13-03-2025
Cheltenham Day 3 free bets: Scoop £360 in bookmaker offers
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There's just over an hour to go until the first race on day three of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, the Grade 2 Mares' Novices Hurdle (1.20pm) in which 24 runners go to post.
Today's seven races include two Grade 1 contests, the Stayers' Hurdle (4.00pm) and the Ryanair Chase (3.20), in which last year's winners – respectively Dan Skelton's Protektorat and Gordon Elliott's Teahupoo – both return to defend their crowns.
Cheltenham Festival Day 3 top betting offers
1. Betfred – Get £50 in free bets when you stake £10
The Betfred new customer offer has a substantial £50 in free bets on offer when you place a £10 bet at evens or greater. Those free bets come in the form of three £10 bets on any sport and two £10 accumulator bets. The two accas will naturally be harder to turn a profit on, but with a bit of luck during Cheltenham week you never know what the outcomes could be.
But take care when placing the qualifying bet as there are a few odds-on favourites throughout Cheltenham that would not then qualify for the offer.
2. Sky Bet – 60/1 for Teahupoo to finish in the top four of the Stayers' Hurdle
Sky Bet has boosted the odds of Teahupoo to finish in the top four of today's championship race, the Stayers' Hurdle, to 60/1 for new customers. The maximum stake is £1 and your winnings are paid as six £10 free bets.
Last year's champion goes into the race as the favourite yet again and rightly so, given his unique mix of staying ability and raw speed. He is lightly raced this season, having only had one run behind the Mares' Hurdle winner Lossiemouth, so it is not a certainty. But he does his best work when fresh, so that preparation will suit.
3. bet365 – Bet £10 and get £30 in free bets
The bet365 welcome offer is regarded as one of the best in the industry despite the lower amount of free bets on offer. After betting £10 at minimum odds of 1/5, meaning you could back one of the short-priced favourites throughout the Cheltenham Festival, you will receive £30 in bet credits. You have ultimate flexibility with these bet credits to use them in any combination you wish and they still qualify for things such as best odds guaranteed. They do expire after seven days, but that shouldn't be too hard during Cheltenham Festival week.
4. BetMGM – Bet £10 get £40 in free bets
BetMGM made a big splash at Cheltenham last year and this year it also has a competitive offer with a total of £40 in free bets. Two of the four £10 free bets must, however, be used on an accumulator with a minimum of three legs – which will make it harder to turn a profit on.
5. Betano – Get £30 in bonuses when you bet £10
This is Betano's first Cheltenham in the UK betting market and it has a great offer where you can get two £10 free bets and £10 of free spins on Big Bass Day slots.
It does say it could take three days for the bonuses to be credited to your account, but often this will be done much sooner – just something to bear in mind when betting on the latter stages of the Cheltenham Festival.
6. LiveScoreBet – Bet £10 get £30 in free bets + Get a £10 free bet every day of Cheltenham when you place a Racing Multi
LivescoreBet has a great Cheltenham betting offer for 2025 where you can score £30 in free bets once you have placed a £10 bet at minimum odds of 1/2 (1.5), which means it can be used on short-priced favourites and still qualify for the bonus amount.
In addition to this, LiveScore Bet is offering a £10 free bet each day of the Festival when you place a £10 racing multiple with a minimum of three legs.
7. Midnite – Bet £10, get £20 + 50 free spins
Midnite is offering £20 in free bets plus 50 free spins when you place a £10 accumulator (minimum odds of 3/1). With so many short-priced favourites at Cheltenham this year, you could just find a lucky combination that provides a return on the initial investment.
8. Paddy Power – Bet £10 on Cheltenham, get £40 in free bets
The Paddy Power Cheltenham offer means that when you place a bet of £10 at odds of 1/2 or greater on any race at the Festival you will receive £40 in free bets to use as you like throughout the meeting.
This is particularly useful as you can place your qualifying bet on one of the odds-on favourites during the week and still qualify for the welcome offer. But the free bets won't be eligible for things such as best odds guaranteed.
9. CopyBet
CopyBet will not be outdone this Cheltenham Festival and is offering a market-leading £60 in free bets. In order to claim the free bets, you must first opt in via its app or website, make a first deposit using instant bank transfer, and then place a bet at odds of 9/10 or greater (1.9).
It is worth noting that there is a maximum payout of £500 attached to this offer and the free bets expire after seven days.
CopyBet is the perfect bookmaker for horse racing bettors and can boast that it is the only bookie that offers best odds guaranteed from the night before racing.
Take a look at our list of the best betting sites and Cheltenham free bets for more betting offers to use during Festival week.
Key talking points on day three
Willie Mullins again dominates the talking points for day three after popping up with multiple winners on day two and not necessarily from the horses you would think. Just how many will he have today?
A good place to start for Mullins would be the Ryanair Chase where he saddles Fact To File who won last year's Brown Advisory with ease. At the start of the season he looked Gold Cup-bound, but the two defeats that followed a victory over stablemate Galopin Des Champs meant that this horse, with age on his side, will get another Cheltenham Festival run under his belt here before tackling the extended three miles on Friday in years to come.
In order to win that, he will have to beat the French raider Il Est Francais – who looks a monster of a horse when he is on song and jumping boldly from the front.
A less likely source of a Mullins winner would be one of the three handicap chase races on the card today. Believe it or not, he entered the 2025 Festival without winning a single handicap chase at Cheltenham.
