This may seem obvious to some, but it bears emphasising as we're only a generation on from punter-bookmaker monogamy. Whatever shop was closest to your dad's house, or the pub he drank in, was probably 'his' bookie. Nowadays, the distance between William Hill and Ladbrokes is a few columns on the Racing Post odds-comparison grid, handily located right beside the in-depth form. The reasons for having accounts across competitors are obvious. Firstly, it increases the chances of finding the best odds available on a given race or event. It also gives access to a greater array of markets, such as distance betting, without-the-favourite markets and even spreads for those so inclined. Then there are the competing offers. These operate in the everyday, but firms tend to save the real giveaways for the big festivals such as the Cheltenham Festival. The advice goes beyond merely opening accounts with a few firms.Getting to know how your various bookmakers operate - when they tend to price up races, in which races they tend to offer more generous place terms, and so on - is a significant head start when it comes to placing your bets. An awareness that, say, Sky Bet tend to offer enhanced place terms on big handicaps on Saturdays can make betting that bit more efficient and help whittle down who to place that bet with beyond just looking for the bolded-up best odds. The potential downside of having multiple accounts is spreading your betting bank.Having to deposit funds for every bet will not only get tedious pretty quickly, but can on occasions lead to the frustration of a missed price. There are many ways to deal with this, but perhaps the most pragmatic approach is to always make sure that you keep your typical stake (often termed as '1pt' by tipsters) in each account, so you are able to act quickly once identifying a bet. On those lines, it is also good practice to take extraneous funds from your accounts on a regular basis. If you have £40 in all your accounts bar Coral, with whom you have £500, personal experience suggests it is likely you will bet with that bit more in Coral, even when it is not the most advantageous thing to do.
Free bets are given out by bookmakers to encourage loyalty and entice a punter’s custom. The most common promotions are new customer offers and money-back specials on specific races. These betting offers are predominantly a benefit of betting online through mobile, desktop and tablet, as opposed to in betting shops. It is important to note that winnings from a free bet will not necessarily include the stake. For example, if you place a £10 free bet on a 3/1 selection, you would stand to win £30 rather than £40. Be sure to check the terms and conditions for your new customer offer. Most bookmakers will advertise an attractive sign-up bonus which offers customers free bets as a reward for opening a new betting account. Free bets are usually credited to the punter’s account after an initial sum has been deposited or a first bet has been placed. The free bet will often match the stake of the first bet with the bookmaker, although this is not always the case and depends on the terms and conditions of each free bet. Free bets can be used in a number of ways. Click Here to see featured Racing Post Free Bets. Once the punter has signed up to a bookmaker, they are no longer eligible to receive new customer betting offers again. However, most major bookmakers have special betting offers which any customer can qualify for. These bets require you to place a minimum or maximum bet stake in order to qualify for the free bets, providing the required outcome occurs. ‘Money back as a free bet if your horse finishes 2nd by a head or less’ and ‘Money back special if your horse finishes 2nd to the SP favourite’ are two of the most common offers. Prestigious race meetings such as Royal Ascot and the Cheltenham Festival are a great time to grab a free bet. Bookmakers frequently promote betting offers during these meetings.
Almost every bookmaker will offer a standard signup offer, available to new customers as an incentive to open an account. These offers often require you to make a small deposit to qualify for a sum of free bets or bonus funds. Traditionally, the Cheltenham Festival is the best time to open an account as the bookmakers compete with each other for new customers. During this time, the free bet incentives are usually enhanced to be even more appealing and should be taken advantage of. After all, who doesn’t want a few free bets during Cheltenham.
In order to get customers to return, bookmakers will advertise money-back special offers. These offers are designed to keep customers playing with them, instead of a competing bookmaker. This is the best way for existing customers to take advantage of free bets during the Cheltenham Festival. A money-back-special offer is a refund on your bet if your horse finishes in a predetermined position, such as 2nd, and you will get your stake back. Some offers are more lucrative than others so be sure to check the terms and conditions.
Ante-post betting is popular on the Cheltenham Festival. If you’re placing an ante-post bet on the Cheltenham Festival you may want to consider waiting for the non-runner-no-bet offers. The risk attached with ante-post betting is reduced when you bet non-runner-no-bet, which means you get your stake back if your horse doesn’t run in the selected race.
March is the best time to open a new bookmaker account due to the amount of Cheltenham Festival free bets available. The bookmakers are competing against each other to get you to sign up and are willing to offer exclusive offers to encourage you to do so. Take advantage of the best Cheltenham Festival offers on this page now.
The best Cheltenham free bets are those that offer a large value of free bets for just a small or no deposit at all. During the Cheltenham Festival bookmakers will offer exclusive sign-up offers and reward users for placing their bets with them during the week so make sure you shop around for the best offers. Racing Post gather the best Cheltenham Festival free bets where it’s easy to compare offers and find the right one for you.
Free bets often require you to deposit and wager in order to qualify for a free bet. Sign up for one of the Cheltenham free bets on this page and follow the necessary requirements to get your bonus offer.
Once you have qualified for a free bet, you can usually use it on any sports market and any bet type. Some free bets must meet the requirements of the offer and may need to be used on a particular race, or at the minimum odds. Compare the best Cheltenham Festival free bets here and be sure to check the terms and conditions of the offer.
Existing customers are often rewarded for their loyalty with regular free bets, even more so during the Cheltenham Festival where bookmakers are competing against one another for you to place your bets with them. Don’t forget to compare bookmakers to see if they offer loyalty bonuses or regular free bets for existing customers.
When choosing who to bet on at the Cheltenham Festival, punters like to choose the funniest name, prettiest silks or a lucky number. No matter your strategy, it’s always worth checking the latest Cheltenham Festival free bets. Racing Post gather all the latest promotions and exclusive free bets for the Cheltenham Festival so you can compare and find the one that’s right for you.