With Cheltenham edging closer, betting exchanges are starting to roll out Festival-specific offers — and Matchbook has quietly launched one that actually fits how most people bet during the week.
New customers signing up to Matchbook can earn up to £100 in free bets for Cheltenham 2026, split between a welcome bonus and a commission refund that runs right up to the Festival.
Unlike the usual “bet once and hope” deals, this one is built around spreading your bets across different races. You place five £10 bets on five different horse races at Evens or better, and once those bets are settled, Matchbook credits you with £50 in free bets.
There’s a second part too. Because Matchbook is a betting exchange, you normally pay commission on winning bets. For Cheltenham, any commission you pay from sign-up until 8 March 2026 is refunded as free bets, up to £50. If you’re active across the week, that extra value adds up quietly in the background.
As for the racing, Cheltenham markets are shaping around familiar patterns. The Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase are led by horses with proven Festival form, while the Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite sits firmly among stamina-tested chasers with top-level wins to their name.
That focus on battle-tested runners is typical at Cheltenham, where experience often matters more than hype under pressure.
If you’re planning to bet across multiple races and prefer exchange odds over headline offers, this is one of the more sensible Cheltenham bonuses available right now.
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