Cheltenham is the busiest betting week of the jumps season. Here is how the betting works across the four days.
Betting at the Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is the high point of the jumps betting year, four days,
around 28 races, and a mix of elite championship contests and ferociously
competitive handicaps. Each calls for a different approach.
Championship races vs handicaps
Championship races, the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase,
Stayers' Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup are weight-for-age contests with smaller,
high-quality fields. Form lines are reliable and most punters focus on the win
market.
Handicaps, the festival's big handicaps are huge, open fields. This is where
each-way betting and enhanced
place terms matter most.
Ante-post and the trials
The festival is the focus of the jumps ante-post
market all season. Prices move
hardest around the Dublin Racing Festival, the
key trial meeting. Closer to the week, bookmakers typically switch to Non-Runner
No Bet terms.
Bet sensibly
Cheltenham week is a marathon, not a sprint. Set a budget for the whole festival,
never chase losses, and use operator deposit limits. Support is at
BeGambleAware.org. 18+.
The operators below are all licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. Odds and offers change frequently, always check the operator's site for current terms before betting.
We only point you to a bookmaker once our tracked, UK Gambling Commission licensed
links are live. For now, take the best price you can find at any licensed operator, and
see our guide to Best Odds Guaranteed.
18+ · Please gamble responsibly · BeGambleAware.org.
Frequently asked questions
When do Cheltenham Festival odds come out?
Ante-post markets for the festival's championship races open many months ahead and firm up through the season's trials, particularly the Dublin Racing Festival in February. The handicap markets take shape once the weights and likely fields are published.
Is each-way betting good for the Cheltenham Festival?
It depends on the race. The championship races are smaller, higher-class fields where win betting is the focus. The festival's big handicaps are large, competitive fields where each-way betting and enhanced place terms come into their own.
What is the safest way to bet across the Cheltenham Festival?
There is no risk-free bet. The sensible approach is to set a budget for the whole week, stake only what you can afford to lose, and treat it as entertainment, not as a way to make money.