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Cheltenham Free Bets & Bonuses

cheltenham free betsOur recommended Cheltenham bookmakers provide new customers with attractive welcome offers throughout the year.  During the Cheltenham Festival things go up a notch however and during the first couple of weeks in March you can claim some of the most outrageous welcome free bets and bonuses you will see all year round.

In this section we focus on the best introductory betting site promotions and show you the major terms and conditions to consider when claiming them.

There are many different types of free bet and bonus deals available in amounts to suit all types of punter, from those looking for a low stakes £5 bet to those wishing to get matched bonuses of £100’s.

The important thing is to take the right offer for you.  For more information about how to claim free bets and bonuses and the difference between types of promotions see our front page.

Irish Flag
From Ireland? Some of the offers are a little different. See our full list of Irish free bets for Cheltenham here.

Full List of Free Bets For Cheltenham

New customers only. 18+. Terms & Conditions Apply. begambleaware.org gamstop.co.uk #ad
Bet365

Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets

Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets 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.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Parimatch

Bet £10 Get £35 Racing Offer

18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet £10 on any Horse Racing market at odds 2.00+ in 7 days. No cash out. Get 6x £5 Horse Racing free bets + £5 slot bonus, 20x wagering to withdraw max £250. Free bets expire in 24h and bonuses in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Betfred

Bet £10 Get £40

New 18+ UK customers only. Register using the promo code WELCOME40, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets and £10 in Free Spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Free Bet stakes are not included in any returns. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&Cs apply.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Quinnbet

Up to £35 Free Bet + 10 Spins

We've enhanced our Sportsbook Welcome Offer, giving new UK customers the opportunity to get 50% back as a Free Bet up to £35 plus 10 Free Spins! T&Cs apply | 18+ New UK Customers Only | BeGambleAware.org
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Mr Play

Bet £10 Get £15

18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
BetVictor

Bet £10 Get £40 Racing

18+ New customers only. Opt in and place a £10 qualifying bet on Horse Racing at odds of 2.00+ within 7 days of registering; excludes cashed out bets. Receive 3x £10 Horse Racing Free Bets, valid on set events only at odds 2.00+. Plus, a £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw a max of £250. Bonuses expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs Apply, see below. Please Gamble Responsibly.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
BetGoodwin

50% Back Up To £25 Free Bet

18+. New accounts only. New customers must have a minimum of 3 bets of £10 at odds of evens(2.0) or bigger on first day. First day losses equals all losing stakes less all returns and the day finishes at 23:59. Free bets must be entirely used and stakes are deducted from returns. Free bets expire after 7 days and are non-withdrawable. Full T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
BetVictor

Bet £5 Get £30

18+ new customers only. Opt in, bet £5 at odds 2.00+ within 7 days of registering, no cashout. Get 2x £10 Free Bets, set events at odds 2.00+. Plus £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw max £250. 7 day bonus expiry. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
10Bet

50% Up To £50 Bonus

New Customers only; Min. deposit £15; Bonus amount 50% of deposit up to £50; Wager deposit and bonus 8x within 60 days; 4/5 Min. single odds or 2/5 min. acca selection odds; Max. stake contribution equal to the initial bonus; Certain bet types and payment methods excluded; See full terms
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Coral

Bet £5 Get £20

18+. UK+IRE only. Min first bet £5 at odds 1/2 or more. Tote and Pool excluded. Must be placed within 14 days of account reg. £20 credited as 4 x £5 free bets. Not valid with Cash Out. Free bet valid for 4 days. Free bet stake not returned. T&Cs apply.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Ladbrokes

Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets

18+ New UK+IRE customers. Paypal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 4 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Unibet

£40 First Bet Insurance

18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first bet loses. Wagering requirements: all sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. Full T&C's apply.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Luckster

Bet £10 Get £10

18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit,: £10, max £20 free bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
William Hill

Bet £10 Get £30

18+. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 17.10.2022. 3x £10 free bets. Free bets expire after 30 days. New customers signing up through mobile or tablet device only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). Further terms apply.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Kwiff

Bet £10 Get £20

New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £/€10. Qualifying real money bet of £/€10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer credited within 48 hours. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Boylesports

£25 Bet Bundle

18+. UK Customers (Excluding NI) only. Cash stakes only. Min £10 stake required for initial £5 free bet. Min odds ½. Max £25 in free bets. Subsequent free bets equal 50% average of each 3 £5 max qualifying bets. 13 settled bets required to receive full £25 free bet. Qualifying bets must be placed on sportsbook within 30 days of opening account. Cashed out bets will not qualify towards your average stake. One free bet offer per customer, household or IP address only. Free bet expires after 7 days. Payment method restrictions apply. T&Cs apply
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
LeoVegas

100% Profit Boost Up To £100

T&Cs apply. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via "My Offers" page within 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits excl. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play. Max. extra winnings £100. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
The Pools

Bet £10 Get £20

18+, UK only. Deposit bet minimum £10 cash at odds of 1/1 or greater and get 1 x £5 in free bets plus an extra 3 x £5 Free Bets the next day. Applies to first cash bet only. Free bets credited as 4 x £5 bets to use on 3x Any sport & 1x Virtuals. Cashed Out, Void or Draw No Bet wagers do not qualify for this promotion. 1 x £5 Free Bets are credited upon qualifying first bet settlement, other free bets credited by midday the day after your first bet settles. 7-day free bet expiry. Available once per customer. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion. Full T&C's apply.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
ZetBet

Bet £10 Get £10

18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit,: £10, max £20 free bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Smakets

0% Commission (60 Days)

Use code COMMFREE to trade with 0% for 60 days. Min. £10 first deposit only using Debit Card or Instant Banking. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
BetZone

Up To £60 Free Bet + Casino Spins

Up To £60 In Free Sports Bets + Free Casino Spins, valid for all new players, three welcome bonuses of up to £60. Bonus 1: £10 worth of free sports bets after first five settled sports bets placed of £10 or over. Bonus 2: Up to £50 worth of free sports bets. Bonus 3: Free Casino Spins Read the details for the T&Cs here.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
BETDAQ

0% Commission (100 Days)

New 18+ Customers only. 0% commission on all exchange sports for 100 days. Promo code 0COMM100 must be entered during registration. Offer only available to users who deposit via debit card. Standard 2% commission rate applies on 101st day. Not available to API, RDT or trading software customers. T&Cs Apply.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Vegasland Sports

Bet £10 Get £10

18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £10 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Rhino

Bet £20 Get £20

New customers only, 18+. Customers must residents of the UK. Sign Up make a minimum deposit of £20. Place a minimum £20 bet on any selection with minimum odds of evens (2) and receive a £20 free bet upon bet settlement. Cashed Out or void bets do not qualify. Free bets will be credited by instantly upon first qualifying bet settlement. Free bet credits will be subject to an expiry period of 7 days from date of issue. This promotion is available once per household / valid email address / IP address. Rhino’s Terms & Conditions apply to this promotion.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
NetBet

Bet £10 Get £10

Deposit And Bet £10 Minimum Odds 1/2 (1.50) /£10 Freebet / Valid 7 Days / T&cs Apply / 18+ / Begambleaware.org
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
Vbet

Free Bet up to £20

Only available to new, verified customers residing in the UK. Place a first-ever Sportsbook bet – multi-bets of at least 3 legs; min. £2 stake; min. odds 3/10 (1.3) per leg (bets placed on horse racing and greyhounds excluded). Win and get back 50% of your stake – on top of your winnings – as a free sports bet up to £10. Get back 100% of your stake as a free sports bet up to £20 if you lose. Customers must place their first qualifying bet within 30 days of registration, after which the welcome offer will expire. Full T&Cs apply.
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad
888 Sport

Bet £10 Get £30 + £10

18+ • New customer offer • Min deposit £10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days and expires after 14 days • To withdraw any winnings from the Casino Bonus, wager the Bonus amount 40 times within 14 days • Withdrawal restrictions, payment methods, country & Full T&Cs apply • BeGambleAware
Claim Offer
T&Cs Apply. New Customers Only. 18+. #ad

Free bets generally pay you cash winnings, require lower qualifying deposits/bets to claim and give you a higher percentage free.  You won’t get the stake back, you can’t split them up and they usually expire within 7 days.

Bonuses tend to be of higher overall value and amount, you can keep the bonus itself, split it up into many bets and it usually comes with a longer validity of 30+ days.  Bonuses however need to be bet through several times at minimum odds, known as the wagering requirement or rollover.

How To Use Free Bets & Bonuses

basicsBetting sites often offer introductory welcome incentives such as ‘Free Bets’ or ‘Bonuses’ for new customers as an effort to entice punters to start using their services. The trouble is, what happens if you don’t know how to use them?

Bookmakers offer these sign up deals not to try to con you, they are instead so generous because online betting is so competitive that they have to give you free funds to bet with in order to get your custom in the first place.

There are several different offers that you’ll want to keep your eye out for, with the wording being key for letting you know what you’re going to get. The main thing to know is that you rarely, if ever, get free cash added to your account. Instead these offers are normally made up of what we’ll refer to as ‘bonus funds’ or ‘free tokens’. These bonus funds or tokens can be used in place of cash and have some rules attached to them.  The table below is designed to help you compare free bets and bonuses to determine which offers suit you better.

Bonuses Free Bets Money Back Bets
Awarded On Deposit On Bet Placement If First Bet Loses
% Free 50% – 200%  50% – 600% 50% – 100%
 Expiry Time 14 Days+ 3 Days+ 3 Days+
Winnings Bonus Funds Cash# Cash#
Roll-Over Yes, 3x (+)* No No
Keep Stake? Yes No No
Split Up? Yes No – 1 token = 1 bet No – 1 token = 1 bet
Each-Way? Yes No No
Minimum Odds Yes for bonus roll-over Yes, for qualifying bet, sometimes for free token Yes, for qualifying bet, sometimes for free token
Maximum Odds No Occasionally for free token Occasionally for free token
Maximum Winnings Sometimes Sometimes Sometimes
Bet Types Single and Multi-Line^ Single Line Only^  Single Line Only^

# Free bet winnings should always be paid in cash, if not we suggest you avoid the offers.

* Be careful to check if the rollover is just for the bonus amount or includes the deposit + bonus.  If for example you have a £100 matched bonus a 3x deposit and bonus wagering requirement would be the same as saying 6x the bonus.

^ Single bets are those that require a single unit stake, this could be a straight win, single line accumulator or place bet, but couldn’t, for example, be an each-way bet.  Multi-line bets include full cover bet types such as Lucky 15, 31 or 63 wagers, that require multiple parallel stakes.

In general our advice is simple: keep an eye out for the wording of any offer and make sure you check out the small print. That will let you know if there are any minimum odds requirements, whether you need to roll over your winnings before withdrawal and other key factors.  For more about how to bet on horse racing see our dedicated page.

Cheltenham Bookies: Best Horse Racing Betting Sites

best bookiesThe Cheltenham Festival is one of the most thrilling, fascinating and enthralling weeks in the entire National Hunt calendar. Of course the main races on each day, such as the Champion Hurdle on Day One and the Stayers’ Hurdle on Day Three capture the imagination, but it is the Gold Cup on the final day of the week that garners the most interest.

Alongside the Grand National it is one of the most watched races in the world. No surprise, then, that bookmakers like Coral and Paddy Power sponsor races and have such a close relationship with the Festival itself.

With twenty-eight races over the course of four days, it’s fair to say that there is a plenty of opportunities for punters. Somewhere in the region of £150,000,000 is bet on the Cheltenham Festival every year, so here we’ll look at which bookmakers are the best to turn to for this most exciting of race meeting of the calendar.

List of Bookmakers

  • 10Bet
  • 888 Sport
  • Bet365
  • Betfred
  • BetVictor
  • Boylesports
  • Coral
  • Ladbrokes
  • Unibet
  • William Hill

Please note: terms and conditions will apply when you register, all users must be 18 years or older to gamble. Bet responsibly and Be Gamble Aware.

Bookmaker Reviews

coral
Coral
Bookmaker with Horse Racing at its core
 
Coral

For any younger bettors amongst you there may be an inclination to assume that Coral is quite a new bookmaker. After all, the explosion of online betting and mobile apps mean that Coral have been able to reinvent themselves as a company for modern times. In reality, however, Joe Coral founded a bookmakers in London back in 1926. He was also one of the first people to open a licensed betting shop when legislation on the matter changed in the 1960s.

There’s a slight degree of truth in the notion that Coral is a young bookies, of course. The company was acquired by Bass Leisure in 1981 and in 1999 it became Coral Eurobet after the purchase of an online betting company called Eurobet. In 2005 Gala, which itself was only formed in 1991, purchased Coral and it became Gala Coral. The potted history of the bookmaker was completed in 2015 when Ladbrokes bought out Gala Coral and formed a new company, Ladbrokes Coral.  This itself was then bought by GVC holdings the following year who eventually rebranded as Entain. What a journey.

HORSE RACING AT CORAL

Coral is operated as a separate arm from Ladbrokes and the other brands under Entain's umbrella, which is why we’re talking about them separately here. The company’s history is also steeped in horse racing, with Joe Coral originally operating his bookmaking operation from pitches at horse race meetings. That’s why we think they’re worth looking at for all of your horse racing needs, with the fact that they sponsor a race on Ladies Day also indicative of how seriously they take the Cheltenham Festival.

If you’re hoping to get an edge for your bets at the Cheltenham Festival then you might be interested to know that Coral run a specialised blog in the time leading up to and during the meeting. The likes of former jockey-turned-trained Joe Tizzard and current jockey Tom Scudamore often chat through their predictions for the week ahead of the Festival. You can’t get much better inside knowledge than that!

Coral has decent offers for punters like Best Price Guaranteed and daily enhanced odds, extra places or free bets for winners so that should perk your interest, with other factors like a decent website and mobile app also worth considering.

One of the other major advantages of placing a bet on horse racing with Coral is that you’ll be able to live stream the race via the main app or their website, for free. This is great for those of you that can’t make it to the racecourse itself but still want to be kept abreast of the action. Do your research, place a bet then sit back and cross your fingers.

Click here to visit Coral
T&C's Apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org Gamstop.co.uk #ad
888-sport
888 Sport
Good Alternative To The Old High Street Bookies
 
888 Sport Homepage

888 Sport is one of the new breed of bookmakers that have dominated the internet, thanks in no small part to the explosion of betting online. Formed in 2008, it’s an offshoot from 888 Holdings, which was itself established in 1997, so there is a little bit more of a pedigree to 888 Sport than you might initially realise. Having made its name hosting online poker, bingo and other such activities, 888 Holdings decided to branch out into having a sportsbook and this is the result.

As with most of the young guns in the online betting industry (although at over 15 years old maybe the term young gun no longer applies), 888 Sport began to make a name for itself when it started sponsoring things. The first sponsorship carried out by the company was a stand at Fontwell Park Racecourse in 2010, so it’s fair to say that horse racing has always been something they’ve had links to. Those horse racing links were solidified over the following years with sponsorship of races at Sandown Park, Kempton Park and Haydock Park, which is why they’re on our list of a reputable bookmaker for Cheltenham Festival betting.

HORSE RACING FEATURES

If a bookie is going to invest heavily in sponsoring numerous horse races and stands at racecourses then you can bet that they’ll do their best to ensure their coverage of the sport is tip-top. They match the market with promotions like Best Odds Guaranteed, so you know you’re not going to be frustrated at taking a lower price when you back a winner, but they also do variable regular offers that can be used for racing along (e.g. free bets, money back, acca insurance have all been run in the past) along with lots of enhanced odds. Not always industry leading, but good enough to mean it’s worth taking advantage of.

They have live streaming through both their desktop site and their mobile app, which is ideal for anyone who can’t be at the racecourse live or who are there and get caught short. In order to stream races live you just need to have placed a bet of £1 or more on the one you’d like to watch. Given you’re likely to be sticking a bet on anyway that isn’t exactly a great hardship. When it comes to Cheltenham specifically there are good all-round offers from 888 Sport, as well as tips, advice and blogs from experts.

Those tips, blogs and advice sections exist all year round, too, so if you think horse racing is for life and not just for Cheltenham then they’ve got you covered. Their markets have great depth, their odds are competitive if not the best in the business and their live betting options are plentiful. Given the fact that the mobile app is so well put together and the desktop site is entirely functional, there’s a lot to recommend 888 Sport.

Click here to visit 888 Sport
T&C's Apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org Gamstop.co.uk #ad
ladbrokes
Ladbrokes
Britains Oldest Bookmaker, Boost Own Odds
 
Ladbrokes

If you’ve read our section on Coral then you’ll know that Ladbrokes merged with Coral back in 2016 and are now part of the Entain group of companies. Laddies are still run as a separate company, though, so it’s worth considering them as such. That is especially true given Ladbrokes’ long and illustrious history in the betting industry. Founded in 1886 by Messers Schwind and Pennington, the company was initially a commission agency for horses from Warwickshire’s Ladbrokes Hall. They moved the operation to London in 1902 and from then until 1956 their clients were members of royalty and the aristocracy.

Acquired by Mark and Cyril Stein in 1956, Ladbrokes’ new owners decided to abandon the exclusive mandate that had seen the company’s profits dwindle in the wake of the Second World War and instead opened a chain of betting shops when the law on such matters changed in 1961. The modern iteration of the bookmaker was formed in 2016 when Ladbrokes bought Coral and formed the Ladbrokes Coral Group. We think it’s a company worth turning to for your Cheltenham Festival betting because of their history with the sport and knowledge of what it takes to survive in a competitive industry for so long.

HORSE RACING FEATURES

Compared to some other companies Ladbrokes may seem a little bit old hat, mainly thanks to its website and mobile app. These both seem a little dated and underwhelming when compared to some of the more modern flashy bookies that are out there, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that the company doesn’t have anything to offer. In fact, the opposite may well be true. What to you might seem a little uninteresting is actually tried and tested, with Ladbrokes having entered the world of online betting as far back as 1998.

Given that Ladbrokes is one of the oldest and most established bookmakers in the UK it isn’t a particularly huge shock to report that their market depth is exceptional. They have some of the the most incentivised offers and payouts in the whole world and there’s barely a market you’ll be able to think of that they don’t cover. This is great for a meeting such as the Cheltenham Festival, where every Tom, Dick and Harry covers the main races but not all are so quick to offer market depth on the lesser known races.

Ladbrokes match other leading bookmakers on our list by offering live streaming and Best Odds Guaranteed for horse racing.  This means they match the SP if your early fixed price was lower when you placed the bet.  They also have money back second offers, extra places, and more that vary across the year.  At the end of the day, though, the major draw for most punters is going to be the name recognition and longevity covering the sport. That is proven by the fact that they have sponsored races at the Cheltenham Festival in years gone by.

Click here to visit Ladbrokes
T&C's Apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org Gamstop.co.uk #ad
bet365
Bet365
Our Favourite Betting Site For A Reason
 
Bet365 screenshot

With more customers spread across more countries than pretty much any other online bookie it’s entirely fair to say that Bet365 are a betting behemoth.  Fully UK licensed they are one of the biggest online bookmakers in the world; pretty impressive when you consider that the company started life from inside a portacabin in 2000.

What the company lacks in terms of a historical reputation with punters it more than makes up for in terms of innovation. It is no exaggeration to suggest that Bet365 has changed the face of online gambling throughout its first few decades. It is that willingness to offer something different combined with the fact that the company dominates the market that makes it one of the our top recommendations when it comes to betting on the Cheltenham Festival. But what exactly do they offer?

HORSE RACING FEATURES

The better question might actually be 'What don’t they offer'. As one of the top betting companies in the world there are few features you’re likely to be interested in that aren’t covered by Bet365. Even ignoring their excellent offers and promotions it’s the little things that capture the attention when wondering who to place a bet with.

For example, Bet365’s desktop site is one of the best around, with an intuitive interface and as many markets in as many sports as you could possibly want to see. Yet their mobile app is also elegant, easy to use and quick to respond to your requests, making it ideal for sticking a last minute bet on a race at the Cheltenham Festival. Using a service where the app is just as good as the website is a no brainer for people who can’t exactly carry their laptop around a racecourse with them.

Whether you’re using the website or the app, Bet365 provide great live betting, streams, stats and many other top features to allow you to bet the way you want to, where you want to.

The company’s gigantic power in a very competitive market means that few bookmakers can beat them for important stuff such as value, banking options, loyalty schemes, cash out and more. If you’re a serious punter then all in all, this is one of the best bookies out there.

Click here to visit Bet365
T&C's Apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org Gamstop.co.uk #ad
betvictor
BetVictor
Modern Bookmaker Steeped in Racing History
 
BetVictor Homepage

Founded in 1946 by father and son William and Victor Chandler, BetVictor used to be known as Victor Chandler International Limited. William Chandler had been an owner of Walthamstow Stadium and had a betting stall at the greyhound track, so the company is steeped in gambling history.

Though they’ve now settled on the name BetVictor, the company has gone through numerous rebranding exercises over the years. In 2004 they gave VC Bet a go, then went back to Victor Chandler in 2008 before settling on their current moniker in 2012. If you’re wondering why we think they’re a top-notch bookmaker for all your horse racing needs then consider this: In 2014 the racehorse owner Michael Tabor took over the company. If anyone’s likely to know what’s good for racing fans then it’s surely an owner of racehorses.

HORSE RACING FEATURES

There are countless horse racing features that make BetVictor one of our favourite places to go when we’re looking to place a bet on the Gee-Gees. We’ll talk about Cheltenham specifically in a minute, but for now there are two things we want to mention that you might be interested in. The first is that BetVictor cover horse races from all around the world, meaning that you’re almost always going to be able to have a bet on a race with them if you want to. And when there aren’t any races going on anywhere? You can bet on virtual racing instead.

BetVictor’s website is excellent, so if you’re the sort of punter that likes to use desktop sites then you’re not going to be disappointed. You are going to miss out, though, as the BetVictor mobile app is one of the best in the business. Whichever way you want to place your bet you’ll be pleased to know that you can then stream it live after you’ve got your bet on. Great for those of you that can’t get to the racecourse or can but would rather watch the race in the bar on your phone…

If you’re looking for particularly deep ante-post markets then you might be slightly disappointed, but the odds are more than good enough to make up for that and you can also place in-running bets if that tickles your fancy. Like most top-end bookmakers, BetVictor offer a Best Price Guarantee when to comes to horse racing, so you’ll know that you won’t be short-changed with your bet. They also offer racing specials (check for availability) such as their Lengthen The Odds market, which allows you claim a win for extra places. If you love betting on the Sport of Kings then the fact that BetVictor has such a decent pedigree will be a big draw for you.

Click here to visit BetVictor
T&C's Apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org Gamstop.co.uk #ad
unibet
Unibet
Big Book, Good Prices & Features
 
unibet screenshot

Unibet is part of the Kindred Group, which itself used to be known as Unibet Group Plc. It was founded in 1997 by Anders Ström and has gradually grown to become a real powerhouse in the betting world. A large part of that is due to the manner in which the Kindred Group has absorbed other bookmakers into it, which have in turn been re-branded under the Unibet banner. A good example of this is Stan James, which was acquired in 2015 and then dissolved in 2017, with customers moved over to Unibet instead.

In 2017 Kindred Group also purchased 32Red, the Malta-based bookmaker and gaming business. It was another step along the road towards Unibet becoming far more UK-centric in its coverage. As well as taking over the online businesses of the likes of Stan James and 32Red, Unibet has also taken on their sponsorship responsibilities. This is relevant to us here because Stan James sponsored numerous races associated with Cheltenham, including the Champion Hurdle during the Cheltenham Festival. That race, along with the seven races known as 'The Road To Cheltenham', are now sponsored by Unibet instead.

HORSE RACING FEATURES

The combination of the company’s desire to appeal more fully to a UK-based audience and the fact that they’ve taken over those racing sponsorship responsibilities means that Unibet’s coverage of horse racing is as competitive as any of the other major bookies out there. They offer the industry-wide standard of a Best Odds Guarantee for UK and Irish racing.

In terms of offers they do tend to have a few specific promotions when big horse racing events are in progress, so it’s always worth double-checking their 'Special Offers' page regularly to see what’s going on. On top of this there are plenty of regular offers that change from the flat to the jump season, but you can always get extra place daily on select races and lucky bet bonuses.

One area that is not a disappointment is their Live Streaming. Unibet TV, as the Live Streaming function is known, is really good and is easy to navigate to on the site. If individual races are to be streamed then you’ll see the 'UTV' symbol next to both the race details and the main page with the race course name on. Alternatively you can head to the Live Streaming tab at the top of the page, if you prefer. Live Streaming is free on Unibet, as long as you’re logged in and your account is in credit. Occasionally they might require a set amount of money to be bet on an event in order to stream it, but they’ll make that very clear to you ahead of time.

Click here to visit Unibet
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betfred
Betfred
Huge Racing Pedigree, Invented The Lucky Bet
 
Betfred Homepage

Named after Fred and Peter Done, who founded the company as a single shop in Manchester in 1967, Betfred is one of the biggest bookmakers in the UK. The owners are Manchester United supporters, which explains why they have twice paid out early on the Red Devils to win the Premier League. They will no doubt have regretted their decision, however, with Arsenal winning the title the first time they did it in 1998 and Manchester City taking the title from their rivals on goal difference in 2012. Fred Done also personally lost £1 million when he had a bet with fellow bookie that Manchester United would finish ahead of Chelsea before the 2004-2005 Premier League season.

That should give you something of an idea of the sort of bookmaker we’re talking about here. They’re not afraid to go big on publicity stunts if it means that that will garner the company some attention from the press and punters alike. Little surprise, then, that Betfred are one of the largest sponsors of horse racing in the United Kingdom. That, combined with the fact that they owned the Tote from 2011-2019, is why we’re keen to recommend them to you as a bookie you want to have an account with ahead of the Cheltenham Festival meeting. As an example, in previous years the company has sponsored the biggest race of the week, the Gold Cup.

HORSE RACING FEATURES

As long as you stake £1 you can live stream racing from across the UK and Ireland. You can do this on either the company’s main desktop site or via their mobile app, so you never have to miss out on the action as long as you’ve got internet access. Given that both the main site and the app are perfectly functional and easy enough to use, you’re unlikely to be caught short when trying to get a bet on.

As former part-owners of the Tote, Betfred have all the totepool bets along with some great offers on horse racing pretty much all year round. Best Odds Guaranteed is a given, offers for Lucky bets are also popular, when you consider that Betfred invented the Lucky bet type. They’re also a decent company to bet with thanks to their general coverage of the racing, with tips, hints, suggestions and course guides all found on their site.

When it comes to Cheltenham specifically, Betfred are hard to beat. They may not have the very best odds or offers that can’t be rivalled, but Betfred TV offers some of the best coverage around. In previous years they’ve spoken live to trainers such as Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins, heard from jockeys like Noel Fehily and Richard Johnson in the weighing-room and generally just been a head in front of their competition for your attention. The fact that their coverage is free is also great news.

Click here to visit Betfred
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william-hill
William Hill
Bookmaker with Horse Racing at its core
 
William Hill Interface

Few bookmakers in the entire industry offer the same level of name recognition as William Hill. Founded by the man it’s named after in 1934, it began life in less than auspicious circumstances when you consider that gambling was actually illegal at the time. The company has had numerous owners over the years, from Sears Holdings who bought it in 1971 through to Brent Walker in 1989. It’s enjoyed its fair share of ups and downs during its existence, too. Brent Walker’s collapse in 1997 led to a leveraged buyout by a Japanese investment bank called Nomura, who eventually sold it on again to Cinven and CVC Capital Partners in 1999.

The turn of the millennium saw a  turn in fortunes for the bookies thanks to the explosion of online betting, and partly because of William Hill’s sponsorship of Sunderland and Newcastle Greyhound Stadiums, interest in the company spiked once more. They bought 624 betting shops from Stanley Leisure in 2005 and subsequently overtook Ladbrokes as the biggest bookmaker in the UK (although lost that recently following other bookmakers merging). They have cornered around a quarter of the UK betting market, which is one of the main reasons we’re not afraid to recommend them to you for your Cheltenham Festival betting needs.

HORSE RACING FEATURES

Obviously such a gigantic bookmaker is hardly going to lag behind the competition when it comes to the big race meetings, so it’s no surprise to discover that William Hill offer all of the usual attractions for punters. Best Odds Guaranteed is a staple of the bookie, as is live streaming of all UK and Irish races as well as selected offerings from elsewhere in the world.

In truth William Hill doesn’t try to compete with the more gimmicky offers of the younger, newer bookmakers. They need to drum up business and garner attention in order to get their name out there, whilst William Hill boasts one of the best-known names in the industry.  Saying that they do have some great value offers and the ante-post service is as good as it comes, with their market depth also worthy of a mention. If you like to place accumulators or the like then they’ve got you covered too, so there’s not an awful lot to criticise William Hill for. Not the most exciting bookie on the block, but sometimes reliability and name recognition is just as important.

Click here to visit William Hill
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boylesports
Boylesports
A Big Irish Bookie With Huge Racing Passion
 
Boylepsorts Website

It’s becoming more and more common for bookmakers to exist online only, for them to have no high street presence. That means that the three hundred plus Boylesports shops that are in place across Ireland and England makes the bookie a somewhat original prospect. The first Boylesports was opened in Market Hill in Newry, Northern Ireland, in 1989 by a man named John Boyle. Since then it has grown and grown, employing more and one and a half thousand people across the Emerald Isle. They have been a fixture in Irish gambling since before the move by majority of companies online came about, meaning that the bookmaker is well-respected in the industry.

As with countless other companies that began life away from the mainstream English and British market, Boylesports made a name for itself through sponsorship over the years. A deal with Leopardstown Racecourse was signed in 2011, for example, which was also the year when they sponsored a meeting at Newmarket. That all came after Boylesports’s sponsorship of the International Hurdle at Cheltenham between 2006 and 2009. Outside of horse racing, the company has sponsored two then Premier League teams in Sunderland in 2007 and Aston Villa in 2008. That’s why you might well recognise the name of the company, even if you’ve never been to Ireland.

HORSE RACING FEATURES

Given all of the various sponsorship of races that Boylesports has carried out over the years, it’s no major surprise to learn that the bookmaker takes its coverage of racing very seriously indeed. Click on the sportsbook homepage and you’ll see Horse Racing at the top of the list of sports covered, unless there’s a major event taking place that they think their audience will be more interested in. It’s not just a matter of convenience as to why that’s gaining a mention - they also do their utmost to cover as many different races as possible from numerous different locations around the world.

Click on ‘Horse Racing’ and you’ll find that the coverage is split into numerous different tabs. As well as the obvious one of UK & Ireland, there’s also international racing from the United States of America, Latin America and Australia. Away from that you’ll see Virtual Horse Racing is also covered, as are the Irish and US Totes. Expect to be able to bet on all of the biggest English racecourses if they’ve got anything on, plus smaller ones like Cartmel, Kenilworth and Lingfield. If you’re looking abroad then you’ll see locations like Philadelphia, Golden Gate Fields and Geelong Synthetic crop up.

Even the world’s biggest horse racing fanatics like to look away from the Sport of Kings every now and again and if you do then you’ll find all of the biggest sports on their list. From British institutions like football, golf and tennis through to more unusual offerings such as handball, rugby and speedway. They’ll even let you bet on random events in politics and television, should that take your fancy. If you’re going to have a bet on the horse racing then you’ll want to know what’s happened in the race, so the company’s Live Streaming feature will be a big plus for a lot of you.

Click here to visit Boylesports
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10bet
10Bet
Modern Betting Site For Proper Bettors
 
10Bet

Some bookmakers believe that all you need to win custom is a name that people know and trust. 10bet is one of the new breed of bookies that are out to give those complacent competitors a shock, making up for a lack of brand recognition with exciting offers and good sports coverage. Founded in London in 2003, the company has won numerous awards since its inception and have grown to become one of the biggest new names in online betting.

In 2014 a list was compiled of bookmakers that UK-based punters were most likely to place bets with and 10bet came second, just behind Bet365. That should tell you exactly how far they managed to go in such a short space of time, and all these years later their reputation has only improved. No doubt part of their success is due to the 2012 release of their mobile betting app, allowing people to place bets on the move as well as on their main computer. Not exactly innovative in a competitive industry, but their app is one of the best on the market.

HORSE RACING FEATURES

When it comes to horse racing, 10bet’s features are decent enough. As with pretty much all of the bookmakers we recommend for Cheltenham, they offer Best Odds Guaranteed. That means that you can place a bet really early and know that you’ll get the best odds regardless of what happens to the market. They also offer regular promotions that shift and change throughout the year, such as money back as a free bet if the horse you bet on comes second in a race to the starting price favourite along with faller insurance, extra places and more (check the 10bet site to see the latest deals for racing).

10bet is an alternative to the more mainstream bookies out there, but as an alternative their offerings aren’t quite as good across all areas.

There’s still plenty to recommend the site though, this is a proper bookie for proper punters.  They’ve got good market depth, decent odds and a reputation as an exciting, trustworthy bookmaker to bet with.

Click here to visit 10Bet
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Why Bet With Our Recommended Bookies?

fpppIt’s entirely fair for you to ask why you should be placing your bets exclusively with the bookmakers that we recommend. The answer is simple: because we’ve done the hard work for you.

Over years of practice, trial and error and doing our best to keep track of the bookmakers that are the most reliable, we’ve had plenty of bad experiences as well as good. We know the bookies that do good offers, the ones that you can’t trust and the ones that that you most definitely can.

If you’re reasonably new to the world of betting then it might seem odd to look at a host of different bookmakers. Surely you just find one that’s covering the race and place a bet with them, yes? Well no, actually. The truth is that most bookmakers offer something slightly different from each other. Does the bookie you’re placing you bet with offer live streaming, so you can watch the race you’ve stuck a bet on? What about advice from former jockeys or horse trainers, does a bookie offer that?

When it comes to the big races in the National Hunt calendar, such as the Cheltenham Festival week or the Grand National, bookmakers also tend to have special free bet offers or the likes available.

So in answer to the original question, you should bet with our bookies because your money will be safe, they’ll be licensed and obeying the laws, we’ve separated out the wheat from the chaff and we research which bookmakers have the best offers.

For information about how to bet on horse racing see our articles.

Gambling Licenses And Betting Law

legalGiven that around £150,000,000 is bet on the Cheltenham Festival every year, it’s important to ensure that you’re spending your money with the right people. The sad fact is that the explosion of the internet and the desire for punters to find as good a deal as possible means that there are some unscrupulous people out there. Any Tom, Dick or Harry could set up a website calling themselves a bookmaker and disappear off with your money before you even realise that they’ve never even opened a book, let alone ran one.

That’s why the bookmakers that we mention on these pages are all licensed and known to obey the stringent laws that are in place regarding betting. It’s why we decided to set up the page in the first place, to make sure that good people use the right companies. In that spirit, it’s also helpful for us to briefly explain what the licensing laws are and why it’s important that bookmakers obey them.

Since the advent and subsequent explosion of online bookmakers there have been two main Acts passed by Parliament to deal with the burgeoning business. The first was the 2005 Gambling Act, the principle aim of which was to make sure that gambling was as open, fair and honest as possible. The hope was that this would stop gambling, especially of the online variety, from being used for nefarious means by unscrupulous characters.

It might not seem all that significant, especially when you consider that gambling had been around for decades before it was introduced, but the Act was the first to put any kind of regulation onto online gambling in the UK. There were still some grey areas, though, so the 2014 Gambling (Licensing & Advertising) Act was brought in to try to clarify things further. Not all that shocking, considering the way the internet had grown over the preceding ten years.

Between them, the two Acts ensure that a company must have a licence issued to them by the UK Gambling Commission in order to operate in the United Kingdom. As the Gambling Commission is an independent, non-departmental body you’re protected from the notion that one political party or another might try to interfere with its running. Companies that get a licence are duty-bound to ensure that your money is as protected and safe as possible.

gambling licence

Though this may be a somewhat simplistic summary, if you don’t make sure that the bookie that you’re placing bets with has a licence then you run the risk of your bets not being protected. You won’t have anyone to complain to or to turn to for help. Thankfully every single bookmaker we tell you about is licensed and obeys the law.  Look out for a UK Gambling Licence notification at the bottom of any betting site you use, such as the one from Ladbrokes shown above.

Responsible Gambling

responsibleIf you’ve read the section on licensing and the law then you’ll know that we take our recommendations seriously. It’s vital that you ensure you’re placing your bets with a reliable bookmaker for a whole host of reasons, not least of which is the fact that the reliable ones do a lot to help you gamble responsibly.

Plenty of us have been there before. We feel as though one more bet will get us into the black. We know that there’s a certainty running at four o’clock and if we can only get a bet on then all of our financial woes will be solved. Only it very rarely works out like that. You get seduced by the possibility of the big win, but if it doesn’t come off then you’re in an even worse situation than before.

The best bookmakers promote the notion of responsible gambling, the aim of which is to make sure that you bet within your limits. You need to do your best to stay in control, to keep on top of the money that you’re betting with and to never bet more than you can afford. Bookies assist you in this by allowing you to set deposit limits, meaning that you can’t place too much money into your account within a given time period. You’re in control of this, just as you’re in control of the ability to exclude yourself from being able to access the website, or sections of the site, permanently or for any period of time.

Have fun, but don’t lose sight of the fact that ‘fun’ is exactly what it’s supposed to be.  There are a lot of independent gambling advice services out there that can help and give advice too, such as Be Gamble Aware.

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