Over £450 Million Expected to Be Wagered at 2026 Cheltenham Festival

Bookmakers across the UK are preparing for horse racing’s biggest betting week, the Cheltenham Festival, which features 28 races over four days—making up 28 of the 31 most bet-on races in 2025. Only the Grand National, Derby, and Scottish National made the list alongside Cheltenham.

This year, William Hill, sponsors of the William Hill County Hurdle on Gold Cup Day (Friday 13th March), anticipate an industry total of £450 million to be wagered across the UK during the Festival.

Of the horses causing the most concern for William Hill, Bambino Fever, running in Thursday’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, is their biggest liability, while Kateira, backed from 40/1 down to 8/1, is the main worry for Wednesday’s two-mile-five-furlong handicap hurdle.

“Of the shorter-priced favourites at the meeting, Bambino Fever is our worst result. She’s been described as one of the best Irish chances of the week, and her price has continued to tumble into 11/10,” said William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps.

“Other bad results would be the Dan Skelton-trained handicappers Supremely West (Pertemps Final) and Kateira (BetMGM Cup). Kateira has been smashed in the last week or so from 40s all the way into 8/1 favourite.

“The battle between us and the punters over the four days of the Cheltenham Festival is unrivalled in Jumps racing. One day the fancied runners can go and get beat and everyone on the trading floor is cheering, and the next it can swing right back to the punters. Bring it on!”