daunting at the best of times, but I have broken it down into easy-to-follow steps*.

1. Sign up – The first thing you need to do is find a Cheltenham betting offer you like.  
2. What you need – Once you have picked which bookmaker you wish to bet with you will need to sign up and open an account with that bookmaker. Normally you will need a valid debit card, bank details, proof of address, your contact details and an ID. You’ll likely have to undergo SMS verification before registering and claiming the bet offer.
3. Find the sign-up page – Once you have chosen your Cheltenham bookmaker with your idea of the best betting offer,  you will find the sign-up area, their landing page, or the top right hand of each bookmaker where you will locate a button marked ‘sign up’ or ‘join now’. Once you have filled out all the necessary details, depositing is next. Check if a promo code is needed for newly registered users.
4. First deposits – Now you will be taken to the deposit page where you will be asked to enter your method of payment. Check for the min deposit requirement and potential payment method exclusions at your chosen bookmaker to avoid disappointment upon making a transaction. Debit card payments are usually not subject to bonus restrictions, while payments with Apple Pay, Neteller, PayPal and others, vary on eligibility. This is for depositing and withdrawing from your account. Once you have completed that, you are now ready to place your first Cheltenham bet.
5. Placing your qualified bet – This is an important step to claim your free Cheltenham bets. Before placing your first bet, be sure to check the promotion T&Cs (all information above) as if your first bet is not placed correctly, you may lose out of your free bets.
6. How to use your free bets – Once your betting account has been credited with your free bets it is straightforward to use. You will find a tab on your betting slip that will say “Use free bet”. Just click on this button to add one of your free bets to your selection. If you come across any issue during this process just contact your chosen bookmakers ‘Live Chat’ where you will be able to speak to a customer service representative.
7. Betting offer period – Once you claim your Cheltenham betting offer or free bet be sure to check the expiry date of the offer and any wagering requirements.

*steps may vary from bookmaker to bookmaker and some require players to enter a bonus code

Read this in-depth guide on how to bet on Cheltenham

How I use my Cheltenham free bets

The Cheltenham Festival offers great value and two of the best bookmakers to use from my experience have to be Sky Bet and bet365. Sky Bet usually go money back on the Supreme (which is the first race of the Festival) and also money back if 2nd or 3rd in the first
race on every day of the Festival. This gives you the opportunity to start on a high or recover some losses if it doesn’t go to plan.

bet365 are also always worth using across the four days as they will have a daily Super Boost and have some of the best odds on offer throughout the week. Couple that with extra place races too there is plenty in the punters’ favour.

The biggest races to bet on at Cheltenham 2025

There are no less than 14 ‘Grade One’ races at the Cheltenham Festival, which is the highest level of race in the National Hunt code of the sport. Essentially, each one of those could headline almost any other card during the year without any issues, though within those 14 races, there are five which stand out from the race. 

These five are known as the ‘Championship’ races, with one race headlining each day apart from Thursday – when there are two! Each acts as the flagship race for different divisions and they are the pinnacle of the sport. The Championship races at the Cheltenham Festival are as follows…

• Tuesday 11^th March – Unibet Champion Hurdle (run over two miles)
• Wednesday 12^th March – BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase (two miles)
• Thursday 13^th March – Ryanair Steeple Chase (two miles and five furlongs) AND the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (three miles)
• Friday 14^th March – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase (three miles and two and a half furlongs)

How to choose a horse to back at Cheltenham

Picking a horse to bet on at the Cheltenham Festival is much like betting on a horse to win any race, though with all the hype around the big meeting it’s nice to find a winner or two! There are several key things to keep in mind when picking out your horse on Cheltenham betting sites.

1. Find the right trainer

Cheltenham Festival winners indeed come from every corner of the country, though it can pay to focus your attention on yards that have an excellent record at the meeting. The obvious starting point lies with Willie Mullins, Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls – who wouldn’t send a horse without a chance to Prestbury Park.

2. Find the right jockey

Playing an equally important role is the rider in the saddle and while there are some exceptional riders throughout the weighing room, some stand out more than others. The main jockeys to keep an eye on at the Cheltenham Festival heil from Ireland, with Rachael Blackmore and Paul Townend the two most recent riders. 

Unfortunately, it looks like Jack Kennedy will miss this year’s Festival through injury so his stand-in Davy Russell ought to get a few rides, while each of Harry Cobden, Harry Skelton, Nico de Boinville, and Bryony Frost are all worth watching out for.

In the big handicaps, it may be worth looking out for conditional jockeys, too. Conditionals are riders who are learning their trade – like apprentices on the Flat – and because they have less experience, they can claim up to 7 lbs off a horse’s weight. With that in mind, some trainers like to make use of the conditionals in ultra-competitive handicap races, in the hope that the rider’s talent combined with the offset of weight can make all the difference on horses who may perhaps be at the top of the handicap weights.

3. Keep an eye on the form

This may be a given, but it’s usually worth considering horses who arrive at the Cheltenham Festival in peak form. This isn’t always a given – as out-of-form horses and even horses coming back from injuries and long breaks can win – but siding with a horse who’s shown plenty last time out can be a key factor. 

 4. Look out for market movers

The Cheltenham Festival betting markets are some of the most fluid and competitive markets in sports betting, with the Cheltenham Festival odds changing all of the time. With that in mind, horses can shorten and lengthen in the betting at any moment and it’s always worth keeping an eye on horses who prove popular in the market – particularly if they’re shortening quite markedly in price.

5. Pay attention to the tipsters

Luckily I have a wealth of information available to us for free these days and there are plenty of experts willing to give away their wisdom for free if you look in the right place. A good starting point is the tips box in the Racing Post, which lists all of the verdicts of the national newspaper tipsters on every race at the Cheltenham Festival. Meanwhile, the Racing Post spotlight is another verdict worth considering as is the Timeform view.

Odds For Cheltenham Thursday Races

St Patrick’s Thursday of the Cheltenham Festival is stacked with comparative racing, with the highlights being the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase and the Grade 1 Stayers Hurdle.

Three handicaps to get the best Cheltenham will be the name of the game for day three of the Cheltenham Festival.

Find additional Cheltenham betting offers

Cheltenham 2025 favourite horses to win

Now that you are equipped with your Cheltenham betting offer and free bets, it’s time to have a look at who you might want to place your bets on for this prestigious competition.

Most popular Cheltenham bets

At Cheltenham festival races amidst the thundering hooves and thunderous cheers, betting takes center stage, with a myriad of options tantalizing bettors seeking fortune and glory. From the classic thrill of picking a winner to the intricate strategies of forecasting exacta and trifecta finishes, Cheltenham offers a diverse array of betting opportunities.

Whether you’re all seasoned bettors or newcomers to the sport, join me as I explore the most popular bets at Cheltenham, where every wager carries the promise of adrenaline-fueled moments and the chance to bask in the glory of victory.

• Accumulator bet – Bettors can select multiple horses to win their respective races, with each wager’s possible earnings carrying over to the following choice. You have to win all bets, even if only 1 of the bets is wrong, all your selections are counted as losses.
• Ante-post betting – Bettors who bet in advance can earn a lot as the odds are better. However, they run the risk of having non-runners or changes of horses occuring.
• Each way bet – Players place two bets, one win bet and one place bet. The odds usually aren’t very high.
• Forecast/Exacta bet – This involves bettors predicting the first two horses to finish in a race, in the exact order.
• Lucky 15/31/63 – Players place bets involving multiple selections across different races.
• Place bet – Players bet on a horse to finish in one of the predetermined place positions.
• Racing pool bet – Horse racing pool bet is also known as parimutuel betting or tote betting, where all bets are placed together in a pool, and after deductions (taxes, fees, and house take) the remaining winnings are shared and divided among the players. Racing pool bet is quite popular because its large payouts and and accurate odds representation.
• Tricast/Trifecta bet – Similar to the forecast bet, but you’re predicting the first three horses to finish in the correct order.
• Win bet – Pretty straightforward, bettors can place a bet on who wins 

Cheltenham Betting Strategies

Various betting strategies are available during the Cheltenham races. While some users advise matched betting for assured earnings, others advise taking advantage of deals that provide money back if your horse loses.

If you want to benefit from money-back offers, make sure you’re joined up with various bookmakers who are offering these promotions and that you’re prepared for anything. But it’s important to keep in mind that there is still some risk associated with these tactics, and the odds aren’t always in your favor.

Another strategy is matched betting, which is putting both a lay and a back bet to ensure a profit. This approach guarantees revenues regardless of the result, but it necessitates thorough preparation and process knowledge.

When choosing a betting strategy, it’s critical to evaluate the terms and circumstances of each offer and take into account elements like odds, possible returns, and any wagering requirements.

Cheltenham 2025 Schedule

Tuesday, March 11 – Champion Day

Wednesday, March 12 – Style Wednesday

Thursday, March 13 – St Patrick’s Thursday

Friday, March 14 – Gold Cup Day

Q&A session about Cheltenham betting offers & free bets

1. What is a Cheltenham free bet, and how can I use it?

A free bet is pretty much what it says on the tin, a bet that doesn’t require you to put any money down. Bookmakers tend to offer free bets to new members to entice them to sign up, but you can also earn free bets by staking a certain amount of money either in a period or on a certain market. Bookmakers also hand out free bets to their members occasionally, particularly during busy periods for sports betting such as during the Cheltenham Festival. Online casinos often offer free bets to their customers, particularly during busy periods such as the Cheltenham Festival, as a way to entice them to try their luck in the casino and potentially win big. This is sometimes accompanied by a casino bonus, funds refund, bonus credit, game tokens, or a variety of exclusive money bet options for various events.

Each bookie site has a different layout, but you should be able to see any free bets in the corner of the screen where your balance is located – or by heading to the balance section of the site once you’re logged in. You may have to activate the free bet there, but once it’s ready to use, you navigate to the market of your choosing and pick out a selection. 

Let’s say you have a £10 free bet for the Champion Hurdle and want to place it on Constitution Hill. If you head to that market and click on the horse, the free bet should appear as a tickable box in your bet slip. Simply activate your free bet, add your stake and press place. Good luck!

2. Where can I get bonuses like free bets for Cheltenham?

If you are new to horse racing betting, Cheltenham week is the perfect time to bag yourself some free bets! Bookmakers are keener than ever to attract your customers during the week, which means that there are some juicy bonuses to be had. Keep your eyes peeled on things like social media for some of the best Cheltenham betting offers, while you can also find some on this very page. 

Meanwhile, existing customers won’t miss out either, as bookmakers give out plenty of free bets and enticing bonuses during the week. Keep an eye on the promotions section of your bookies’ website to keep up with the very latest offers.

3. What is the Cheltenham Racing Festival?

The Cheltenham Festival is the biggest Jumps (or National Hunt) meeting of the season in both the UK and Ireland, for which the biggest names in the sport descend on the Cotswolds. There are 28 races across the four days, with the vast majority of those shown on ITV Racing. This event is one of the few that puts horseracing into the mainstream and you can expect around 250,000 racegoers at Prestbury Park across the four days. 

The feature race of the entire week is the Grade One Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, which is run over slightly further than three and a quarter miles and is seen as one of the ultimate tests of a racehorse. To win it, a horse must be able to both jump and stay to the highest of standards, while also being able to run at a ‘Championship’ pace. The winner of the Gold Cup will bag themselves a cool quarter of a million pounds in prize money and immortality to boot!

4. When is the Cheltenham festival?

The Cheltenham Festival is a four-day meeting, which runs from Tuesday 11^th March – Friday 14^th March 2025. Each of the four days is headlined by a different race and they are as follows.

• Tuesday 11^th March – Champion Day (Headlined by the Champion Hurdle)
• Wednesday 12^th March – Festival Wednesday (Headlined by the Queen Mother Champion Chase)
• Thursday 13^th March – St Patrick’s Day (Headlined by both the Stayers’ Hurdle and the Ryanair Chase)
• Friday 14^th March – Gold Cup Day (Headlined by the Cheltenham Gold Cup)

5. What is the most profitable bet to make at Cheltenham?

There is no simple way of answering this question, as the price of a horse can reflect the return on all bet types, from singles to multiples. For example, having a £5 treble on three short-priced horses requires more horses to win for it to land, but you will find yourself winning more money with a successful £5 single bet on a 50-1 outsider. 

Calculate your single bets with the single bet calculator!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, in that every winning bet is special! Backing the favourite will see you win more often, but carefully following a staking plan is a good way of upping your chances of a return in the long term. 

If you’re looking for big profit at the Cheltenham Festival, putting several of the horses that you fancy most – ‘bankers’ – into one accumulator can add up quickly. For example, placing a mythical £5 accumulator on Kauto Star (4-1), Denman (7-1) and Sprinter Sacre (5-2) would return a massive £700 should all three horses return home triumphant!

6. Where to bet on Cheltenham?

When it comes to horse racing market, there is almost too much choice and you can find Cheltenham Festival odds offered in a multitude of places. 

However, some are certainly better than others when it comes to Cheltenham Festival betting and my number one recommendation is bet365 – which is one of the most trusted names in the industry. Hills are very competitive when it comes to prices and considering that they are already ‘Non-runner, no bet’ on every single race at the Cheltenham Festival, you can bet with them with peace of mind!

7. What is meant by a favourite horse?

The favourite is the horse which is offered at the shortest odds for each race by the bookmakers. That essentially means that the favourite is the horse which is believed to have the best chance of winning the race – and the shorter price means that the market thinks the horse has a better chance. For example, a 1-4 favourite would be seen as a horse with a stronger chance of winning than a 4-1 favourite. Meanwhile, if two horses are at the top of the market they are known as ‘joint favourites’ and any more than that they are ‘co-favourites’.  

8. What betting offers can existing customers get during Cheltenham?

Cheltenham Festival week is like Christmas for bettors, as bookmakers try everything in their power to try and secure your custom. Of course, they are going to save things like crazy prices on odds-on favourites and free bets for new customers, but existing customers can often take advantage of offers like boosted odds, price promises, and run-for-your-money offers. Lots of high street bookmakers will offer free bets throughout the week on certain races, as well as price boosts and the opportunity to earn free bets by staking a certain amount of money.

There will also be lots of things like extra place races, money-back offers and even justice refunds. The best thing to do is keep an eye on the ‘promotions’ and ‘offers’ pages of your bookmakers of choice, as well as keep tabs on their social media pages too. It can also be helpful to have a look at the ’horse racing’ section as well, as that’s where their headline price boosts and offers for the day will live during Cheltenham week. The results of these price boosts and offers will be visible on the homepage of the bookmaker’s website, as well as in the dedicated Cheltenham section, allowing customers to quickly and easily view the results of their bets.

9. Who are the Gold Cup favourites?

Galopin Des Champs is currently the Gold Cup favourite.

10. Do UK bookmakers offer live streaming for Cheltenham?

Yes, most bookmakers will offer live streaming for Cheltenham.

11. Are bet365 giving free bets for Cheltenham?

Yes! bet365 is offering bet £10 and get £50 in free bets for new customers for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

12. Who won last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup?

Galopin Des Champs won last year’s Gold Cup.

13. Can you withdraw Cheltenham Free Bets?

No. Cheltenham free bets, or rather all free bets are categorized as promotional credits or bonus tokens that are provided by the bookies are made for betting purposes, and can not be withdrawn. However, winnings made with the free bets are withdrawable. As always there are circumstances for each free bet, so be sure to read the Terms and Conditions.

Top 5 tips for betting at Cheltenham

1. Pace yourself

Considering Tuesday kicks off with no less than four Grade One contests from the first five races – including the Champion Hurdle – it can be easy to get carried away with your budget early on. This is certainly most pertinent with the opener, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, a fast and frenetic opening contest in which everyone is desperate to get off to a good start. It’s a very long week and surprises can happen at every turn, so it’s key that you pace yourself and stick to your staking plan and goals to avoid burning out long before the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

2. Course form can be key

There are very few racecourses that can match the test of running at Cheltenham Racecourse, which means that horses with previous course forms can often be a big advantage. Along with the frenetic pace of a Festival race, runners must navigate a stiff jumping test and a legendarily tough hill up the run-in, something which certainly isn’t for everyone. There have been plenty of top-class horses over the years who just haven’t quite been able to replicate their form on the Cotswolds – Chacun Pour Soi for example – while there are horses like Frodon who just love the place and save their very best form for the big stage. 

3. Look for riders on a roll

This point may be obvious, but momentum is a powerful thing in racing and often the riders who have a good start to the week go on to finish strongly. Look at Rachael Blackmore, there’s no doubt that she’s one of the very best in the weighing room, but she certainly rode the crest of a wave when being crowned leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival in 2021. 

Blackmore started the week strong by winning the Champion Hurdle on Honeysuckle, but that success almost certainly gave her confidence and that momentum almost certainly played a part in some of her spectacular performances in the saddle later in the week – including on Allaho in the Ryanair Chase. 

4. Make use of information

We’re lucky to live in an age where sports data has never been stronger and where information is readily available at our fingertips. Whether you are a novice or a more experienced punter, there are so many resources available for review on the internet, which can assist you with your betting decisions. 

Sites like Racing Post, Timeform, and Sporting Life offer fantastic resources with things like horse racing data as well as quotes from jockeys, trainers, and owners – which can help you get as round a picture as possible of every runner. On top of this, you can get plenty of juice from the annual Cheltenham Festival preview nights which take place up and down in the country in February and March, with some even streamed on social media for free!

 5. Trust your own judgement

We may have more information than ever at our disposal, but it’s worth pointing out that there is almost too much out there these days. Information is fantastic, but if you divulge the views of every single tipster and pundit out there, you will probably find that a case has been made for every single runner! Let the information work for you and give as good an understanding as possible, but you must then trust your judgment when the time comes to place a bet.

About the author

Andrew Halligan

My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.

You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).

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