- You must be over 18 years old and a new Betfred customer residing in the UK to claim this offer.
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As one of the most reputable bookmakers in the UK, Betfred will once again play a pivotal role for thousands of bettors, when it comes to Cheltenham Festival 2026. The festival is expected to be one of the biggest betting events of the year, and luckily with The Jockey Club, you can sign up now to get a huge £50 in free bets.
All you need to do is deposit and bet just £10 to unlock the bonus, making this deal one of the highest value for the Cheltenham Festival! This low stake, high reward deal is available for all new customers and is one of many reasons as to why Betfred is a standout bookmaker for Cheltenham free bets.
Betfred Cheltenham Offer Summary
The Betfred Cheltenham free bets is available to new users only, and gives you the opportunity to claim £50 in free bets when signing up and wagering £10. While this specific promotion does not require a promo code, there is a minimum odds requirement, which you can see below:
All you need to do to claim £50 in free Cheltenham bets is create an account with Betfred, make your qualifying bet and within minutes you will receive your rewards! See the full step-by-step guide here:
Betting on Cheltenham with Betfred offers punters a blend of festival-focused value and long-standing racing expertise. Known as one of the UK’s most established bookmakers, Betfred brings a mix of special promotions, user-friendly features, and racing-centric insights that enhance the excitement of the Cheltenham Festival.
Odds and Special Offers
Whilst Betfred offers competitive odds on all 28 Cheltenham races, it’s their festival-specific special promotions that help set them apart from other bookmakers. For example, Betfred provided six places instead of four on selected races, giving each-way bets even greater value. It does not stop there either, as Betfred often money back in a free bet if your horse finishes second, and a 10% bonus on all winning tricast bets.
Live Streaming and In-Play Betting
Full coverage of every race at Cheltenham Festival is available to watch through Betfred’s app, including those which are not shown live on TV, which provides bettors with an excellent advantage when reacting to live market shifts. This is all supported by their smooth and easy-to-navigate in-play betting interface, as features such as live commentary and stats, help contribute to a fully immersive betting experience.
Platform and App Experience
The Betfred website and mobile app are designed for straightforward, intuitive use, with a clean layout that makes navigating Cheltenham markets simple. Dedicated Festival sections provide quick access to the latest odds, racecards, and Betfred’s special Cheltenham offers. Within each race page, users can access Betfred TV live streaming, fast results, and essential form details such as age, weight, and recent performance. Combined with smooth bet placement and easy in-play access, the Betfred app delivers a reliable, seamless experience whether you’re following the action from home or betting on the go.
Payment Options and Speed
Betfred offers a broad range of payment methods that work for different user preferences — including debit cards (Visa, Maestro), e-wallets like PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill, plus Open Banking. Deposits are usually instant, and there are no fees regardless of the method you choose. When it comes to withdrawals, speed depends on the method: e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller are among the fastest, typically credited within minutes to a few hours once processed. Betfred also supports Visa Fast Funds, which can deliver near-instant withdrawals. For debit card payouts, the process can take 1–5 business days, depending on the bank.
Customer Support
Betfred provides reliable and accessible customer support with 24/7 live chat available through its website and app, where users can quickly escalate from the automated FredBot to a human agent when needed. Betfred also maintains a comprehensive online help centre covering common account, payment, and verification questions, making it easy for users to resolve issues independently.
Pick a horse to either win or finish in the placing threshold (e.g., top 3, 4 or more) depending on how many places are paid. For example, Betfred often offers Super Extra Place races, which sees you paid out for the first six places instead of the usual three or four.
These markets allow you to link selections across multiple races: e.g., win accumulator, or each-way accumulator (where all legs must at least place). Betfred allow for this and require some of the free bets to be made on this selection.
Markets where you predict the first two (forecast) or first three
(tricast) finishers in order. These are noted as available for Cheltenham with
Betfred.
During big festivals such as Cheltenham, Betfred often offer more “places” for each-way bets than standard. For example you might see 5 or 6 places rather than the usual 3 or 4 for select races.
These markets are a great way to bet on something different at the festival, with Betfred often offering top jockey, top trainer, among others. Special markets will be confirmed closer to the Cheltenham Festival.
Betfred runs a Best Odds Guaranteed policy for horse racing, including the top events such as Cheltenham. For qualifying UK & Irish races, if you place a win or each-way single bet after 8am on race day, you’ll be paid at the bigger of the odds you took or the SP when the race runs.
Previous Cheltenham Festival’s have shown Betfred provide excellent value for existing customers as well, meaning there is plenty of benefits to be had after claiming the sign-up offer. From Non-Runner No Bet to free bets if your horse finishes second, there’s lots to get stuck into with this bookmaker during Cheltenham.
While the existing customer offers are yet to be confirmed for 2026 with Betfred, below is a list of promotions we are likely to see return for the festival:
Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB)
If previous years are anything to go by then Betfred will again offer Non-Runner No Bet to all customers in 2026. NRNB is an insurance that gives customers their stake back if their selection does not race for whatever reason.
Extra Place Races
Betfred offers extra places on select horse races throughout the year, but this is normally enhanced further for the Cheltenham Festival. For select races at Cheltenham, you can expect to see extra places made available for multiple races, meaning you have a better chance of seeing a return with your each way bets. Existing customers will likely see Super Extra Place races return, where Betfred will provide six places instead of four.
Cheltenham Cover Bets
A cover bet is a popular way strategy that allows you to place multiple bets on the same horse to reduce risk and improve your chances of a return. For example, you might place a bet on a horse to win while also placing a separate bet for the same horse to place, as a way of offsetting on potential losses.
Betfred delivers strong value to both new and existing customers during the Cheltenham Festival. For new customers, their sign-up offer lets you bet £10 and get £50 in free bets, which is one of the most generous welcome deals for the event. Meanwhile, the long-term value for existing customers allows you access to a range of Cheltenham-specific promotions, including money back as cash if 2nd on the final race each day, extra place markets, super extra places, and many more. This combination ensures that newcomers can jump in with an advantageous sign-up deal, while loyal users continue to receive high-value, race-by-race rewards throughout the festival.