Skip to site footer
Cheltenham Racecourse Racecourse
Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham

Cheltenham Festival Free Bets 2026

The Cheltenham Festival is once again on the horizon, and in 2026, there will be a wide array of special Cheltenham free bets offers to claim. For those of you looking to open new bookmaker accounts ahead of the Festival, there are a multitude of options, which we will go into more detail on this page.

 

Given the magnitude of an event like the Cheltenham Festival, bookmakers will be vying for your business, and that means there will be special offers available in the build-up and throughout the week.

 

Let’s look at the basic things you should consider before claiming any of the exciting Cheltenham sign up offers, and then outline the best offers from our partners ahead of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.

What to consider before making your Cheltenham Bets

The first thing to consider is what you need to do to trigger your free bet bonus. Almost all bookmakers will require you to make a minimum deposit and bet to unlock your free bet rewards ahead of Cheltenham. The minimum deposit and minimum bet requirements vary by bookmaker, but the most common amounts are £10 and in some cases £5. There is also a minimum odds requirement, which again varies by bookmaker, but typical minimum odds requirements include 1/5 (1.20) and 1/1 (2.00) or Evens as you will often hear it described.

Some bookmakers may offer superior free bet packages to others, but make sure they are suitable for your needs. Often bookmakers will place restrictions on what types of bets you can place, and on which sport, for example £10 on Horse Racing and £10 on Football Bet Builders. You need to make sure any Cheltenham free bet offer you claim gives you the freedom to place wagers on the festival.

Another thing to consider is what you will need to do before you can withdraw your balance. This is especially important during the Cheltenham Festival when you might have had a nice win early in the week and you are looking to make a withdrawal. Each bookmaker will have a different turnover requirement to ensure that you cannot simply claim your free bets and then withdraw them as cash. Your initial free bet balance must be bet a certain number of times, often played through once, before you can withdraw any winnings gained from a free bet.

This is crucial. You do not want to meet the requirements to unlock a free bet, go away and ponder what you are going to use them on, and then miss the chance to bet with them. Every free bet offered by a bookmaker will come with an expiration date, and it is for you to be clear on when this is, and ensure you use it in good time. The most common expiry period for a free bet is 7 days.

Below, you will learn more about each individual Cheltenham free bet offer on the market, and some will require you to bet in a certain way. Other than that, how you choose to use your Cheltenham free bets really comes down to personal preference. That could be using them as a way to bolster your winnings on a short-priced favourite, or instead of using your own hard-earned money to bet on a longshot, you might use these free bets to have a flutter on that horse instead.

Our Favourite Cheltenham Sign up Offers

Cheltenham_Festival_Hero (1).jpg

Now that we have established the considerations you need to take into account before claiming a free bet ahead of the Festival, let’s take a look at the best Cheltenham sign up offers for 2026.

Betfred Cheltenham Offer: Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets

Betfred is a fantastic bookmaker, given that they are one of the most trusted bookies in the UK, and have a long association with Racing.

On top of that, they are giving away one of the biggest bonuses with their Betfred Cheltenham offer, as you claim £50 in free bets when you sign up and deposit £10.

You will receive £30 in sports bets, which you can use on any event of your choice, including the Cheltenham Festival, and then you will claim £20 in acca bets as well. These will be paid out as 3 x £10 sports bets and 2 x £10 acca bets.

To unlock the £50 in free bets, you must complete the Betfred registration process and then deposit and bet £10 on any market where the minimum odds are 1/1 (2.0).

Minimum Odds Requirement: (1/1)

Minimum Deposit and Bet: £10

Free Bet Expiry: 7 Days

Visit Betfred

Betfred Logo (1).png
1.png

Bet365 Cheltenham Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets

Bet365 is the market leader when it comes to online betting, and there is simply no better option. For the full betting experience, bet365 is the best place to be, with the bet365 Super Boosts also playing a big part across social media throughout the Cheltenham Festival.

They are giving away £30 in free bets which you can use on any sport or market, and that added freedom makes this bet365 sign up offer as appealing as the bookmaker overall.

You wouldn’t want to go into the Cheltenham Festival without a bet365 account and with the bet £10, get £30 offer there is certainly no reason to miss out.

Simply sign up, deposit and bet £10 on any market where the odds are 1/5 or bigger, and claim your £30 in free bets. These will be added to your account once your qualifying bet has settled, and these £30 free bets will be available for 7 days.

Minimum Odds Requirement: (1/5)

Minimum Deposit and Bet: £10

Free Bet Expiry: 7 Days

Visit Bet365

William Hill Cheltenham Offer: Get £40 in Free Bets When You Deposit and Bet £10

William Hill is one of the most recognised bookmakers both online and on the high street, and it makes perfect sense that they are offering some of the best value when it comes to Cheltenham sign up offers for 2026.

New William Hill customers will get £40 in free bets to use freely on their favourite Cheltenham Festival bets, after signing up and betting £10.

As one of the most trusted brands in the UK, you will not go wrong signing up for a William Hill account, especially when taking advantage of £40 in free bets.

To ensure you qualify for your William Hill free bets, simply complete the registration process and enter the William Hill promo code G40. Then it is over to you to deposit and bet £10. Once you do so, you will unlock 4 x £10 in free bets to use on racing.


Minimum Odds Requirement: 1/2

Minimum Deposit and Bet: £10

Free Bet Expiry: 7 Days

Visit William Hill 

2.png
5.png

Betfair Cheltenham Offer: Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets

Betfair are offering £50 in free bets ahead of the Cheltenham Festival, and if you are a punter looking to place all the favourites into one acca, this is the bonus for you.

That is because you will receive £50 in free bets to use on multiples, which means you can place a Cheltenham Acca with all your favourite horses, courtesy of your new sign up bonus.

Signing up for Betfair ahead of the Cheltenham Festival is incredibly worthwhile, because you will then have access to both Betfair Exchange and Betfair Sportsbook, two of the best products for Horse Racing.

A minimum deposit and bet of £10 is required at odds of Evens (2.0) or bigger, but your free bets do then last for 30 days, which is a bonus, especially for those looking to stockpile them for closer to the Festival.

Minimum Odds Requirement: (Evens)

Minimum Deposit and Bet: £10

Free Bet Expiry: 30 Days

Visit Betfair

Sky Bet Cheltenham Offer: Get £40 in Free Bets for the Festival

The Sky Bet sign up offer may offer a slightly lower free bet bonus compared to others on our list, but it may just be the best for Cheltenham bettors.

That is because the minimum free bet requirement is just 5p! Once that bet is placed, your £40 in free bets are available to use on any market in any sport, and you only have to deposit £5 rather than £10.

This Sky Bet offer is incredible value as you receive 4 x £10 bets to use how you see fit ahead of the Cheltenham Festival, and they come with an extra-long expiry of 30 days, rather than 7 - a real winner in our books!

Minimum Odds Requirement: N/A

Minimum Deposit: £5

Minimum Bet: 5p

Free Bet Expiry: 30 Days

Visit Skybet

3.png
8.png

BetMGM Cheltenham Offer: Bet £10, Get £40 in Free Bets

BetMGM are back for their third Cheltenham Festival after making a splash two years ago as a new UK bookmaker. They have long been established as a major force in the United States, particularly on the Las Vegas strip, and now they are offering excellent Horse Racing odds and offers in the UK.

For 2026, the BetMGM Cheltenham offer will see you bet £10 and get £40 in free bets, which gives you a great opportunity to explore what is still considered one of the newer platforms on the market.

Minimum Odds Requirement: (1/1)

Minimum Deposit and Bet: £10

Free Bet Expiry: 7 Days

Visit BetMGM

Unibet Cheltenham Offer: Bet £10, Get £40 in Free Bets

Unibet are one of the most well-known online bookmakers in the UK and are another excellent option for Cheltenham Festival bettors.

With their bet £10, get £40 sign up offer, you have the opportunity to bolster your kitty ahead of the biggest racing event of the year, so let’s look into the Unibet offer in more detail.

Once you have placed a £10 bet at minimum odds of 1/1 (2.0), you will then qualify for 2 x £10 free bets, which will be added to your account within 24 hours of your first bet settling. The next working day, you will receive an additional £20 casino bonus, where you have the opportunity to win more funds ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.

Minimum Odds Requirement: (1/1)

Minimum Deposit and Bet: £10

Free Bet Expiry: 7 Days

Visit Unibet

7.png
4.png

Paddy Power Cheltenham Offer: Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets

The Paddy Power Cheltenham offer provides significant value for horse racing punters, given that you receive £50 in free horse racing bets.
With a minimum deposit and bet of just £10 this is arguably one of the most valuable bets on the list, and it’s another offer where you receive free bets with no strings attached.

Simply sign up using the Paddy Power promo code YHRCHS, and once you have deposited and bet £10 at minimum odds of 1/2 (1.5), you will qualify for your £50 free bets.

You do need to make sure you deposit by debit card or Apple Pay to qualify, but otherwise, this is the simplest and most accessible offer on the list, and given the lower deposit, among the most valuable. In addition to its clear value, the free bets also last for 30 days before they expire.

Minimum Odds Requirement: (1/1)

Minimum Deposit and Bet: £10

Free Bet Expiry: 30 Days

Visit Paddy Power

Ladbrokes Cheltenham Offer: Bet £5, Get £20 in Free Bets

If you are a high-street bettor you will have come across Ladbrokes, but they also have a very strong online presence, and they are giving away £40 in free bets to new users ahead of Cheltenham.

New users will need to deposit and bet £10 to unlock their offer, so this is on par with a few of the other sign up offers on this page, making Ladbrokes a solid option for Cheltenham Festival free bets.

All you need to do to claim this offer is sign up, deposit £10 and then find your favourite Horse Racing bet at odds of 1/2 or bigger. Once you have done that, place your £10 bet and you will have qualified for the £40 in free bets from Ladbrokes. This will be paid as 4 x £10 free bets, and they will be available for 7 days before they expire.

Minimum Odds Requirement: (1/2)

Minimum Deposit and Bet: £10

Free Bet Expiry: 7 Days

Visit Ladbrokes

10.png
9.png

Coral Cheltenham Offer: Bet £10, Get £40 in Free Bets

Coral, like Ladbrokes will be instantly recognisable to high-street bettors, and like Ladbrokes they have shifted their focus to online betting as is the nature of the market. This means they are offering excellent offers to online players, including their bet £10, get £40 sign up offer.

The same process applies to Coral, as new players must sign up and bet £10 on sports at odds of 1/2 or bigger and you will unlock 4 x £10 free bets to use on any sporting event of your choice, including the Cheltenham Festival in 2026.

These free bets will be available for 7 days, so if you are looking to bet on Cheltenham, make sure you get your bets down before the free bets expire.

Minimum Odds Requirement: (1/2)

Minimum Deposit and Bet: £10

Free Bet Expiry: 7 Days

Visit Coral

Bet £10 and get £40 in free bonuses. 

Tote has been at the heart of racing for more than ninety years.

When you bet with the Tote, you are not betting against a bookmaker; all the money that is bet on a race is pooled together into one pot. After that race, the pool is then split between everyone who backed the winner. In general, the fewer people who pick the winner, the higher the dividend.

Also with Tote guarantee, you either get paid the Tote dividend (price) or when Industry SP exceeds the pool price, you’ll get topped up to match it, meaning you’re guaranteed the best price at the off.

Register using the promo code ‘B10G40’ and deposit £10 at Tote.co.uk as a new customer, and you will then receive £40 in bonuses when you place a £10 stake at minimum odds of 1/2. This bonus is credited as £20 in Tote Credit, £10 free sports bet, and 50 free spins.

Minimum Odds Requirement: (1/1)

Minimum Deposit and Bet: £10

Free Bet Expiry: 7 Days

VISIT TOTE

tote.png

Different Cheltenham Free Bet Types

Especially during an event like the Cheltenham Festival, you will often see big name horses boosted to incredibly appealing odds rather than your standard bet and get welcome offer. For example, in 2025, Paddy Power boosted Constitution Hill to 50/1 to win the Champion Hurdle, giving you a way to win £50 in free bets from your first £1 wager!

How to Claim Cheltenham Free Bets


Once you have decided which offers you are going to claim by signing up with a new bookmaker, there are some general steps you will need to follow in order to be eligible for a particular bonus. Whether it be bet and get offers, matched free bet offers, enhanced price promotions, there will be some qualifying steps you will need to take in order to claim your Cheltenham free bets. Here’s a clear step-by-step guide on how to claim free bets for the Cheltenham Festival, including some key things to look out for:

 

1. Choose an Offer: Click a corresponding link on this page to claim any offer to sign up.
2. Register an Account: You must be a new customer when claiming a sign up offer, so register an account by entering your personal details and verifying your account.
3. Make a Deposit: Once your account is set up, you must then make your first deposit. The amount may depend on what your qualifying bet needs to be. For example, a bet £10 get £30 offer requires a £10 bet, so you must deposit at least £10 to begin with.
4. Opt-in or Enter Promo Code (if needed): Some Cheltenham offers may require you to opt in to claim a specific offer. Make sure you do this by ticking a box or by entering a promo code.
5. Place Your Bet: Next, you must place your qualifying bet. Check the offer terms and conditions to see how much this qualifying bet must be, and for any minimum odds requirement.
6. Wait for Settlement: Once your qualifying bet has settled, the free bets will be credited to your account.
7. Use Free Bets: Now the free bets are in your account, you can use them on various Cheltenham Festival races. Look out for any rules for use of these free bets, such as a portion of the bonus must be used on bet builders etc.

Cheltenham Money Back Specials

Gallery_3 (1).jpg

Cheltenham Money Back Specials

A growing number of bookmakers will offer Money Back Specials at Cheltenham and while these offers will vary from Money Back as a Free Bet and Money Back as Cash, these are a welcome way for you to cover your Cheltenham Festival bets.

Money Back as Cash

Sky Bet for example will generally pick a race a day to be the “Money Back as Cash” race. Sometimes they will stipulate that you get your “Money Back as Cash if your horse finishes 2nd” and sometimes, they will extend that to 2nd, 3rd or 4th, depending on the number of runners.

Money Back as Free Bets

Sometimes a bookmaker may follow suit and offer a Money Back Special, but will return your stake as a free bet. This is of course less enticing than Money Back as Cash, but still a brilliant way for you to cover your favourite Cheltenham bets and have the chance to try again on a future race, if your horse falls short.

Cheltenham Free Bets for Existing Customers

Dual Content_Image_1 (2) (1).jpg

Existing customer offers are a big part of the Cheltenham Festival, because those of you looking to bet on the biggest event of the year may already have these accounts. With that in mind, you are going to want to know which bookmakers are known for giving away Cheltenham free bets to existing customers, and we will look to help you with that here.

First of all, almost all bookmakers will give you some sort of special offer during the Cheltenham Festival. While there is obviously a big focus on acquiring new customers, there is also plenty of value in retention, and the bookies know the best way to do this is through Cheltenham free bets.

As highlighted, there are many different free bets offers, including no deposit free bets, money back specials, and bet matches during big events.

The other way bookmakers treat existing customers is through things like odds boosts and price promises, and we will also highlight those below. Some of these offers have yet to be confirmed, but they are our predictions ahead of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival based on previous years.

Bet365 Super Boost

One thing we can rely on is the bet365 Super Boost. This existing customer promotion has now become synonymous with the brand, and it is a great way for punters to bet each day at Cheltenham.

Every race day there will be a new bet365 Super Boost, normally announced at around 10 am each day, and you can expect to see a short-priced favourite boosted to a more attractive price.

Your stakes will be limited on these Super Boosts, but your maximum stakes are dictated on a case-by-case basis depending on your account activity. You will be informed of your maximum stake in the betslip.


VISIT BET 365

1.png
2.png

Existing William Hill Customers Claim a Completely Free Bet for Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival

In 2025, William Hill gave away a completely free bet for day one of the Cheltenham Festival to all their qualifying existing customers. This was a great way for punters to get involved at the start of the Festival, without having to spend their own money.

This offer hasn’t yet been confirmed for 2026, but we suspect it may return, and if it does, it’s arguably one of the best existing customer offer on the market, as a no deposit reward.

VISIT WILLIAM HILL

Sky Bet Money Back As Cash Races

Sky Bet offered Money Back as Cash races at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, and we expect this offer to return in 2026. Normally announced the night before the race, you will know in good time each day, which race you can target in the Money Back as Cash promotion.

Sometimes you will get your Money Back as Cash if 2nd, sometimes that will be extended to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, it all depends on the number of runners in the race.


VISIT SKYBET

3.png
1.png

Bet365 Price Promise

Price Promise is another one of bet365’s brilliant promotions. Each day bet365 will typically set a precedent that they are going to offer the best price on all televised races. Last year, bet365 were not beaten on price on any race shown on ITV, and that should be the case again in 2026.


VISIT BET365

Paddy Power Completely Free Bet for Existing Customers at Cheltenham

In 2025, Paddy Power gave away completely free bets to existing customers, just as William Hill did for day one, making them one of the go-to options on Cheltenham Festival week.

You will see plenty of Paddy Power on the TV during Cheltenham, and you will want to keep your eyes peeled to see if they are offering this completely free bet promotion again, nearer to the Festival.

 

VISIT PADDY POWER

4.png

Additional Offers for The Cheltenham Festival

These is a huge one. Best odds guaranteed is quite often a deal break for punters. The idea of Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) is that you are locking in the minimum odds you are willing to bet a horse at. Then, if your horse goes off at a bigger Starting Price (SP), then you will receive those odds instead. Each bookmaker has their own rules when it comes to Best Odds Guaranteed, but they offer this service on the day of the race, so typically, if you place a bet from 8 am onwards on race day, you will qualify for BOG, if your bookmaker offers it.

Like Best Odds Guaranteed, a bookmaker offering Non Runner No Bet at Cheltenham is a huge factor in a bettors decision. In the lead up to the Cheltenham Festival, punters will want to cover their horses with the NRNB offer, knowing that if their horse is withdrawn through injury or simply entered into a different race, they will get their stakes back. You will be asked to take shorter odds when placing a Non Runner No Bet wager, but it adds a layer of security.