Cheltenham Betting 2026: How to Bet the Festival

The Cheltenham Festival runs over four days in March, with seven races a day and a championship race each day: the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday, the Stayers' Hurdle on Thursday and the Gold Cup on Friday. Irish-trained horses have dominated in recent years.

How we rank bookmakers

We rank bookmakers licensed for Irish customers on the range and depth of markets, prices on the same events, payment options and withdrawal times, app quality and responsible gambling tools. Ratings run from 5.0 for the top-ranked bookmaker in even steps down the list. Offers are the bookmakers' stated terms.

Markets explained

How the odds work

Irish bookmakers show fractional and decimal odds. 5/2 equals 3.50 in decimal: a €10 bet returns €35, including your stake. To compare bookmakers, add the inverse of the decimal odds across a market; the closer the total is to 100%, the lower the margin. On horse racing, the "overround" across a whole field is often 110–130%.

Ante-post and non-runner no bet

Ante-post prices can be much bigger than on the day, but a horse can miss the race through injury or a change of plan, and the bet is lost. In the weeks before the Festival, many bookmakers switch to non-runner no bet, refunding stakes on horses that don't run. That is usually the best time to bet ante-post.

Tips for the Festival

• Set a budget for the week, not per race.
• Use each-way in big handicaps, with extra places where offered.
• Follow Irish form, especially from Leopardstown in February.
• Check the ground: soft ground changes many races.

Betting tax and regulation in Ireland

Irish bookmakers pay a 2% betting duty on stakes, which they usually absorb rather than deducting from your bet. Online bookmakers serving Ireland must hold a licence; the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) is taking over licensing and supervision under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. Winnings are not taxed for Irish punters.

Responsible betting

Set a budget and deposit limits, take breaks and never chase losses. Free, confidential support is available from Gamblers Anonymous Ireland and the HSE drug and alcohol helpline on 1800 459 459.

Cheltenham Festival at a glance

Each-way maths at the Festival

Each-way bets are two bets: a win part and a place part paid at a fraction of the odds. A €10 each-way bet costs €20. On a horse at 10/1 with 1/5 odds for four places in a big handicap: if it wins you get €110 from the win part and €30 from the place part (2/1 on €10, plus stake), €140 in total. If it finishes third, the win part loses and the place part returns €30. Extra places, offered by many bookmakers on the big handicaps, increase your chance of a place return.

Irish form and the Festival

Irish trainers have dominated recent Festivals, so Irish form lines carry weight: the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in February is the key trial meeting for many Festival races. Note which horses skip Leopardstown to go straight to Cheltenham, and how they handle different ground.

Festival bankroll plan

The championship races

Each day also has novice championships and handicaps. Handicaps attract the biggest fields and are where each-way terms and extra places matter most.

Festival offers

Bookmakers compete hard during Cheltenham with extra places, money back if your horse finishes second, and price boosts. Read the terms for maximum stakes and whether refunds come as cash or free bets.

Related guides

Betting sites Ireland · Betting apps · Betting offers · Betting guides