Cheltenham Festival 2026: Free Cash Competition Winners So Far
The 2026 Cheltenham Festival has lived up to its billing, not just on the track, but in the pockets of free-to-play enthusiasts. With life-changing jackpots and thousands of entries, the first two days have seen high drama, narrow misses, and one legendary solo winner.
At Betquest, we track every major free competition across the UK. Below is the full breakdown of results from Day 1 and Day 2—showing exactly how the winners did it and how close the rest came to glory.
Day 1 Roundup: The "Lucky" Non-Runner Miracle
Day 1 (Tuesday 10 March) was headlined by a staggering ITV7 jackpot win that relied on a massive stroke of luck and a nerve-shredding tie-breaker.
ITV7
£250,000 Jackpot Winner
Six players nailed all seven winners on Day 1. The £250,000 jackpot went to a tie-breaker, where Paul Peart scooped the entire quarter-million-pound pot by coming closest to the winning distance in the final race.
The Twist: Paul's original selection in the 13:20 was a non-runner. Under ITV7 rules, he was automatically assigned the SP Favourite, Old Park Star (15/8F), who won the race and kept Paul in the game.
ITV7 Winning Selections – Day 1
The winning selections produced a theoretical £1 accumulator return of £323,289.00.
| Race | Horse | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham | Old Park Star | 15/8 |
| 14:00 Cheltenham | Kargese | 7/1 |
| 14:18 Sedgefield | Wind Your Neck In | 6/1 |
| 14:40 Cheltenham | Saratoga | 10/1 |
| 15:20 Cheltenham | Johnnywho | 18/1 |
| 16:00 Cheltenham | Lossiemouth | 7/5 |
| 16:40 Cheltenham | Madara | 3/1 |
Ready to try this yourself? Don't leave it to chance—use our insights to build your next entry to win up to £250,000. Click this competition box to learn more and sign up to play this competition.
Day 2 Roundup: The 66/1 "Martator" Massacre
Day 2 (Wednesday 11 March) proved significantly harder for the crowds. While Day 1 saw multiple jackpot challengers, Day 2 was defined by a massive longshot that wiped out almost every remaining ticket across the major platforms.
Paddy Power Eliminator
A Solo £250,000 Hero
In a stunning turn of events, one single player survived the final round of the Paddy Power Eliminator. Going into the 16:40 at Cheltenham, 2,670 players were still in the running. However, only one person had selected Martator at 66/1. When that horse crossed the line first, they claimed the entire £250,000 prize for themselves.
Eliminator Survival Stats
| Round | Race | Survivors |
|---|---|---|
| R1 | 13:20 Cheltenham | 162,381 |
| R2 | 14:00 Cheltenham | 30,529 |
| R3 | 14:40 Cheltenham | 16,640 |
| R4 | 15:20 Cheltenham | 4,422 |
| R5 | 16:00 Cheltenham | 2,670 |
| R6 | 16:40 Cheltenham | 1 |
Ready to try this yourself? Don't leave it to chance—use our insights to build your next entry to win up to £250,000. Click this competition box to learn more and sign up to play this competition.
ITV7
Safe with ITV
Unlike Day 1, the ITV7 jackpot was not won on Day 2. Only one player, David Gregory, was still alive going into the final race. He needed the favourite, Be Aware (5/2), to win the 16:40. Unfortunately, the 66/1 shock result of Martator meant the £250,000 went unclaimed.
David's Near-Miss "Acca" (6/7 Correct)
| Race | Selection | Result | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Chelt | King Rasko Grey | WON | 11/1 |
| 13:38 Hunt | Carlton | WON | 9/2 |
| 14:00 Chelt | Kitzbuhel | WON | 11/1 |
| 14:40 Chelt | Jingko Blue | WON | 9/2 |
| 15:20 Chelt | Final Orders | WON | 7/1 |
| 16:00 Chelt | Il Etait Temps | WON | 5/2 |
| 16:40 Chelt | Be Aware | 12th | 10/3 |
Coral Racing Super Series
The difficulty of Day 2 actually benefited the winners here. With so many favorites failing to place, only 32 lines remained successful. Each winner took home £312.50—a massive increase compared to the £22.38 payouts on Day 1.
Ready to try this yourself? Don't leave it to chance—use our insights to build your next entry to win up to £250,000. Click this competition box to learn more and sign up to play this competition.
bet365 6 Horses Challenge
The £100,000 jackpot remains elusive. With the 66/1 Martator result, the 6/6 prize was not landed, leading to another rollover. Consolation prizes for 4/6 and 5/6 correct were distributed among the few who navigated the tricky Wednesday card.
Ready to try this yourself? Don't leave it to chance—use our insights to build your next entry to win up to £250,000. Click this competition box to learn more and sign up to play this competition.
Super 6
Midweek Football: Super 6
It wasn't just about the horses this week. The Champions League fixtures provided a brutal test for Super 6 players.
- Top Score: 7 players topped the leaderboard with 21 points.
- The Spoilers: Atletico Madrid's 5-2 win over Spurs and Bayern's 6-1 thrashing of Atalanta ruined jackpot hopes for thousands.
- Next Up: The jackpot returns to £250,000 this weekend for the Premier League action.
Ready to try this yourself? Don't leave it to chance—use our insights to build your next entry to win up to £250,000. Click this competition box to learn more and sign up to play this competition.
Summary of Winners So Far
| Competition | Day 1 Result | Day 2 Result |
|---|---|---|
| ITV7 | £250,000 Won (Split 6 ways) | No Winner |
| Paddy Power | £250,000 Split (101 ways) | £250,000 Won (Solo Winner!) |
| Coral Super Series | £22.38 payout | £312.50 payout |
| bet365 6 Horses | Rollover | Rollover |
The Festival continues into Day 3 and 4. Whether you are chasing the ITV7 daily jackpot or the weekend's £250k Super 6, stay tuned to Betquest for the data you need to win.
