How To Bet On Cheltenham Festival Using Offers, Free Bets & Price Boosts
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The 2023 Cheltenham Festival is fast approaching and it’s a sporting event which is hugely popular from a betting point-of-view.
Millions of bets are staked on each of the four days that comprise the meeting which takes place between March 14 to March 17, with punters hoping to beat the bookies when it comes to races such as the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Gold Cup.
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You might be someone who is interested in placing some bets on the Cheltenham Festival but you’re not sure where to start.
We’re on hand with this helpful guide which can give you a few excellent pointers so that you know how to approach each of the four days of the meeting.
Sign Up With The Best Cheltenham Betting Sites
To start with, you should make sure you have an online betting account with several horse racing betting sites.
It’s handy to be able to compare the odds, each-way terms and promotions available for each of the 28 races.
There is generally a new customer bonus or free bets available when you sign up with a betting site.
This could be in the form of a matched deposit or first qualifying bet, while there are also bookies that will offer you a price boost when it comes to one of the favourites for the big races.
Consider Whether to Bet Win Only or Each-Way
When it comes to the best races to bet on at Cheltenham, there are a few things to consider. One of these is whether you want to back a horse “on the nose” or alternatively each-way.
For many punters, this entirely depends on the selection they are backing. For example, a horse at even-money (1/1) won’t make much appeal from an each-way point-of-view.
However, if you fancy a horse to run well at 20/1, then it could be that an each-way bet is the way to go.
That means that if your runner finishes second, third or even fourth in some cases, you will still be able to get a nice return on your each-way wager.
Consider Backing More than One Horse in the Race
There is nothing to stop you having more than one horse against the field in a Cheltenham race.
When it comes to the handicaps, there are often some really big fields and there’s some merit in selecting two or three horses either on a win-only or each-way basis.
Many customers want to get a run for their money for each of the Cheltenham races and would rather place 2 x £5 bets on different runners than put all their eggs in one basket by placing 1 x £10 bet on the one horse.
Look Out for Cheltenham Price Boosts for Each Race
Once you have decided which horse(s) you want to back, then it pays to shop around the Cheltenham odds and see what’s available.
The bigger the price means the larger the potential return and there might even be some price boosts about the selections you want to back.
It's not uncommon for the leading Cheltenham bookmakers to boost the odds about certain horses and that can mean you’re getting a good price.
You should also make sure that you secure Best Odds Guaranteed which means either getting the bigger out of the early price and the SP.
A Cheltenham Multiple Bet Can Be Great Fun for a Small Stake
In addition to betting on a race-by-race basis, many customers also like to consider placing a Cheltenham multiple bet.
It might be that they have an accumulator on the day’s racing which means wagering a small stake for a potentially large return.
There’s also nothing to stop you placing doubles or trebles on Cheltenham, with a double often ideal if you fancy two short-priced horses.
By putting them in a double bet, their odds are multiplied together and you can get more bang for your buck. A treble is simply having three selections instead.
Many customers like to enjoy a Lucky 15 bet for each day of the Cheltenham Festival and this involves making a selection for four different races.
You then place a bet which covers singles, doubles, trebles and an accumulator. The bigger the number of winners means the larger overall return.
How About a Cheltenham Festival Placepot?
All the leading Cheltenham betting sites now offer customers the chance to have a placepot when it comes to each day of racing.
That means going through each race and picking at least one selection to finish in the frame which is either first two, three or four depending on the size of the field.
You can select more than one horse per race should you wish to have more lines in your placepot and you nominate a stake per line.
Should you manage to predict a horse to place in each of the first six races on any day, then you will get a share of the overall pot and there are several similar Tote-style bets available.
More a full breakdown, read our full placepots explainer article.
Have a Staking Plan for Each Day
The bottom line is that you don’t have to bet on every Cheltenham race.
If you want to have an interest in all 28 races, then consider how much you are going to stake on each of them.
After all, if you plan to place a £10 bet per race and don’t manage to back a winner that day, then you are down to the tune of £70.
We would recommend betting larger stakes on the horses where you have a strong fancy and potentially just going smaller stakes for some of the other races.
You should naturally only gamble what you can afford to lose and there’s certainly no thing as a surefire winner despite what anyone says. Remember, we’re also here to help you gamble responsibly.
Consider the Horses That Have Good Cheltenham Form
Cheltenham racecourse is like no other. The track is really undulating and there’s a steep uphill finish which often lends itself to some exciting finishes.
Because of it’s unique topography, it can often pay to side with horses who have previously run well at Prestbury Park before.
Therefore, look out for the runners that have already proved themselves over course and distance when it comes to Cheltenham.
These can often be the ones who end up performing well. The phrase “horses for courses” exists for a reason!
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Updated by
James Molloy
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