Bet on Cheltenham Races 2027 – Cheltenham Festival Odds

Last Updated on July 23, 2026 by author

The Cheltenham Festival is the beating heart of National Hunt racing, and the 2027 renewal promises another four days of roaring grandstands, championship drama and some of the most competitive betting markets in world sport. Running from Tuesday 16 March to Friday 19 March 2027 at Prestbury Park in Gloucestershire, the Festival packs 28 races into four days, culminating in the legendary Cheltenham Gold Cup on the Friday.

If you’re planning to bet on Cheltenham races in 2027, this guide walks you through everything that matters: how the ante-post markets are shaping up, which horses head the early odds, how each championship day works, and — crucially — how experienced punters approach the Festival with discipline rather than hope.

Cheltenham Festival 2027: Key Dates & Schedule

The 2027 Festival follows the classic four-day format, with each day built around a championship race:

Racing begins each afternoon with the famous “Cheltenham Roar” greeting the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Day One. A notable scheduling change for 2027 sees the championship races moved to the fifth race on each card, with the Gold Cup itself due off at approximately 4:00pm on the Friday. As always with a meeting this far out, exact race times remain subject to confirmation nearer the day.

For bettors, the structure matters. Each day mixes Grade 1 championship contests (where form tends to hold up) with fiercely competitive handicaps (where value hunting and big-priced winners are the story). Knowing which type of race you’re betting on shapes the entire approach.

Cheltenham Festival Odds 2027: How the Ante-Post Markets Look

Ante-post betting — placing wagers weeks or months before the race — opened on the 2027 Festival almost as soon as the 2026 meeting finished. Prices below are indicative early-market quotes and will move constantly as the season unfolds, so always check live odds with your bookmaker before striking a bet.

Cheltenham Gold Cup 2027 Odds

The blue riband of jump racing takes centre stage on Friday 19 March 2027. The market is headed by Gaelic Warrior, who won the 2026 Gold Cup under Paul Townend for the all-conquering Willie Mullins yard and has been quoted at around 3/1 to defend his crown. Repeat winners are rare but far from unheard of — Al Boum Photo, Kauto Star and Best Mate all proved champions can come back — so the favourite’s price reflects genuine respect.

Behind the market leader, horses such as Jango Baie (quoted around 7/1 in early lists) attract attention from punters looking for each-way value, while progressive second-season chasers will inevitably crash the party as the autumn and winter trials unfold. The King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown are the two most reliable stepping stones — watch those races closely before committing serious ante-post money.

Champion Hurdle 2027 Odds

The two-mile hurdling crown belongs to Lossiemouth, the brilliant mare who won the 2026 Champion Hurdle in commanding style and remains unbeaten at Cheltenham. Early markets price her at around 5/2 to complete back-to-back victories — short for a race nine months away, but a fair reflection of a horse many consider the most dominant mare of the modern National Hunt era.

The Champion Hurdle has a fascinating recent betting history: favourites won five consecutive renewals between 2020 and 2024 (Epatante, Honeysuckle twice, Constitution Hill and State Man), before Golden Ace landed a 25/1 shock in 2025. That pendulum swing is the perfect reminder that even “banker” races at Cheltenham carry real risk.

Queen Mother Champion Chase 2027 Odds

Il Etait Temps heads early lists at around 5/2 after taking full advantage of a mistake-riddled run from the favourite to win the 2026 Champion Chase impressively. History supports champions doubling up here — Energumene and Altior both won this race in successive years — which is exactly why the market has him so prominent.

Other Key 2027 Markets

Ante-post books are also open on the Stayers’ Hurdle, Ryanair Chase, Arkle, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Triumph Hurdle and the rest of the 28-race programme. Racing Post experts have already nominated eye-catching long-range plays across these races at prices from 5/1 out to 66/1 — proof that professional opinion is wildly divided this far out, and that value exists for punters who do their homework.

How to Bet on Cheltenham Races 2027: Markets Explained

Win & Each-Way Betting

The simplest and most popular bets. A win bet pays only if your horse finishes first; an each-way bet splits your stake between the win and a place (typically the first 3–5 finishers depending on field size, at a fraction of the win odds). In 20-plus runner Festival handicaps, enhanced each-way terms — some firms pay six or more places — can be genuinely valuable.

Ante-Post vs On-the-Day Betting

Ante-post betting offers bigger prices but carries a crucial catch: in most standard ante-post markets, if your horse doesn’t run, you lose your stake. Many bookmakers now offer Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB) concessions on major Cheltenham races from early in the year — a game-changer that refunds your stake if the horse is a non-runner. Experienced ante-post punters often wait for NRNB to go live before striking their main bets, accepting slightly shorter odds in exchange for protection.

Multiples, Placepots & Specials

Doubles, trebles and accumulators across the Festival’s championship races are hugely popular, as is the Tote Placepot (picking a placed horse in the first six races each day). Bookmakers also price up specials such as top trainer, top jockey, and the Prestbury Cup (Great Britain vs Ireland winners). These add fun, but remember: multiples multiply the bookmaker’s margin as well as your potential returns.

Expert Strategies for Betting on Cheltenham 2027

Having followed Festival markets across many cycles, here are the principles that consistently separate disciplined punters from the crowd:

1. Respect the trials calendar. The Cheltenham picture is painted between November and February. The Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in early February is the single most informative weekend of the season for Festival clues — many recent Cheltenham winners warmed up there.
2. Track the Willie Mullins and Irish battalions. Irish-trained horses, and the Mullins stable in particular, have dominated recent Festivals. Ignoring that reality is expensive; blindly backing every short-priced Irish favourite is also expensive. The edge lies in identifying which of the powerful yards’ second-strings are underestimated.
3. Course form is gold at Cheltenham. The undulating track, stiff uphill finish and unique pressure of Festival crowds find horses out. A horse proven at Prestbury Park deserves extra credit — Lossiemouth’s unbeaten Cheltenham record is precisely why her odds are so short.
4. Treat handicaps differently from Grade 1s. In championship races, class usually tells. In the big handicaps, look for unexposed, progressive types near the bottom of the weights, and take advantage of extra-place offers rather than chasing win-only bets in 24-runner cavalry charges.
5. Shop for the best price. Odds comparison across multiple bookmakers is the easiest edge in betting. Over a full Festival, taking 9/2 instead of 4/1 repeatedly is the difference between profit and loss. Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) promotions, where you get the bigger of your taken price or the starting price, are worth prioritising.
6. Keep records and stake to a plan. Professionals stake consistently (often 1–2% of a set bankroll per bet) and review results honestly. Twenty-eight races in four days is a marathon of temptation — the punters still standing on Friday evening are the ones who planned for it on Tuesday morning.

Free Bets, Offers & Choosing a Bookmaker

Cheltenham is the biggest week of the year for UK and Irish bookmakers, and the promotional battle is fierce: new-customer free bets, money-back specials, enhanced each-way places, NRNB concessions and daily price boosts all appear in the build-up. When comparing betting sites for Cheltenham 2027, prioritise:

• Licensing and regulation (UK Gambling Commission or equivalent) above all else
• Best Odds Guaranteed on all UK and Irish racing
• Extra places on Festival handicaps
• Early NRNB on ante-post championship markets
• Live streaming and fast, reliable withdrawals

Always read the terms attached to any free bet or promotion — minimum odds, expiry windows and stake restrictions vary significantly between firms.

FAQs

When is the Cheltenham Festival 2027? Tuesday 16 March to Friday 19 March 2027, at Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire. The Gold Cup is run on the final day.

Who is favourite for the 2027 Cheltenham Gold Cup? Gaelic Warrior, the 2026 winner, heads early ante-post lists at around 3/1. Prices will fluctuate throughout the season as trials unfold.

Who is favourite for the 2027 Champion Hurdle? Lossiemouth, the 2026 winner, is the early market leader at around 5/2, reflecting her unbeaten Cheltenham record.

Can I bet on Cheltenham 2027 now? Yes. Ante-post markets on all championship races are already open with major bookmakers, though many punters wait for Non-Runner No Bet terms before committing.

Is ante-post betting worth it? It can be, if you’re backing a horse whose price is likely to shorten and you understand the non-runner risk. Otherwise, NRNB markets or on-the-day betting are safer routes.

How many races are at the Cheltenham Festival? Twenty-eight races across four days, including fourteen Grade 1 contests headlined by the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle.

Bet Responsibly

Cheltenham should be entertainment first. Set a budget before the Festival begins and never bet more than you can comfortably afford to lose. Avoid chasing losses, take breaks between race days, and use deposit limits and time-out tools offered by licensed bookmakers. If gambling ever stops feeling like fun, free and confidential support is available from GambleAware (gambleaware.org), GamCare (0808 8020 133) and Gamblers Anonymous. You must be 18 or over to bet in the UK and Ireland.

Final Word

The 2027 Cheltenham Festival is shaping up as a meeting of champions defending crowns — Gaelic Warrior in the Gold Cup, Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle, Il Etait Temps in the Champion Chase — against a wave of young pretenders who will announce themselves over the winter. That tension between proven brilliance and unexposed potential is exactly what makes Cheltenham betting the richest puzzle in racing.

Do your homework through the autumn trials, shop for the best odds and terms, protect your ante-post stakes with NRNB where possible, and stake with discipline across all four days. Follow those principles, and whatever the results, you’ll experience the greatest show on turf the way the sharpest punters do: informed, in control, and fully part of the drama when the Cheltenham Roar goes up on 16 March 2027.