2 minutes William Hill will refund stakes on any Cheltenham Fesitval selection which does not run at the meeting in March on bets placed from New Year’s Day
William Hill recently made a significant change to its betting policies for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival, becoming the first to offer a 'non-runner no bet' option for all bets placed on this event.
Starting January 1, 2024, this policy from William Hill will be effective for every one of the 28 races at the March event. This means that bettors, whether they place their bets online or in physical shops, will be refunded their full bet amount if their chosen horse does not participate in the specified race at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
Moreover, William Hill is enhancing its customer offerings by extending a five-place payout on all handicap races at the Festival. Lee Phelps, a spokesperson for William Hill, noted the increased clarity in the ante-post betting landscape following the festive season's racing events. He emphasized the uncertainty of any horse's participation in the March races and highlighted the company's commitment to providing a money-back guarantee for non-runners in all 28 races of the Festival.
The betting dynamics for the Festival have seen notable shifts following the Leopardstown Festival during the Christmas period. William Hill has observed significant market movements, particularly involving Irish-trained horses. Notable examples include Galopin Des Champs, now a 5-4 favorite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, down from 5-2, following a decisive victory in the Savills Chase.
Other significant market movers include Marine National, now the even favorite for the Arkle; Irish Point, whose odds have shortened for the Stayers; Fact To File for the Brown Advisory Chase; and Gaelic Warrior for the Turners, all demonstrating strong performances that have impacted their odds for their respective races at the Festival.
Phelps highlighted the impact of the Christmas races on the UK punters and pointed out the major shifts in the ante-post markets for the Cheltenham Festival, driven mainly by performances from Irish horses. He also mentioned Shishkin, whose odds for the Gold Cup were significantly shortened despite a mishap at the King George race.
As well as being a great place to find the latest odds and place your bets, William Hill is also a great source for horse racing betting tips ahead of the Festival.
“While punters in the UK have been treated to some exceptional performances over Christmas, our five biggest movers in the Cheltenham Festival ante-post markets have all come from Ireland.
“Galopin Des Champs’ silky smooth win in the Savills Chase saw him cut to 5/4 from 5/2 to retain the Gold Cup, while Gaelic Warrior, Marine Nationale, Irish Point and Fact To File all posted great auditions for March and have been slashed for their likely contests.
“Despite slipping up in the King George, our biggest Festival mover that came out of Kempton was actually Shishkin, who’s been cut into 10/1 from 20/1 for the Gold Cup.”
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