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The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest events in the horse racing calendar, with millions of people tuning in each year to watch four days of top-class racing. For punters, the Cheltenham Festival brings with it a large number of generous betting offers, especially Cheltenham free bets.
On this page, we’ll be sharing the biggest and best Cheltenham free bet offers for the 2025 Festival, showing you how you can claim them, how they work, the different types of Cheltenham free bets that are available, and how can you make the most of them over the four days of racing.
The Cheltenham Festival takes place in March each year and is one of the best times of the year to open new bookmaker accounts. Although there are several Cheltenham free bets available to existing customers of bookies, new customers can often receive enhanced sign up offers in the lead up to the festival.
With so many betting sites online, it can be difficult to know which ones are best to use for your Cheltenham bets. Our team of experts have reviewed hundreds of UK betting sites and experienced countless Cheltenham Festivals over the years. We’ve put together a list of the best betting sites for Cheltenham Festival free bets.
New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org #ad
Full T&Cs apply. New UK customers only. The qualifying bet should be either 1 Single or Accumulator (2+ selections) bet, start at £10, and have 1.9 or greater odds. 5 Free bets which must be placed with a minimum odds of 2 include: 1 x £10 Free bet on horse racing, 1 x £10 Free bet on football, 2 x 10 Free bet In-play, 1 x £10 Free bet Acca (min 3 selections). To unlock the offer, complete the first deposit via the banking app (Open banking). Max payout – £500. 7 day expiry. 18+. Begambleaware.org #ad
New customers only. 7 days to place a qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1x £10 Free Bet on Football, 1x £10 Free Bet on Horse Racing, 2 x £10 Free Bet Builders. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org #ad
Deposit and bet on Sportsbook markets of your choice at odds of evens 2/1 (3.00) or greater. Get £20 Free Bets. UK 18+ Full T&C apply. Always Gamble Responsibly. GambleAware #ad
New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply; T&C apply; 18+ #ad
*New members only. £10+ bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals) at 1.5 min odds, settled within 14 days. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days on sportsbook only. 2x£5 Free Bets for Bet Builder only. Stake not returned. T&Cs + deposit exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware®. 18+ #ad
For new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required. 18+ gambleaware.org #ad
1st single cash specials bet on the Selected EURO 2024 matches. Min odds EVS. Free Bet: accept via pop-up within 24 hours of qual, use in 7 days on Specials only. Stakes not returned. Click here for full T&Cs. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org 18+ #ad
18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet £10 at odds of evens 1/1(2.00) or greater s within 7 days of registration. Get £20 in Free Bets, selected markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly. #ad
18+. New customers only. Min deposit £20. Max One £10 Free Bet & two £5 Bet Builder Free Bets.. Qualifying Bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater. Paid as bonus tokens with Min 4/5 (1.80) odds req. Token 2& 3 are valid for Bet Builder only and are subject to min odds of 2/1 (3.00) T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org #ad
18+. New accounts only. Must have a min. of 3 bets of £10 at odds of evens (2.0). Full T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org #ad
New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. £/€10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £/€10 Place). Receive £/€20 Tote Credit, £/€10 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org. #ad
New customers only. 18+, BeGambleAware.org. Minimum deposit £10. UK Customers Only. Place a £10+ bet on football of odds 1/1 (2.00) or greater to receive your free bets. Free bets will expire 7 days after registration. £10 Casino bonus will be credited the next working day after you have registered. Casino bonus must be wagered at least 35x before any withdrawals can take place.
Cheltenham free bets are offered to customers by betting sites around the time of the Cheltenham Festival. These offers typically allow new or existing customers to receive a free bet, usually in return for placing a cash bet with a bookmaker. Free bets for Cheltenham are more often than not worth claiming as they allow you to have another punt on a horse without risking your own money. With 28 races taking place at the Cheltenham Festival, a handful of free bets can certainly come in handy!
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest racing events of the year. Not only for horse racing fans, but also for punters. It’s been estimated that up to £1 billion has been bet on races at the Cheltenham Festival in a single year, proving that it is one of the busiest times for online betting sites. Bookmakers use Cheltenham free bets as a way to attract new customers and keep existing ones engaged. Free bets are great for punters as it allows them to place a bet with the chance of winning real cash, without using their own money as the stake. They’re also good for betting sites as customers are placing bets with them instead of other bookies.
Bookmakers offer a range of Cheltenham free bets which appeal to different people. Here’s a closer look at some of the most popular types of free bet offers that you’ll find available throughout the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
Traditional free bets are straightforward. You place a qualifying bet with your own money, and the bookmaker gives you a free bet in return. The value of the free bet will vary between betting site but you’ll receive the free bet regardless of whether the bet you placed with your own money wins or loses.
No deposit free bets are exactly what they sound like – offers that don’t require any deposit. Simply sign up for an account, and the bookmaker will provide you with a free bet. No deposit free bets for Cheltenham are rare, but we have come across them in the past. However, it’s not uncommon for some betting sites to award existing customers with free bets without having to deposit. These are used as a way to drive existing customers back during major sporting events such as the Cheltenham Festival.
Bonuses work slightly differently to free bets but appeal to a lot of punters. Cheltenham bonuses are usually awarded when making a deposit but require the user to wager a certain amount before the bonus becomes withdrawable. For example, a bookmaker may offer a 100% bonus up to £50 to new customers with a x5 wagering requirement. This means that if you deposited £50, you would receive a £50 bonus instantly on top, giving you a total of £100. You would need to place £250 worth of bets (5 x £50) before the bonus money could be withdrawn. However, you can always withdraw your cash deposit at any time.
Money-back free bets are very popular with horse racing punters, and even more so during the Cheltenham Festival. With these bets, you place a wager with your own money, but if it loses, the bookmaker refunds your stake as a free bet. Sometimes, you’ll even receive the refund as cash!
While claiming Cheltenham free bets can be tempting, it’s important to understand the terms and conditions that come with each offer. To make the most of your free bets for Cheltenham, be sure to familiarise yourself with the common terms below.
Wagering Requirements
Some free bets come with wagering requirements, meaning you must bet your winnings a certain number of times before you can withdraw them. The vast majority of free bet offers come without wagering requirements which makes things much simpler. You simply place a bet using your free bet as the stake and you’ll receive the winnings if it wins. If there are wagering requirements attached to the free bet, look for low-wagering offers to get the best value.
Minimum Odds
Many free bets require you to place bets at minimum odds which should be highlighted in the terms of the promotion. Many free bet offers for Cheltenham have low minimum odds of around 1/5 or so, but others may be as high as 4/1.
Expiry Dates
Free bets often have expiry dates, so make sure you use yours before it runs out! Cheltenham only lasts for four days, so be aware of the deadlines. You may be able to use your free bets on events other than at Cheltenham, but keep an eye on when they need to be used by otherwise they’ll be removed from your account.
Numerous bookmakers roll out generous free bet offers during Cheltenham. It’s a good idea to know which bookies are the best for promotions so that you can take advantage of them when they come around.
We’ve listed some of the best Cheltenham betting sites below.
For new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required. 18+ gambleaware.org #ad
1st single cash specials bet on the Selected EURO 2024 matches. Min odds EVS. Free Bet: accept via pop-up within 24 hours of qual, use in 7 days on Specials only. Stakes not returned. Click here for full T&Cs. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org 18+ #ad
New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org #ad
18+. New customers only. Min deposit £20. Max One £10 Free Bet & two £5 Bet Builder Free Bets.. Qualifying Bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater. Paid as bonus tokens with Min 4/5 (1.80) odds req. Token 2& 3 are valid for Bet Builder only and are subject to min odds of 2/1 (3.00) T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org #ad
Full T&Cs apply. New UK customers only. The qualifying bet should be either 1 Single or Accumulator (2+ selections) bet, start at £10, and have 1.9 or greater odds. 5 Free bets which must be placed with a minimum odds of 2 include: 1 x £10 Free bet on horse racing, 1 x £10 Free bet on football, 2 x 10 Free bet In-play, 1 x £10 Free bet Acca (min 3 selections). To unlock the offer, complete the first deposit via the banking app (Open banking). Max payout – £500. 7 day expiry. 18+. Begambleaware.org #ad
18+. New accounts only. Must have a min. of 3 bets of £10 at odds of evens (2.0). Full T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org #ad
New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. £/€10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £/€10 Place). Receive £/€20 Tote Credit, £/€10 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org. #ad
18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet £10 at odds of evens 1/1(2.00) or greater s within 7 days of registration. Get £20 in Free Bets, selected markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly. #ad
New customers only. 18+, BeGambleAware.org. Minimum deposit £10. UK Customers Only. Place a £10+ bet on football of odds 1/1 (2.00) or greater to receive your free bets. Free bets will expire 7 days after registration. £10 Casino bonus will be credited the next working day after you have registered. Casino bonus must be wagered at least 35x before any withdrawals can take place.
Deposit and bet on Sportsbook markets of your choice at odds of evens 2/1 (3.00) or greater. Get £20 Free Bets. UK 18+ Full T&C apply. Always Gamble Responsibly. GambleAware #ad
The Cheltenham Festival features several high-profile races over the four days of racing. You can use your free bets on any of the races but some there are some key races that attract the biggest number of bets.
Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is a crowd favourite and takes place on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. It’s a great race to use your free bets on and many bookmakers often have money-back specials and other promotions for this race.
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the main event and arguably the best race to use your free bet on. Several millions of pounds is bet on the race each year and it is one of the biggest races for the bookies. Favourites have dominated the Gold Cup in recent years, but there have been some notable winners at bigger prices including Minella Indo at 9/1 in 2021, Al Boum Photo at 12/1 in 2019, and Lord Windermere at 20/1 in 2014. Our top racing analysts will be sharing their Cheltenham Gold Cup predictions in advance of this years race.
Several of them do. Some offer more than others but the vast majority of the big UK bookmakers offer customers free bets for the Cheltenham Festival. Take a look at our list of betting sites further up this page.
Usually, but not always. Some free bets have wagering requirements that you must meet before you can withdraw. It’s also important to remember that the free bet stake is usually not returned in the winnings.
No, many bookmakers offer free bets for both new and existing customers during the festival. You can view our Cheltenham Betting Offers page for the best offers of each day throughout the 2025 festival.
In most cases, no. Free bets are usually stand-alone offers, so check the terms before attempting to combine promotions. For example, you wouldn’t usually be able to qualify for a money-back offer by using a free bet as the stake.