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3rd February 2026
03:41pm GMT
In this page, SportsJOE will guide you to the best Cheltenham sites available in 2026 in the UK.
We will review the welcome bonuses of each top sportsbook, their betting features, app experience, and market coverage, which will help you choose the platform that fits your betting style.
In this article we will help you in discovering everything that you need to know ahead one of the biggest Horse Racing events of the year.
These include all the best Cheltenham betting offers and the steps to claim from the most renowned and reliable bookmakers in the UK.
As SportsJOE, we will also break down how to choose which free bet deals to sign up for, the best mobile apps and websites, where to find the best Cheltenham betting odds, along with tips on how to maximise your betting throughout the festival.
Do keep in mind that betting involves risks, however, so you are reminded to gamble responsibly.
This page contains commercial content and affiliate links. If you take up one of the offers presented, Joe Media Group will receive a share of a commission payment. Read more here.
As the event is fast approaching, we have come up with a list of all the best betting offers for you for Cheltenham Festival 2026.
You can take a look at them at the table below:
| Site | Welcome Bonus | Features | Pros | Rating |
| Betfair | Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets | Live Streaming, Odds Boosts, Daily Free Bets | Competitive Odds, Wide Market Coverage, Strong Live Streaming | 9/10 |
| Betfred | £50 in Free Bets, When You Bet £10 | Live Streaming, Easy to Navigate Website, Odds Boosts | Best Odds Guaranteed, Extra Place Races, | 9/10 |
| Paddy Power | Bet £5, Get £30 in Free Bets | In-Play Betting, User-Friendly App, Price Boosts | High Value Promotions, Low Deposit | 9/10 |
| Sky Bet | Bet 5p, Get £40 in Free Bets | Cash Out, Wide Range of Markets, Live Streaming | Low Deposit, Reliable Bet Settlement | 9/10 |
| William Hill | Get £40 in Free Bets, When You Deposit & Bet £10 | Live Streaming, Daily Promotions | Best Odds Guaranteed, Wide Market Coverage | 9/10 |
What you should do when you choose a Cheltenham betting offer is to look beyond the bonus amount and consider the bookmaker’s overall quality and reliability.
What should come first is licensing and reputation, as operators which are licensed in the United Kingdom or Ireland provide you regulatory protection, as well as fair-play standards.
Next things that matter are odds quality and market depth, especially during the festival. This is because competitive pricing and a wide range of markets can significantly affect value in the long term.
Keep in mind that bonuses and promotions, while they can enhance returns, should be weighed against clear terms and realistic wagering requirements.
Live streaming options are also valued by many punters, as they allow races to be watched directly through the betting platform, especially for in-play betting.
During a fast-paced meeting like Cheltenham, a smooth mobile experience and well-designed app are essential, as they make sure you can place bets quickly and confidently.
Payment speed and security are crucial, as fast withdrawals and trusted payment methods will provide you peace of mind when you settle your festival winnings.
During the Cheltenham Festival, as a bettor you will find that many leading bookmakers stand out for their mobile apps.
They combine speed, features, and Festival-specific offers that suit betting while you are on the move.
Bet365 is widely regarded as the point of reference, and this is thanks to its reliable live streaming, fast in-play markets, and deep race coverage that allows you as a bettor to react instantly as prices move.
Paddy Power has an excellent app for Cheltenham thanks to its strong promotions, extra place offers, and an intuitive in-play layout that works well in high-traffic festival races.
Sky Bet is especially popular for its clean user experience, which allows you to place bets quickly, and tools like Cash Out and Edit My Acca make it ideal for you, whether you’re a casual or an experienced bettor.
William Hill, on the other hand, has an app that combines broad market depth, live streaming on selected races, and dependable performance.
This particularly appeals to bettors who value a more traditional sportsbook feel with modern functionality.
These apps stand out in 2026 as they offer a balance of usability, festival-focused incentives, and features that enhance the fast-paced Cheltenham betting experience for you.
Many of the top bookmakers are expected to run exclusive mobile-only promotions for Cheltenham Festival, as they’re designed to reward customers who bet through their apps rather than desktop sites.
Often, they include app-only free bets, boosted odds on headline races, extra each-way places, and early payout offers where bets are settled as winners before the official result under specific conditions.
BOYLE Sports, talkSPORT BET and Dabble, for example, have been known to release mobile only offers, and SportsJOE will confirm if these promotions return closer to the time.
Daily rewards for Cheltenham or flash price boosts that are available only for a limited time via push notifications will also be released by some operators.
As a user, in order for you to access these offers, you will need to download the official app of the bookmaker, log in or register, and opt in to the promotion through the app’s offers section before you place a qualifying bet.
Bookmakers have varying terms and conditions, so you should make sure to check eligibility requirements, like minimum stakes or specific race markets, to ensure that you can claim the promotion.
As a punter, you will enjoy many advantages by using betting apps during the Cheltenham Festival, especially during a betting event that is so fast-moving and popular.
Thanks to mobile apps, as a bettor you can place bets instantly, react to late market moves, and access in-play betting whether you are at home or on the move.
Live streaming is also provided by many leading apps, and this makes it easier to watch races on the go while you track the odds in real time.
As a user, thanks to instant notifications you get alerted to price boosts, race starts, and exclusive Cheltenham offers, so that you will miss nothing across the four days.
Cash Out is a feature that adds further flexibility for you, as it allows you to secure profits or quickly limit your losses.
You can also react more promptly thanks to smooth interfaces and quick payments, which mobile betting apps make possible.
This is why downloading one of the best betting apps that we have listed here for you is a good way for you to maximise your profits during the festival.
It is never easy to bet on horse racing, especially for the Cheltenham Festival.
This is because the event is unpredictable. However, as SportsJOE we have provided you some tips to make the most of the free bet offers, as well as with aspects to consider before you place any bets.
Considering that in horse racing there are multiple races in which the horses will specialise in, the first tip is to understand the different types of races.
Jumps racing featuring hurdle and steeplechase races is widely considered the pinnacle event at Cheltenham.
But how can you tell if a horse has strong potential in these type of races? You can do this by tracking their form and jumping style in previous events, as rhythm, height and smoothness are the key factors that can contribute towards performances of the highest level.
We also advise you to read the form guide, as this often provides an excellent indication as to how they will perform, when a horse is showing signs of improvement in the events leading up to the festival.
As SportsJOE, we would always advise you to do your research and assess the best options for each race from the form guide, even if this does not always correlate into returns.
We also suggest that you check multiple different bookmakers to ensure you are getting the best price, when it comes to securing the best odds, as this is often the most effective strategy.
You can sign up and claim your free bets for the week in advance, as this gives you the spare time to be shopping around for the top odds for your selections.
And finally, you should manage your bankroll across the week, as you should always bet within your means.
You will be able to go into your account settings to set limits in order to make sure you never bet on what you cannot afford to lose, if you plan your bets before the festival starts.
The same thing applies for emotional betting, as we advise you to consider aspects such as form and conditions, rather than impulsive reactions or biases.
You should use betting operators that have a license from a respected regular, as this means the operator follows stringent rules regarding fair gaming, data security and responsible gambling.
In addition, please make sure that your choices align with your beliefs, since religious views on betting vary.
You should set strict time and money limits, and never chase losses and recognise that it’s not a way to make money.
Responsible gambling means playing for fun, so please make sure to see the link we have provided to responsible gambling resources, should you need them:
• GambleAware
• NCPG
Usually, betting offers for Cheltenham go live several weeks before the festival begins, as the bookmakers will start to release early promotions as the race cards take shape.
Typically, the strongest and most competitive offers appear in the final one to two weeks leading up to the festival.
However, the additional daily specials, enhanced odds and money-back deals are often launched each morning during the four days of racing.
It depends on the type of promotion and your customer status, but you can usually claim multiple Cheltenham betting offers.
Generally, the welcome offers are limited to one per person, and are only available to new customers.
On the other hand, existing customers can take advantage of multiple daily promotions throughout the festival, as long as they opt in and meet each offer’s specific terms and conditions.
Yes, dedicated mobile apps for both iOS and Android devices are offered by most bookmakers offering Cheltenham.
You can find these apps via the Apple App Store and Google Play, or you can just go directly to the bookmaker’s site.
The apps allow you to place bets as a user, as well as manage account and access Cheltenham offers from your smartphone or tablet.
Live streaming of the races is offered by many Cheltenham betting apps, and they allow customers to watch the action directly within the app.
What you need to access live streams is to have a registered and funded account, or you need to have placed a bet within a recent timeframe, as this makes it easy to watch and bet on Cheltenham races at the same time.
Yes, it is generally safe to bet on Cheltenham online or through mobile apps, provided that you use licensed and regulated bookmakers.
The UK Gambling Commission regulates the reputable operators, and they use secure encryption technology to protect personal and financial information.
At the same time, they also offer responsible gambling tools such as deposit limits and self-exclusion options.
Yes, you can. Most bookmakers allow you to do this during Cheltenham races through in-play betting markets.
You can place bets once a race has started, while odds update in real time as the action unfolds, giving experienced bettors the opportunity to react quickly to changes as the race is ongoing.
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