Best Cheltenham Free Bets & Betting Offers 2024
Finding winners at the Cheltenham Festival is the priority for punters, and that starts early with the ante-post market for the 2024 festival already available. With things being a little more up in the air, at this early stage, you can sometimes find some really enticing prices to back. Backing some big priced horses at this point is all the better when you have some free bets to go alongside All our best Cheltenham Free Bets and bookie offers are listed below:
How to get your Cheltenham free bet?
You can get your Cheltenham Free Bets in a number of locations, via a number of bookmakers. Below we have outlined the steps required to earn your Free Bets for Cheltenham.
Step 1: Request your free bet
Click on any of the links or banners around GG that advertise a Free Bet offer from one of our trusted partner bookmakers. Search the above list for the very latest Cheltenham sign up offers.
Step 2: Register with a bookmaker
Some Cheltenham Festival betting offers are simple to sign up with: purely give your details and register a card in order to make a deposit. Others will require you to enter a code upon signing up, which is always shown on the landing page once you click any of the offers on this site.
Step 3: Place your qualifying bet
After depositing the requisite funds, place a qualifying bet in order to earn your Free Bets.
Step 4: Maximise your free bets during the Cheltenham Festival
There is no limit to the number of new customer offers you can use as long as you have not created an account with certain bookmakers before. As such, you can maximise the number of Free Bets in order to have the biggest chance of winning at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
How to use your Cheltenham Free Bets
We all want winners at the Cheltenham Festival but we also know we are going to have losers. Cheltenham Festival free bets are a great way to insure against these losses, while enhanced odds and place terms make sure we get the most out of our winners when they do come.
Apply to your bet slip
We have everything you need here at GG.co.uk. Once you have planned your bets for the day and checked out the best Cheltenham free bet offers, you can place your bets quickly and easily.
Put to use across the races
There are 28 races at the Cheltenham Festival, offering something for every punter. Whether you like cheering home a big-race banker or backing an outsider each-way at a big price, make sure you choose the Cheltenham Festival free bets that are right for you with our rundown of the best Cheltenham free bets.
Cheltenham Festival Betting Advice – Learn From Past Statistics
Trends and stats are a great place to start when pointing you in the right direction when it comes to Cheltenham festival betting. Of course, they don’t always ring true, but past winners have happened for a reason and there are lessons to learn from previous editions of races.
Top Cheltenham Festival Trainers
Cheltenham has been a happy hunting ground for the Irish trainers in recent years. Ireland has had more winners than the UK in five of the last six seasons, including a whopping 23 winners of the 28 races in 2021. Willie Mullins and Henry De Bromhead accounted for more than half of those, with half a dozen victories apiece. Mullins made it five years in a row as ‘top trainer’, with six winnings horses across the four days of action in 2023.
Gordon Elliott claimed the 2017 and 2018 trophies before finishing second in 2020 with six winners. He will once again represent a strong Irish contingent along with the pair mentioned above.
Nicky Henderson is the leading British trainer at the Cheltenham Festival with 70 winners. Along with Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton, they’ll lead the home team.
Top Cheltenham Festival Jockeys
Paul Townend reigned supreme last year at the Cheltenham Festival in 2023 with 5 wins, equalling his record from 2022. He has had at least two winners each year since 2017 and rides for Willie Mullins, a combo not to be taken lightly! Rachael Blackmore won the accolade in 2021, while Davy Russell and Nico de Boinville claimed the top jockey crown in 2018 and 2019 respectively, so they know their way around the track pretty well too.
What to Know About the Races Before Betting on Cheltenham
Day 1 – Tuesday
Supreme Novices Hurdle
- 11 of the last 12 winners were aged 5 or 6-years-old, with Appreciate It in 2021 being the only older horse to win in that period, so it generally pays to stick to the youngsters.
- 10 of the last 12 winners occupied one of the top three positions in the market, so the odds talk in this race.
- 11 of the last 12 victors had at least two wins over hurdles, and the only one that didn’t was Summerville Boy in 2018, who had already won at the highest level, so class certainly counts.
Champion Hurdle
- 10 of the last 12 winners were coming into the race off the back of a victory.
- 10 of the previous 12 had previously run at Cheltenham.
- 10 of the previous 12 champions had an official rating of 161 or higher, so pedigree comes to the fore.
Day 2 – Wednesday
Ballymore Novices Hurdle
- All 12 of the most recent winners were aged 5 or 6, with 10 being the latter.
- Each of the last 12 winners had already won at around two-and-a-half miles, so proven ability over the distance has been vital.
- 11 of the 12 had at least 3 runs during the season and were already rated 146 or higher.
Champion Chase
- 9 of the last 12 winners were aged between 8 and 10, which is slightly older than the races we’ve looked at so far.
- All 12 had course experience and at least 5 wins over fences, including at least one of those being at Grade 1 level.
Day 3 – Thursday
- Course form is even more vital in this contest, with 11 of the last 12 winners running at least twice at Cheltenham – with 8 of those having won at the track.
- 7-year-olds have won 5 of the last 9 runnings.
- 11 of the last 12 were rated 162 or higher, so classy young horses have been the way forward here.
- Willie Mullins has trained 4 of the last 6 winners, so make a note of what he runs.
- 9 of the last 12 winners were aged between 6 and 8 – they need to be in prime shape and not have had too much racing to prevail in this contest.
- It’s also not unusual to see a slight upset, as just 1 favourite has won the last 5 renewals, with the other 4 all being double-figure odds, so it can pay to look outside the obvious.
Day 4 – Friday
- Several horses competing in this come from a flat racing background, but it’s important to note that 9 of the last 12 winners had at least a couple of runs over hurdles.
- 11 of the 12 had at least one win over obstacles.
- 11 of the last 12 champions were between 7 and 9-years-old, so not too old, but not too young either.
- Each of the previous 12 winners had their most recent run at least 33 days prior to the race, so horses need to come into the contest fresh.
- All of the last 12 winners had also won at Cheltenham before and had won a Grade 1 previously.
Expert Betting Tips Before Using Your Cheltenham Free Bet Offers
There are several factors to take into account before placing you Cheltenham Festival Free Bet. Below are just some of the things to consider:
Form
It may sound obvious but the first thing to take into consideration is the form of the horse you want to bet on. Has he/she been running well this season? Have they run against any of the opponents they face at the Festival before, and if so how did they do? Have they got the all important form at Cheltenham? What is the ground conditions, and will it be in favour of the horse I want to bet on?
These are just a few things to consider when placing a bet on Cheltenham.
Jockey/Trainer
There will be all the major names in horse racing at the Cheltenham Festival and it often pays to keep an eye on the big players before placing you free bet. Willie Mullins is synonymous with the Festival and has trained an incredible 88 winners overs the years. It pays to keep an eye on his runners for the week, in some races he will have two, three, four and maybe more in one race, such is the calibre of horses at his disposal. He’s sure to have some winners across the week.
In the jockey ranks, Paul Townend will be the main rider for Willie Mullins, so will clearly have some great chances. Note too experienced riders such as Nico De Boinville and Rachael Blackmore who have briliant records when riding at the Cheltenham Festival. A good jockey can be the difference between winning or losing.
Win or Each Way
You can choose to bet win (on the nose) or each way (to win and place) depending on how likely you think your horse is winning or placing. If you bet each way, the bet is double your stake but you will get money back (1/4 or 1/5 depending on your bookmaker) if your horse finishes in the placings. When you look at the race you will see the terms of the each way bet, and when you add your selection you must remember to tick the each way box!
Best Cheltenham Betting Offers For Existing Customers
Plenty of bookmakers not only reward new customers at the Cheltenham Festival, but also there will be perks for existing customers too. Below are some of the examples of what to expect.
Money Back If Your Bet Loses
Sky Bet are famous for their money back offers at the Cheltenham Festival and this was no exception in 2023. They offered an incredible Money Back If Your Horse Loses the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2023.
So customers who bet on the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle got their money back if the horse did not win.
Enhanced Odds
Lots of bookmakers will be making odds enhancements on many races and horses throughout the week. Keep an eye out for promotions of these enhancements as you can get some strong value on many leading chances.
Extra Each Way Places
Many bookmakers will be increasing the number of places on offer in some races during the Festival. This means rather than getting, for example, 3 places as per normal rules, they might offer 4 places. So if you have an each way bet, and your horse finishes 4th you will get paid on the each way part of the bet.
Best Cheltenham Betting Offers For New Customers
When Cheltenham comes around there are some excellent new customer offers to be had, promising free bets and enhancements for signing up.
Most bookmakers have a welcome offer for new players. The most common type is ‘Bet X amount Get X Free Bets’. The amount you have to stake and amount you get back tends to vary from bookmaker to bookmaker.
Commonly the amount you need to stake is £10 and you can get anything from £10-£50 in free bets if you find the right offer.
The best place to find all the top offers is here on GG at https://gg.co.uk/betting-offers/
Other bookmakers will choose to give you Money Back If Your Bet Loses. Where on your first bet at the Cheltenham Festival you can place a bet risk free, and if it loses get your money back as cash or sometimes in free bets.
Exploring the Different Cheltenham Offers From Leading Bookmakers
Non Runner No Bet
Non Runner No Bet ensures that if your horse does not run in the race in which you place a bet, you will get your bet refunded.
One of the markets that most appeals ahead of any sign up offers. This guarantees punters a sense of security that they cannot find in other traditional markets. Particularly for horses who may have multiple Cheltenham Festival targets, the ability to choose a Non Runner No Bet market can be crucial. If your horse ends up running in a different race, or even fails to get to the course at all, you will get your stake refunded in full without losing a single penny.
Money Back Specials
Money Back ensures that if you place losing bets up to a certain amount, your bookmaker will refund the total into your account.
Money back specials are often quite popular Cheltenham betting offers. The first race of each day is the most common, with several bookmakers participating in cashback specials. You can receive your stake back up to a certain amount if your horse finishes second, third, fourth and in some instances, simply if your horse loses!
Some bookmakers also offer more regular money back offers on Cheltenham races. These can vary from site to site, from cashback if your horse is second, second to the favourite, second by less than a length, or if your horse fails to complete.
Ante Post Offers
Ante Post refers to offers for races well in advance of when they are run, up until the day the horses are declared to run.
Due to the nature of the Cheltenham Festival being at the forefront of the National Hunt season, ante-post betting is a key focal point for punters. In the weeks leading up to the festival, bookmakers offer enhanced prices on runners, often near the head of the market. This generally comes from the preview nights that the various bookmakers conduct and sponsor, so keep an eye out for when they happen as you could find yourself an extra bit of value.
Cheltenham Free Bets Offers
Free Bets are bets for Cheltenham which cannot lose. If your horse does not win, you will get the money back in full. Bookmakers may also be offering higher value free bets than normal, specific race free bets or free bets that are horse racing specific when they may have previously included other sports or casino bonuses.
Through the Card
Bet-through-the-card offers come into their own for Cheltenham betting. This consists of staking a particular amount on the first race to receive a set amount of free bets, split equally to use on the remaining races on the card. So for the price of a single bet in the opening Cheltenham race, you get a £5 or £10 free to use on the remaining 6 races.
ACCA Insurance
ACCA Insurance is ideal for those who like to place multiples across various races. If you place an accumulator bet and only one of your selections loses, you will get your stake refunded in the form of Free Bets or other bonuses.
Best Odds
Best Odds offers ensure that a bookmaker will match or surpass that best odds on a horse for a race across the bookmaking industry.
Enhanced Odds
Enhanced Odds are individual specials where one horse has their odds boosted. There are always a few hot pots during the Cheltenham Festival, especially in the Grade 1 contests. Because they are a short price in key races, bookmakers sometimes offer high prices to lure in new customers, as they will be popular horses.
In addition, they will often go to 33/1 or even 50/1 on short-priced horses, offering the winnings of a £1 stake in free bets if the horse wins. So if you fancy a horse that’s a short-priced favourite, you could be able to take advantage of an enhanced-odds offer.
Each Way Extra
Each Way Extra offers allow flexibility for punters where they can choose the amount of places their each way bets can have.
Extra Places
All the Cheltenham handicap races have full fields (give or take) and due to the competitive nature of the entire event, even the open races can have much larger fields than we’d usually see for similar races the rest of the season. Of course, more competition means more horses to choose from, so the harder it is to find the winner or even a place!
But this is where you can take advantage of extra places that some bookmakers offer. Some will go as far as offering 7 or even 8 places in specific heats. So make sure you shop around once you’ve found the horses you want to back, as finding that crucial extra place can be the difference between you making a profit or not.
Types of Cheltenham Free Bets
The two most common types of free bet at the Cheltenham Festival are money back if your horse fails to finish and money back if your horse finishes second, third, fourth or even fifth. The terms vary from day to day and from bookmaker to bookmaker, so it is important to keep up to date with what is on offer.
The other popular Cheltenham bet offer is enhanced places for each-way bets. Again, the terms vary considerably according to the bookmaker and the race, but the best ones provide a fantastic opportunity to back your fancy each-way with a hugely increased chance of a payout.
Whether you are looking for free bets or enhanced places, shop around to take advantage of the competition between bookmakers. You can keep up to date with all the latest Cheltenham free bet offers here at GG.co.uk as they become available.
Understanding All the Different Cheltenham Bet Types
Win
The most common and most simple form of bet – the straight win. If your horse wins, so does your bet – that’s all there is to it.
Each Way Bet
An each-way bet consists of two equal bets. Your stake is halved, with one half being placed on the horse to win and the other half on the horse to place. So if your horse wins, both parts of your bet win. But if your horse places, the win portion of your bet loses, but your place bet wins, so you get some returns.
Forecast bets
The idea of a forecast bet is to predict which horses will finish first and second in a race. A difficult bet to land, but can pay handsomely if you get it right. You can also place a reverse forecast, where you select the two horses you think will finish in the top two and you win if they finish in those positions in either order, but it costs double your stake as it’s essentially two separate bets.
Tricast Bets
Similar to the forecast, a tricast bet is the same idea but even more difficult. Here, you have to predict the horses to finish first, second and third.
Placepot Bets
The Placepot is an extremely popular bet on each day of the Cheltenham Festival. This year The Tote is guaranteeing a £1 Million Placepot for each day of the Festival!
Done on the tote, you select a horse (or horses) in the first six races on the card, and you need at least one horse to place in every race. If you succeed, you’ll win a share of the total prize pot, split between however many winning tickets there are. So the more unpredictable the results are, the bigger the dividend will be! The catch is the more horses you choose, the more lines you have, so the higher your stake will be, but you have more chances of winning.
Place Only Bets
This essentially splits the each-way bet from the win bet. Some bookmakers will offer this market, and if there’s a short-priced favourite that looks hard to beat, you can use the place-only market to back a longer-priced horse to just place.
Betting Without The Favourite
It is quite common to have a strong favourite that is too short of a price for you to bet on. However, if you fancy another horse to run well, you can bet on it to win without the favourite in the field, theoretically speaking. Again, this offers better odds than the place-only market, and essentially you remove the favourite from the result, and if your horse has then won, you win your bet.
Best Cheltenham Festival Free Bet Offers Available
While bookmakers save their best offers for targeted promotions on certain races, there are some Cheltenham betting offers applied to all races across the Festival. Coral deserve credit for giving money back on all 28 races last year if your selection was a faller or pulled up, and hopefully we’ll see this again. William Hill also merit a mention for their money back offer on all 28 races if your horse finished second.
Another popular daily Cheltenham free bet offer throughout the Festival is bet365’s TV racing offer that gives you a free bet for any winner you back at 4-1 or bigger in a live race on ITV. You have to be quick off the mark with this one, though, as the free bet has to be used in the next ITV race.
For punters who don’t have an account with any of the big bookmakers, the Cheltenham Festival is an excellent week to claim the sign-up bonuses widely on offer. The best of them include Bet365 and Betfair, who offer a sign-up bonus of up to £100 in free bets. You can sign up with all the major bookmakers at GG.co.uk and take advantage of these welcome bonuses.