Cheltenham Betting Offers: Top Free Bets and Promotions

Arguably the pinnacle of Jump Racing, the Cheltenham Festival sees legends created, and thousands of fans descend upon the quaint English village each year for four irresistible days of action.

But things are just as frenzied online at reputable bookmakers and mobile apps. In this UK guide, we will give you a betting overview of the Cheltenham Festival, unlocking typical offers available, and seeing how the odds are shaping up for the 2026 edition.

Best Cheltenham Offers for 2026

10bet Cheltenham Offer – £50 Free Bet Match

10bet offers a 100% matched bonus up to £50 using promo code SPORT. Deposit at least £15 and wager your deposit plus bonus eight times on odds 4/5 or better. Use this on early ante-post markets – possibly on horses like The New Lion, emerging as a Champion Hurdle contender in 2026 markets.

bet365 Cheltenham – £50 in Free Bets

New bet365 customers get up to £50 in Bet Credits with the promo code 365GMBLR. Bet Credits activate once your qualifying bets settle. These credits can be used on major races, such as the Arkle Novices’ Chase or Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, where ante-post prospects like Romeo Coolio (Arkle) are gaining attention.

Betfred – Bet £10, Get £50 in Bonuses

Betfred’s Cheltenham offer is ideal for new bettors. Use promo code BETFRED50, stake £10 at odds evens or higher, and receive £20 In-Play bets, £20 Acca bets, plus 50 free spins. Consider ante-post selections like Lossiemouth, one of the early Champion Hurdle favorites in winter markets.

SBK – Bet £10 Get £40 Free Bets

SBK provides a great Cheltenham deal: deposit £10 and bet at minimum odds of 2.0 to claim £40 in free bets using BRITISHG40. You might deploy this on races such as the Queen Mother Champion Chase, where established performers like Jonbon are expected to be competitive.

Ladbrokes Cheltenham – Bet £5, Get £20

Bet just £5 at Ladbrokes with odds of 1/2 or better, and grab £20 in free bets with code BET5GET20. This smaller stake promo can be ideal for ante-post punts such as smaller priced favourites in highlight races.

Grosvenor Sports – Double the Odds

Grosvenor offers a unique odds boost token, doubling your odds on bets up to £10. This is tailored for longer pricing on ante-post runners like Majborough or others drifting in early markets.

Introducing the best Cheltenham bookies

After some thorough research, we have determined the following bookies to be the best for Cheltenham betting offers in 2026. Our carefully curated table underlines their main strength.

Unravelling the Cheltenham Promos at Our Top Bookies

t’s time to explore the latest promotions and deals from top horse racing UK bookies for the Cheltenham Festival 2026. Below, you’ll find clear, updated offers and key terms to help you compare what’s available and how each promotion works.

bet365 – Bet £10 Get £30

Kicking off with a Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets is a solid way to draw interest for Cheltenham, albeit it isn’t as generous as Paddy Power, who offer £50 in free bets as well but punters will only have to part with £5. Code to use is 365GMBLR.

Anyway, bet365 has a stunning live stream product, so whether it is the Supreme Novices Hurdle on Day 1 or the Gold Cup on Day 4, you will be kept abreast of all the major developments.

The odds boosts, however, are the jewel in the crown. Compared to other bookies discussed, bet365 goes deeper and provides value for punters on the hunt for great prices. With Cheltenham, you won’t want to overlook bet365.

Betfred / Super Extra Places

Betfred has a firm handle on horse racing, and that extends to the Cheltenham Festival. One of the underlying strengths is the payment of “Super Extra Places”. When you place on a nominated race, it will apply to each way single or each way multiples which is pretty handy. Although this is available at bet365, Betfred dangles a carrot to stand out from the crowd.

However, the welcome deal hits the mark as you will stand to collect £50 in free bets when you wager £10, and that is bound to keep your bankroll ticking over. This is one of the best deals in the industry apart from 10bet, and we have explained their offer later on.

Betway – Get £10

No stone is left unturned at Betway, and while it comes up trumps for in-play wagering, it delivers for ante-post Cheltenham Festival markets. Indeed, a cursory glance through the futures lines shows that you can find outrights readily available for 2026.

A £30 free bet is waiting to be picked up when you sign up, and you will need to deposit a minimum of £10. Oh, and if you are an existing player, the Free Bet Club where you get £10 in free bets after wagering £25 or more on sports trebles throughout the week is a crowd-pleaser.

10Bet – up to £50

If there is one site you can trust for Cheltenham then 10Bet is it! Only Betfred comes close with its Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets, but at 10Bet, you can get a 100% matched deposit up to £50. The 10bet Cheltenham promo code for this is SPORT and the offer is valid for 60 days which goes beyond the norm.

Anyway, 10Bet is arguably just as accomplished on the mobile side of things as you can receive a £10 free bet for wagering £50 on the app. Also, there is a live streaming service so long as you hold an account with 10Bet, you can get unfettered access to Cheltenham. Intrigued? Have a look for yourself and see why we rate 10Bet so highly.

Common Cheltenham Festival promos and free bet offers

The top bookies will be stacked out with bespoke promos dedicated to the Cheltenham Festival. We have explored some of the most common ones available for you to capitalise on:

NRNB

Short for Non-Runner No Bet, NRNB does exactly what it says on the tin. If your horse doesn’t line up for a Cheltenham race, whether it be injury or otherwise, your stake will be returned to you.

In the build-up to Cheltenham, most reputable bookies will offer this deal, and it is worth latching onto.

Money Back Offers

For Cheltenham, bookies will scramble around to offer money-back deals. A popular offer, the likes of Betfred will throw up free bets if your horse narrowly misses out and finishes second, or at other sites, this will be applicable if your horse loses out to the SP (Starting Price) favourite.

These are great teasers, and there is minimal risk attached to this type of offer.

Best Odds Guaranteed

Also known as BOG, Best Odds Guaranteed will allow punters to claim the best price for a horse they wish to back at Cheltenham. So, for example, if you back a horse at 6/1, but the SP is 13/1, then you will be paid out at the higher odds, so essentially you can generate bigger winnings.

When is the Cheltenham Festival 2026?

Horse racing followers will want to set aside 12–15 March for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, which delivered 28 races across four days. As usual, each day carried its own character, from championship-level showpieces to the rising-star novice contests that shape future seasons.

Racegoers also enjoyed the Festival’s traditional themed days. St Patrick’s Thursday, held on 13 March, brought a lively, celebratory atmosphere to Prestbury Park, with crowds embracing its Irish-inspired flair.

Who is the favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup?

The Gold Cup remains the centrepiece of the Cheltenham Festival, and Galopin des Champs once again leads the early markets for 2026. His dominant victories in 2023 and 2024 have shaped the staying-chase division, and bookmakers continue to treat him as the standard against which all challengers are measured.

As the short-priced favourite in 2024, he delivered with authority, drawing three and a half lengths clear of Gerri Colombe. That win secured Willie Mullins his fourth Gold Cup in six seasons and confirmed Galopin des Champs’ place among the outstanding chasers of the modern era.

A potential historic three-in-a-row sets the tone for 2026. Even so, ante-post odds typically shift as the season develops. Form in prep races, winter ground, and late declarations all influence confidence, so prices will continue to adjust in the run-up to March.

Signing up for our recommended Cheltenham bookie

Want a slice of the Cheltenham action? In this segment, we have shown you how to sign up for the best bookie on this page – bet365:

Step 1 – On the homepage, head to the top right-hand corner and click the “Join” button.

Step 2 – Open the registration form and enter your personal details, including your name, email address, and phone number.

Step 3 – Make your first deposit using an approved banking option and claim the welcome promotion.

Step 4 – Complete a betting slip for Cheltenham and wait to see if you have won!

Tips for Cheltenham Free Bets and Promos 2026

To make sure you don’t leave yourself in for a rude awakening, we have outlined a few useful promo tips to bear in mind ahead of Cheltenham. We recommend 10bet for up to £50 deposit bonus and bet365 for a £30 in free sports bonus bets.

• Shop around for deals – Don’t take the first deal that falls into your lap. Shop around and compare each promo before signing up for a site.
• Bankroll your account well – While free bets offer value to punters, there may be wagering requirements to fulfil before you can withdraw winnings, so don’t get too greedy and bet within your means.
• Always read the terms and conditions – They may seem like a nuisance at times, but if you go through the T&Cs properly, you will know what is expected of you before collecting Cheltenham offers.

Cheltenham Betting Offers FAQs

How can you bet on Cheltenham?

Betting on Cheltenham is straightforward, and our recommended bookies will be stacked with pre-race odds. The most popular types are the win bet which is a single or an each-way bet which consists of two parts, one to win, and one to place.

Who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2024?

Galopin des Champs claimed the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup, pulling clear to beat Gerri Colombe by three and a half lengths. It was his second successive win in the race and further strengthened his status as the standout staying chaser heading into 2026.

When is the Cheltenham Festival 2026?

The Cheltenham Festival 2026 takes place from 10–13 March, with four days of top-tier racing across 28 contests.

Which is the best bookie for Cheltenham Festival promos?

The bookies we have discussed in this guide are all well versed in horse racing promos, but bet365 comes out on top for Cheltenham Festival promos and it boasts a great live streaming product.

How many races are there at Cheltenham 2026?

The Festival features 28 races across four days, including championship contests such as the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle and the Gold Cup.

What time does racing start each day?

Racing usually begins at 1:30pm, with the final race scheduled around 5:30pm. Exact times are confirmed closer to the meeting.

Author:

Horse.Bet Team

Updated:

December 13, 2025

Published:

March 08, 2025