There is both good news and bad news about the 2024 Cheltenham Festival this time around. The good news is that it is going ahead as scheduled, but the bad news is that it will take place behind closed doors and likely with no fans allowed to attend. Considering this event usually attracts attendances of over 50,000, this is saddening but understandable considering the latest strain of COVID-19 doing the rounds.
Still, the event is still televised which will allow us to enjoy the races as they take place between Tuesday the 16th and Friday the 19th of March. Punters will still be able to place wagers, but this will have to be at online sportsbooks rather than trackside.
The History and Prestige of the Cheltenham Festival
One of the largest and most prestigious race days in the UK, the Cheltenham Festival has been running for over 160 years. The event often coincides with Saint Patrick’s Day, which helps to boost attendances and bets placed thanks to a large Irish following. This festival comes second only to the Grand National in terms of prize money, with 4.5 million being awarded across the races on average.
In terms of wagers placed, few events in the UK attract more than the Cheltenham Festival. Punters wager hundreds of millions each year, making it one of the biggest days of the year for punters worldwide.
The Early Favourites
There are 7 races each day and 28 in total on the Cheltenham Festival racecard, but the feature race is the one that will attract the most interest. The Cheltenham Gold Cup starts at 3.30 pm on the final day of the festival and awards £625,000 to the winner.
According to the Freebets.com Cheltenham page, the early favourite for this race is Al Boum Photo at 5/1. Santini (6/1), Champ (12/1) and Lostintranslation (12/1) are currently the closest rivals to the favourite according to most bookies. It is easy to see why Al Boum Photo is the early favourite considering he has won this race at the last two Cheltenham Festival.
As for the other Grade 1 races at the event, Epatante (3.5/1) is the favourite to win the Champion Hurdle, Chacun Pour Soi (5/1) the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and Paisley Park (7/1) the Stayers’ Hurdle.
If you do plan on betting on the Cheltenham Festival, it is important that you only use licensed online sportsbooks. Some will even give you free bets for the Cheltenham Festival when signing up!
Cheltenham Cup Betting Tips
This festival attracts vast sums of money in bets and the battle between punters and bookmakers is usually an exciting one. The bookies always win out in the event’s entirety but any individual punter that comes out ahead by the end can claim a personal victory.
So, how do you go about selecting a winner? Well, just like any other horse race, you need to start with horses themselves. How have they been running throughout the season? Which horses are in the best form? It is best to go for horses that have shown form over a similar distance to the race they are entered and also similar ground conditions.
Horses that have previously run well at the Cheltenham Festival often find themselves among the favourites.
Course and event experience is considered important when choosing a potential winner. If a horse has shown that it can handle the atmosphere of such a big race and has the stamina to survive the famous last hill at the finish, it is a strong sign.
Next, look at the trainer, jockey and the owner of each horse. How have they all fared at the Cheltenham Festival in previous years? Some have won the event on many occasions. They clearly know what it requires winning at such an iconic racing festival. If you want to know more about horse racing you should check WorldCasinoIndex.
Once you have done your research, you should be better informed on choosing the horses you think stand a chance. You then just consider the current odds and the types of bets you might want to place.
Betting at the Cheltenham Festival
Millions get wagered at the Cheltenham Festival every year but if you are a beginner, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Most Common Bets
The two main bets that are placed on each race are ‘Win Only’ and ‘Each Way’. The former is a straight bet on the horse that you think will win. The latter is essentially two bets in one, one half of the bet goes on the horse to win and the second half goes on the horse to place. If your horse wins, you win both bets but if it places, you at least get something back depending on the odds.
Betting Online
It is unlikely that many people will be able to attend the Cheltenham Festival this year which means most of you will have to bet online. The good news is that using popular online sportsbooks has plenty of advantages. It is easy to place bets, there are welcome bonuses such as free bets to get your hands on, and you will find many other betting markets.
A Roundup of One of the UK’s Biggest Horse Racing Festivals!
While we may not be able to attend the 2024 Cheltenham Festival in 2024, it is still a race that will attract plenty of viewers. Some will watch for the love of the sport while others will be watching in the hope of their bets coming in. If you are one of the latter, hopefully, this Cheltenham Festival guide has given you the valuable information needed to make some money through sports betting.
Either way, we are anticipating the same excitement that only the Cheltenham Festival can provide. Will the favourites romp home or will the outsides cause a shock? There is only one way to find out, and that is to watch the action unfold in front of your eyes.
