Horse racing betting and horse racing odds 

Whether you're looking for the latest odds on the next Flat or Jumps race, you'll find a range of horse racing betting  markets at William Hill.

Got a fancy? Choose your horse to win the race. Is your horse an each-way price? Back your pick in the ‘without the favourite' market.

Study the form and watch live free-to-air racing on Betting TV. Or you can listen to our own dedicated Racing Radio channel, with expert tips, analysis and commentaries.

If you would like more, then head over to news.williamhill.com, where you can find the latest horse racing betting tips and news.

Cheltenham Betting & Odds at William Hill

The Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle of the National Hunt season. Spread across four days of high-class racing action in the middle of March, the Festival is packed with Grade 1 fixtures and a broad mix of competitive, challenging handicaps. 

Cheltenham is one of the most spectacular and highly attended racing festivals in the UK. The excitement of the meeting really starts to build up at the turn of the new year, with form becoming crucial in shaping the entries for the Festival.

The Festival Races

The highlights of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival on a Tuesday are the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle. That latter is one of the biggest races at the entire festival, and a fixture that’s been won by greats like Honeysuckle and Constitution Hill.

Wednesday is Ladies’ Day at Cheltenham, and the intensity of the Queen Mother Champion Chase is the race of the day. There’s always a big St Patrick’s Day celebration on Thursday when the Ryanair Chase and the Stayers’ Hurdle draw big attention.

Then on Friday, the anticipation of Gold Cup day reaches its peak. Cheltenham Gold Cup betting sees punters racing to study the form cards of the top chasers from the UK and Ireland, who will then battle it out for one of the most prestigious prizes in National Hunt racing. 

Gold Cup Odds & Betting

Speculation over who will be the next winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup happens almost as soon as the current year’s edition is in the books. Greats like Galopin Des Champs, Al Boum Photo, Kauto Star and Denman have been popular winners of the great race. 

There is always a special atmosphere at Cheltenham Racecourse for the big festival, and Cheltenham betting at William Hill covers all the ante-post markets for the big races, along with up-to-the-minute board prices on the day of the race. 

Cheltenham Festival 2026

Before racing fans know it, the 2026 Cheltenham Festival will be commanding everyone’s attention, as the famous action at the Gloucestershire course once again swings into action. The four-day spectacle will run from March 10 - 13th, 2026, featuring 28 races and an abundance of the top racing talent from the UK and Ireland.

Whether you are a hardened punter looking for the latest Cheltenham odds or just a casual fan getting caught up in the excitement of Cheltenham betting, the electric atmosphere and abundance of Grade 1 races make this top racing festival unmissable.

Keeping Fresh

The Cheltenham Festival boasts a rich history which goes back to the mid-1800s. It has maintained its high status by remaining relevant and modern, such as the move to its current four-day format in 2005, putting more races and more horses on show.

Spread across the four days of racing, there are 14 Grade 1 headline-grabbing contests, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup itself. The championship races of the Cheltenham Festival are big highlights of the entire National Hunt season and provide a platform on which legends can be forged. Here’s what racing fans have to look forward to for Cheltenham 2026 betting.

Tuesday - Champion Hurdle Day

The first race of Cheltenham is the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, which is a thrilling test of speed from youngsters like Mydaddypaddy, Old Park Star, and Fou De Toi, expected to get their first taste of Grade 1 action at the Festival.

Day one’s big highlight, though, is the Champion Hurdle 2026 odds, the ultimate test for the top hurdlers over a 2-mile distance. The 2026 edition could see the likes of Lossiemouth, The New Lion and Sir Gino lead the charge for success.

Wednesday - Ladies Day

The big race of Ladies’ Day on Wednesday is the Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase. This is another top Grade 1 race with 12 fences tackled over a 2m distance and one of the biggest contests in UK racing, open to runners 5 years old and above. In 1980, the race was renamed as the Queen Mother Champion Chase in honour of the monarch’s 80th birthday.

Expected to be among the well-supported runners in the Cheltenham odds for the 2026 edition are Il Etait Temps, Marine Nationale and Marlborough. The Turners Novices’ Hurdle and Champion Bumper provide more Grade 1 fixtures on the second day of Cheltenham Festival betting.

Thursday - St Patrick’s Day

The Irish celebrations will be in full swing for St Patrick’s Day, with the craic taking the atmosphere to a new level. Three consecutive Grade 1 fixtures pack the middle of the day’s racing, with the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle being followed by the Stayers’ Hurdle and then the big Ryanair Chase at a distance of 2m 4f.

The Ryanair Chase is one of the most exciting championship races in Cheltenham betting, and Fact To File could be well-supported if an entry is taken, alongside other potential contenders like Jango Baie, It Etait Temps, Jonbon and Gaelic Warrior.

Friday - Gold Cup Day

Gold Cup odds will be in the spotlight on Friday as the final list of runners is known. The Cheltenham Gold Cup will go off at 4.00 pm and is the Everest of the National Hunt season, an engrossing 3m 2f contest for one of the most prestigious prizes in all of horse racing.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup has created some memorable moments throughout the years, like course-goers watching legends like Kauto Star, Denman, Best Mate, and Arkle claim victories. In 2022, Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Blue Riband race on the back of 3/1F A Plus Tard.

2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup Ones To Watch

The 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup odds will see plenty of shifts ahead of the big race. Inothewayurthinking, Galopin Des Champs and Gaelic Warrior are expected to be among the leading contenders at the head of Cheltenham 2026 betting.

The build-up to the big race will give more clues as to the likely big players on the day, as any burst of positivity in form in the new year could bring the likes of Fact To File, Grey Dawning and Jango Baie into the Gold Cup odds more.

Beyond The Races

Find full coverage of all the ante-post Cheltenham 2026 betting odds right here, along with all of the latest, up-to-the-minute prices on each day of the Festival. Along with the race markets, look for alternative markets like The Prestbury Cup, which is the annual duel between British and Irish trainers, plus other interesting aspects like the Top Jockey, Top Trainer, winning distances and Cheltenham odds for Over/Unders on the performances of selected jockeys and trainers.

Time To Tune Up and Tune In

Come mid-March 2026, nothing will beat the annual jump racing passion of the Cheltenham Festival, and the unforgettable Cheltenham Roar will start it all off. It’s four epic days of racing where the greatest horses, jockeys and trainers will do battle in the Cotswolds, where acts of speed, stamina and sheer bravery will play out.

Grand National Odds & Grand National Betting

There is nothing else in horse racing quite like the Grand National, and although the race has evolved in the modern era for safety reasons, it’s still a fixture that racing fans hold dear. The first Grand National was held in 1893, so there is a wonderful, long history behind the race, and the demanding steeplechase is traditionally held in April each year. 

It’s one of the most famous and most challenging horse races in the sport, as it is a marathon distance of 4 miles 2 1⁄2 furlongs on the turf at Aintree Racecourse on Merseyside. Runners make two laps of the course and face the challenge of 30 fences along the way, including the famous Becher’s Brook, Canal Turn and The Chair.

Runners have to meet certain conditions to enter this behemoth challenge. Horses must be at least seven years old and be rated at least 125 by the British Horse Racing Association. They can also only be entered if they have previously placed in a recognised chase of a distance of at least 2 miles 7 1/2 furlongs as well. The Grand National is a handicap race with a maximum of 11 stone and 12 pounds.

Red Rum is arguably the most famous winner of the Grand National, and the legendary horse remains the only one to have won it three times. Other famous winners include Aldaniti, West Tip, Hedgehunter and Tiger Roll. In 2021, Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Grand National, scoring on the back of Minella Times.

The Grand National challenge is so remarkable and so unique that its popularity extends well beyond the interest of regular horse racing bettors. It is one of the most heavily bet-on races in the world because of its immense appeal and for holding such a special place in the culture of British horse racing.

Even people who have no interest in the sport, or don’t typically bet on racing, get drawn into the Grand National fervour, as well. That includes “pinstickers”, people who don’t have a background in reading racing form and who make a random bet on the Grand National winner from limited information.

Royal Ascot Betting

Royal Ascot betting will be back in the June summer spotlight as the event is one flat racing’s most amazing spectacles. The history of the famous festival goes back to the early 1700s, and since the very first races were run, it has had the support of royal patronage, with members of the Royal Family still making annual appearances at Ascot. 

The event, hosted at the Berkshire racecourse, didn’t come to be known as “Royal Ascot” until 1911 when it celebrated its remarkable 200th anniversary. While the festival is steeped in history, the modern Royal Ascot meeting is still highly revered, but has evolved beyond just the racing.

Now, not only does the festival deliver five days of top-class racing that punters can scour the latest Royal Ascot odds for, but it’s also one of the biggest social events on the racing calendar, particularly on Ladies’ Day when fashion is top of the bill.

Racing At Royal Ascot

Many racing legends have tasted success at Royal Ascot, like in 2012, when Estimate, a horse owned by Queen Elizabeth II, won the Ascot Gold Cup. Australian flat superstar Black Caviar scored the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Stakes, another success that extended her remarkable unbeaten run in a dramatic finale.

Gold Cup legends Yeats, Sagaro and Stradivarius are fondly remembered for winning the festival’s top prize on at least three occasions and for delivering on their short horse racing odds. Lester Piggott is the all-time leading jockey at Royal Ascot, riding 116 winners including a staggering eleven Gold Cup successes.

Royal Ascot Group 1 Races

● The Queen Anne Stakes (1 mile)

● King Charles III Stakes (5 furlongs)

● The St James Palace Stakes (1 mile)

● Prince of Wales’s Stakes (1 mile)

● Ascot Gold Cup (2 miles, 4 furlongs)

● Commonwealth Cup (6 furlongs)

● Coronation Stakes (1 mile)

● Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6 furlongs)

Royal Ascot Group 2 Races

● Coventry Stakes (6 furlongs)

● Queen Mary Stakes (5 furlongs)

● Duke of Cambridge Stakes (1 mile)

● Norfolk Stakes (5 furlongs)

● Ribblesdale Stakes (1 mile, 4 furlongs)

● King Edward VII Stakes (1 mile, 4 furlongs)

● Queen’s Vase (1 mile 6 furlongs)

● Hardwicke Stakes (1 mile, 4 furlongs)

Future races and meetings

The Jumps season is well underway and there are many highlights still to come over the next few months. 

William Hill will bring you the latest horse racing betting to keep you across the action. Here are some things to look forward to:

Ascot's Christmas Weekend

Two days of quality racing where the runners battle it out over 3m½f in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle. The card on the Saturday also features the Silver Cup Handicap Chase.

Kempton's Christmas Festival

This is a Christmas cracker with plenty of star names lining up in some of the biggest races. There's the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, as well as the Christmas Hurdle. 

Leopardstown Christmas Festival

Just like the racing at Kempton, this is another treat to savour over four days. There are plenty of Grade 1 contests, like the Christmas Hurdle and the Racing Post Novice Chase. The final day also has the Savills Chase and Matheson Hurdle. 

Welsh Grand National

After Boxing Day, attention turns to Chepstow for the Welsh Grand National. It's over a marathon 3m6½f trip with 23 fences jumped. Who'll be first past the post?

It’ll be an action-packed programme on New Year's Day before we gear up for Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham. It's held at the end of January and sparks festival fever with plenty of betting clues on offer.

And the following weekend sees Ireland's finest test their Cheltenham credentials at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.

All of which leads nicely into four days of the very best National Hunt racing from the Cheltenham Festival in March. With a championship race each day, who'll take the ultimate glory?

In the build-up to these meetings, we'll have ante-post betting markets and the latest horse racing odds. Plus, look out for offers, such as Price boost, your Epic Boost and much more.

Early Horse Racing Prices

Check out the latest early prices for the day’s racing here at William Hill. Our early odds horse racing options give you the chance to jump into the markets early in the morning, before they shift and settle down as backers make their selections. 

From Cheltenham to Newmarket, Newbury and Fairyhouse, you can find the William Hill early horse racing prices on all UK and Irish meetings. Regardless of whether it is flat or national hunt season, early prices give you the chance to scope out the first prices on the board on the morning of a race.

Early Odds Horse Racing

Those early prices in horse racing betting are typically available at longer quotes than a runner will go off at. So checking out the early odds horse racing markets can hold an advantage over later picks. Early horse racing prices can be included in any type of bet, from straight win singles to accumulators, doubles, trebles and Lucky 15s.

Each way horse betting options are also available with early prices, which are different from ante-post picks. An ante-post selection is one from a future race that could be a week or more away. Find a great selection of ante-post racing odds too here at William Hill, for all the major highlights such as the Aintree Grand National, The Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot.

The early horse racing prices are just a small part of the extensive horse racing coverage at William Hill. You can catch live racing streams through Betting TV Live, find great form and racing insights, plus Price boost odds selections and other racing promotions

Horse Racing offers and promotions at William Hill

If you've been informed of promotion restrictions by William Hill, this promotion will not be available to you.

Epic Boost

Every week, we give you an Epic Boost that you can use to boost the odds on any runner in any race. Some weeks you can even get a price that is twice as nice!

Bet Boosts

Already used your Epic Boost? No problem, you still get a standard Bet Boost every day of the week.

Price Boost

Look out for boosted horse betting odds on selected runners or distance bets throughout the year.

Extra Places

A selection of races every day will see us offer more places than the traditional place terms. Look out for the Extra Places icon on the racecards.

Horse betting markets at William Hill

You can choose from a range of betting markets on every race with William Hill. Take your pick from:

• - Race winner – simply back a horse odds to win
• - Match bets – bet on one horse to finish in front of another
• - Place markets – pick a horse to finish within a certain number of places (e.g., to finish first three)
• - Betting without – take the favourite out of the equation (e.g., if your horse finishes second to the fav, your bet lands)

Horse racing odds and betting guidance

When betting on horse racing, there are a few types of bets to choose from. The standard options are:

• - Win – simply backing a horse odds to win the race
• - Each-way – got your eye on an outsider? Then backing it each-way means if it gets beaten in a head-bobber, you'll still get a return. This combines two bets – one on the horse to win and another on it to place

Need a hand to work out your potential winnings from an each-way bet? Check out our Bet Calculator or the Bet builder  tool of William Hill.

Understanding each-way betting

At William Hill, we offer Extra Places on selected races every day, while you can place each-way bets on your pick at any time by ticking the box in the betslip.

It's crucial to understand the place terms when you place an each-way bet, so here are the number of places paid depending on the numbers of runners in the race:

• - Less than five runners = win-only market
• - Five to seven runners = two places
• - Eight to 15 runners = three places
• - Handicaps of 16 or more runners = four places

Look out for our races with Extra Places as part of stable of great horse racing offers at William Hill.

Understanding horse racing terms

Like many sports, horse betting has its own unique jargon. Here are some key terms:

• - SP – refers to the starting price of each runner. You can back a horse at the odds available, or you can place a bet on its start price, which can go up and down
• - NAP – this is a tipster's strongest bet on the card or of the day. Check out the William Hill Naps Table for expert daily picks
• - NB – this simply stands for next bet. This is generally the second choice after a NAP

And if you want to find out more, check out our latest horse racing betting promotions.