The Cheltenham Festival 2022 kicks off on Tuesday March 15th. The four greatest days in jump racing are a celebration of the best jumping horses and jockeys in the world – and the chance for you to bet on them in action.
We’ve put together an extensive preview for you and picked out some cracking ante post tips for the big week of racing.
GET CHELTENHAM FREE BETS GET CHELTENHAM TOP TIPSFor jump racing fans, the Cheltenham Festival is quite simply the highlight of the year. These four days are the pinnacle of the sport, with the best horses in the world competing for major prizes and the chance to grab a slice of immortality.
The Cheltenham Festival dates are written into people’s calendars and minds months in advance. Each of the four days of the meeting is packed with great action and highlighted by famous races.
On Tuesday it’s the Champion Hurdle, a two-mile shoot-out between the fastest horses over the smaller obstacles. The chasers then take centre stage on the Wednesday with the Champion Chase, a thrilling clash of the finest two-milers in the world. Thursday’s highlight is the Stayers’ Hurdle, a fascinating three-mile test of jumping, speed, and stamina.
Out of all the Cheltenham races, however, the climax arrives on Friday with the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the ultimate test to identify the finest staying chaser. Some of the greatest horses in the sport’s history have won the Gold Cup. In March 2021, Jack Kennedy rode Minella Indo to a fantastic victory on the famous course.
Each year another chapter is written, and another name added to the roll of honour, in the story of this prestigious event. We can’t wait to see who can add their name into the history books in 2022.
New customers only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Min Deposit: £10. First deposit matched up to £10. 1 x wagering at odds of 1.75 to unlock Free Bet. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). Free bet will expire 7 days after the 1st deposit. 18 . BeGambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way. Full Terms apply.
Full T&C's apply18+ New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. Full Terms Apply
Full T&C's apply18+ New UK+IRE customers. PayPal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.
Full T&C's applyRisk Free 20: 18+,New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using Cards or Apple Pay will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply.
Full T&C's apply18+ New customers only. Min deposit £10. A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10. Min odds 1/2 (1.5). Free Bets must be claimed within 7 days upon qualifying bet settlement and expires after 7 days. Free Bet stakes not included in returns. Deposit balance is available for withdrawal at any time. Withdrawal restrictions & full T&Cs apply
Full T&C's applyThe Cheltenham Festival countdown is a fabulous time to be a horse racing bettor.
Bookmakers eager to attract customers offer a host of tempting bonuses in exchange for new business across the four days of Cheltenham Festival coverage.
When you are looking to start betting on Cheltenham races, it is highly advisable to check out the offers, free bets and bonuses available that can seriously boost your punting power.
Some sportsbooks are quick off the mark in offering Cheltenham-specific bonuses. At Betfair, you can get up to £100 in free bets for the festival. Just place 5 x £10 bets to get a free bet. Repeat 5 times to get £100 in free bets.
New customer offer. Place 5 x £10 or more bets to receive £20 in free bets. Repeat up to 5 times to receive maximum £100 bonus. Min odds 1/2 (1.5). Exchange bets excluded. T&Cs apply.
Full T&C's applyOther operators are offering an enhanced bonus in return for your initial investment. Ladbrokes and Coral will both give you £20 in free bets when you sign up and place an initial £5 bet. Betway will also give you up to £10 in free bets.
18+ New UK+IRE customers. PayPal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.
Full T&C's apply18+ Eligible UK&IRE players. Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions and T&Cs apply
Full T&C's applyNew UK & Ireland customers only. £10. First deposit matched up to £30. 1x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Credit Card, Debit Card & PayPal deposits only. Full Terms apply.
Full T&C's applySimilarly, Betfred and 888sport will reward you with £30 in free bets when you place a first bet of £10.
18+ New UK & NI customers only. promo code ‘SPORTS60’. Deposit & place first sports bet of £10 in one bet transaction, at odds of Evens (2.0) . settled within 60 days. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets credited within 48 hours of bet settlement, 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS validation may be required. Max 60 Free Spins on Justice League Comics. 7-day expiry.Full T&Cs apply.
Full T&C's applyNew customers only – Minimum deposit of £10 using deposit code 30F - A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 placed on any sports market - Minimum odds of 1/2 (1.5) - Free bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days - Free bet stakes not included in returns - Deposit balance is available for withdrawal at any time. General deposit method & withdrawal restrictions apply & full T&C’s apply
Full T&C's applyBet £10 on racing with BetVictor and you’ll receive £40 in bonuses in your new account.
18+ New Customers only. Deposit, opt in and place a £10 qualifying bet on Horse Racing at odds of 2.00 or greater within 7 days of opening a new account; excludes cashed out bets. Receive 3x £10 Horse Racing Free Bets, valid on set events only at odds 2.00 or greater. Plus, a £10 Game Show Bonus, selected games, wager 40x to withdraw a max of £250. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs Apply, see below. Please Gamble Responsibly.
Full T&C's applyAt William Hill, there’s £30 in free bets on offer in return for a first bet of £10 – that rises to £40 if you sign up via mobile.
New online customers only, min £10 stake, win only, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 3x £10, 30 day expiry, free bet/payment method/player/country restrictions apply. Full Terms apply.
Full T&C's applyBet365 will enhance your account considerably in time for the festival. Sign up as a new customer and whatever amount you deposit up to £100 will be matched in free bets.
Min deposit £5. Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.
Full T&C's applyRisk-free first bets are also a popular option. Paddy Power will refund an initial wager of up to £20, while at Unibet you get a bonus of up to £40.
Risk Free 20: New customers only, limited to one per person. If you've previously had a Paddy Power account, you will not qualify for the offer. Place your FIRST bet on any Sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using Cards or PayPal will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. paddy's Rewards Club: get a £10 free bet when you place 5x bets of £10+. T&Cs apply.
Full T&C's apply18+ www.begambleaware.org, eligible accounts receive three Uniboost tokens daily (00:00-23:59), No token 'roll over' expire at midnight, applies to win bets and win part of EW bets only, only available on racing single bets, Non-runner or voided bet returns Uniboost token, not valid on Futures or Specials. Further T&Cs Apply.
Full T&C's applyMany of the above are ongoing sign-up offers that are particularly timely in the countdown to Cheltenham; there will be many more race-specific promotions in the days before the festival.
Please check the terms and conditions of all bonuses to make sure you are aware of any restrictions.
GET CHELTENHAM FREE BETS GET CHELTENHAM TOP TIPSCheltenham Festival 2022 tickets are in high demand - and with spectators missing out on the 2021 event, we expect racing fans to be chomping at the bit for a slice of the action in March 2022. Tickets start at £40 and can be bought on the Jockey Club’s official website.
The Cheltenham Festival 2022 will be live on ITV. Along with this, bookmakers who offer an online streaming service will be showing the event online. However, make sure you check the terms and conditions as some bookies require you to make a bet, or have a positive balance in your account, to live stream racing.
There are three courses at Cheltenham - the Old (used the first two days), the New (used Thursday and Friday) and the Cross-Country (used on Wednesday).
Prize money across the four days comes to more than £4.5million.
The total attendance at the Festival is normally more than 260,000.
Betting turnover on the 28 races is estimated at up to £500,000,000.
Only one horse has won the same Festival race six years running: Quevega in the Mares’ Hurdle in 2009-2014.
There are 22 fences to be jumped in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Are crowds allowed at Cheltenham Festival?
Yes. Fans will be allowed at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 after missing out on the 2021 event. We are expecting a full house each day and can’t wait to hear the roar as the horses come up the hill.
When does Cheltenham Festival start?
The 2022 Cheltenham Festival starts on Tuesday, March 15th, with the first race expected to start at around 1.30pm.
How many races are there at the Cheltenham festival?
There are normally seven races on each of the four days of the festival, with the first starting at around 1.30pm and the seventh at 4.50pm. The number of races has gradually grown since the festival switched from three days to four in 2005.
When is the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
The Cheltenham Gold Cup takes place on Friday, March 18th - the final day of the festival. It normally starts shortly before 3.30pm.