Offers for this event
New customers. Min £5 deposit. First bet only: min 5p single/each-way at odds 1/1+ within 30 days of registration. 3 x £10 Free Bets (singles/each-way, excl. virtuals), expire after 30 days. Free Bet stakes not returned. Neteller and Skrill deposits excluded. No wagering on Free Bet winnings stated.
Promo code:
AB5G30· Low qualifying stake (5p) and Free Bets usable on singles and each-way.Full T&Cs
New Sky Betting and Gaming customers 18+ only (previous Sky Bet, Vegas, Casino, Bingo or Poker account holders excluded). Register, add card details and make a minimum £5 deposit. Your first bet must be a single or each-way bet of at least £0.05 on any Sky Bet market at odds of 1/1 or greater; accumulated smaller stakes do not count and only your first bet counts. Staking requirement must be met within 30 days of registration. Rewards: three £10 Free Bet tokens, usable on any single or each-way market excluding virtuals, not with any other offer. Free Bets expire 30 days after crediting, are non-withdrawable and stakes are not included in returns. One claim per customer. Customers depositing with Neteller or Skrill do not qualify. Offer may differ if you arrive via another link. Sky Bet General Promotion Terms apply.
New customers. Opt in at sign-up. Deposit £10+ and place a £10+ bet at odds 1/1+ within 7 days (excl. virtuals, esports, non-UK/IE racing). 4 x £10 Free Bets: 2 for football accas (4+ legs), 2 for sports multiples (2+ legs), valid 7 days. Free Bet stake not returned.
Rewards credited on settlement of one £10 qualifying bet, win or lose.
Full T&Cs
New BetMGM customers 18+. Select the Sports Welcome Offer at sign-up. Deposit at least £10 and place at least £10 on a qualifying bet within 7 days of registration: min odds Evens 1/1 (2.0); each-way bets need £10 each way (£20 total); Bet Builder total odds must be 1/1+. Excludes virtual sports, esports and non-UK/IE horse racing. Free Bets, Profit Boosts, Odds Boosts, void, cashed-out, partially cashed-out and system bets do not qualify. Not with other offers. On settlement you get 4 x £10 Free Bets: 2 x £10 on football accas (4+ selections) and 2 x £10 on sports multiples (2+ selections), selected via the betslip checkbox. Free Bets expire after 7 days; stake not included in winnings. Once per household/computer/IP. Operated by LeoVegas Gaming plc (UKGC 39198). General and promotional T&Cs apply.
New customers. Opt in at sign-up. Deposit £10+ and place a £10+ bet at odds 1/1+ within 7 days (excl. virtuals, esports, non-UK/IE racing). 4 x £10 Free Bets: 2 for football accas (4+ legs), 2 for sports multiples (2+ legs), valid 7 days. Free Bet stake not returned.
Same LeoVegas offer structure as BetMGM, with UK/IE racing allowed for the qualifier.
Full T&Cs
New BetUK.com customers 18+. Opt in by selecting the Sports Welcome Offer at sign-up. Deposit at least £10 and place at least £10 on a qualifying bet within 7 days of registration: min odds Evens 1/1 (2.0); each-way needs £10 each way; Bet Builder total odds 1/1+. Excludes virtual sports, esports and non-UK/IE horse racing. Free Bets, Profit/Odds Boosts, void, cashed-out, partially cashed-out and system bets do not qualify. Once only; not with other offers. On settlement: 2 x £10 Free Bets on football accas (4+ selections) and 2 x £10 on sports multiples (2+ selections). Unused Free Bets expire after 7 days; stake not included in winnings. Operated by LeoVegas Gaming plc (UKGC 39198). General Promotional and General T&Cs apply.
New GB customers. Opt in. Deposit and bet £20+ on sports at min odds 1/1 (2.0) within 7 days. £40 in Free Bets, expire 7 days after issue. Debit card or instant bank transfer deposits only. Geo restrictions and T&Cs apply.
Qualifying bet can be on any sport at evens or bigger.
Full T&Cs
18+. New GB customers only. Opt in. Deposit and bet £20+ on sports at minimum odds of 2.0 (1/1) for £40 in Free Bets within 7 days. Debit cards or instant bank transfers only. Free bets expire within 7 days of issue. Geographical restrictions and T&Cs apply. (Summary terms as published on the Unibet promotions page; the full offer page could not be opened from our checker.)
- Debit card
- Instant bank transfer
New customers. Code BETGET30. Deposit £10+, place a £10 bet (single, acca or bet builder; no each-way) at odds 1/1+ within 14 days. 1 x £10 single (1/1+), 3 x £5 pre-match bet builder (3/1+, 3+ legs), 1 x £5 pre-match acca (4/1+, 4+ legs). Free Bets expire after 7 days. Stake not returned.
Promo code:
BETGET30· Qualifying bet can be a single, acca or bet builder.Full T&Cs
New Midnite customers 18+. Register with code BETGET30, deposit at least £10 and place a £10 sportsbook bet at min odds 1/1 (2.0) within 14 days of sign-up. Singles, accumulators or Bet Builders allowed; each-way excluded; virtual sports excluded. Void, cashed-out or Free Bet/promotional bets do not qualify. Rewards on settlement (win or lose): 1 x £10 single Free Bet (min odds 1/1), 3 x £5 pre-match Bet Builder Free Bets (min odds 3/1, 3+ selections), 1 x £5 pre-match acca Free Bet (min odds 4/1, 4+ selections). Rewards are non-withdrawable, expire 7 days after crediting; free stake not returned. Free Bets usable on singles and straight accas only, not each-way, not with other promotions. Once per person/household/device/payment account. Midnite Terms of Service and General Promotion T&Cs apply.
New customers. Choose bonus at sign-up. 100% of first deposit up to £50 as Sports Bonus. Wager bonus 10x within 30 days; singles 1/1+, accas only if every leg 1/2+. Cash used first. Withdrawing before wagering is complete forfeits the bonus. Skrill and Neteller deposits excluded.
Wagering is at the 10x legal cap with a 30-day window.
Full T&Cs
Select the Sports Welcome Bonus at sign-up and make your first deposit: 100% Sports Bonus up to £50 credited to your Sports Bonus balance. To convert it to cash, wager the bonus 10x within 30 days. Single bets below 1/1 (2.00) do not count; accumulators do not count if any selection is below 1/2 (1.50). Virtual sports, voided, cancelled, drawn, cashed-out and Free Bet wagers do not count; only the first settled bet per event counts. Withdrawal before completing wagering forfeits bonus and bonus winnings. Cash balance is used before bonus. Skrill or Neteller deposits not eligible. Not with other promotions. 10bet general T&Cs and Promotion Terms apply.
18+ only. Gambling should be entertainment, not a way to make money. If it stops being fun, stop. BeGambleAware.org
On this page
- The Festival at a glance
- Day 1 – Champion Day (Tuesday 16 March)
- Day 2 – Ladies Day (Wednesday 17 March)
- Day 3 – St Patrick’s Thursday (Thursday 18 March)
- Day 4 – Gold Cup Day (Friday 19 March)
- How the feature races differ
- Previews and offers
- Common types of racing offer (a guide only)
- Watching and following the Festival
- What is ante-post betting on the Cheltenham Festival?
- What each-way terms apply at Cheltenham?
- Responsible gambling at big race meetings
- Frequently asked questions
The Cheltenham Festival is the biggest meeting of the British jump racing season. In 2027 it runs over four days, from Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March, at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire. Each day has a Grade 1 championship race as its centrepiece. This guide sets out what happens on each day, explains the feature races, and describes the kinds of betting offers bookmakers often run around the Festival.
Dates, race days and distances are taken from The Jockey Club, which runs Cheltenham Racecourse. Race times are subject to change; check the official racecard on the day. We do not provide tips, runners or odds.
The Festival at a glance
| Day | Date | Name | Feature race |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuesday 16 March 2027 | Champion Day | Champion Hurdle |
| 2 | Wednesday 17 March 2027 | Ladies Day | Queen Mother Champion Chase |
| 3 | Thursday 18 March 2027 | St Patrick’s Thursday | Stayers’ Hurdle (and Ryanair Chase) |
| 4 | Friday 19 March 2027 | Gold Cup Day | Cheltenham Gold Cup |
The Jockey Club’s schedule shows seven races each day, with the first race at 1.20pm and the last at 5.20pm.
Day 1 – Champion Day (Tuesday 16 March)
The Festival opens with the Champion Hurdle, a Grade 1 race over about two miles and half a furlong. It is the championship race for the season’s leading two-mile hurdlers and is scheduled for 4.00pm. The opening day also traditionally includes the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the first race of the Festival, and the Arkle Challenge Trophy for novice chasers.
The opening race is often described as the moment the Festival really begins, and the first day sets the tone for the week. If you plan to bet, it can help to decide in advance which races you are interested in rather than betting on all seven.
Day 2 – Ladies Day (Wednesday 17 March)
The feature race on Wednesday is the Queen Mother Champion Chase, a Grade 1 steeplechase over about two miles, with 12 fences to jump. It is the championship race for two-mile chasers – shorter than the Ryanair Chase and the Gold Cup. It is scheduled for 4.00pm.
Day two also features the Cross Country Chase, run over a distinctive course with banks and natural obstacles, and the Champion Bumper, a flat race for horses that have not yet raced over obstacles.
Day 3 – St Patrick’s Thursday (Thursday 18 March)
Thursday has two Grade 1 feature races. The Stayers’ Hurdle, run over about three miles, is the championship race for long-distance hurdlers and is scheduled for 3.20pm. It is followed at 4.00pm by the Ryanair Chase, run over about two miles four and a half furlongs. Because the day falls close to St Patrick’s Day, it traditionally attracts a large number of racegoers from Ireland.
Day 4 – Gold Cup Day (Friday 19 March)
The Festival finishes with the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the most prestigious race of the week and one of the most famous steeplechases in the world. The Grade 1 race is run over about three miles two and a half furlongs and is scheduled for 4.00pm. Friday also includes the Triumph Hurdle for four-year-old hurdlers and the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
How the feature races differ
- Champion Hurdle – about 2 miles ½ furlong over hurdles, which are lower than fences. Speed is the main test.
- Queen Mother Champion Chase – about 2 miles over fences; tests speed and accurate jumping.
- Stayers’ Hurdle – about 3 miles over hurdles; tests stamina.
- Cheltenham Gold Cup – about 3 miles 2½ furlongs over fences; tests stamina, jumping and class over the longest distance of the four.
Previews and offers
Previews and offers relating to the Festival are listed on this page. Every offer shows its significant terms next to the headline and the date it was last checked.
Common types of racing offer (a guide only)
Bookmakers often run promotions around big race meetings. The examples below describe common formats only – they are not current offers. Each operator sets its own terms, which can change at any time, so always read the significant terms shown next to any listed offer and the full terms on the operator’s site.
- Sign-up free bets. New customers place a qualifying bet with their own money and receive free bet tokens. Usually the free bet stake is not returned with any winnings, and there are minimum odds and expiry dates.
- Extra places. Some bookmakers pay each-way bets on more places than the standard terms for selected races. Only the place part of an each-way bet benefits, and the extra places apply only to named races.
- Best odds guaranteed. On qualifying horse racing bets, some bookmakers pay out at the starting price if it is bigger than the price you took. There are often stake limits and exclusions, and it may apply only to certain bet types or races.
- Money back as a free bet. If your selection finishes in a specified position (for example, second), the bookmaker may refund your stake as a free bet token rather than cash, up to a maximum.
- Price boosts. Enhanced prices on selected outcomes, usually with a low maximum stake.
Since 19 January 2026, a single promotion may not mix gambling products – for example, it cannot reward a racing bet with casino spins – and any wagering requirement is capped at 10 times (Gambling Commission, LCCP SR Code 5.1.1).
Read our guides to free bets and how free bets work before you claim anything.
Watching and following the Festival
Racecards, non-runners and official results are published by the racecourse and by racing’s governing bodies. Times can change, and horses can be withdrawn at short notice, which may affect bets – check how each bookmaker handles non-runners in its terms, and see how Rule 4 deductions work when a horse is withdrawn on the day.
What is ante-post betting on the Cheltenham Festival?
An ante-post bet is any bet placed before the day of the race, and many people back Cheltenham horses weeks or months ahead. The rules are different from bets struck on the day. Under Tattersalls Rule 4(A), a single ante-post bet made before 10am on the day of final declarations is only void if the race is abandoned or declared void, the race conditions or the venue are changed, or the horse is eliminated under the British Horseracing Authority’s Rules of Racing. If your horse is simply taken out, or is sent to a different race at the Festival, the stake is normally lost. Some bookmakers offer “non-runner no bet” on selected Festival races; check whether it applies before you bet. On the plus side, Rule 4 deductions only apply to prices taken on the day, so an ante-post price isn’t cut when other horses are withdrawn. (Source: Tattersalls Committee Rules on Betting.)
What each-way terms apply at Cheltenham?
It depends on the race, because the Festival mixes championship races and handicaps with different field sizes. Unless a bookmaker shows different terms, Tattersalls Rule 3 applies on the actual number of starters:
| Race and runners | Standard each-way terms |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 5 runners | Win only |
| 5–7 runners | 1/4 odds, places 1–2 |
| 8 or more runners (not a handicap, such as the Gold Cup or Champion Hurdle) | 1/5 odds, places 1–2–3 |
| Handicap with 12–15 runners | 1/4 odds, places 1–2–3 |
| Handicap with 16 or more runners | 1/4 odds, places 1–2–3–4 |
Some bookmakers offer extra places on selected Festival races as a promotion. The terms on your bet slip when you place the bet are the ones that count. Our each-way calculator shows what each part returns.
Responsible gambling at big race meetings
Big festivals bring a lot of betting promotions and a lot of races in a short space of time. That can make it easy to bet more often, and with more money, than you planned.
- Set a budget before the meeting starts, and a deposit limit to match. Every licensed bookmaker must offer deposit limits.
- Decide how many races you will bet on rather than betting on every race.
- Never chase losses. If you lose your budget, stop – there is always another race.
- Avoid betting after drinking, whether at the course or at home.
- Remember that offers are marketing. Do not open new accounts or deposit more just to claim a promotion.
If betting stops being enjoyable, take a break. You can use a time-out on your account, or self-exclude from all online gambling sites licensed in Great Britain for free with GamStop. Free, confidential support is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (England and Scotland) or 0808 2819 265 (Wales). See our responsible gambling page.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Cheltenham Festival 2027?
Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March 2027, according to The Jockey Club.
What day is the Gold Cup?
Friday 19 March 2027, the final day.
What day is the Champion Hurdle?
Tuesday 16 March 2027, the opening day.
Do you give Cheltenham tips?
No. We explain the races and offers, but we do not provide tips or predictions.
What does ante-post mean at Cheltenham? A bet placed before the day of the race. Ante-post prices can be bigger, but a single ante-post bet is normally lost if your horse doesn’t run, unless the bookmaker offers non-runner no bet.
What are the each-way terms for the Cheltenham Gold Cup? The Gold Cup isn’t a handicap, so with 8 or more runners the standard terms are 1/5 of the odds for the first three places, and 1/4 for the first two with 5 to 7 runners (Tattersalls Rule 3). Bookmakers may advertise different terms.
Affiliate disclosure: onlinebetfree.co.uk may receive a commission if you open an account through links on this page. This does not affect the offers we list or how we describe them, and it never changes the terms a bookmaker gives you.
18+ only. Please gamble responsibly. For free, confidential support visit BeGambleAware.org or call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.