bet365 excel at Cheltenham with deep markets, industry-leading bet builders, and daily offers such as their 2 Goals Ahead early payout. Free bets expire in 30 days, giving plenty of time to use them across the four days of action.
#AD 18+ New customers can sign up using bonus code HR365, bet £10 and get £30 in Free Bets.
International Meeting (December): Wider Best Odds Guaranteed coverage and selected money-back offers. New Year’s Day / Trials Day: Early BOG cut-ins and occasional specials on feature races. Most UK bookmakers push special sign-up offers around the Cheltenham Festival and other big meetings at Prestbury Park. Below are our top three picks for value and usability — with full details of each welcome bonus and why they stand out. Sky Bet’s Cheltenham offer is one of the most generous for such a small outlay. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. This code is for marketing and tracking purposes only.
The best free bets currently available from UK bookmakers can vary daily, depending on promotions. Our updated comparison table highlights the top offers from trusted brands, ranked by value, terms, and usability. We only include licensed UK bookmakers to ensure a safe betting experience. A free bet is a bet which is provided by a betting site for a customer to place and then benefit from the winnings. Free bets are commonly used as welcome offers to encourage new customers to register with a new betting site.
To claim a free bet as a new customer, simply choose a bookmaker from our list, click the link to visit their site, and follow the sign-up instructions. Most offers require a qualifying bet or deposit—details are clearly outlined next to each offer. A free bet gives you a bonus amount to wager without risking your own money. A matched bet means the bookmaker will match your first bet or deposit up to a certain amount. Both are popular for new customers but have different terms. Paddy Power’s Cheltenham deal gives new customers £30 in free bets after a £5 qualifying wager.
Known for their money-back specials, Paddy Power frequently run Festival promos like refunds if your horse finishes second, third, or even fourth depending on field size.
Some promise big bonuses, but hide tough wagering terms. Others reward loyalty, but give you less upfront. That’s why our experts have spent 100's of hours researching each of the 90 UK bookmaker offers listed here to produce: An in depth analysis of each offer (click the links in the list above for full reviews of every offer) - so you can dig into the detail if you wish A list of what they like and don't like about each offer - so you can scan the pros and cons A rating out of 5 stars - so you can see at a glance what is a good or bad offer A summary of our top 10 favourite offers - so you can save time and head straight to the best offers In addition to their own research, our experts consult our OLBG community. Within the OLBG community we have thousands of regular UK sports bettors - between them they have opened, tried and tested thousands of betting accounts and their free bet offers. First hand information on what people like/don't like User ratings to highlight betting sites that are popular/unpopular Positive or negative customer service or product experiences This is an important and unique part of the OLBG process (other free bet comparison pages don't do this as they don't have their own communities).
We’ve analysed thousands of user reviews submitted to OLBG to identify what makes a good free bet offer. According to our members, the best betting offers consistently share these qualities: ✅ Competitive odds on both qualifying and free bet selections ✅ Good platforms across desktop, app, and mobile site ✅ No wagering requirements on free bet winnings ✅ Wide market coverage across popular sports and events On the flip side, these are the most common issues raised by OLBG members in low-rated free bet reviews: ❌ Limited use of free bets (e.g., restricted to specific markets) ❌ Low maximum win caps on free bet returns You can read more about our review processes on our about us page and learn more about our experts on our editorial team page, You can see that they each have many years of experience, they have reviewed 100s of free bet offers and personally tested the bookmaker sites and offers themselves. OLBG has an industry-leading Trustpilot rating of 4.6 from over 800 reviews. You can read our OLBG reviews on Trustpilot here. When looking for the best betting offers for you, the key areas to consider are ✅ OLBG experts analysis of best free bets overall ✅ OLBG experts analysis of best offers by offer type you are most interested in 💬 OLBG user reviews to see what regular bettors say about their experiences with welcome offers The quick summary and conclusion from all our research is that these are the best free bets in each category. Free bets are valid for 30 days and can be spread across racing or other sports, but their Cheltenham concessions are the biggest draw.
If you want to look beyond the welcome offer when choosing your next bookmaker then we have you covered too. Our team of experts have carried out in-depth reviews on each bookmaker as a whole, rather than just their offers, head over to our Betting Sites page to see their recommended bookies by best, new, top rated and for each category. This page lists the latest Cheltenham free bets and sign-up offers for all meetings at Prestbury Park — from autumn fixtures to the Cheltenham Festival in March. Updated June 2026 with just a few days to go to the start of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, we track extra bet best betting sites free spins no deposit places, Best Odds Guaranteed and other racing-specific promos from trusted UK bookmakers. Read on for more details about each offer and how you can claim The Cheltenham Festival is 100% the best time of year for horse racing betting offers for both new and existing customers.
When it comes to sign-up offers, you can expect to receive £50-£60 in free bets versus £30-£40 for the rest of the year. On top of that, there will be enhanced odds offers from the likes of Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Betfair including things like 50/1 for Willie Mullins to train a winner at the meeting or 50/1 for an Irish horse to win on day one. For existing customers, there will be a whole load of extra place races with some bookies paying 7 or 8 places on the big handicaps plus Best Odds Guaranteed, money back specials and price boosts galore. Make sure you take advantage at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. Autumn Trials / November Meeting: Frequent extra places on big handicaps; targeted price boosts. Bookmakers run a wide range of promotions during the Cheltenham Festival and other big meetings at Prestbury Park.
Here are the main types of Cheltenham offers to look out for: Welcome free bets are the most common type of offer, but existing customers are rewarded too.
You can usually withdraw winnings made from a free bet, but the original free bet stake itself is not returned. For example, if you use a £10 free bet and win £30 at 3/1 odds, you’ll receive £30, not £40. There may, on occasion, be a wagering requirement attached to profits made from free bets. No deposit free bets are rare but do exist from time to time. These offers allow you to claim a bonus without funding your account first.
Check our list regularly, as we flag these offers when they become available. Yes, many bookmakers reward existing customers with ongoing free bet promotions, such as bet clubs, money-back specials, and enhanced odds. Our offers page includes both new and ongoing promotions so loyal users can benefit too. Most free bet offers are for sports betting, but some bookmakers also provide separate promotions for casino games like slots, blackjack, or roulette. We clearly label whether an offer is for sports, casino, or both. Free bet clubs and daily refunds are especially popular during the Festival, with tokens credited if your horse finishes just outside the places or your qualifying bet loses. Bookmakers will boost selected runners or give tokens you can use on a market of your choice. A price might jump from 2/1 to 3/1 — giving you a bigger return if your bet wins.
New customers who stake just 5p at minimum odds of 1/1 (2.0) receive £40 in free bets. Tokens are valid for 30 days and can be split across any sports market, including Cheltenham races. Sky Bet are also renowned for extra places at the Festival, often beating rival firms by one or two spots on big handicaps. bet365’s long-standing welcome bonus remains a Festival favourite. Place a qualifying £10 bet at odds of 1/5 (1.2) or greater and you’ll unlock £30 in free bets, credited instantly. Money back if your horse finishes second (or even third or fourth in big fields) is a Festival favourite. These refunds are usually given as free bets and provide a valuable safety net in the ultra-competitive Cheltenham races.
| Event | Offer | Qualifying Bet |
|---|---|---|
| Champions League Final | Free In-Play Bet | Pre-match bet £10+ |
| Grand National | Money Back 2nd-4th | Each-way bet £20+ |
| Wimbledon Final | Double Winnings on Ace Count | Correct Score market |
| Super Bowl | Profit Boost Token | Build a Same Game Multi |
Some sign-up deals at Cheltenham require a promo code when you register or deposit. These can unlock free bets, profit boosts, or other rewards.
Minimum odds refer to the lowest odds your qualifying or free bet must be placed at to activate or withdraw winnings. For example, if the requirement is 1/2, your bet must be at odds of 1.5 or greater. We show these clearly next to each offer. Some free bets are flexible and can be used on any sport, while others are restricted to specific markets or events. We highlight these limitations so you know where your free bet can be used.
Yes, all bookmakers listed on OLBG are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. We only promote trusted brands with secure platforms and fair terms. You can bet with confidence knowing your personal details and funds are protected. Free bet promotions can change frequently, especially around major events. That’s why we update our comparison table daily—so you always see the freshest and best-value offers currently available.