The famous Cheltenham roar returns to Prestbury Park today as Champion Day officially kicks off four spectacular days of the 2026 Festival. All eyes are on this afternoon’s feature event, where the brilliant mare Lossiemouth steps up to battle The New Lion in a blockbuster Champion Hurdle.
We have complied seven of our best betting offers for Day One of the Cheltenham Festival which combine for a total of £270 in free bets. Be sure to grabs your now and sign-up to some of the best betting sites around.
Cheltenham Festival 2026 Free Bets & Betting Offers
As the famous roar goes up for Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival, there is some exceptional sign-up value to take advantage of.
One of the standout promotions for Tuesday’s action comes from Paddy Power, who are handing new customers £60 in free bets to use across the card. Meanwhile, Sky Bet’s welcome offer grants you a generous £50 in free bets, and you can also secure an extra £40 in free bets by capitalising on the BOYLE Sports Cheltenham sign-up deal.
| Best Horse Racing Betting Sites | Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Betting Offers |
| Paddy Power | £60 in free bets when you bet £10 on Cheltenham |
| BOYLE Sports | Get £40 in free bets & money back as a free bet if your horse loses in the first race at Cheltenham |
| Sky Bet | £50 in free bets when you place a £1 bet |
| Betfred | £40 in free bets when you bet £10 |
| BetMGM | Bet £10 get £40 in free bets |
| William Hill | Bet £10, get £40 in free bets |
Cheltenham Festival betting offers & free bets Day 1 2026 – Key T&Cs:
- Paddy Power: New customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on Cheltenham on odds of min EVS (2.0), get 6x £10 in Free Bet Builders, Accumulators or multiples to use on any sport. Rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via Pay by Bank, Apple Pay or Debit Card will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
- BOYLE Sports: 18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply
- Sky Bet: New customers only. £5 minimum deposit. First minimum £1 single, e/w, or multis bet only. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 5 x £10 bet tokens. Free bets for multiples only. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets are non-withdrawable. 7 Day free bet expiry. Eligibility restrictions. Further T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org #ad
- Betfred: New customers only. 00:00 06/03/26 – 23:59 13/03/26. Register with FRED40, deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get £20 in Sports Free Bets & £20 in Acca Free Bets within 24 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment exclusions & T&Cs Apply. GambleAware.org
- BetMGM: 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
- William Hill: 18+. Play Safe. Online only. For new UK register customers using promo code G40. Deposit & place £10 cash single bet (min odds 1/2) on sportsbook (excl. Virtuals). Get £40 in Free Bets (4x£10), valid for sportsbook (excl. Virtuals), 7 days expiry, must use in full (£10 each). Not valid with deposits via PayPal, Neosurf, Paysafe, Apple Pay, NETELLER, Skrill, ecoPayz, Kalibra/Postpay or WH PLUS Card. One per customer. Full T&Cs apply.. www.begambleaware.org #ad
Cheltenham Betting Offers and free bets
Paddy Power – £60 in free bets
Paddy Power’s £60 free bet offer is the ultimate starting point for new customers wanting to maximise their bankroll across the first day’s races of this year’s Cheltenham Festival. By simply registering and placing a qualifying bet, you instantly unlock a huge amount worth £60 in free bets that can be spread across multiple races, from the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle to the Gold Cup.
As well as this Paddy Power have added games such as the Eliminator where you can win up to £250,000 for guessing the winners correctly of today’s Cheltenham Festival races.
- Power Prices, Wonder Wheel & Acca Insurance among a range of top offers
- Innovative Super Sub offer means bets roll over to the player coming on
BOYLE Sports – £40 in free bets
Kicking off your Cheltenham Festival betting with BoyleSports is a brilliant move, as their generous £40 sign-up bonus provides immediate firepower for the week’s biggest races.
This welcome offer allows new customers to explore different markets and back their fancies without depleting their own funds right out of the gate. Whether you are hunting for value in the tricky handicaps or taking a swing at the marquee Championship contests, having those extra free bets in your account ensures you get off to a flying start at Prestbury Park.
- Plenty of promotions for existing customers
- Extra Place races available
Sky Bet – £50 in free bets from just £1
Sky Bet is offering an incredible £50 in free bets, making it an ideal choice for punters to start and get into the action of Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival. By taking advantage of this promotion, you instantly boost your bankroll, giving you the freedom to spread your stakes across the competitive Day 1 card.
The offer itself requires just a £1 stake which is by far the lowest of any competitors and means that you don’t need a big personal outlay in order to get your Cheltenham Festival started in the best possible way.
- Stake as little as £1 to benefit from new customer offer
- Recent site refresh has made navigation far more friendly
Betfred – £40 in free bets
Betfred’s sign-up offer provides new customers with £40 in free bets upon placing an initial £10 qualifying bet. This straightforward promotion allows bettors to approach the competitive Cheltenham Festival markets while carefully managing their personal financial outlay.
By allocating these free bets across the week’s feature races, punters can execute a good betting strategy with some big horses to look forward to on Day 1 such as Lossiemouth and Old Park Star. This makes Betfred a must-have for Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival.
- Hugely attractive new customer welcome offer
- Popular Double Delight promo offers great value on goalscorer bets
BetMGM – £40 in free bets
Securing this welcome bonus early allows bettors to tackle Tuesday’s high-profile card, including the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle, with free bets at the ready. Using these bonus funds on Day 1 ensures that punters can spread their risk across the competitive fields, and only having to use just £10 of your personal fund.
- Welcome offer gives new customers more free bets than most
- Profit boosts and free football predictors are part of a host of attractive offers
William Hill – £40 in free bets
For those looking to increase their Tuesday armoury, William Hill delivers a valuable sign-up incentive of £40 in free bets triggered by a standard £10 qualifying stake.
This immediate boost to a new account is particularly useful for navigating the notoriously tricky Day 1 handicaps or taking a calculated position on the feature races at Prestbury Park such as the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
- Best Odds Guaranteed starts as early as 8am each day
- Boosted winnings on Bet Builders and Accumulators
