๐ท The Cheltenham Festival is considered the greatest show on turf, and if youโre looking for the perfect Cheltenham betting offers, look no further! Everything you need and more is right here at your fingertips.
- 1 ๐Best Betting Sites We Recommend for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival
- 2 โThe Best Cheltenham Betting Offers by ThePuntersPage
- 3 Types of Cheltenham Bookmaker Offers
- 4 Popular Cheltenham Betting Markets
- 5 How to use Free Bets on Cheltenham?
- 6 Cheltenham Betting – Biggest Festival Races To Bet on
- 7 Cheltenham Festival 2024 Race Schedule
- 8 Cheltenham Live Streaming
- 9 Cheltenham Festival History
- 10 Cheltenham Festival Betting Key Stats
- 11 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 12 Cheltenham Betting FAQs
Best Betting Sites We Recommend for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival
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๐Get up to ยฃ30 in Free Bets if your 1st Bet loses
Payment methods:
   
18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet on horse racing (odds 3.00+) within 7 days of registration. Get your stake returned up to ยฃ30 in Free Bets for set markets if your bet loses (odds 3.00+). Free bets expire in 7 days. Selected payments methods only. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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Bet ยฃ5 get ยฃ20 + 20 Free Spins
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18+ New customers only. New customers only. Opt in & bet ยฃ5+ on Cheltenham. Get ยฃ20 in Cheltenham Free Bets & 20 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza. Offer & Bonuses expire at 17:30 UK Time on 15.03.2024. Debit Card/Apple Pay payments only. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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Great Welcome Offers Available
Payment methods:
18+ Full T&C's apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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Up to ยฃ50 in Free Bets, Odds Boost Token, 20 Free Spins & ยฃ10 Casino Bonus
Payment methods:
Up to ยฃ50 in Free Bets, Odds Boost Token, 20 Free Spins & ยฃ10 Casino Bonus
Payment methods:
18+ New players only | Available until 23:59 GMT 31.12.2025 Each challenge has its own TCs. Eligible Bets must be placed for each respective Challenge during the Promotional Period including the following: ACCA, Football, In-Play, and Casino. Each challenge has its own set of TCs and can only be completed 1x. Available to claim: 20 Free Spins, Odds Boost Token, ยฃ10 Free Bet, 50% Back up Free Bet up to ยฃ20, ยฃ10 Casino Bonus when you wager ยฃ50+. If all are completed you will receive Max ยฃ20 Free Bet to be used on any sport. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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“2nd to a Rag” Insurance
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18+ If you back a horse that finishes second to a winner with an SP of 33/1 or greater, get your money back as a free bet up to ยฃ25 max. Please note – this applies to first fixed odds single winner bet on each race only. Subsequent bets on the same race will not qualify. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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Bet ยฃ10, Get ยฃ30 in Free Bets
Payment methods:
18+ New cust only. Deposit & Place a Bet within 7 days, and settle a ยฃ10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater, to be credited with 3x ยฃ10 Free Bets: 1 x ยฃ10 Horse Racing, 1 x ยฃ10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x ยฃ10 Football. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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Bet ยฃ10 and Get ยฃ30 in Free Bets
Payment methods:
18+ New selected customers only. Qualifying bet of ยฃ10 at min. odds 2.0 within 5 days of registration, E/W excluded. Get 3 x Free Bets: 1 x ยฃ10 Football, 1 x ยฃ10 Racing, 1 x ยฃ10 Acca (Min 4 selections). 7-day expiry. Min. deposit of ยฃ10. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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๐จBet ยฃ5 on Cheltenham, Get a ยฃ20 Free Bet
Payment methods:
18+ New UK+IRE Customers. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first ยฃ5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 1x ยฃ20 free bet. Free bet available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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๐ฌยฃ5 Free Bet for Every ยฃ40+ Bet at Cheltenham
Payment methods:
18+ Opt In required; Bet a total of ยฃ40+ on Cheltenham from 12/03 10 am to 15/03 11 pm and get ยฃ5 free bet; Max 4 free bets per bettor; Min odds and bet exclusions apply; Stake not returned; Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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Bet ยฃ10 & Get ยฃ50
Payment methods:
18+. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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The Best Cheltenham Betting Offers by ThePuntersPage
๊ง While all the above bookmakers boast some brilliant Cheltenham betting offers, some operators are just a cut above the rest. These sites are the cream of the crop and are worth looking into further. Letโs do it.
BetVictor Cheltenham Betting Offer
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Free bets are given on a variety of bet types
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Apply Pay deposits qualify for the bonus
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Reasonable qualifying odds
๐ A top bookie on all accounts, the BetVictor Cheltenham offer is a bet ยฃ5 get ยฃ20 in free bet + 20 free spins deal. Itโs a great bonus which gives you some treat horse racing free bets, and a casino bonus too. Perfect for punters who like a bit of a mix.
๊ง Once you sign up and place ยฃ5 on Cheltenham with odds of 1/1 or greater, youโll be awarded the following promotions.
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ยฃ5 Lengthen the Odds Free bet
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ยฃ5 Racing – in-play Free bet
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ยฃ5 Single on any racing Free bet
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ยฃ5 Any Horse Racing Free bet
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20 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p a spin
๐ Other key terms to keep in mind are the expiration dates, the ยฃ5 free bets will expire as soon as Cheltenham ends, and the 20 spins will end after seven days. You cannot cash out any free bets and youโll need to make your first deposit using a debit card or Apple Pay.
Bet UK Cheltenham Betting Offer
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Bet Builder free bets
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Low min odds requirement on Bet Builders
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Specific horse racing free bets
๊ฆฟ Bet UK have long been excellent for Cheltenham festival betting in terms of odds and the quality of their promos, and this year is no different thanks to their bet ยฃ10 get ยฃ30 welcome bonus. Itโs a great way to get started with Bet UK, but there are a few terms to keep in mind.
๐ด Your first ยฃ10 bet must be made with minimum 4/5 odds and made within seven days of registration.
๐ Once completed, youโll be awarded with the following. Keep in mind that youโll have until the end of the week (Sunday 23:59) to use the free bets.
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๐2 x ยฃ10 Horse Racing Free. The ยฃ5 free bets will expire as soon as Cheltenham ends, and the 20 spins will expire after seven days. You cannot cash out any free bets, Bet (singles + Upwards)(min odds 4/5 or 1.8)
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1 x ยฃ10 Free Bet Builder (min odds 3/1 or 4.0)
bet365 Cheltenham Betting Offer
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No market restrictions
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PayPal deposits qualify for the bonus
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Lowest minimum odds requirement
๐ bet365 has a lot to offer in terms of horse racing promos, and Cheltenham is no exception โ behold a Cheltenham-specific bet ยฃ10 get ยฃ50 welcome bonus.
๐ฑ First, youโll need to make a qualifying bet. Deposit ยฃ10 using a debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal or any prepaid card within seven days of registration.
Once thatโs done, you need to place a bet on anything with odds of at least 1/5 – we suggest using it on Cheltenham straight away.
โ Youโre then free to use the ยฃ50 free bets in any way, and on any sport you want. For example, you can use ยฃ5 on Race 1, ยฃ2 on race 2, ยฃ8 on race 3 and ยฃ15 on race 4.
Types of Cheltenham Bookmaker Offers
๐ผ Itโs one of the biggest sporting events of the UK calendar year, and all the best Cheltenham betting sites make sure to give punters the best possible experience. How do they do that? By offering some amazing promotions and offers. These are the most common ones.
Cheltenham Sign-up Offers
๐ฏ If youโre thinking about joining a new bookie for the event, itโs always ideal to find some Cheltenham sign-up offers. These normally take the form of a โbet and getโ for example a Bet ยฃ10 and Get ยฃ30 in free bets.
๐ While there are many forms of welcome offers, in most cases, youโll need to register a new account, make a deposit and wager a pre-determined amount to be able to claim the best Cheltenham free bets . Make sure to check out the relevant T&Cs of an offer.
Cheltenham Matched Bet
๐ผ A matched bet is one of the best Cheltenham betting offers available, as it instantly doubles your funds, giving you extra funds to place more bets. An example of this is a 100% matched bet and works as follows.
๐ For example, a ยฃ100 matched 100% bet involves creating an account, depositing funds, and placing a bet. If you place a ยฃ100 bet, youโll get a reward of ยฃ100 in free bets as a matched bonus. You can use these extra funds to punt on the Cheltenham festival again, without depositing anything else.
Cheltenham Betting Offers for Existing Customers
๐ฐ So, youโve already got an account with a bookie, does the magic just stop there? Of course not! The best bookies will have promotions and offers for all the biggest occasions and Cheltenham is no exception. Thereโs a massive range of options which re all worth trying out. These are the top choices.
Cheltenham Best Odds Guaranteed
A horse racing classic, a best odds guaranteed offerโ is the perfect way to make the most out of your ante-post bets. Since bookmaker odds fluctuate on horse racing, a B.O.G. ensures that youโll be given the highest odds available, even if you already placed a bet.
๐ Letโs say you bet on horse A, priced at 5/1 when your bet was placed. The next day, odds on horse A shifted to 6/1. With BOG, youโre betslip will be automatically updated to 6/1.
๐ฆ On the flip side, if horse A went from 5/1 to 4/1, your odds will remain 5/1.
Cheltenham Non Runner No Bet
A Non runner no bet offer๊ง, is mainly used as a safety net for antepost betting. Simply put, if a horse you bet on is unable to start a race due to an unforeseen reason, theyโll be declared a non runner, and youโll be refunded your stake.
Whenever betting on Cheltenham races itโs good to check if they offer Cheltenham NRNB๐ฐ as itโs worth having, and many bookies do offer it.
Cheltenham Money Back Offers
It does what it says on the tin, Cheltenham money back offers involve any sort of promotions which gives you your money back if your bet loses. The best money back offers๊ฆซ allow you to recoup all of your loses, but some bookies offer partial money back, such as a 50% refund of your stake.
โจ Each bookmaker offers something different, and you may need to opt in, or achieve certain criteria, including minimum odds, time windows and deposit methods.
Cheltenham First Past the Post Offers
โ First past the post is one of the lesser-known Cheltenham bookmakers offers, but itโs one which could save you when needed. If your horse wins a race but is penalised for an incident and disqualified, youโll still win your stake as if they were never disqualified.
๊ฆ This offer is often called a โDouble Resultโ as bets on both the disqualified horse, and the new winners are paid out by bookmakers.
Cheltenham Each Way Extra
Another staple of major racing events, each way betting๐ gives punters a chance to earn a fraction of their stake, if their horse finishes within a certain spot.
๊ง For example, Each way 1/5 for 5 places means that if your horse finishes between 2nd and 5th, youโll be paid out with 1/5 of your stake.
Each way extra means that the Cheltenham bookmaker offers will include even more places than normal. for example, from 1/5 for 5 places to 1/5 for 7 places. An each way bet calculator๐ will help you figure out the best offer available.
Cheltenham Odds Boosts
Everybody loves an odds boost. Itโs simple, bookmakers give enhanced odds on specific races or horses to spice up your betting chances. This a common promo and can be found on every sport and event – the best enhanced odds offers๐ vary wildly per event, so you may want to keep an eye on several bookies at once.
Cheltenham Acca Insurance
๐จ With seven events every day, creating an acca on Cheltenham seems like an excellent option. An acca insurance returns your stake if you lose by a single leg.
This is one of the more useful Cheltenham betting offers due to the unpredictability of the event. The best acca insurance offers๐ฐ can be the difference between a lost bet and a saved stake.
Cheltenham Faller Insurance
โ A punters worst nightmare, fallers insurance returns a punterโs stake if a horse falls, is brought down, or if a jockey is unseated. This means that bettors are safe from losing their stake to a terrible accident.
เฆ There are a number of terms which characterise these Cheltenham free bets mainly, racing must include hurdles, odds are often shortened, and the offer doesnโt include refusals to run.
Popular Cheltenham Betting Markets
Over the winter months when the UK jump racing season is in full flow, everything builds towards the Cheltenham Festival, the climax of the National Hunt campaign and the biggest horse racing betting๐ occasion in the British calendar. Below we have listed some of the ways you can get involved with Cheltenham betting.
Ante-Post Betting
Ante-post betting is, quite simply, a bet on the outcome of an event that can be placed well before it even begins. While it can generate greater value, betting this far ahead of time does bring risks. If your selection doesnโt run, your stake will be deemed a loser, rather than voided. People often take the risk, though, due to the enhanced odds given as a result of the extra risk attached.
Singles and Each-Way betting
An each-way betโ is basically two separate bets in one, made up of equal stakes. One half of the bet is reserved to back the outright winner, while the other half acts as a kind of insurance that rewards a place finish for a fraction of the odds. For example, a ยฃ5 each way (e/w) bet will cost ยฃ10 in total. The first bet is a bet on the horse to win and will be settled at the full odds given, while the second bet is a bet on the horse to be placed. The latter depends on the raceโs length and number of runners, and can be anywhere between the 2nd and 5th places. Itโs usually ยผ or โ of the odds, unless the bookmaker is running a promotion.
Forecasts & Reverse Forecasts
A forecast is a bet on the top two finishers of a race, say for example the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which you have predicted the first and second places accurately.๐ Working in a similar way to each-way bets, reverse forecasts are two-stake bets in which you have successfully predicted the top two finishers but have split your stake on them finishing in either order. This means that, as long as your two selections finish in the top two, you will get paid according to whichever order they finish in.
Placepots
A placepot goes live for every race meeting in the UK (in this case, Cheltenham) and is operated by the Tote, a one-time UK national bookmaker and pools service that was recently saved from administration. A placepot works by punters picking a horse to place in the first โ or last – six races of a meeting. So long as your pick places in each race, your bet will pay out according to a figure generated by the Tote, which is divided by how many winners have also won the pot, similar to a lottery.
Accumulators
An accumulator, or โaccaโ as it is often referred to, is another popular bet that goes very well with horse racing. Essentially, it means to bet on the winner of a race in at least four different occasions. Because the rewards can be so large, there is a growing number of horse racing punters using their knowledge to predict multiple race winners and scoop potentially huge payouts. Beware, though – unless you have selected an each-way acca, a horse racing accumulator will only pay out if all of your selections win.
Other Permutation Bets
Betting permutation bets, also known as combination bets, are, like accumulators, multiple selection bets. However, they are broken down into minor bets such as doubles, trebles, four-folds, and so on – in addition, if you so wish, you can include singles too. While all of your picks need to win for a maximum payout, only a number of successful selections, or even one, are required to get a return on your investment. These bets are listed as a Trixie, which is made up of three selections and four bets (three doubles and one treble), and becomes a 7-bet wager named a Patent when the three selections are included as singles too. There are names for the corresponding bets with extra selections as well, such as a Yankee (4 runners), Canadian (5 runners) and a Heinz (6 runners) that, with singles, become a Lucky 15, Lucky 31, and Lucky 63 respectively.
Non-Runner No Bet
The Non-Runner No Bet market is highly sought after by those who enjoy Cheltenham betting, considering the amount of horses that may be withdrawn by their owners and trainers before the race. Given the fact that you can place a bet on horses to compete and win their respective race well before the start of the contest, the insurance of knowing that your stake will be returned if they do not run is reassuring for punters. Horses can be withdrawn right until the start of the race for a litany of reasons, including injury or concerns over the quality of the ground, ๊ฉฒat the behest of either their owner or trainers. The best betting sites for the Cheltenham Festival will provide the Non-Runner No Bet promotion for the majority of the leading races of the week, which is music to the ears of bettors who might be fearful of their bet failing even without their horse competing.
How to use Free Bets on Cheltenham?
๐น If youโre thinking, all I need to do is โOpt inโ right? Well, youโd be right, but how can you use free bets and other offers to your own advantage? Thatโs the real money winning question. Here are a few ways to make sure youโre betting to your full potential.
Research Research Research
The first thing you should always remember is – do your research. Find horse racing stats pages and watching previous events could be key in creating better bets and benefitting from future free bets.
Understand the Promotion
๐This approach entails that you first look through a promotionโs features first, making sure you understand what exactly qualifies. You can then keep this in mind when searching for the right bet for you. For example, If you know an Acca insurance needs 5 legs with minimum 3/1 odds to qualify, you can look for legs which fit straight away.
Spot Undervalued Bets
๐The alternative option is to find an excellent betting opportunity, maybe a horse which is higher priced than expected, and then looking for a promotion which suits the horse. This can be made possible mainly thanks to the fact that bookmakers provide several Cheltenham Festival offers at a time.
What to Look for In Cheltenham Free Bet Offers
๐ What makes a Cheltenham free bet offer stand out? Is it the amount of money you could save or win? The beneficial terms? The special features? Well, itโs actually all of this and a whole lot more rolled into one. There are a few aspects which you need to look out for when comparing bookmaker offers, to pick the best of the bunch.
Qualifying Odds
๐ฐWhen choosing the right free bet on Cheltenham, the first thing you should check is the minimum qualifying odds. The qualifying odds restrict you from making obvious bets and if you already had a bet in mind, this might hinder you from actually getting a bonus while placing it. In many cases, qualifying odds range from 1/2 to 2/1, but this may vary per bookie.
Market Restrictions
๐Some free bets can only be used on specific markets. For example, if you want to use a non runner no bet, you can only use it to bet on a horse to win a race. Another market restriction involves when a free bet is only available to be used for an acca.
Payment Methods
๊ฆฐThis one might be overlooked but could put you at risk of using your free bet opportunity. Many promotions, including welcome bonuses, will require you to make a first deposit using a specific payment method. If you deposit using anything else, youโll be ineligible to claim any promotion.
Other Key Features
๐ Itโs always worth looking through the terms and conditions of a bonus to make sure that you qualify for the promo. A few other key features to look out for include time limit to claim and to use it, if cashout is available or not, if it can be used alongside other promos, and much more.
Cheltenham Betting – Biggest Festival Races To Bet on
๐ With so many high-profile races taking place over the course of four days, it can be overwhelming to decide which races to bet on. In this section, we will take a closer look at the biggest festival races and some background information on each.
Champion Hurdle (Day One)
A must for Cheltenham betting, the Champion Hurdle is the feature race of Tuesdayโs Day One, the first of four key championship races at the event. The race is run over 2 miles and ยฝ a furlong, and takes place on the old course at Cheltenham. Open to horses aged four or older, this race has in the past been dominated by Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson,๐ป two of the most successful trainers at the festival and incidentally worth following when making your picks. Past winners in this championship race include BuveurD'Air, Brave Inca, and Faugheen.
Queen Mother Chase (Day Two)
The feature race of Day Two is the Queen Mother Champion Chase, a Grade 1 championship event run over 2 miles ๊ฉฒon the old course. It is the second of four Championship races and has a rich history, making it the highlight of Ladies Day. The race is open to horses five years old and up. Winners in previous years include Master Minded, Altior, Sprinter Sacre, and Sizing Europe.
The Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Day Three)
The Stayersโ Hurdle is the headline race of Day Three and, as the name suggests, tests the staying powers of racingโs elite hurdlers. The race is run over 3 miles on the new course๐ and is open to all horses aged four and older. Over the years, this race has been won by some of the best horses in the history of jump racing such as Thistlecrack, Big Buckโs, Inglis Drever, and Baracouda.
The Ryanair Chase (Day Three)
A relatively new addition to the Cheltenham Festival schedule, having only been introduced in 2005๐, the Ryanair Chase has established itself as one of the highlights of the four-day meeting.
Spanning 2 miles and 4 furlongs, as well as 17 fences,๐ง this is the ideal intermediate race for those horses that wonโt contend in the Gold Cup. The Jonjo-OโNeill-trained Albertas Run is the only two-time winner here.
Cheltenham Gold Cup (Day Four)
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is arguably the premium jump race in the UK National Hunt season. It is an extremely prestigious Grade 1 race that takes place each year, usually on the second or third Friday in March. Run over a distance of 3 miles 2.5 furlongs, it also features 22 fences๐ฐ. Only horses five years or older that have a British Horseracing Authority (BHA) rating of 130 or more are eligible to enter.
Although classics, such as the St Legerโ, are reserved for flat races, the Cheltenham Gold Cup is as close as jump racing gets.
Cheltenham Festival 2024 Race Schedule
๊ฉฒ The Cheltenham Festival is a four day event held in mid-March and involves 28 races, five of which are championship events. There are seven races every day and each one offers some brilliant betting opportunities.
Day 1: Champion Day – Tuesday, 12 March
๊ง The first day sets the pace for the rest of the festival with seven races including the feature of the day: The Unibet Champion Hurdle.
| Race | Times | Type | Distance | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Sky Bet Supreme Novicesโ Hurdle Race | 13:30 | Hurdle | 2m abt ยฝf | Grade 1 |
| The My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase | 14:10 | Chase | abt 2m | Grade 1 |
| The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase | 14:50 | Chase | 3m abt 1f | Premier Handicap |
| The Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy | 15:30 | Hurdle | 2m abt ยฝf | Grade 1 |
| The Close Brothers Maresโ Hurdle Race | 16:10 | Hurdle | 2m abt 4f | Grade 1 |
| The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race | 16:50 | Hurdle | 2m abt ยฝf | Premier Handicap |
| The Maureen Mullins National Hunt Novicesโ Chase (Amateur Ridersโ Novicesโ Steeple Chase) | 17:30 | Chase | 3m abt 6f | Grade 2 |
Day 2: Style Wednesday – Wednesday, 13 March
โ The second day features the Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase. Day two is traditionally known as Ladies Day, but to commemorate the 100 year history of the Cheltenham festival, this day will celebrate the unique and recognisable style of the festival, which has been a staple since the eventโs inauguration.
| Race | Times | Type | Distance | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Gallagher Novicesโ Hurdle Race | 13:30 | Hurdle | 2m abt 5f | Grade 1 |
| The Brown Advisory Novicesโ Steeple Chase | 14:10 | Chase | 3m abt ยฝ f | Grade 1 |
| The Coral Cup Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle Race) | 14:50 | Hurdle | 2m abt 5f | Premier Handicap |
| The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase | 15:30 | Chase | Abt 2m | Grade 1 |
| The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase | 16:10 | Chase | 3m abt 5ยฝf | Open |
| The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup | 16:50 | Chase | Abt 2m | Premier Handicap |
| The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open NH Flat Race) | 17:30 | Bumper | 2m abt ยฝf | Grade 1 |
Day 3: St. Patrickโs Thursday – Thursday, 14 March
๐ฐ The Cheltenham festival celebrates day 3 in style, with a St. Patrickโs day theme, including green attire and Celtic Feet Irish Dancing at 12:55. The seven races today are the longest on average, and there are two featured championship races today: The Ryanair Steeple Chase and The Paddy Power Stayersโ Hurdle.
| Race | Times | Type | Distance | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Turners Novicesโ Chase | 13:30 | Chase | 2m abt 4f | Grade 1 |
| The Pertemps Network Final (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Listed) | 14:10 | Hurdle | Abt 3m | Premier Handicap |
| The Ryanair Steeple Chase | 14:50 | Chase | 2m abt 4ยฝf | Grade 1 |
| The Paddy Power Stayersโ Hurdle | 15:30 | Hurdle | Abt 3m | Grade 1 |
| The TrustATrader Plate (A Handicap Steeple Chase) | 16:10 | Chase | 2m abt 4ยฝf | Premier Handicap |
| The Ryanair Mares Novicesโ Hurdle | 16:50 | Hurdle | 2m abt 1f | Grade 2 |
| The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup (Sponsored by The JRL Group) Handicap Steeple Chase | 17:30 | Chase | 3m abt 2f | (0-145) |
Day 4: Gold Cup Day – Friday, 15 March
โ The highlight of the competition, the featured race is The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. Itโs the most prestigious event of the four days and one of the biggest races of the year.
| Race | Times | Type | Distance | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The JCB Triumph Hurdle | 13:30 | Hurdle | 2m abt 1f | Grade 1 |
| The BetMGM County Handicap Hurdle Race | 14:10 | Hurdle | 2m abt 1f | Premier Handicap |
| The Albert Bartlett Novicesโ Hurdle Race | 14:50 | Hurdle | Abt 3m | Grade 1 |
| The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase | 15:30 | Chase | 3m abt 2ยฝf | Grade 1 |
| The St. Jamesโs Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Steeple Chase | 16:10 | Chase | 3m abt 2ยฝf | Open |
| The Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Steeple Chase | 16:50 | Chase | 2m abt 4ยฝf | Grade 2 |
| Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeysโ Handicap Hurdle | 17:30 | Hurdle | 2m abt 4ยฝf | (0-145) |
Cheltenham Live Streaming
An essential part of the Cheltenham festival betting experience is actually watching the sport. Besides the fact that itโs great viewing, you can also place in-play bets which can be a game changer. Many bookmakers offer live streaming, and these are the top of the lot:
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Parimatch
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BetVictor
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Sportingbet
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Spreadex
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10BET
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bet365
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Boylesports
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Betfred
๊ง Still not convinced with using an operator to watch the festival. These are also the TV broadcasters and streaming services offering live streaming.
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ITV1, ITVX – First five races everyday
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Racing TV (Sky, Virgin Media) – All races
Cheltenham Festival History
แฃ Operated by The Jockey Club, the Cheltenham race course is located on the edge of town by the famous Cleeve Hill. Complete with recently built grandstand, it becomes the centre of the horse racing world for four days each March when it hosts its world-famous festival.
didnโt see its first horse race until 1815, when flat racing was staged on Nottingham Hill. By 1818,โ this had extended to five races on Cleeve Hill, which inspired the original grandstand to be opened for the following year. Back then, the meeting was based in August, and before long, had been extended to three days with a course officially laid out to match. Soon after, a trophy was added to proceedings, and the first ever Gold Cup was run as a three-mile flat race for three-year-olds.
As the meeting grew in popularity, it attracted the best and the worst of society, the latter of which set the grandstand a blaze in 1829, completely destroying it. In 1831,โ racing first began at Prestbury Park on the site of the current course before returning briefly to Cleeve Hill. As the turf deteriorated and the popularity of steeplechasing grew, Cleeve Hill gradually fell out of use. Around the same time, racing enthusiast William Baring Bingham purchased the Prestbury Park site, initially with the intention of using the site as a stud farm.
๐ However, by 1902, Baring Bingham had established the modern course and with it, Cheltenhamโs first National Hunt Festival, after which it was decided that Cheltenham should be the headquarters for steeple chasing in the UK.
For the first time in its history, Cheltenham Festival was raced behind closed doors to the public in 2021๐คช due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Only a select group of people were allowed within the venue, and those had to be connected with the event either as competitors or as part of the media.
In 2022, 3/1 favourite A Plus Tardเทด took home the spoils in the Gold Cup, causing Rachel Blackmore to become the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle and Grand National as well.
Cheltenham Festival Betting Key Stats
In 1934, Golden Millerโ became the first ever horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and follow it up with the Grand National in the same season.
On 25 occasions, an Irish-trained horse has won the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
In 2016, Ruby Walsh recorded six victories,๊ฉต which is a record amount of wins in one festival.
The Gold Cup is the richest non-handicap race in Britain, with a prize fund totalling ยฃ625,000.
The most consecutive victories by a horse record in any Cheltenham Festival is also six, and belongs to Quevega in the Maresโ Hurdle between 2009 and 2014.
Katie Walsh๐ became the first female jockey to win a Grade 1 race at Cheltenham during the 2018 festival, when she won the Champion Bumper.
Rachael Blackmore ๊งbecame the first female jockey to win a major championship race at Cheltenham Festival by triumphing in the Champion Hurdle on Honeysuckle in 2021.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
Climaxing in the Gold Cup on the fourth and final day of the meeting, the Cheltenham Festival is an epic week of elite horse racing, boasting the finest display of jump racing in the world. This is a true feast of National Hunt racing that can be enjoyed by horse racing lovers, those that maintain a minor interest in the sport, and those that simply love to bet๐ ฐ. An even greater thing about this festival is that many bookmakers will promote a host of Cheltenham betting offers to take advantage of.
Cheltenham Betting FAQs
๐ฅWhile every single bookmaker on this list has tonnes to offer, its hard to look past Parimatch, BetVictor and The Pools as top choices.
William Hill has one of the best betting apps, along with bet365๐ฆ, as both offer a wide selection of markets and livestreaming options for all races.
Punters will be able to watch the Greatest Show on Turf on ITV 1 and ITV 4.
The 2024 Cheltenham Festival will start on Tuesday 12th March and finish on Friday 15th March.
๐The festival takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse in Prestbury Park, which is located on the outskirts of Cheltenham, a spa town in the English county of Gloucestershire.
There are four main championship races that headline each of the four days of the Cheltenham festival. These are: the Champions Hurdle, which runs on Tuesday, known as Champion Day; the Queen Mother Champion Chase, which goes on the Wednesday, otherwise referred to as Ladiesโ Day; the Stayersโ Hurdle, which takes place on the Thursday, also known as St Patrickโs Thursday whether it lands on March 17 or not; the Cheltenham Gold Cup๐ซ on Friday (Gold Cup day). The Cheltenham Gold Cup offers the most prestigious prize in jump racing, and is considered to be the climax of the entire week.
The top two trainers in Cheltenham Festival history are Willie Mullins, who boasts 78 winners, followed closely by Nicky Henderson.๐ In terms of jockeys, Willie Mullinsโ favourite Ruby Walsh leads the way, with 58 winners to date at the Festival.
๐ ฐEvery bookmaker has a special offer which is definitely worth trying out, but the best three Cheltenham free bet offers are BetVictor, Bet UK and bet365.
โAll you need to do is register an account with a bookie, making sure to benefit from a sign up bonus, and begin to bet on any of the 28 races throughout the festival.
๐ผYes, there are dozens of Cheltenham betting offers for existing customers. Some of the best ones include best odds guaranteed, non runner no bet, odds boosts, extra places and many more.