10 ways to make some MAJOR money with matched betting during the Cheltenham Festival

When it comes to matched betting it has always been clear that there is money to be made from horse racing. Yes of course the football season and major sporting events can prove profitable, but understanding how to utilise matched betting when it comes to horses can see a welcome boost to your bank balance. There are horse races, and then there are horse races: the Cheltenham Festival is the jewel in the crown of the horse racing world.

Cheltenham Festival betting offers are likely to include:

• Offers from probably every single bookie
• Larger Stakes accepted on the Price Boosts and Offers
• Enhanced Sign Ups for the bookies you don’t yet have an account with
• Plenty of invite only offers sent to your inbox
• VIP offers for those in VIP clubs
• Daily ITV Racing offers
• Payouts on extra places
• Lots of Price Boosts
• Special Offers in Newspapers
• In-store Special Offers

Many of those experienced in matched betting will vouch for the fact that the Cheltenham Festival is the single most profitable sporting event of the year. The 4-day event sees famous races such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup and sees around £600 million being bet during the course of the event. With the 2021 action running from 16th – 19th March, now is the time to learn how you can join others and make this your most profitable month in matched betting.

What is Matched Betting?

It is all well and good telling you all how much money you can earn at the Cheltenham Festival from matched betting, but if all of this is new to you perhaps you are not even sure what matched betting is. If that is the case, here’s a brief overview of what’s involved and then we will take a proper look at how to propel your profits during March. 

Matched betting is used by 1,000s of people to earn an extra income in their spare time. The income, as it is classed as coming from gambling, is tax-free. The truth though is that no gambling is involved! Matched betting sees people taking advantage of offers and promotions that bookies regularly put forward and ensuring that when you place a ‘bet’ no matter the outcome of an event, you still win and profit. Typical offers are the likes of bet £10 and get a £10 bet free. Knowing how to profit no matter the outcome means that you profit every time.

Matched betting and the Cheltenham Festival

So you now know what the Cheltenham Festival is, and you also know what matched betting is, but what do you need to do in order to bring the 2 together and maximise your matched betting earnings? Here are the top 10 things that you need to know and be doing:

Get yourself sign up with a matched betting site

If you are not already signed up with the likes of Profit Accumulator (PA) or OddsMonkey then now is the time. Yes, it is possible to carry out matched betting without signing up, but when you look at what these companies have to offer, it makes no sense to struggle through without them. A few years ago the estimated average profit for PA members was £936.12 per person during the 4 day racing festival!

Both of these sites will make your matched betting journey much easier, quicker, and smoother. During the Cheltenham Festival there is a lot going on, so having somewhere to go where you can quickly identify the offers, select the bets, and match the odds means that you have a much better chance of maximising your profits. Whether you’re choosing to lay your bet at Smarkets or Betfair, you can instantly see where there is a great match and quickly calculate your profits. 

Understand the Cheltenham Festival schedule

When it comes to matched betting at the Cheltenham Festival, it is important to realise that this is a racing event like no other. Whereas other race meets have their one major race to draw in the punters, Cheltenham offers 15 grade 1 races that are spread evenly across the whole 4 days. Knowing what is going on and when will help you plan, and a solid plan will lead to bigger profits.

Knowing what time each race starts, and what days they are taking place on means that you can plan your time efficiently rather than facing 4 days of stress! Some of the offers that bookies put forward will require that you place a bet at a set time before the off. Don’t miss out on any of these offers because you were unsure what time a race was about to begin.

Open accounts at the bookies now!

If you’re new to matched betting and you’ve seen how profitable the Cheltenham Festival can be, you may be tempted to wait until the last minute to open your accounts. It may be that you’ve heard that there will be better promotions (we’ll cover this later), or you may just be a laid back kind of person who’s not in a rush. Either way, it is important to take action now.

Yes, it is true that some bookies may offer enhanced sign up offers during Cheltenham Festival, but it is not always as easy as opening an account instantly. Sometimes there are issues with ID being verified. If this is the case you could easily miss out. If you already have accounts, there is always the possibility ( a very strong one) that you will get emailed directly about special offers for Cheltenham so you’re still going to have plenty of chances to profit handsomely.  

Get mugging

If you’re relatively new to matched betting and are looking at dipping your toes in the water, you may not be sure what a mug bet is. Now is the time to find out. Placing mug bets can help to ensure that you protect your bookmaker accounts and don’t risk them being closed down. Matched betting is perfectly legal and a legitimate way of generating a second income, but of course bookies aren’t too keen on the idea!

Signing up with a bookie just before the Cheltenham Festival and taking advantage of all of the offers could spell an early end to your matched betting journey. Mug bets show bookies that you’re prepared to stake some money without a bonus being dangled before you. Of course, even with a mug bet, you match it so losses are only pennies at a time. This is well worth it to make sure that all of your accounts are intact for the most profitable time of the year in matched betting. 

Build up those funds

There is nothing more frustrating when it comes to matched betting during the Cheltenham Festival than to find that you are lacking funds at the exchange. When you have so many great matched betting offers to choose from, suddenly realising that you don’t have enough money at the exchange to cover your liability can bring your 4 days of money-making to a devastating early end.

If you have funds set in bookie accounts, withdraw them now. If you have any extra cash at all right now, then put it to one side. Every pound that you can set aside to fund your account means that you can take advantage of another offer and profit even more. No one is suggesting getting into debt to fund your matched betting journey but any spare funds you do have before you start matched betting at the Cheltenham Festival really do need putting aside. Done correctly, matched betting is risk-free so use your funds wisely now and pay yourself back with a very healthy bonus later. 

Never, ever gamble

If you have ever read about those who are successful with matched betting at the Cheltenham Festival and throughout the year, you already know that it has nothing to do with gambling: it is all down to maths. Understanding the odds and what you need to match a bet at the exchange is all down to figures and there is no emotion involved. Keeping this in mind will keep you on track.

Matched betting at the Cheltenham Festival is like no other event. Given that the event usually draws over 60,000 visitors, it is easy to see how people get a little carried away. If you think you’ve looked at a horse in a race and you’re certain that you’re on to a sure thing, afford the temptation to gamble. This is then all down to luck and a sure way to wipe out your Cheltenham Festival profits. 

Enhanced sign up offers

Not wanting to appear contradictory having already suggested that you need to open your bookmaker accounts before matched betting at the Cheltenham Festival, there are so many out there so it is not going to possible to open accounts with every single one. This could work to your advantage before the Festival gets underway. 

The Cheltenham Festival is so big and so popular that it brings people out to place a bet who have never even have considered it before. This means that every bookie wants the business of these people, and will potentially increase the sign-up offers. Not every bookmaker is going to do this, but ones, where you do not already have an account, are well worth keeping an eye on. Of course, PA and OddsMonkey will help you do this once you have an account.

Invite only offers

Despite our modern-day take on privacy and the outcry about sites knowing what we all do, your bookie knows you! It knows the type of bets you usually place and it knows the sort of offer that has tempted you before and that will tempt you again. Of course, it’s looking for you to take a gamble, while you’re all set to pursue matched betting at the Cheltenham Festival. The bookie belief that you are seeking to bet at the greatest racing meet can certainly work to your advantage.

It has always been advised that when you start matched betting that you create a separate email account for this. When it comes to Cheltenham Festival matched betting, this will pay dividends. With the bookie knowing what you are looking for, there is a very good chance that you will be emailed offers that apply just to a select few. Missing these emails could mean you miss out on some great offers and that you’re not maximising the profitability of this event. 

Extra place bets

When it comes to matched betting at the Cheltenham Festival, extra place bets are something that are well worth being aware of. Usually, when it comes to placing a bet on a horse race, you have 2 choices: you can bet on which horse will win, or you can place an each-way bet. Usually, with an each-way bet, a bookie will pay out if your horse finishes in the top 4. With extra place bets, you can still be paid out when your horse comes in the top 5 or 6 finishers.

During the Cheltenham Festival, you will find that bookies such as Ladbrokes offer extra places. Being able to take advantage of these when it comes to matched betting can be confusing when you’re going alone. If you’re signed up with OddsMonkey then you’ll find that they have a handy section dedicated to extra place bets and that this will be buzzing during the Cheltenham Festival.

Price boosts

If you’re looking at taking advantage of matched betting at the Cheltenham Festival then price boosts can be your friend. Bookies often use price/odds boosts to attract new customers or to retain existing ones. If the odds on a horse winning are 3/1, a bookie may then offer odds of 5/1 to make placing a bet more attractive. When price boosts are offered, this brings matched betters into the territory of arbing. This is something that can often ring alarm bells with bookies, but then price boosts are involved matched betters are sending the right signals to bookmakers that you are a ‘normal’ customer.

Looking specifically at matched betting during the Cheltenham Festival, this is where being a member of OddsMonkey pays dividends and ensures that you will never miss out on an opportunity. Around lunchtime each day, OddsMonkey will post all of the price boosts for the day ahead giving another chance to maximise your matched betting profits during Cheltenham.