The Cheltenham Festival is horse racing's pinnacle for jumps racing, considered National Hunt racing's championship, and opening on a Tuesday each March with the famous 'Cheltenham roar'.
Cheltenham Races are a four-day bonanza of jumps racing, widely regarded as the seasonal championships of the National Hunt racing calendar, with crowds exceeding 60,000 each day, and betting turnover hitting £400m.
The best horse racing betting sites have odds available for the Festival races almost all-year round, with the finest jumps horses from Britain, Ireland and France always preparing for the battle up Cheltenham's famous hill.
The four days of the Cheltenham Festival run from Tuesday to Friday, featuring 28 races, including 14 Grade 1s (the highest level of jumps racing), and four blue ribands: the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers' Hurdle, and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The Cheltenham Festival is what every punter, owner, breeder, trainer and jockey dreams about; it's where everyone wants to have a winner - and bet on a winner.
The four-day horse racing meeting over jumps includes the National Hunt season's four most prestigious races, a pile of competitive handicaps, and a host of tricky novice races that offer incredible betting value.
Though originating as far back as 1860 with the inauguration of the National Hunt Chase, the Cheltenham Festival as we know it did not begin until it made Cheltenham its permanent home in 1911.
Expanding from three days to four days in 2005, the Cheltenham Festival is now the richest jumps racing meeting in the world, with more than £4.5m in prize money up for grabs.
Like it or loathe it, the Cheltenham Festival's draw dictates the jumps season narrative, with ante-post betting markets available for the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers' Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup, and many other races with the best betting sites.
There are thousands of ways to bet on the Cheltenham Races, and hundreds of betting strategies, from the simplest (an attractive name) to the most complex (using pace analysis), but they all have one thing in common: value.
Cheltenham Festival betting is vitally important to bookmakers, some saying the results there make or break their entire year. It is one week where the punter is in charge, as Cheltenham betting sites offer as many moneyback specials, free bets, price guarantees, and boosted price offers as possible. Here's three popular bets to have on the Cheltenham Races:
There's a bigger guide to the full range of horse racing bets on our horse racing betting page.
The Cheltenham Festival is the seasonal target for any horse good enough to go, so connections can be planning a horse's challenge there years in advance. It therefore lends itself perfectly to ante-post betting.
Sometimes known as futures betting, ante-post betting is available on races that are a long way into the future. Races with ante-post betting odds might not even have any horses entered in them yet. A market for a race is considered ante-post until the final declarations are made for the race, and the final field that is set to line up is revealed.
One of the main benefits of betting on Cheltenham ante-post is the potential of bigger betting odds, particularly on horses who have many options at the Festival. There will be odds available on all of the Cheltenham races long before the entries are revealed, and just by being entered, a horse's odds could contract.
The feature race of Day One of the Cheltenham Festival is the Champion Hurdle over two miles. Legendary owner JP McManus has a fantastic record in this race, having won it with the likes of Epatante, Espoir d'Allen, and Buveur d'Air recently.
The supporting card is a stellar one, with the curtain being raised by the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. The ‘Cheltenham Roar’ is infamous amongst racing fans as this race regularly produces a future star, as does the Arkle Challenge Trophy.
The feature event on Day Two of the festival - also known as Ladies Day - is the Grade One Queen Mother Champion Chase, which looks set to be yet another thrilling renewal. The race has been won in the past by National Hunt legends such as Altior, Sprinter Sacre, Sizing Europe, and Master Minded.
The supporting card features two novice events with a fine record for producing stars of the future in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, while the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is a unique spectacle not to be missed.
With three Grade One contests to savour, the racing continues to take centre-stage on Day Three, with the main event being the Stayers Hurdle. Previously won by the likes of Paisley Park, Big Bucks and Thistlecrack it is a fascinating race and is the highlight of Cheltenham's St.Patrick's Thursday.
Day Three also features the Ryanair Chase, while the JLT Novices Chase usually serves up a top-class race to get things underway on the penultimate day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The pinnacle of the Jumps season is on Day Four of the Festival as the highly anticipated Cheltenham Gold Cup takes place. The blue riband race has an impressive roll of honour and has been won by jumping greats such as Kauto Star, Denman, Best Mate and Al Boum Photo.
The supporting races like the Triumph Hurdle and Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdles always produce some future greats while the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle rounds off the Cheltenham Festival with a touch of class.
Looking for somewhere to watch the Cheltenham Festival? Check out the best live streaming betting sites.
There are four feature races at the Cheltenham Festival, often described as Championship Races. These are the four most prestigious jumps events in horse racing:
When your sportsbook offers you Best Odds Guaranteed, you will be paid at SP if this is bigger than the odds that you have placed your bet on. This is quite common during the Cheltenham Festival. On the other hand if your winning selection is higher that the starting price, you will still get paid with the higher odds. This ensures you always get the best value for your wager on a given bet.
Some sportsbooks choose to give free bet offers to their customers. There are always different terms and conditions you need to keep in mind to be sure you are maximising your chances with these bets. Some sportsbooks will also opt to enhance their bonus bets for particular events like the Cheltenham Festival.
What about having the favourite's odds boosted? This is what happens with enhanced offers where the sportsbook will boost the price of the favourite horse or other horses to give you higher returns should this horse wins. Keep an eye open for these types of bets althought they are not always easy to find.
Place a bet on the first race of the day and get a free bet for all the races. This will surely keep your interest high for all the races and you will enjoy the Festival even more. Make sure you keep your eyes open on the first day of the Festival to see if there are any offers on the Supreme Novices' Hurdle race that will give you more bets for the day.
NRNB gives you more security in your bet and is found in ante-post betting. If the horse you have placed your bet on doesn't make it to the starting line, you will receive back your stake.
A phenomenon created by the Cheltenham Races is Cheltenham Festival Preview Nights, events involving a gathering of horse racing experts to talk to a room about Cheltenham, including betting tips and information on runners.
There are so many betting conundrums at Cheltenham that punters welcome such events with glee, especially Cheltenham Preview Nights that are attended by popular trainers, jockeys and owners, as well as well-known racing pundits.
There is a Festival Preview Night in almost every town in Britain and Ireland, and one scheduled for virtually every day from the end of January to the Monday night before the Cheltenham Festival itself - the racecourse hosting one that evening in The Centaur.
Ticket prices for admission to the Cheltenham Festival start at £40, with Cheltenham Gold Cup day starting at £60. There are three enclosures - Club, Tattersalls, and Best Mate - and a host of extra hospitality options. For admission only ticket prices, see below:
The Cheltenham Festival is run at Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham town in England. It's also known as Prestbury Park, because the nearest village to the track is called Prestbury.
Cheltenham is the main town and transport hub for the racecourse though, with most Festival racegoers staying, or travelling through there to get to the races.
The vast majority of betting sites will offer a wide range of markets on Cheltenham. The sites that you can sign up to will depend on your location as each province has its own set of laws surrounding sports betting. In some cases your only option may be to sign up with an offshore operator. Some provinces are beginning to change their laws. For example, Ontario Sports betting has now been legalised and there are a whole host of new operators available to sign up with. So, be sure to check what your options are in advance of signing up with any betting site.
There are a number of online sportsbooks that offer horse-racing betting at the Cheltenham Festival. Websites, their mobile sites or apps are ways to place your bets on Cheltenham races. It is always important to ensure that you are using only reputable and licensed sportsbooks to make your bets safely.
There is a huge choice when it comes to horse-racing betting sites. Your top choice for a sportsbook would depend on various points such as market options, odds available, promotions and also user experience and customer service.It is always a good idea to compare these features to make your decision on where to place your Cheltenham bets.
Most reliable sportsbooks are licensed by reputable authorities. They usually have a proven track record of fair services and offer the most secure payment methods. It is still suggested to do your research to feel comfortable with your sportsbook. You can read reviews from other users about their experience with such name and compare their needs and preferences with yours.
Many bookmakers offer the BOG feature for the Cheltenham Festival. This enables you to maximise your profits if you bet on a horse and the Starting Price is higher than your odds. It is always important to check the Terms and Conditions of your sportsbook on the BOG.
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