Best Cheltenham Betting Sites Ireland 2024 – Racing Free Bets

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How we rank the best Cheltenham Festival betting sites

There are a lot of betting sites available to Irish punters. You will find plenty of betting sites offering odds and markets on the Cheltenham Festival. But how do you know which websites are worth your time and money? Let’s explore some of the ways we rank the best Cheltenham Festival betting sites.

Best Cheltenham Festival Betting Sites in Ireland

The Cheltenham Festival brings out the best in top bookmakers. Horse racing fans flock to these websites to place their wagers on the different races. Some betting sites do things a little better than others. Below are four bookmakers that provide some of the best coverage of the Cheltenham Festival.

Boylesports

Boylesports is one of Ireland’s big two sports betting sites along with Paddy Power. Although Paddy Power gets a lot of attention thanks to its hilarious adverts, Boylesports has a strong suite of services and products for horse racing bettors. You will find an attractive welcome offer and Cheltenham Festival-focused promotions every year. Horse racing is one of Boylesports’ main focuses, so it isn’t hard to find a great deal during the festival.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use website
• Cheltenham Festival offers
• Focus on horse racing

Cons:

• Website could use a design update

Bet365

Bet365 is one of the biggest, most trusted betting sites in the world. It is one of the leaders in the industry thanks to its cutting-edge service, markets, and competitive odds. You will find a selection of promotions before and during the Cheltenham Festival. Bet365 has a strong horse racing section, with various offers, including best odds guaranteed. It has an easy-to-use website and mobile app, perfect for new bettors.

Pros:

• Live streaming platform available
• Competitive odds and extensive markets
• Cheltenham Festival promotions.

Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes has an easy-to-use website and app, perfect for new horse racing punters. The betting site is one of the best in horse racing and provides competitive odds on all races. Punters will find exclusive promotions for the Cheltenham Festival each year. You can also live stream horse races from the website.

Pros:

• Extra each-way places on Cheltenham races
• Attractive Cheltenham Festival welcome bonus
• Extensive range of horse racing markets
• Great reputation in the industry

Cons:

• Odds can be hit and miss

BetVictor

BetVictor is a long-running sportsbook that can trace its roots back over 50 years ago. It offers customers a fantastic range of products and services. You will find the latest offers, including bet builders, great horse racing odds, and existing customer promotions. Many punters sign-up for BetVictor thanks to the horse racing odds. The odds are very competitive and the website offers boosted prices on select races. There are also plenty of payment options for customers to select from. During the Cheltenham Festival, you will find plenty of exciting offers available.

Pros:

• Best odds guaranteed on all horse races in Ireland and the UK
• Comprehensive betting experience on mobile app
• Exclusive Cheltenham Festival welcome offer
• An extensive range of markets and specials throughout the four-day festival

What is the Cheltenham Festival

There are 28 races in total held during the Cheltenham Festival. Each day, horse racing fans will see a full racecard of seven events. There is a marquee race for each day, but the race that truly brings out fans is the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race. The event is open to horses five years old and older. The prize purse for the Gold Cup makes it one of the richest races in all Irish and British horse racing. Some of the biggest names in the sport have won the Gold Cup, including Native River, Al Boum Photo, and Minella Indo.

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most popular horse racing events for punters. In the build-up to the race, bookmakers offer competitive odds, promotions, and new customer sign-up offers to attract business. The festival is one of the most-wagered on in all horse racing. Before the 2024 edition of the Cheltenham Festival, it was estimated that over €1 billion would be wagered on the four-day extravaganza.

You won’t want to miss the next running of the Cheltenham Festival. It is one of the marquee events on the horse racing calendar. It is an opportunity to see the some of the best horses competing for some of the large prize purses. There is also an opportunity to win with some well-placed wagers on the event. Bookmakers provide fantastic offers around festival time. You won’t want to miss the promotions and the chance to win big on the horses.

What is National Hunt racing?

It is important to note the difference between National Hunt racing and flat racing. National Hunt racing is also known as jumps racing, and the two names are often used interchangeably. Jumps racing contests are a minimum of two miles. The horses must leap over fences, hurdles, or hedges on the way to the finish line.

Jumps racing can trace its roots back to hunting. It is point-to-point racing rather than circular track racing. Most horses competing in National Hunt racing are geldings. The age limits mean the horses have raced for a few seasons before competing in high-stakes National Hunt events.

Flat racing is just how it sounds. The courses are flat and there are no hurdles to leap over. The horses begin the race in stalls, while in jumps racing, the horses are all gathered and start from a standing position. Some horses begin their racing careers on flat courses before making the move to jumps racing.

The Cheltenham Festival earned the nickname “The Olympics of Jumps Racing” due to the high-level of horses competing each year. The amount of money available in prizes is extraordinary, with over €1 million a day handed out.

Why bet on the Cheltenham Festival?

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest horse racing events in the sport. It consists of four days of racing, with seven races are held each day. Only one race festival in Ireland and the United Kingdom can contend with the Cheltenham Festival and that is the Grand National.

There is a myriad of reasons to bet on the Cheltenham Festival. For one, you have a high concentration of horses all in one place. The level of competition is incredible. Some of the best horses in Irish and British racing are on hand.

There is also the chance for an upset in some of the marquee races. With so many strong contenders to win races, punters have the chance to pick an upset winner. Nearly all leading racing bookmakers will offer exciting promotions in the days leading up to the Cheltenham Festival. The promotions won’t end when the event starts and customers can expect even more deals.

Bookmakers also offer a variety of markets on the festival. You can wager on the races individually, but you can also select additional markets. You can wager on the top jockey or the top trainer at the festival. The additional markets add to the excitement of the Cheltenham Festival. They also give you the chance to diversify your bets.

Finally, the Cheltenham Festival is four days and has 28 races in total. There is always something to watch or wager on during the event. There isn’t a race festival quite like the Cheltenham Festival.

Popular Cheltenham Festival betting offers

Bookmakers are always looking for new customers and popular Cheltenham Festival betting offers are one way they attract new punters. Bookmakers begin advertising their promotions and betting offers in the build-up to the festival. Below are some of the most popular betting offers available each year.

• Welcome bonuses

Bookmakers provide new customers with welcome bonuses when they sign up and make an initial deposit. You must be a completely new customer to the sports betting site to receive the welcome bonus promotion. The best bookmakers will provide enhanced promotions the week of the festival. This drives up the value of each welcome bonus. A welcome bonus simply adds to the amount of money you have available to wager on the races.

You can make the most of welcome bonuses by signing up to multiple sports betting sites before the Cheltenham Festival begins. You can obtain multiple new customer welcome bonuses this way. Welcome bonuses are free money and grow your bankroll. The bonus simply adds to the amount of money you want to stake on a horse race.

• Price boosts and Enhanced odds

Bookmakers offer price boosts and enhanced odds on races during festival time. Enhanced odds are an incentive to encourage customers to bet on the races. Most enhanced odds and price boosts will be offered on race favourites.

Price boosts are usually available for all customers. It isn’t just an incentive for new customers, but for existing customers, too. Betting sites want to keep existing customers just as happy as new customers. Price boosts are one way to keep customers coming back for more.

• Accumulator (Acca) insurance

If you love selecting accas, then you will want to get acca insurance on your Cheltenham bets. Acca insurance is available for a variety of sports, but not all bookmakers offer it as a promotion. Acca insurance covers bettors if one leg of an accumulator loses. Bettors will receive their money back in the form of a free bet.

Acca insurance typically covers accumulators with a certain number of legs. Bookmakers will differ on their accumulator insurance. Therefore, it is important to read the terms and conditions before signing up for a sports betting site.

Accumulator insurance is simple to understand. For example, if you have a five-leg Cheltenham Festival acca and four of the five selections are successful, the acca insurance will cover the failed selection. Your stake will be returned as a free bet.

• Money-back bonus

Some betting sites will provide money-back bonuses to customers. For example, a betting site may offer money back if your horse falls. There may also be a money-back offer if your horse finishes second behind the race favourite. Money-back bonuses are typically paid as a free bet to use on another Cheltenham Festival race.

Along with refunding your stake as a free bet if your selection falls, some sports betting sites will provide a money-back free bet if your horse doesn’t start the race. Some horses get jittery before the start. If your horse backs out, then you will be refunded. Non-runner, no bet is a great way to prevent losing your stake if your horse doesn’t run. Not all bookmakers offer non-runner, no bet, so be on the lookout for it.

• Free bets

Free bets are one of the chief promotions that bookmakers offer ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. The intense competition between bookmakers means customers are likely to receive incentives to sign up and bet on the event.

Bookmakers are always looking to add new customers. Offering free bets allows bookmakers to give away something for free. Customers should take advantage of any free bet offers. Free bets are the same as free money.

You can wager the free bets without risking your own cash. Any money you win is yours to keep or bet again. The free bet stake isn’t returned to you, only the winnings. Still, free bets can significantly increase your bankroll.

• Best odds guaranteed

Best odds guaranteed is one of the most popular bonuses and promotions offered by betting sites. Also known as BOG, the promotion provides you with the best odds for a race.

For example, if you wager on a horse before the race at odds of 4/1, but the odds drift to 6/1 at the start of the race, then you are given the higher odds by the bookmaker if your horse wins. BOG is one of the best promotions available from bookmakers. It means you won’t lose out if your horse wins.

• Each-way extra places

Top betting sites will provide each-way extra places on certain races at the Cheltenham Festival. The bookmakers will define their extra each-way places, so read the terms and conditions before betting on the race.

Each-way extra places are ideal for punters betting on horses with long odds. Some bookmakers will offer up to five, six, or even seven extra places.

Cheltenham Festival betting markets

The Cheltenham Festival has several betting markets. Whether you want to wager on each race individually or want to take a punt on a festival special, there is something for every horse racing fan.

Strategies for betting on Cheltenham

There are a few strategies and tips that can improve your chances of picking a winner at Cheltenham. Although these are not 100% foolproof, following these strategies can help you in the long run.

• Trainers are key

The best jockeys and trainers continue to produce wins. There is a reason the best trainers win every year at Cheltenham Festival. Research the trainers ahead of each race. Some will have multiple horses in an event. The best trainers continue to churn out winners at Cheltenham.

• Top jockeys are key

A good jockey can turn a good horse into a great horse. Jockeys are nearly important as trainers. Some bettors and pundits don’t believe jockeys are very important. But look at the top jockeys in the sport. You will see many of them rack up win after win.

• Bankroll management

Although bankroll management doesn’t help you pick a winner, it will keep you from being a loser. You should set an amount of money you are willing to risk before the festival kicks off. You don’t want to burn through your bankroll too quickly.

• Get a Cheltenham Festival racecard

Racecards provide punters with invaluable information for events. You can land yourself a Cheltenham Festival race card, which is packed with key information and details. The racecard will help you make smart choices on race day.

• Single bets are smart

Although they aren’t as sexy as accas, forecasts, or other types of bets, singles are a smart bet at the Cheltenham Festival. A single bet means you don’t have to rely on another result elsewhere for the wager to be successful. Regardless of the sport, single bets are the best bets you can place.

FAQ on Cheltenham Festival betting sites and betting offers

What are the major races at Cheltenham Festival?

The four-day festival has one marquee race each day. Those races are Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle, and Cheltenham Gold Cup.

What is the prize money for the Cheltenham Gold Cup race?

The Cheltenham Gold Cup has the largest prize purse at the four-day festival. The prize purse is worth more than €732,000.

How many racecourses are at Cheltenham?

Cheltenham has two racecourses, the New Course and the Old Course. The Old Course hosts the first two days of the festival. The New Course features the third and fourth days of the event.

Which is the most successful horse in Gold Cup history?

Golden Miller won the Cheltenham Gold Cup five times in five consecutive years (1932-1936).

Who is the most successful trainer in Cheltenham Festival history?

Willie Mullins leads the all-time wins table for trainers at Cheltenham. Mullins has 88 race wins and won top trainer on nine occasions.