The Greatest Show on Turf starts again on March 12th and we couldn’t be more excited! Cheltenham is the first big racing festival on the British horse racing calendar and that makes it even more special. It’s a sign that the racing season has started and spring is on the way.
Cheltenham has never been more popular. In 2022, 280,627 people attended over the course of the festival. Those kinds of numbers are simply unmanageable so crowds are now restricted to 68,500 each day. Many of those fans weren’t just there to watch the races, they were of course there to place bets on the action.
Betting on horse racing has always been a part of the sport and If you’re going to bet on Cheltenham, it can be daunting for first timers and so it’s smart to have a plan. The festival is made up of 28 races across four days. For all but the most devoted horse racing fans, that’s just too much knowledge to keep up with and trying to bet on every race can make it more difficult for a person to consistently place smart bets.
In this simple guide, we’ll give you all of the information that you need to get started. From the Gold Cup hopefuls and how to place your bets to the dress code and beyond, we’ll cover it all.
Schedule
There are 7 races a day each day of the Cheltenham Festival. There is one feature race each day. If you’re new to betting on horse races, betting on just the feature race is a smart choice. It’s usually the most discussed race of the day so plenty of information and tips are available.
Day 1 is Champion Day. The feature race is the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy. Day 2 is Style Wednesday (formerly known as Ladies Day) and the feature race is the Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase. Day 3 is St Patrick’s Thursday and the Preview Show is followed by an Irish Dancing performance. There are two feature races this day – the Ryanair Steeple Chase and the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.
The final day of the Cheltenham Festival is of course Gold Cup Day. The crowning race is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, so the event will be extra special. Galopin Des Champs is the current Gold Cup favourite, though Fastorslow and Shishkin both look good as well.
Online betting before the race
The Cheltenham Festival is a massive event in the betting world, so you’re likely to see many special offers and promotions at online sportsbooks for race bets. It’s incredibly easy to bet on Cheltenham races online before the race starts. Simply select a sportsbook and create an account (make sure to opt in to any special race day offers).
Once you have an account, navigate to the race that you would like to bet on and choose your winning horse (or horses, depending on the bet type). Then select the type of bet you’d like to place and the amount you want to wager. Confirm your bet and you’re on your way!
Many sportsbooks now have livestreaming options, so in some cases you can even watch the race on the same site.
Betting at the races
There are two ways to bet at Cheltenham racecourse. The first is with the Rails Bookmakers. They’re located in the centre of the betting ring and give you the classic horse race betting experience. At Cheltenham they take cash or credit/debit cards. Once you’ve decided which race, horse, and bet type you want, simply select the bookmaker you prefer and tell them your selections and the amount you want to bet. You will be handed a betting slip that you must keep hold of in order to collect any winnings.
The second way to bet is with the Tote. Unlike traditional race betting, the Tote is a betting pool. Tote have simple pool bets as well as special bets and pools that are Tote exclusives.
Race attendance guide
If you’re lucky enough to be attending any of the race days in person, there are some other things that you should keep in mind.
While the first race of the day isn’t until 13:30, the gates open at 10:30 each day. If you get there early, you’ll have time to familiarise yourself with the locations of the rails bookmakers and the Tote. You’ll also have time to watch the Preview Show in the Parade Ring.
While there technically is no dress code for the Festival, most people choose to dress for the occasion. Getting dressed up for a day at the races can really make the experience feel all the more special. Do keep in mind, however, that March’s weather is changeable and this month has been particularly chilly.
There are multiple restaurants on site alongside the bars, food stalls, and cafes that are near the track so race goers have plenty of options. Note that while you can place bets with cash, all concessions at Cheltenham are cashless.
