If you're an avid National Hunt punter, then you know how important it is to keep an eye on the horses and place your bets wisely. But even if you haven't been following the races, don't worry.
You can still jump in on the action and check out our selection of
top UK bookmakers. You might even end up with a big bankroll boost. And the event is just around the corner too, running from March 10-13, so you’ll need these helpful hints…
The Top Free Cheltenham Bets & Offers By Bookmaker
You will already know that there are quite a lot of UK online bookmakers out on the open market and they will all be focusing on the Cheltenham Festival.
Although not all of them will have specific free Cheltenham bets, there will be other ways you can take advantage of free bets and deals related to the Cheltenham Festival.
Below is a list of top UK online bookmakers with their available deals and offers that are effectively free Cheltenham bets.
Take a look at the offers and see how you can turn them to your advantage and make them a Cheltenham free bet. Also, for more tips on the Cheltenham Festival and any meetings across the UK, check out our expert horse racing tipster
RacingGav
to see who is backing.
Top Tips For Using Cheltenham Free Bets & Betting Offers
Finding and taking advantage of free Cheltenham bets can be a difficult task if you are unsure what you are looking for.
It can be a minefield of information that could be overwhelming. This section provides a few top tips to help quieten the noise around Cheltenham Festival free bets and allows you to digest the information.
Check Out The Terms & Conditions
This is the most important tip we at Betting.co.uk can give you. If you fail to read the T&C’s - which a lot of people still do - you could miss out on some vital information that could see you be deemed ineligible for the Cheltenham free bets or offer.
Check The Start & Expiry Dates Of Any Free Cheltenham Bets Offer
Although you might see a banner advertising a Cheltenham free bet on a certain betting website, the actual deal might not be live until closer to the start of the Cheltenham Festival.
Make sure you know when you can actually place the bet. You do not want to place what you believe to be a qualifying bet in order to receive your Cheltenham free bets or offer and then discover the bet is not live.
You will have wasted your money and would need to place another bet closer to the time to qualify for the deal.
Remember To Use Your Welcome Offers
Not all of the UK bookmakers will have specific Cheltenham free bets available, but that does not mean you cannot enjoy free bets and lucrative deals.
The majority of bookmaker welcome offers will grant punters free bets in exchange of making a deposit. Some of these offers will be sport-specific, but just check them out and you could find that some of the deals can be used on any sport.
This effectively turns the deal into a Cheltenham free bet and gives you the opportunity to use your free bets at the Cheltenham Festival.
Featured Bookies – Which One Has the Best Cheltenham Festival Betting Offers?
Do you know which bookie has the best bookmaker offers for Cheltenham? There is no individual bookie we can name as offering you the ultimate mix of Cheltenham betting offers.
What we can tell you is that all of the UK bookmakers we recommend at Betting.co.uk are sure to give you a great overall Cheltenham betting experience. The recommended bookmakers will also include the best Cheltenham bookmaker offers.
Additionally, visit our
bookmaker offers
page if you are seeking additional bookmaker promotions.
The Top Cheltenham Free Bets & Offers
Below is a selection of the best free bets and offers for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival. By looking at the available Cheltenham free bets and offers on display, you will be able to see which one suits your betting journey. Pick wisely.
Betfair - Free Bet When You Bet On Multiples
Betfair have set the standard when it comes to free Cheltenham bets. Their offer for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival will see punters receive a free bet by placing a multiple of acca bet on horse racing.
New and existing customers are encouraged to place a multiple bet on the Cheltenham Festival and these bets can be bet builders, doubles, trebles, 4-folds, Lucky 15, Lucky 31, Lucky 63, Yankee, Canadian or Goliath.
After that bet has settled, Betfair will reward punters with a free horsing bet that can be used at Cheltenham Festival or any other horse racing meeting.
Betfred - Cash Back For Cheltenham Festival NRNB
Bet £10 Get £50 in free bets
New customers only. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1+) on Sports in 7 days. £30 Sports & £20 Acca Free Bets within 10 hrs of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excl. & T&Cs Apply.
In the build up to the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, you will see the term
NRNB
quite a lot. This stands for Non Runner No Bet and it is a very popular Cheltenham betting offer.
The
Betfred Non Runner No Bet offer
will see punters receive their money back in cash if they place a Cheltenham Festival bet and the horse they selected fails to start the race.
If the horse that the bettor has chosen to win in any of the 28 races at Cheltenham Festival fails to run at all, then the initial betting stake will be refunded as real money and not a Cheltenham free bet.
What we mean by it not being a free Cheltenham bet, is that the money that is returned to the punter can be used on any betting market and any sport.
LiveScoreBet - Free Cheltenham Bets
Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
New members only. £10+ bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals) at 1.5 min odds, settled within 14 days. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days on sportsbook only. 2x£5 Free Bets for Bet Builder only. Stake not returned.
T&Cs + deposit exclusions apply.
Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org 18+
LiveScoreBet might not be the first online bookmaker you think about when looking for Cheltenham free bets.
However, they have got involved with the Cheltenham Festival and are offering punters the chance to receive free Cheltenham bets by betting £30 on horse racing meetings over selected weekends.
This amazing Cheltenham offer will see punters place over £30 on horse racing between Friday and Sunday on selected weekends. Once the £30 threshold has been met, a £5 free bet will be credited into the punter’s betting account.
Once that has been credited, another £5 free bet will be added to the Cheltenham Free Bet Balance. Your total Cheltenham Free Bet Balance will be paid in four equal parts across Cheltenham Festival.
Conclusion On Cheltenham Free Bets & Offers
The Cheltenham Festival is seen as one of - if not the - biggest horse racing meeting in the UK. Alongside the Grand National, the Cheltenham Festival sees millions of pounds placed in bets and if the punters are lucky - quite a bit in winnings as well.
It makes sense for bookmakers to go to town with events like the Cheltenham Festival. As you can see, there are plenty of bookmakers willing to offer impressive deals in order to gain more members, despite it might cost them a few quid in the long run.
Here at Betting.co.uk, we are impressed with the
Non Runner No Bet offers
that have been popping up quite frequently. These allow punters to receive their betting stake back if the horse they have selected fails to run at the festival.
Welcome offers at bookmakers have always been a great way to entice new members to the site, but at this time of year you have a massive event to use your free bets on.
Normally when you sign up, you do not have a plan on how to use your free bets. Now these welcome offers suddenly turn into free bets for Cheltenham. That is a massive incentive for a lot of punters. We are fans of being allowed to use your welcome offers as free Cheltenham bets.
Cheltenham Festival Betting Offers FAQs
❓ What Is An NRNB Offer In Relation To The Cheltenham Festival
NRNB stands for Non Runner No Bet and this kind of offer is big around Cheltenham. Bookmakers like Bet365, Betfred and LiveScoreBet have this offer available on their site and it sees punters receive their stake back as cash if the horse they selected at Cheltenham fails to run the race they were down for.
✅ Can I Use A Bookmaker’s Welcome Offer As A Cheltenham Festival Free Bet?
Not all bookmaker welcome offers are the same, The terms and condition may differ, but as long as the offer allows you to place a bet on any sport then you can use it as a free Cheltenham bet. You will need to check any expiry dates. If there is any, you can use them to place an early bet on Cheltenham and possibly take advantage of any NRNB deal as well.
1.
Bet £10 Get £40
Requirements (WR): 4x Bonus + 10x Deposit, Min. Deposit: 10
New cust. Deposit £10+ in 7 days & bet on sports. Min odds apply. Reward = 4 x £10 Free Bets (2 x £10 Bet Builders & 2 x £10 Sports bet). Valid 7 days. Free bets not valid on e-sports & non UK/IE horse racing.
18+. T&Cs Apply.
GambleAware.org.
2.
Up To £10 Back As A Free Bet
Requirements (WR): 2x Deposit, Min. Deposit: £10
T&Cs apply. New players who place a £10 bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or bigger will receive £20 in Free Bets. Qualifying deposit (Visa/Mastercard only) of £10 required. £20 in Free Bets will be credited as 4 x £5 Free Bets. The qualifying bet must settle within seven days.
3.
100% up to £50
Requirements (WR): 8x (Bonus + Deposit), Min. Deposit: £15
New players. Choose bonus at signup. Wager bonus 10x. Deposit used 1st. Any withdrawals void bonus. Valid 30 days. Odds, bet & payment limits. T&Cs apply. 18+.
T&Cs apply. 18+.
4.
Bet £10, Get £20 Free Bet
First deposit only | £10 min deposit | £10 sports bet at min odds 1/1 (2.0) grants £20 Free Bet | Free Bet: 4+ leg ACCA, min combined odds 2.5 | 7-day expiry | T&Cs apply
5.
100% back up to £30 as a Free Bet
Min. Deposit: 5
18+ New customers only. Registration required. Valid on your first combo bet (minimum 3 selections, minimum odds of 1.40 per selection, minimum bet of £5). If you lose, you receive a 100% refund up to £30 as Free Bet. Free bet valid for 7 days. The Free Bet can be used on a combo bet with at least 2 selections, minimum odds of 1.50 per selection and maximum odd of 5.00, Football only. Terms & Conditions apply. Gambling can be addictive. Please play responsibly.
