The build-up to the Cheltenham Festival always brings a wave of betting offers from bookmakers. With four days of top-class racing on the schedule, many firms look for ways to get punters involved from the very first race of the afternoon.
For the 2026 Festival, Betfred has introduced a daily promotion built around the opening race on each card.
The idea is simple. Place a qualifying £10 bet on the first race of the day, and you will receive a £10 Free Bet to use on another race at Cheltenham later that same afternoon.
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GET £50 IN FREE BETS WHEN YOU BET £10
For anyone planning to follow the racing closely during the week, it is an easy way to add an extra bet to the day’s action.
The Offer Explained
The Betfred deal runs across all four days of the Cheltenham Festival, from Tuesday 10 March to Friday 13 March 2026.
To qualify, customers must opt in to the promotion and place a £10 bet on the first race of the day at Cheltenham. The bet must be placed as a single Win bet or an Each Way bet. A £5 Each Way bet counts as well, since the total stake equals £10.
Once the race has finished and the bet has been settled, Betfred will credit the account with £10 in Free Bets. That Free Bet must then be used on another race at Cheltenham on the same day.
It is important to note that the promotion only applies to the opening race each day. Bets placed on any other race will not trigger the Free Bet.
The Races Included in the Promotion
Cheltenham’s opening race always draws huge interest, as it signals the start of another day at the Festival.
On Tuesday, the promotion begins with the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at 1:20pm, a race that often features some of the most exciting young hurdlers in training.
Wednesday’s qualifying race is the Turners Novices' Hurdle, another contest for novice hurdlers that regularly produces future Grade 1 performers.
Thursday’s race is the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle, which has become a key target for leading mares in the jumping division.
The final qualifying race comes on Friday with the Triumph Hurdle, the championship event for four-year-old hurdlers.
These races are often strongly backed in the betting markets, which makes them a natural focus for promotions like this.
Using the Free Bet
Once the qualifying bet has settled, the £10 Free Bet becomes available in the account.
The Free Bet must be used on another Cheltenham race later that same day. It cannot be used on any other sport or event outside the Festival.
Punters are free to use the balance however they choose. The £10 can be placed as a single bet or divided across multiple wagers. The minimum stake is just 10p, which allows for several smaller bets if preferred.
There are a couple of points to keep in mind with Free Bets. The stake itself is not returned with winnings, and any unused balance will expire at 23:59 on the day it is credited.
Key Conditions of the Offer
The promotion is available to new and existing verified online customers who opt in before placing their bet.
To qualify, the wager must be a single Win or Each Way bet on the 1:20 race at Cheltenham on the relevant day of the Festival. Bets on other races will not count toward the offer.
Certain bets are excluded, including specials markets and boosted odds bets. Bets placed using Free Bet funds will not qualify either.
If the selection becomes a non-runner or the bet is voided or cancelled, the promotion will not apply.
The maximum Free Bet available through this offer is £10 per customer per day.
A Simple Festival Betting Boost
Cheltenham week tends to bring plenty of debate among racing fans as they try to pick winners across the packed race cards.
With this promotion, Betfred has tied the offer to the race that always grabs attention first. The 1:20 each day sets the tone for the afternoon and often attracts strong betting interest.
For punters already planning to have a bet on the opening race, the promotion effectively adds another wager to the day’s play.
Since the deal runs on each of the four Festival days, it is possible to receive up to £40 in Free Bets across the week if the qualifying bet is placed daily.
With the roar of the crowd building and the tapes about to rise for the first race of the day, that extra bet could make the Cheltenham experience even more interesting.
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