Best Cheltenham Betting Sites & Free Bet Offers 2024

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest events on the British horse racing calendar. It takes place every March and comprises four days of racing, including the legendary Cheltenham Gold Cup.

It was estimated that over £1 billion is bet on the races at the festival and that’s before we even take into account the many Cheltenham free bets offers that punters use each year.

In this review, you’ll find the best Cheltenham betting offers alongside information on the available bookmakers and where you can find the best Cheltenham tips and best odds ahead of the festival.

Top 6 Cheltenham Betting Sites

Each year, the best UK bookmakers and Irish betting sites gear up for the festival with a variety of Cheltenham betting offers, many of which are great value for money.

These can include everything from Cheltenham free bets to offers that will return your stake if your first bet is a losing one.

There are even some enhanced bets where the best odds on a horse to win are boosted significantly. Many of these Cheltenham betting offers are for new customers who sign up to the betting site, however, some enhanced odds offers are also available for existing customers.

It’s important to read the terms and conditions for these Cheltenham betting sites as they may include some betting requirements or payment restrictions before you can cash out.

BetMGM For Cheltenham Betting

BetMGM are a recent entry into the UK betting industry but with great odds and offers they are starting to make a big impression. Backed by parent company Entain, they could become one of the biggest online betting brands in the UK.

The brand has started by offering a wide range of racing odds and build on the solid reputation it has garnered since it first launched in the USA back in the 80s.

The BetMGM offer for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival is a new user welcome offer of £40 in free bets once you place a stake of £10 or more on any race.

Tote For Cheltenham Betting

The original pools betting company, Tote was first founded way back in 1928 making it almost 100 years old. While you may not get the best odds here, Tote is synonymous with racing and is one of the most trusted brands in the industry. Tote has a physical presence on 60 racecourses throughout the UK.

You can claim £40 in bonuses once you place a bet of £10 or more on any horse race using the promo code B10G40SPORTS when you sign up.

TalkSport Bet For Cheltenham Betting

Another new entry to the UK gambling scene, TalkSport Bet is well-known as its related to the popular UK sports radio station. TalkSport Bet is running great offers related to the Cheltenham Festival.

The first TalkSport Bet Cheltenham Betting offer is £30 in free bet credits once you place a bet of £10 or more on any horse race.

BetGoodwin is a UK betting brand that has had a retail operation for over 25 years. They are famous for having one of the phone betting services in the UK. They have now launched a online sportsbook using top software providers FSB Technology, and you can get 50% Back As A Free Bet Up To £25 On First Day Losses as a new customer when you sign up to a new account.

Cheltenham Festival Free Bets

Cheltenham free bets allow customers to enjoy a bet on the Cheltenham Festival without risking any of their own money. It might be that new customers can secure free bets at Cheltenham when they open a betting account, make a first deposit and then place a qualifying bet. It’s great to make a selection and then have a risk-free wager on your horse to land a victory.

With so many Cheltenham betting sites creating free bet packages for the meeting, it is certainly a great time to be signing up accounts with the leading bookmakers. There is no limit as to the number of bookmaker accounts you can have and many customers take advantage of several free bet offers along the way.

Cheltenham free bets are, without a doubt, the most popular betting offers available in the lead up to the four day festival. However, not all free bet offers are the same as each offer will have specific terms and conditions.

Make sure you read the terms and conditions before securing those Cheltenham free bets. It’s usually the case that you have to place a qualifying bet. It might be that you have to bet at minimum odds or on a specific horse race such as the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in order to trigger the free bets.

These terms can make a huge difference in the value that is on offer. For example, there are often minimum odds for a free bet which means that you may not be able to bet on the horse of your choice.

Free bet stakes will often have a rollover requirement or a wagering requirement attached. This means that you cannot withdraw any winnings from the free bet until you have bet a multiple of the free bet in real cash or your winnings.

While there are some betting and payment restrictions on Cheltenham free bets, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t good value for money. Just check those terms and compare the offers as one with a smaller free bet amount may end up being better value due to a lower rollover requirement.

Types of Free Bet Offers For Cheltenham 2024

Be prepared for a wide variety of Cheltenham Festival free bets. The Cheltenham betting offers come in all shapes and sizes, with customers advised to check out the key terms and conditions before signing up. A lot of these offers are only available for the Cheltenham Festival meeting, with the bookies looking to snap up lots of new customers for this event.

Cheltenham Ante Post Offers

Cheltenham ante post betting offers are another type of offer that has the potential to provide you with a significant boost on your winnings. However, these are long-term bets that are placed well in advance of the event.

Extra Place Races

Many of the Cheltenham Festival races involve big fields, especially when it comes to the handicap encounters. Therefore, customers will be looking to bet each-way and it’s brilliant if specific bookmakers have extra places for some of the daily races. Being able to land place money if your runner is fourth, fifth or even sixth is a great concession and these offers are readily available.

Daily Free Bets For Specific Races

There are seven races on each of the four days which the Cheltenham Festival spans. It’s not uncommon to find a betting site providing a free bet when it comes to the daily racing, with the bookies wanting customers to have a reason to return to their site or betting app on a regular basis. The daily free bets are a nice little sweetener, especially if you’re looking to wager on all twenty-eight races.

The reason that they are such good value is that the odds on a horse that is 25/1 for example, might drop down considerably as the race day approaches and the horse has a decent run of form.

As with Cheltenham free bet offers, it’s always a good idea to check the terms and conditions of ante post betting offers before taking advantage of them.

Matched Deposit Free Bet

One of the more popular Cheltenham Festival free bets involves a bookmaker matching a new customer’s first deposit. The 100% matched deposit free bet means that you can go ahead and make a deposit into your betting account knowing that a sportsbook will then credit your account with an identical amount. This free bet bonus is generally subject to wagering requirements before you can withdraw any winnings.

Bet and Get

This type of Cheltenham free bet offer is simply to a matched deposit free bet but instead relates to your first qualifying bet. Therefore, once a customer has made a deposit, they will need to go ahead and place a bet on one of the Cheltenham races. When the original bet has been settled, then you can expect the bookmaker to credit your account with a free bet to the same stake and you can keep any winnings made from this free wager.

No-Deposit Free Bet

Some of the Cheltenham signup offers might include a no-deposit free bet. As the name suggests, this involves getting a free bet without actually having to deposit any of your own money into a betting account. These type of Cheltenham offers aren’t particularly common but they can be a great way of enjoying a risk-free wager and you might need to fulfil a few turnover requirements before a withdrawal can be made.

Cheltenham Money Back

Cheltenham money back specials are really common and they often start with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle which is the first race on Day One of the meeting. It’s pretty typical that you will get money back if your horse finishes second in a certain race and your refund might appear in cash or as a free bet. Horse racing betting sites might be a second-place money back promotion throughout the day or alternatively money back if your horse falls.

Cheltenham Tote Betting

Cheltenham Tote betting involves betting into a pool. The more action the race attracts, the better the prize pool and the bigger your potential winnings. There is no fixed odds return on your wager. Instead, the odds are determined by the pool.

Cheltenham Non Runner No Betting

Several of the top Cheltenham Festival betting sites will have Non Runner No Bet available in the lead-up to the meeting and it’s great for customers who are looking to secure some early value on the various races. Choosing a Non Runner No Bet Cheltenham betting site means that you can bet antepost on the principal races knowing that you will be able to get money back if your selection doesn’t end up running in that heat.

Best Odds Guaranteed

It should now always be the case that you select a Best Odds Guaranteed betting site when it comes to your Cheltenham betting. The top bookmakers have this concession and it’s great to take an early price knowing that you’ll either be paid out at these odds or the Starting Price depending on which is bigger. All the Cheltenham Festival races should be BOG and it’s great to get extra added to your winnings.

Boosted Placepot Pools

The Cheltenham Festival and Placepots go hand in hand. Customers love to go through the Cheltenham racecard and pick out selections that they think will place in each race. Some of the top betting sites will also have boosts available when it comes to the placepot dividends that are available. It’s always good to get the maximum return when you manage to get the placepot up.

Acca Insurance

When it comes to the Cheltenham Festival, many of us like to place a big money accumulator on each day of the meeting. It’s always good if you have a safety net from an acca insurance betting site if one of the selections lets you down, with customers also looking to place Lucky 15 bets. We love to see a bookmaker doubling the odds if punters get one out of four with their selections for this particular wager.

Faller Insurance

Many of the Cheltenham Festival races involve the runners competing in chases, with fallers often anticipated when it comes to the heats that go over the bigger obstacles. Therefore, there might be money back specials which involve getting your stake back if your horse falls at one of the fences. There might be a maximum refund available but it’s still a nice concession to have on your side.

Risk Free Bets

One of the best Cheltenham free bets involves a betting site giving you the best of both worlds. That is because a risk free bet means that your first real money wager will either pay you out if it’s a winner or give you a refund if the bet loses. The refund might be in cash or alternatively free bets although it’s nice to have the safety net with this form of Cheltenham free bet.

Money Back as a Free Bet or Cash

We love a money back special and many of the best Cheltenham offers will see customers take advantage of this type of promotion. This might relate to a new customer offer where a first bet is refunded, although there are also existing customer specials relating to specific Cheltenham races. For example, get your money back if your horse finishes second to the favourite.

Promotional Odds Paid as Free Bets

One of our favourite Cheltenham Festival free bets involves getting a huge price boost when it comes to one of the big races during the meeting. New customers are often given the opportunity to back one of the favourites at inflated odds as part of a welcome offer and the winnings are either paid out in cash or free bets. It can be a potentially great way of getting started.

Cheltenham Festival Promotional Codes

A number of Cheltenham betting offers can be claimed by entering a specific promotional code when you sign up as a new customer. Different offers have accompanying promo codes and you should enter the code when you’re making a deposit into your account. When you have followed the necessary steps after entering a promotional code, you will be able to claim a bonus or free bet.

Cheltenham New Customer Offers

There’s no denying that the best Cheltenham betting offers are available for new customers. When signing up for an account, you should expect to land a deposit bonus or a free matched bet. New players are valuable to a bookmaker during Cheltenham week and that means you might even be able to take advantage of a price boost about one of the favourites.

Cheltenham Sign Up Offers

You should always look out for the best Cheltenham sign up offers and make sure you follow the necessary steps to qualify. There is a maximum amount of free bet that can be secured but you should only risk what you can afford to lose. You will need to have a verified betting account but many people open multiple betting accounts and load up on lots of Cheltenham betting offers.

Cheltenham Betting Offers & Free Bets For Existing Customers

In addition to new customers filling their boots with welcome bonuses, there is also the chance for existing customers to secure free Cheltenham Festival bets. It’s great for players who already have an account to be rewarded by their bookmaker and this meeting is one of the few times during the year where there’s the chance to secure some generous bonuses.

What Markets Can Cheltenham Festival 2025 Free Bets Be Used On?

When you have Cheltenham Festival 2025 free bets available, it’s usually the case that they can be used to place win or each-way bets on a specific race. Customers will typically be able to tap on the horse that they want to back and then take up the option to use their free bet balance in order to benefit from this offer.

As an alternative, it might be that you can use your Cheltenham free bets to enjoy a Placepot on a specific day of the Festival. Some customers might also look to wager on the top trainer or top jockey market along the way, with many bookies offering a market on whether there will be more English-trained or Irish-trained winners.

There is generally nothing to stop you placing a Cheltenham free bet which is an accumulator on the daily racing, although a Lucky 15 bet sometimes provides more cover considering a return can be generated by landing just one winning selection.

Below you’ll find some of the most common types of betting offered by Cheltenham Festival bookmakers.

✔️ Win Bet:

A win bet is the simplest type of bet in horse racing. You simply select a horse to win the race. If the horse finishes in any other position, such as second or third, you lose the bet.

The amount you can win is based on the odds of the horse winning the race, with higher odds resulting in a larger payout. For example, if you place a £10 win bet on a horse with 5-1 odds and that horse wins, you would receive a payout of £50 (including your original £10 bet).

✔️ Each-Way Betting

Each-way betting is a type of bet where you can win money even if your chosen horse doesn't win the race. It involves placing two equal wagers: one on your chosen horse to win, and another on the same horse to place, which means to finish in the top three positions.

If your horse wins the race, both of your bets win and you receive a payout for both the win and the place portions of the bet.

If your horse places but doesn't win, you'll still receive a payout for the place portion of the bet, which is typically a fraction of the win odds, meaning a smaller payout than if your horse had won the race.

✔️ Exacta or Match Betting

Exacta betting or match betting is a bet where you choose two horses to finish the race in first and second place, in the exact order that you specify. This means that you must correctly predict which horse will come in first place and which horse will come in second place, in order to win the bet.

✔️ Trifecta or Tricast Betting

Trifecta betting is when you choose three horses to finish the race in first, second, and third place, in the exact order that you specify. This can be extremely challenging, but, as you can imagine, the odds are much greater and the potential payout is usually quite good.

✔️ Placepot betting

Placepot betting is hugely popular in the UK and Ireland and involves selecting one or more horses to place in each of the first six races of a particular horse racing event. Each of your horses must place in their respective races in order for you to win a share in the prize pool. This is a type of pool bet so the prize depends on the number of wagers placed.

✔️ Top Jockey Betting

Top jockey betting is a simple type of bet that is exactly what it sounds like. You choose which jockey you think will win the most races in a specific horse racing event, such as a race meet or over the course of a season. This bet focuses on the performance of the jockey, rather than the horses they are riding.

✔️ Top Trainer Betting

This is much like top jockey betting but instead you are choosing the top trainer. This kind of bet usually requires an in-depth knowledge of racing and the various trainers and race meets.

How to Pick a Winner at Cheltenham Festival 2025

Picking a winner at Cheltenham can seem impossible, but our Cheltenham Festival betting tips should help you pick winners in the Graded races and in the handicaps.

Follow Favorites In Grade 1s - Favorites have a strong win record of 44% in Grade 1s, increasing to 73% when considering placed favorites. Take caution with favorites in the Gold Cup betting though, and in the Champion Bumper, and longer hurdle races.

Monitor Weather - Cheltenham is a turf course, so weather can move the Cheltenham Festival betting markets - not all horses run well on rain-softened ground. In fact, some Festival betting sites have odds on what the weather will be on Day One, and what the description of the going will be on Day One.

Leading Players - Cheltenham is a unique occasion that some jockeys, and trainers never fail to live up to. The best betting sites for Cheltenham will have odds on who will be top trainer and jockey, and the best players to follow are trainers Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, they have dominated the title races for the last decade, and show few signs of slowing down.

Course Form - Cheltenham is also a unique racecourse, with it’s tricky undulations not to every horse’s liking. Some take to it immediately and become course specialists - these horses tend to defy the odds regularly, as even if the race does not appear to suit, their affinity with the course wins out. Look out for horses with course form in the Cheltenham odds.

Which Races Can Cheltenham Festival Free Bets be Used On?

The Cheltenham Festival free bets are generally available on any race that takes place on a specific day, although it’s quite typical that a bookmaker will focus on the first race on each day of the meeting in the hope that customers then remain logged into their account and continue to place wagers throughout the afternoon.

You will also find that free bets can also be showcased for the big races for a specific day, with Race 4 generally being the showpiece event and that includes the Gold Cup on the fourth day of the meeting. We would point you in the direction of the trends information that we have available so that you can place more informed wagers with your Cheltenham free bets.

Cheltenham Festival 2025 Quick Facts

The Cheltenham Festival 2025 takes place from March 11th to March 14th at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire. It’s one of the most attended racing festivals of the racing calendar and attracts around 250,000 racegoers each and every year. The feature race of the festival is the Gold Cup, which is second only to the Grand National in stature.

Cheltenham Major Races 2025 Schedule

The festival runs for four days from March 12th through to March 15th. Below you'll find the full schedule of Cheltenham Festival races.

Cheltenham Day 1 - Champion Day - Tuesday 11th March

Cheltenham Day 2 - Style Wednesday - Wednesday 12th March

Cheltenham Day 3 - St. Patrick’s Thursday - Thursday 13th March

Cheltenham Day 4 - Gold Cup Day - Friday 14th March

Cheltenham Championship Races Odds

Each day at the festival there is a featured race culminating with the Gold Cup on the last day. These are the biggest and most bet on races of the festival and with so much money backing the horses, Cheltenham odds can fluctuate quite a bit throughout the festival.

That’s why if you haven’t made an ante post bet, it’s crucial that you keep an eye on the odds ahead of your chosen race. You may be able to get some great value by picking your Cheltenham winner at just the right moment. The top four races are the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup.