Last Updated on 12/03/2026 by Andy Clark
If you have already claimed sign-up offers at bet365, Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, Coral, William Hill and Betfred, the bookmakers below are ones you may not have accounts with yet.
All ten are UK-licensed, all have Cheltenham Festival horse racing markets, and all are currently offering a free bet for new customers.
Brand New Bookies Free Bets for Cheltenham 2026
On this page you will find ten brand new or lesser-known UK bookmakers that are fully licensed, currently accepting new customers, and all offering a sign-up free bet that can be used on the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. None of these are household names in the way that the big six are, but they are all legitimate, regulated sportsbooks where you can place your Cheltenham ante-post and day-of-race bets — and collect a welcome bonus in the process.
For the full picture of every sign-up offer available for Cheltenham 2026, see our Cheltenham free bets hub. For existing customer offers at bookmakers you already have accounts with, see our Cheltenham existing customer offers guide.
Why Use a New Bookie for Cheltenham?
The Cheltenham Festival is the one week of the year when having accounts with as many bookmakers as possible pays off most. The four days of the Festival produce 28 races, and across those races there are significant variations in ante-post prices, each-way terms, extra places and Best Odds Guaranteed availability between different bookmakers. The punter with ten accounts will almost always get a better overall return than the punter with two or three, simply by being able to pick the best available price on each selection.
Beyond price comparison, each new account comes with a sign-up free bet. The ten bookmakers on this page represent a combined potential value of over £300 in free bets for a punter who has never held accounts with any of them. Used across the 28 races of the Festival, that is a meaningful additional betting bank on top of whatever you are staking with your existing accounts.
All ten bookmakers on this page are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. None are offshore operations. They are smaller than the major brands, but they are fully regulated and all offer Cheltenham horse racing markets in the ante-post and day-of-race periods.
New Bookmakers for Cheltenham 2026 — The Full List
BetRino — Bet £25 Get £50 Free Bet
BetRino is operated by Progress Play, one of the most established white-label operators in the UK market. The sportsbook covers all major UK and Irish horse racing including the full Cheltenham Festival card, with ante-post markets available on all 28 races. The sign-up offer is among the strongest on this page — bet £25 and receive a £50 free bet in return.
The qualifying bet requires minimum odds of 1.5, which is straightforward to meet on virtually any Cheltenham ante-post or day-of-race selection. The free bet is a single one-time stake of £50, not split across multiple tokens, which gives you the flexibility to place it as one bet on a single race rather than having to spread it across multiple selections.
How to use at Cheltenham: Place your £25 qualifying bet on any Cheltenham ante-post market at odds of 1.5 or bigger. On settlement, receive your £50 free bet and use it on a Cheltenham day-of-race single or ante-post selection in one of the big Grade 1 races. A £50 free bet on a 5/1 shot in the Gold Cup returns £250 in winnings if successful, with the free bet stake not returned. Check through all the Gold Cup betting offers, including new bookmaker deals, before placing your bets.
Sign-up offer: Bet £25 get £50 free bet | Code: BB50 Min qualifying odds: 1.5 Free bet expiry: 7 days Excluded deposits: Skrill, Neteller
New Players Only. Min £25 qualifying bets, stake not returned. Free bet — one-time stake of £50, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 days. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms apply. 18+. #ad
BlueFox — Bet £20 Get £30 Free Bet
BlueFox is a UK-licensed sportsbook offering competitive odds across horse racing, football and a range of other sports. The welcome offer gives new customers a £30 free bet when they place a qualifying £20 bet, with minimum odds of 1.5 required on the qualifying bet. As with BetRino, the free bet is a single one-time stake rather than multiple tokens, giving you full flexibility on how and where you use it.
BlueFox covers UK and Irish horse racing including the Cheltenham Festival ante-post markets, and the sportsbook is available via both desktop and mobile.
How to use at Cheltenham: Place your £20 qualifying bet on a Cheltenham ante-post market. On settlement use the £30 free bet on any of the 28 Festival races — the bigger-priced novice hurdles and handicap chases offer the most return potential on a free bet stake.
Sign-up offer: Bet £20 get £30 free bet | No code required Min qualifying odds: 1.5 Free bet expiry: 7 days Excluded deposits: Skrill, Neteller
New Players Only. Min £20 qualifying bets, stake not returned. Free bet — one-time stake of £30, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 days from issue. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms Apply. 18+. #ad
Spinzwin — Bet £20 Get £35 Free Bet
Spinzwin is a sports and casino brand with a solid UK racing offering. The welcome bonus of bet £20 get £35 is one of the better value offers in terms of the return on qualifying stake — a £20 bet returning £35 is a 175% bonus, which compares favourably with many of the bigger bookmakers. The £35 is a single free bet token at minimum odds of 1.5.
Spinzwin covers the full range of UK and Irish horse racing and is well-suited to Cheltenham Festival betting, with ante-post markets available ahead of the week and day-of-race markets throughout.
How to use at Cheltenham: Place the £20 qualifying bet on a Cheltenham market at odds of 1.5 or bigger. Use the £35 free bet on one of the big-field Premier Handicaps at the Festival — the Fred Winter, Coral Cup, Plate Handicap or County Hurdle — where a bigger-priced runner at 10/1 or more on a £35 free bet stake can generate a return of £350 or more in winnings.
Sign-up offer: Bet £20 get £35 free bet | No code required Min qualifying odds: 1.5 Free bet expiry: 7 days Excluded deposits: Skrill, Neteller
New Players Only. Free bet — one-time stake of £35, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. Min £20 qualifying bets, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Free bets and Bonuses are valid for 7 days. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms apply. 18+. #ad
BestOdds — Bet £20 Get £25 in Free Bets
BestOdds is built around the concept of finding the best available price across the market, which makes it a natural fit for Cheltenham Festival betting, where price differences between bookmakers can be significant. The welcome offer delivers £25 in free bets as five £5 tokens, credited one per day over five days following settlement of the qualifying bet.
The staged delivery of tokens across five days aligns well with the four days of the Cheltenham Festival — you can receive a token each morning of the Festival week and use it on that day’s racing. The tokens expire 24 hours after being awarded, so you need to be ready to use each one on the day it arrives.
How to use at Cheltenham: Place the £20 qualifying bet before the Festival opens. Time the settlement so your first £5 token arrives on Champion Day. Use one token per day across the four days of the Festival, targeting a different race each day. The 24-hour expiry means having a selection ready for each day’s token before it arrives.
Sign-up offer: Bet £20 get £25 in free bets (5 x £5) | Code: bop20xfb5 Min qualifying odds: Evens (2.0) Free bet expiry: 24 hours per token after being awarded Excluded deposits: Check terms
New players only. Bet £20 & Get 5 x £5 Free Bets. 18+ | New UK customers only. Place a £20+ bet on any selection at minimum odds of Evens (2.00) to receive 5 x £5 Free Bets. The first Free Bet will be credited once your qualifying bet settles, with each subsequent Free Bet becoming available 24 hours apart. Free Bets expire 24 hours after being awarded. BeGambleAware.org | T&Cs & Maximum Payouts apply. #ad. 18+, gambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply
Swifty Sports — Bet £10 Get £20 Free Bet
Swifty Sports is one of the more recent additions to the UK sportsbook market and is designed around a clean, fast mobile experience. The welcome offer is straightforward — bet £10 as a single selection at odds of Evens or bigger and receive a matched £20 free bet on settlement. The qualifying bet must be a single, not a multiple, which is worth noting before you place.
The Swifty Sports app covers UK and Irish horse racing, including ante-post Cheltenham markets, and the £20 free bet can be used on any race at the Festival.
How to use at Cheltenham: The qualifying bet of £10 as a single at Evens or bigger is easy to place on any Cheltenham ante-post market. The matched £20 free bet is clean and simple to use — place it as a single on any Festival race with no minimum leg requirement.
Sign-up offer: Bet £10 get £20 free bet | No code required Min qualifying odds: Evens (1/1) Qualifying bet type: Single only Free bet expiry: 7 days
18+. New Customers only. Min Deposit £10. Min Stake £10. Min Odds 1/1. The qualifying bet must be a single selection only. Free bet added on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. Free bet is a matched free bet of £20. Free bet expiry is 7 days. 1 Free bet offer per customer. Cashed out bets won’t apply. T&Cs apply.
MogoBet — Bet £10 Get £30 Free Bet
MogoBet is a UK-licensed sports betting platform covering football, horse racing and a range of other sports. For a bookmaker of its size it has a strong horse racing offering, with UK and Irish racing covered throughout the year including the major festivals. The sign-up offer gives new customers a £30 free bet for a £10 qualifying stake — a 300% return on the qualifying bet that compares very well with larger bookmakers.
The minimum odds requirement and token structure should be checked at the point of sign-up as terms can vary, but the headline offer of bet £10 get £30 makes MogoBet one of the better value new account offers available ahead of Cheltenham.
How to use at Cheltenham: A £10 qualifying bet on any Cheltenham market unlocks a £30 free bet. Use the free bet on a Cheltenham Grade 1 race — Champion Hurdle, Gold Cup, Arkle or Ryanair — where the market is most liquid and the prices most competitive.
Sign-up offer: Bet £10 get £30 free bet | No code required
18+. New UK customers only. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org. #ad
JeffBet — Bet £10 Get £30 Free Bet
JeffBet is a UK-licensed sportsbook that has built a following, particularly among horse racing punters. It covers the full UK and Irish racing calendar including ante-post and day-of-race Cheltenham Festival markets, and its free bet offer of bet £10 get £30 is competitive. The free bet is a single one-time stake of £30 at minimum odds of 1.5.
JeffBet has a dedicated horse racing section and is worth having as an additional account for price comparison purposes during Festival week, given its focus on the racing market.
How to use at Cheltenham: Place the £10 qualifying bet on any Cheltenham ante-post or day-of-race market at odds of 1.5 or bigger. Use the £30 free bet on a novice hurdle or novice chase where the fields tend to be smaller and the form more predictable — the Arkle, Supreme or Turners are natural targets for a single free bet stake.
Sign-up offer: Bet £10 get £30 free bet | No code required Min qualifying odds: 1.5 Free bet expiry: 7 days Excluded deposits: Skrill, Neteller
New Players Only. Free bet — one-time stake of £30, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from receipt. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms Apply. 18+. #ad. begambleaware
BetMaze — Bet £10 a Get £10 Free Bet
BetMaze is a UK-licensed sportsbook and casino platform with a clean interface and a solid sports betting offering across football, horse racing and other major sports. The welcome offer is a matched free bet — place £10 and receive £10 back as a free bet token. Straightforward terms and a simple one-token structure make it easy to use.
BetMaze covers UK and Irish horse racing, including Cheltenham Festival markets and is a useful addition to your bookmaker roster for the week.
How to use at Cheltenham: Place the £10 qualifying bet on any Cheltenham market. Use the £10 free bet on a day-of-race market during Festival week — the matched free bet structure is ideal for targeting a mid-priced runner in one of the big races where returns on a free bet stake are meaningful.
Sign-up offer: Bet £10 get £10 free bet | No code required
18+. New UK customers only. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org. #ad
Casino Kings — Bet £10 Get £35 Free Bet
Despite the name, Casino Kings operates a fully functional sportsbook alongside its casino offering, and the sports welcome offer is one of the most generous on this page in terms of the ratio of return to qualifying stake. A £10 qualifying bet returns £35 in free bets — a 350% return — making it the best value entry point of any of the ten bookmakers here on that measure alone.
UK and Irish horse racing is covered, including Cheltenham Festival markets, and the sportsbook is accessible on both desktop and mobile.
How to use at Cheltenham: The low qualifying stake of £10 makes this one of the easiest offers to trigger. Place the qualifying bet on any Cheltenham market and use the £35 free bet on one of the Grade 1 championship races during the week where the racing is most competitive and the prices most liquid.
Sign-up offer: Bet £10 get £35 free bet | No code required
18+. New UK customers only. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org. #ad
Bet442 — Bet £20 Get £20 Free Bet
Bet442 is a UK-licensed sportsbook with a straightforward product covering the major sports including horse racing. The welcome offer delivers a matched £20 free bet on a £20 qualifying bet at Evens or bigger. The free bet tokens include a £10 standard free bet and two £5 Bet Builder tokens, giving a mix of flexibility depending on whether you want to use the tokens on horse racing singles or football bet builders.
The horse racing free bet element is the most relevant for Cheltenham — the £10 standard token can be used on any Festival market without a minimum leg requirement.
How to use at Cheltenham: Place the £20 qualifying bet on a Cheltenham ante-post market at Evens or bigger. Use the £10 standard free bet token on a day-of-race single during the Festival — the two £5 Bet Builder tokens can be used on football markets outside of the Festival if preferred.
Sign-up offer: Bet £20 get £20 in free bets | No code required Min qualifying odds: Evens (2.0) Token breakdown: £10 standard free bet + 2 x £5 Bet Builder tokens
18+. New Customers Only. Min deposit £20. Maximum one £10 Free Bet & two £5 Bet Builder Free Bets. Qualifying bet must be placed at odds of Evens (2.00) or greater. Paid as bonus tokens: Token 1 Min odds Req: 4/5 (1.80). Token 2 & 3 are valid for Bet Builder only and are subject to min odds of 2/1 (3.00). T&Cs Apply.
Comparing the Ten Offers
| Bookmaker | Qualifying Bet | Free Bet Value | Code | Min Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetRino | £25 | £50 | BB50 | 1.5 |
| BlueFox | £20 | £30 | None | 1.5 |
| Spinzwin | £20 | £35 | None | 1.5 |
| BestOdds | £20 | £25 (5 x £5) | bop20xfb5 | Evens (2.0) |
| Swifty Sports | £10 | £20 | None | Evens (1/1) |
| MogoBet | £10 | £30 | None | Check terms |
| JeffBet | £10 | £30 | None | 1.5 |
| BetMaze | £10 | £10 | None | 1.5 |
| Casino Kings | £10 | £35 | None | Check terms |
| Bet442 | £20 | £20 | None | Evens (2.0) |
Total combined free bet value: over £285 across all ten accounts
The three highest-value offers in terms of free bet return are BetRino (£50), Spinzwin (£35) and Casino Kings (£35). The three lowest qualifying stakes are Swifty Sports, MogoBet and JeffBet (all £10), making them the easiest to trigger with minimal financial commitment. If you are working through all ten, a sensible approach is to start with the lowest qualifying stakes first, then move to the higher-stake offers as the Festival approaches.
How to Use New Bookie Free Bets at Cheltenham
Opening accounts with multiple smaller bookmakers ahead of Cheltenham is a well-established approach among experienced punters, and the process is the same across all ten bookmakers on this page. Here is the approach that makes the most sense for Festival week.
Place qualifying bets early. Most of the offers on this page have no specific Cheltenham deadline — the standard sign-up offer window applies. Place your qualifying bets in the days before the Festival opens (the week of 3rd–9th March) so your free bets are credited and ready to use from Champion Day on Tuesday 10th March. If you place qualifying bets too close to the first race, some tokens may not arrive in time.
Use free bets on day-of-race markets. Free bets tend to go further on day-of-race markets where the fields are declared and the prices are firmer. Ante-post markets are better used with your own money, where you can shop around for the best price and take advantage of Non-Runner No Bet protection. Free bets are best deployed on the day when you know the field is runnin,g and you can place with confidence.
Target big-priced runners in the Premier Handicaps. A free bet stake is not returned with winnings, so you want to maximise the upside by targeting bigger prices. The Premier Handicaps at Cheltenham — the Fred Winter, Coral Cup, Plate Handicap, Kim Muir, Martin Pipe and County Hurdle — consistently produce winners at 10/1 or bigger. A £30 free bet at 12/1 returns £360 in winnings if successful, against a potential return of around £45 on a 3/2 favourite. The higher the odds, the more a free bet stake is worth.
Use the smallest qualifying-stake offers first. If you are working through multiple accounts, start with Swifty Sports, MogoBet and JeffBet (all £10 qualifying bets) before moving to the £20 and £25 qualifying stake accounts. This keeps your initial outlay lower while the qualifying bets settle and free bet credits start arriving.
Keep track of expiry dates. Several of the offers on this page have 7-day free bet expiry windows, and BestOdds tokens expire after 24 hours. Make a note of when each token is credited and set a reminder so none expire unused. During Festival week, this is easy — there are races every afternoon from Tuesday to Friday.
Are These Bookmakers Safe to Use?
All ten bookmakers on this page are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), which is the regulatory authority for all online gambling operators accepting UK customers. A UKGC licence means the operator is subject to strict rules around player funds protection, responsible gambling tools, fair terms and conditions, and prompt payment of winnings.
The UKGC requires all licensed operators to hold customer funds separately from company funds, meaning your balance is protected if the operator encounters financial difficulties. All ten bookmakers are also required to participate in an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme if you have a complaint that cannot be resolved directly.
The fact that a bookmaker is smaller or less well-known than bet365 or William Hill does not mean it is less safe or less regulated. BetRino, for example, is operated by Progress Play, which runs dozens of licensed brands across the UK market. JeffBet, Spinzwin and others on this list have been operating in the UK market for several years under full UKGC oversight.
If you want to verify any bookmaker’s licence before depositing, visit the UKGC’s public register at gamblingcommission.gov.uk and search by operator name.
FAQs
I already have an account with bet365, Ladbrokes, Coral and William Hill — can I still get free bets for Cheltenham?
Yes. None of the ten bookmakers on this page are owned by or affiliated with the major high-street brands. If you have never opened an account with BetRino, BlueFox, Spinzwin, BestOdds, Swifty Sports, MogoBet, JeffBet, BetMaze, Casino Kings or Bet442, you are eligible for the new customer sign-up offer at each one.
Are these bookmakers any good for horse racing odds?
The odds at smaller bookmakers are often comparable to the major firms on the bigger, more liquid markets such as the Cheltenham Grade 1 races. They may be less competitive on more obscure races or smaller meetings. For Cheltenham Festival betting specifically, the free bet value tends to outweigh any small differences in odds. Having more accounts also means more opportunities to find the best available price across the board.
Do any of these bookmakers offer Non-Runner No Bet for Cheltenham?
NRNB availability at smaller bookmakers varies and is less consistently confirmed than at the major firms. Before placing an ante-post bet at any of these bookmakers, check whether the specific market is labelled as NRNB. Our Cheltenham Non-Runner No Bet guide covers confirmed NRNB availability across all the major bookmakers. For the smaller bookmakers, check their ante-post market labels directly.
Can I use the free bets on ante-post Cheltenham markets?
This varies by bookmaker and offer. Most free bet tokens on this page are intended for use on pre-match and day-of-race markets. Some bookmakers exclude free bets from ante-post markets. Check the individual terms for each offer — as a general rule it is safer to use free bets on day-of-race markets during the Festival week itself rather than ante-post markets placed weeks in advance.
What is the best free bet offer on this page for Cheltenham?
For outright value, BetRino’s £50 free bet from a £25 qualifying stake is the largest single free bet. For lowest qualifying stake, Casino Kings and JeffBet both offer £30+ in free bets for a £10 qualifying bet. For the most flexibility during Festival week, BestOdds’ five daily tokens timed to arrive across the week align naturally with four days of racing.
Will I need to verify my account before I can withdraw winnings?
Yes — all UKGC-licensed bookmakers require identity verification (KYC checks) before processing withdrawals. This typically involves uploading a photo ID and proof of address. For accounts opened shortly before the Festival, complete verification as early as possible so there is no delay in withdrawing any winnings from your free bets.
Related Guides
For more information on Cheltenham Festival betting offers, see the following pages:
Cheltenham Free Bets 2026 — all sign-up offers for the 2026 Festival, including the major bookmakers
Cheltenham Existing Customer Offers 2026 — NRNB, BOG, extra places and money back specials for existing customers
Cheltenham Non-Runner No Bet Guide — which bookmakers offer NRNB on all 28 races
Cheltenham Extra Places Guide — extra place terms by bookmaker and which races to target
Cheltenham Tips Hub 2026 — ante-post tips and race previews across all four days