Best Cheltenham betting sites Ireland: Best odds and free bets

THE Cheltenham Festival is one of the highlights of the jump season.

The thrilling four days include numerous races, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Held at the Cheltenham Racecourse at Prestbury Park in Gloucester, it attracts attention from spectators and punters in the UK, Ireland and across the world.  

The events offer several betting opportunities for visitors to Irish betting sites. With that in mind, we’ve put together a handy guide to getting the best odds and bonuses for the event. We’ll explore the top sites for Cheltenham wagers, races, odds and bet types. Plus, we’ll explore the bonuses for horse racing betting and how to claim them.  

Best Irish horse racing betting sites 

If you’re looking for a place to bet on horse racing and the Cheltenham Festival, check out these top 10 Irish sites,

1. Bet-at-home

When is Cheltenham?

Cheltenham always takes place in March. The 2023 festival will begin on Tuesday 14th March and conclude on St. Patrick’s Day, Friday 17th March. Each day has seven races on its card, starting at 1.30 pm and the last race runs at 5.30 pm. 

There are several Championship races across the four days, including the Champion Hurdle on 14th March. The Queen Mother Champion Chase takes place on the second day, and Ryanair Chase and Stayer’s  Hurdle on the third day. On Friday 17th, you can watch and wager on the Mares’ Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.  

How popular is betting on Cheltenham in Ireland?

Cheltenham is hugely popular in Ireland, as is betting on the event. In fact, in 2022, 55,00 Irish racing fans went to Cheltenham for the festival. It’s an important event in social and racing calendars. There are several reasons that Irish punters are drawn to it and will enjoy a flutter on the upcoming 28 races.

The fact that the festival is held in the third week of March, which coincides with St. Patrick’s day, undoubtedly has something to do with it. People are already in the mood for celebrating and flying the Irish flag. 

There’s an even stronger connection to the festival, though. Many of the owners, jockeys and horses are Irish. In recent years, Tony McCoy, Ruby Walsh and other Irish jockeys have claimed the top honours in many of the races. Plus, legendary Irish horses, such as Istabraq and Arkle, have dominated at Cheltenham.

Many saw the event as an unofficial rivalry between England and Ireland. That became official with the addition of the Prestbury Cup, which is awarded to the nation with the most winners at the festival. The added element of competition and good-natured banter adds to the atmosphere and puts national pride at stake.

What are the biggest Cheltenham races to bet on?

There are 28 races taking place over the four days. As well as betting on the outcomes of those races, you can pick between Ireland and Great Britain for who will win the Prestbury Cup. We’ve listed the biggest races of the event below.

1. Cheltenham Gold Cup
2. Steeple Chase
3. Novices’ Chase
4. Champion Hurdle
5. Queen Mother Champion Chase
6. Stayer’s Hurdle
7. Mares’ Chase
8. Mares’ Hurdle
9. National Hunt Chase
10. Champion Bumper

How to bet on Cheltenham 

If you aren’t trackside, you can get in on the action and find plenty of fantastic opportunities to bet online. Your first step is to choose one of our recommended Irish bookies and register for an account. After that, follow our step-by-step guide to Cheltenham Festival bets.

1. Deposit - adding funds to your account is crucial to be able to wager. Choose a method and amount that suits you.
2. Claim your bonus - when depositing, keep in mind that there might be an offer to claim to welcome new punters or specifically for Cheltenham wagers, so opt-in or enter the bonus code and make sure your deposit is eligible. 
3. Visit the Cheltenham betting page - bookies know that Irish punters will be looking for competitive horse racing odds. There’ll be a page dedicated to the Cheltenham Festival with races and dates listed.
4. Select an event - if you’re betting well in advance, you’ll only see outright wagers. As the festival days arrive, you’ll see the full list of markets for each race.
5. Check the odds and bet types - to decide which bet to place, you’ll want to find a market with exciting options and competitive odds.
6. Add to your bet slip - click the odds to add it to your bet slip, enter your stake and confirm to place your bet. Remember to apply any promotions to the wagers when prompted in your bet slip.

What are the best betting offers for Cheltenham?

We’ve listed and explained the best betting offers that Irish punters can find for Cheltenham Festival races.

1. Top-Price Guarantee - The most popular promotion offered by most online bookies is the price guarantee. Many offer the bonus for UK and Irish horse racing in general, and some specify Championship races. Either way, if one of the site’s listed competitors has a better standard price, your bookie will match or beat it.
2. Non-Runner Money Back - Before the festival, you can find non-runner money back on ante-post bets for all of the Cheltenham races. If you place a win or either way bet and the selection doesn’t run, you’ll get your stake back. 
3. Price Boost - Look out for price boosts from several Irish betting sites. Many of them pick out particular races or horses and give you a better price for your first bet. The selection will usually be highlighted as boosted odds, or you can check out the promotion page for the day’s races with a price boost.
4. Free Bets - If you register for an account or wager a certain amount on horse racing, you could claim Cheltenham Festival free bets. Check the minimum odds and other terms, then tick the option in your bet slip to use it for Cheltenham bets without risking your own cash. 

Where can I get the best betting offers for Cheltenham?

For the best betting offers, we recommend our top picks 10bet and 888sport. Both provide excellent horse racing coverage. As we get closer to the event, you can keep an eye out for more Cheltenham promotions.

Our other picks, Luckster and kwiff, also have fantastic promotions. They include price boosts and free bets that can be used on horse racing. They also have NRNB (non-runner no bet) wagers, meaning you’ll get your stake back if your selection doesn’t run.

How to claim Cheltenham betting offers?

How you claim an offer depends on the bookmaker’s process and what the promotion entails. For NRNB, your stake should be refunded automatically. The same is true for the price guarantee, as the bookie needs to run the check and adjust the payout. If you have any issues, reach out to customer support.

Price boosts require you to select specific odds for your first bet on that selection. It should be applied to your bet slip automatically. The promotion that requires a little more attention is the free bet bonus. You might need to register and deposit or wager a set amount to qualify.

How to choose a Cheltenham betting site

Bonuses are just one of the aspects that might help you choose a Cheltenham betting site. There are many other considerations that will affect your experience at a bookmaker’s website. We’ve listed the top criteria for Irish punters to find a place to wager online.

• Legitimate operator - check that it’s a licensed bookie with the appropriate security measures in place.
• Horse racing coverage - ideally, you’ll want a huge choice of markets for each race, including single and multiple bets. Look out for sites that offer live streaming and commentary too.
• Competitive odds - the odds should look good or a price guarantee should be in place.
• Convenient payments - the methods should suit you, the bookie should accept euros and you’ll want the withdrawals to be fast.
• Efficient and friendly customer support - you’re there to have a good time. If you need to ask a question or get help, you’ll want someone on hand to help you sort it.

What are the most popular bets to place at Cheltenham?

Cheltenham Festival gives Irish punters access to the top jump season races. Part of that is accessing some popular horse racing events. The top four for the different Cheltenham races are set out below.

• Win - The simplest bet and one of the most popular ones, you predict which horse will be first across the line to win the race.
• Each way - This bet combines two wagers; one to predict that a horse will win, the other to say that it will place (the bookie will specify whether that’s top three or top five). Next to the odds, you’ll see some more numbers, such as 1/5, 3 places, which means if your horse places in the top three, your payout will be 1/5 of the odds.
• Placepot - A placepot covers several selections in the first six races at a meeting. You’ll need to pick a horse for each race. Typically, they’re each-way bets. 
• Lucky 15 - As the name suggests, this wager includes 15 bets. They’re spread across four selections. You’ll usually have four singles, six doubles, four trebles and a four-fold accumulator. You can usually find win bonuses for these types of bets, where you get a percentage boost or a consolation payout. 

Which Irish horses can I bet on at Cheltenham?

If you’re looking for Irish horses to back, you’re spoilt for choice. There are hundreds to choose from, but we’ve helped you narrow the selection. Our top five include horses running in multiple races as well as some returning champions.

1. Sir Gerhard
2. Kilcruit
3. Stattler
4. Love Envoi
5. Flooring Porter

How lucky are the Irish at Cheltenham? 

Ireland is the returning champion, having claimed the Prestbury Cup in 2022. The Irish were certainly lucky last year and they’ll want a repeat performance this year. In 2022, 18 out of the 28 winning horses were trained in Ireland. More than half were bred on the Emerald Isle and six of those were Grade 1 race winners at the festival. 

All eyes will be on Mullins’ horses, as 2022 saw a new record with Willie Mullins training 10 winners. Plenty of horses and jockeys will be wearing the Irish flag proudly again this March.

Which is the best Cheltenham betting site?

We’ve chosen 888sport as the best Cheltenham betting site. It has superb coverage of the festival as well as several promotions specifically for those four days of racing. The bookie claimed the number one spot thanks to its long reputation in the industry. It’s a trustworthy site that knows how to keep the punters happy, especially when it comes to horse racing.

Other advantages include its live racing coverage. Deposits and withdrawals are convenient and fast, too.

Which bookies offer streaming for Cheltenham?

Many of the bookies in our list offer streaming for Irish punters wanting to watch and wager on the Cheltenham Festival. Our favourite options for live streaming and horse racing-related content are Betsafeand 888sport. 

Each of these sites offers quality HD streams of the day’s races. It’s one of the most thrilling ways to enjoy the Cheltenham Gold Cup if you’re not trackside. 

What is the minimum bet for Cheltenham?

In the past, bookmakers have estimated that around €450 million was bet at Cheltenham and around €22 million has come from Irish punters. Those figures have gone up in recent years. In 2021, one bookie was set to have received €275 million in bets for the festival. Punters can bet as little as €1 or €2 on a Tote, but it all adds up!

Responsible gambling

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
• Problem gambling – problemgambling.ie

Help with gambling addiction

If you have a problem with gambling, or you know someone who does, help is out there. Extern Problem Gambling is the leading provider of information, treatment, advice, and support for anyone affected by gambling harms across Ireland.