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Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide 2025

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious horse racing events of the year, attracting millions of bettors from around the world. To bet successfully on the Cheltenham Festival, it is essential to gather as much relevant information as possible before placing any bets to ensure you give yourself the best chance of being successful.

This guide is in no way a guaranteed strategy for success, but it outlines the key aspects to betting on the Cheltenham Festival to help you make informed decisions. Let’s take a look at how you can bet on how you can bet on the Cheltenham Festival.

How to Bet on the Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham is a cornerstone of the horse racing calendar, offering a thrilling combination of history, prestige, and excitement. Spread across four days, it features 28 races, including some of the most prestigious Grade 1 contests in the sport. It attracts the best horses, jockeys, and trainers, creating a competitive atmosphere that makes betting opportunities especially enticing.

Research is key for successful betting on the Cheltenham and there are some key areas to look at before placing your bets. These are:

Horse Form: Study the recent performance of the horses competing, noting wins, places, and consistency.
Trainer and Jockey Records: Some trainers and jockeys excel at Cheltenham and certain races in particular. Research their historical success at the festival to identify key contenders.
Course and Conditions: Cheltenham's undulating track and changing ground conditions can affect performance. Horses with prior success at the course often have an advantage. Weather will often play a part as it can be unpredictable given the festival is in March. It’s worth checking each horse's record in different types of ground.
Festival Trends: Look for historical trends, such as race-specific statistics and winning strategies to guide your selections. For example, do Irish-trained horses perform better in certain races?

Method of Betting on Cheltenham Festival

There are many different ways of betting on the Cheltenham Festival, whether you are planning to bet from the comfort of your own home, in a betting shop, or at the racecourse itself. Each betting method has unique advantages and suits different betting preferences. Below is a breakdown of the primary ways to place your bets:

Online Betting

The majority of people will be looking to bet on Cheltenham online, via a betting app or website on their smartphone. This provides plenty of benefits and tends to be the easiest method of betting not only on the Cheltenham Festival, but on sport in general.

Online betting gives users a wide range of odds, which you can check and compare using the oddschecker grids for Cheltenham. This ensures you are getting the best possible odds for your bet with ease, and without having to trawl through various apps to compare yourself. Online betting also allows you to get the best offers and claim Cheltenham free bets by either signing up with a new bookmaker, or by earning free bet bonuses via the promotions section of your chosen bookmaker. This means you can often bet with very little monetary risk knowing you are not using your own funds.

Betting online also provides some unique aspects such as access to stats, and race previews. This is important when completing your Cheltenham research to ensure you place well-informed bets and is easy to do via an app or website.

On-Course Betting

On-course betting allows you to experience the thrill of placing bets directly at the racecourse. You get to see the action live in front of you and react in person to any environmental factors that may affect the race such as weather conditions.

Getting real-time updates on the betting ring and engaging in race-day atmosphere is always a bonus and allows for direct interaction with bookmakers and get immediate payouts.

You’ll often find that odds are not as attractive on-course which is certainly a disadvantage of betting at Cheltenham Racecourse, so it may be worth combining on-course and online betting to ensure you don’t miss out on too much value.

Ante-Post Betting

Ante-post betting means you simply bet on races weeks or months in advance. This is a great method for finding the most value as odds will often be at their longest. The higher odds are great for those making early predictions but will provide greater risk especially if a bookmaker is not running a Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB) promotion. If a bookmaker is running NRNB, you would get your stake returned, but if they aren’t, then your bet will settle as a loss.

Betting Exchanges

Exchange betting platforms allow bettors to back or lay horses (bet against a horse winning). This is a different betting method that you will have been used to with traditional bookmakers and tends to offer more flexibility and greater odds.

You’ll often find better odds via exchange betting as you are betting against other users and not the bookies themselves. Although there are fewer betting exchanges available (Betfair Exchange, Matchbook) you can still find some great value and higher potential winnings.

Betting exchanges are ideal for experienced bettors seeking value and advanced strategies. If you’re more of a novice when it comes to betting, you’re probably best avoiding exchange betting and utilising traditional methods.

High Street Bookmakers

Betting in person at betting shops is the most traditional method of betting on the Cheltenham Festival. You’ll find betting shops in most local high streets making it accessible for many punters if they prefer not to bet online.

Using betting shops is a straightforward method and a trusted method for many as it gives them that person-to-person interaction, instead of looking at your device for odds and markets. You can also watch the races live at betting shops as they will usually have multiple screens available with live Cheltenham races on.

Bookmakers may also provide promotions which you can take advantage of by visiting your local betting shop.

Understanding the Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is held annually in March at Cheltenham Racecourse. Spanning four days, it features 28 races, including some of the most prestigious Grade 1 events in the horse racing calendar.

Most notably, the Cheltenham Gold Cup normally draws in the most interest as it is the festival’s blue ribband event with millions expected to bet on the race. It always takes place on the final day of the festival and is a big celebration for those involved. The best runners and riders always look to compete in this race, which is why the prize money is the highest in this race compared to others at Cheltenham.

Cheltenham Festival Schedule

Here is a four-day schedule for the Cheltenham Festival featuring each day’s most important race:

Day 1 (Champion Day): Features the Champion Hurdle, the highlight of the opening day.
Day 2 (Ladies Day): Known for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Day 3 (St. Patrick's Thursday): Hosts the Stayers' Hurdle and Ryanair Chase.
Day 4 (Gold Cup Day): Culminates with the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the festival's flagship race.

Why is Cheltenham popular with Bettors?

The Cheltenham Festival is immensely popular among horse racing enthusiasts and bettors due to a number of reasons. It is the event that not only the biggest horse racing enthusiasts look forward to, but also more casual fans whether they’re betting on horse racing for the first time, or one of their only betting events of the year.

The festival is world-famous and a highlight of the racing calendar. It showcases the most elite horses with some of the biggest names taking to the racecourse over the four days. Also, the world’s best jockeys all look to take part knowing millions of eyes will be on the festival. Races like the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, and Gold Cup attract global attention, and can often be a chance for younger jockeys to propel their careers. Trainers love to get involved as there is often a huge amount of prize money and prestige that comes with winning at Cheltenham.

It is the perfect event for punters with 28 races taking place over four days, meaning there are ample chances to place bets. With the number of special offers and free bets normally available, there will be plenty of chances to win big on the festival. The fields are usually highly competitive too, making betting exciting and creating excellent value when betting on runners with greater odds.

The combination of tradition, excitement, and top-class competition makes Cheltenham a must for bettors.

Choosing the Best Bookmaker for Betting on Cheltenham Festival Races

To make the most of Cheltenham betting, selecting the right bookmaker(s) for you is crucial. Here are key factors to consider when selecting which bookies you will bet with on the Cheltenham Festival:

Competitive Odds: Make sure you compare each bookmaker's odds using the oddschecker grids to ensure you get the best value for your money. Odds are rarely the same for every bookie, so comparing them is essential when trying to find the most value for your Cheltenham bets.
User-Friendly Interface: Some betting platforms will look better than others, so picking one that is easy to follow is key. Look over the bookmaker’s website or app to make sure it is user-friendly enough to place bets and research Cheltenham races.
Special Offers: Many bookmakers provide exclusive Cheltenham promotions and bonuses. You will find all of the latest Cheltenham free bets promotions via the oddschecker Cheltenham free bets page, where you can sign up using our links and follow the required steps to claim your Cheltenham free bets.
Responsive Customer Service: Reliable support can resolve issues quickly making the overall betting experience smooth and enjoyable.
Reputation: Choose well-known bookmakers with a history of trust and reliability. These bookmakers are often the most popular when betting on Cheltenham, and we will outline some of these below.

Selecting the Best Cheltenham Offers & Free Bets

Here you will see a selection of some of the best Cheltenham offers and free bets which you can take advantage of as a new customer when betting on this year’s festival:

Paddy Power Sign Up Offer – Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets: New Paddy Power customers can sign up and bet £5 on any Cheltenham race to get £30 in free bets. This is a fantastic offer as the qualifying bet amount is small, while the reward is generous.
William Hill Sign Up Offer – Bet £10 Get £60 in Bonuses: This William Hill sign up offer is perfect for Cheltenham and is one of the most lucrative on the market. They are an incredibly reputable bookmaker, and they are offering a handsome reward when you sign up and bet £10 on the festival.
Sky Bet Sign Up Offer – Bet on Cheltenham Get £40 in Free Bets: Sky Bet’s Cheltenham sign up offer gives new users great value as you only need to sign up and bet as little as 5p to unlock the £40 reward. They are a huge name, and come with a great reputation, so you won’t go wrong when claiming this offer for the festival.
Betfair Sign Up Offer – Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets: Betfair is another example of a high-quality bookmaker offering a generous reward with their sign up offer. Simply sign up and bet £10 on Cheltenham and you’ll unlock a generous £50 in free bets.
Bet365 Sign Up Offer – Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets: bet365 is one of the top bookmakers in the UK and they are also offering a massive sign up bonus. Simply sign up using the promo code ‘ODDSCHECK’ and bet £10 to unlock £50 in free bets to use for the Cheltenham Festival.

Getting the Most from Cheltenham Betting

Success at Cheltenham often depends on research and strategy. It is one of the most important things to factor in when betting on such a highly anticipated event as Cheltenham. Here are key methods you can utilise to enhance your betting experience:

Past Form and Statistics

A good place to start is by studying horse form, trainer performance, and previous festival results to identify strong contenders. This will give you a good idea of which horses to bet on given recent performances are a great indication of how they may get on at Cheltenham. Historic trends are also a great indication of how well a horse may perform and for you to get the most from your bet. Certain trainers and horses may prefer the Cheltenham course and its conditions, so keep an eye out for each horse’s results at the festival.

Tips from Experts

Leverage tips from trusted analysts and racing pundits who focus on Cheltenham. You can do this via oddschecker and get the best tips from racing experts such as Andy Holding and Steve Ryder. These will not guarantee winning bets, but it is always good to get some opinions from those in the know.

Festival Conditions

Take note of the ground conditions, weather forecasts, and how they affect horses' performances. Some horses will thrive on heavier ground which will not always be the favourite, so be sure to check their form on different ground.

Multiples and Accumulators

Combine multiple selections in a single bet for potentially higher returns but be aware of the increased risk. These types of bets will return more value but at a greater risk as you are relying on more than one successful outcome to win the overall bet. If an accumulator bet does come in, then this will be a great use of your Cheltenham free bets!

Value Betting at Cheltenham

Look for horses where the odds undervalue their chance of winning to find the best opportunities. The best way to do this is by comparing odds across bookmakers to spot opportunities where a horse may be undervalued based on its form, trainer, or festival trends.

Hedging Your Bets

Mitigate risk by placing bets on multiple outcomes or using betting exchanges to back and lay positions. By using betting exchanges, you can lay bets against horses you've already backed or spread your stakes across the most likely contenders. This gives you a chance to minimize your losses by betting on both outcomes on a given Cheltenham race.

How to Bet In-Play During Cheltenham

In-play betting allows you to place bets once the race has started, offering unique opportunities as odds shift in real-time. Watch races live to observe horse performance, jockey tactics, and emerging trends that could influence the final outcome. Quick decision-making and attention to odds changes are crucial for success with in-play betting.