British Champions Day: Best bookies, odds and offers
It still feels as though the Guineas, the Epsom Derby and Royal Ascot were only being run just last week, but the British Flat season is due to come to an emphatic end on Saturday 21st October, with QIPCO British Champions Day.
The culmination of the season-long British Champions Series, this is the day where the best clash with the best, with no less than four Group One races scheduled on the six-race card.
Paddington, Mostahdaf, Kinross, Kyprios and Trueshan are just some of the equine stars that are set to take centre-stage on Saturday, while the legendary Frankie Dettori is having his final rides on British soil before heading overseas on his farewell tour. With that in mind, we’ve picked out our top betting sites and free bet offers for the big day below.
QIPCO British Champions Day 2023 bookies: Our top picks
Find our selection of the best UK horse racing betting sites below, With these, you can get the best selection and highest odds for the British Champions Day races.
Betting on QIPCO British Champions Day 2023: How we found the best sites for you
The gambling industry is bigger than ever and growing all the time and while that means there’s plenty of operators to choose from, some are certainly more reliable than others. To help you out, we’ve assessed a huge number of UK betting sites and picked out our top 10, using the following criteria.
British Champions Day promotions
With no less than four Group One races on the card as well as the hugely competitive Balmoral Handicap, British Champions Day is one of the biggest betting events of the season and bookmakers will be desperate for your business. With that in mind, there will be plenty of free bet offers and odds boosts on the market, and we’ve taken that into account when recommending who to stake your hard-earned cash with.
🤵Find the best bonuses for existing customers🤵
Horse racing markets
Like with most things, there is a bookmaker for everyone, meaning that some will focus on other parts of the market to others. That means that some operators may prioritise their casino or their football products over other things, meaning that their racing products may not be as strong. We’ve assessed the number of markets and bet types on offer for horse racing when taking this into account, to ensure you have the best experience possible.
Website licensing and security
When you’re betting with your own money, you want to make sure that you’re doing so safely. We only ever recommend bookmakers with all the appropriate licencing and security measures, to give you peace of mind.
Customer support
We hope that you will enjoy having a bet on the races, but if something does go wrong, you want to make sure that your issue is dealt with quickly and effectively. We’ve looked at the customer service processes of each bookmaker in our top list – to ensure that you will have the best service possible should something go wrong.
Free Bet Offers
When is QIPCO British Champions Day 2023?
QIPCO British Champions Day is due to take place at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday 21st October 2023, with the first race due off at 1.15pm.
Who to bet on at QIPCO British Champions Day?
QIPCO British Champions Day sees the very best Flat horses in the world face off at the world-famous Ascot racecourse and each of the six races on the card offer something to savour.
We’re still a few days from the big event at the time of writing – meaning fields and odds are subject to change – but we’ve picked out three horses who we think are excellent betting tips for Champions Day at Ascot.
1.15 - Mill Stream to win at odds 8/1 with bet365
With rain forecast at Ascot for most of the week, conditions are likely to be soft at the very least on Champions Day, which means it could be worth siding with a runner with proven form in attritional conditions in the Sprint. One horse who ticks that box is the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Mill Stream, who has improved at a rate of knots this term.
The three-year-old won Listed and Group Three honours in sticky conditions in France in August, before finishing sixth on his first try at the top level in the Sprint Cup at Haydock last month. There was plenty to like about that run however and with conditions likely to suit better here, he looks a good bet at a best-priced 8-1 with bet365 to win the Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes.
🐎Bet on Mill Stream to win at 8/1 with bet365🐎
3.05 - Paddington to win with odds 8/4 at Unibet
He may have been foiled by Mostahdaf in his bid for a fifth straight Group 1 success in the International Stakes at York in August, but there is no doubt that Paddington is a class act and he looks an excellent bet in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
The son of Siyouni has done very little wrong in his career so far and he staked his claim as the dominant force in the one-mile division when striking in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in August. The brilliant Irish 1000 Guineas winner Tahiyra will provide a new test, though conditions here ought to suit him better than they did at York and he’s fancied to bounce back to winning ways on the biggest stage for the imperious Ballydoyle operation.
🏇Back Paddington at winner with odds 8/4 with Unibet🏇
3.35 - King Of Steel to win at 5/1 with Ladbrokes
The field for the QIPCO Champion Stakes is shaping up to be an excellent one, with a stellar field of 11 runners in the mix at the time of writing. It’s difficult to write off the majority of those in the line-up, but King Of Steel is fancied to grab his Group 1 moment at the fifth attempt. Things haven’t always gone the way of the son of Wootton Bassett, but there is no doubt that he is a classy performer and he returns to the scene of his finest hour, when routing the field to win the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Things didn’t go his way in last month’s Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, but his effort to finish one length behind the winner fourth was still a commendable performance and conditions ought to be in his favour here. There’s no doubting that the three-year-old has plenty of class when allowed to get into a rhythm and with Ladbrokes offering a best price of 5-1 for him to win the Champion Stakes, he looks a good proposition to put everything together at Ascot on Saturday afternoon.
🐎Back King of Steel at odds 5/1 with Ladbrokes🐎
What are the feature races at QIPCO British Champions Day 2023?
QIPCO British Champions Day is one of the most prestigious days in the calendar, with all six races on the card being blockbuster events. Five of those races act as finales for the different divisions of the QIPCO British Champions Series, while the closing Balmoral Handicap is one of the biggest betting races of the season. We’ve listed the full card for you below.
- 1.15pm The QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2) over two miles
- 1.50pm The QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) over six furlongs
- 2.25pm The QIPCO British Champions Fillies’ and Mares’ Stakes (Group 1) over a mile and a half
- 3.05pm The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes sponsored by QIPCO (Group 1) over a mile
- 3.35pm The QIPCO Champions Stakes (Group 1) over a mile and two furlongs
- 4.25pm The Balmoral Handicap Stakes sponsored by QIPCO (Class 2) over a mile
Types of popular QIPCO British Champions Day bets
The beauty of betting on horse racing is that there are many different ways to enjoy a bet on the races, with lots of different race types on offer. Some are more popular than others and we’ve picked out some of the most popular bets on British Champions Day at Ascot.
- Bet to win – This is the most simple bet to place, as you are betting on a horse to win a race on Champions Day at Ascot. For example, if you place a £5 bet on Kyprios at 6-5 with William Hill to win the Group 2 Champions Long Distance Cup and he wins, you will get a return of £11.
- Bet to place – Alongside betting on a horse to win, you can also bet on them to place in a race and this is a popular option for horses considered to be outsiders. Generally this bet will be on your horse to finish in the first three places, but in big-field contests like the Balmoral Handicap, you may get extra places. Make sure you check the place terms before placing a bet.
- Bet each-way – With an each-way bet you are essentially placing two bets in one, as you are backing a horse to win and to place. It means that your normal stake will in essence be twice the size, but it gives you a bit more security as you will net a return if the horse places and a double return if the horse wins. For example, if you place a £1 each-way bet on Dutch Decoy at 16-1 with Ladbrokes in the Balmoral Handicap, £1 is going on the horse to win and £1 on the horse to place. If the horse wins, you’ll get £17 back on the win part and £4.20 back on the place part for a total return of £21.20.
- Bet two from three – This is three bets on three different horses, which forms three double bets. For example, if you wanted to place Paddington, Kyprios and Kinross into a two from three bet, you’d have three doubles on Paddington-Kyprios, Paddington-Kinross and Kyprios-Kinross. Two of those three horses would need to win to net you a return, while if all three are successful you are likely to score a big return.
- Placepot bet – This bet is popular with punters who bet on the Tote and it gives you an interest in all six races on Champions Day for a small stake. You must pick a horse to place in each of the six races to net a return, with stakes starting at £2. The betting markets for Champions Day are very competitive and if you can find six horses to place, you could net a big return for a small outlay.
- Survivor bet – This is a bet with is available on Tote on Saturday afternoons. Punters pay into the pool and select a horse from each of the six races. To stay in the game, you must find the winner to move onto the next race, with any losing punters eliminated. This continues until all other punters are eliminated or by selecting all six winners, when the pool is shared.
- Best odds guaranteed - Almost all bookmakers offer ‘best odds guaranteed’ which is a promise that they will give you the best price if you back a horse and they drift in the market before the race is off.
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How to use your QIPCO British Champions Day free bets
Once you have been credited with your free bets for British Champions Day at Ascot, finding them and placing your free bet tokens couldn’t be easier.
You need to log into your betting account and you should be able to see your free bets available – either alongside your balance or in your betting slip.
To use your free bets on Champions Day, simply navigate to the horse racing section of the site and find the racing taking place at Ascot on Saturday 21st October 2023. Once you have found the horse you would like to place a bet on, click the price and the name should appear in your betslip.
You should then see the option to use your free bet in the betslip next to your NAP selection. Activate that and press ‘place bet’. Good luck!
Why is QIPCO British Champions Day so famous?
QIPCO British Champions Day is one of the biggest race days of the season in the UK. Held at the iconic racecourse, Champions Day brings down the curtain on the British Flat racing season, with all of the big names descending on the famous track to battle it out for honours. With thousands in attendance and many more watching at home – this race day is one of the most famous of the year.
Which UK bookmakers offer free bets for QIPCO British Champions Day 2023?
QIPCO British Champions Day is one of the biggest race days of the season and there are some excellent offers to take advantage of, as the bookmakers battle for your custom.
For example, bet365 are offering £30 in free bets to new customers who sign up and stake £10 on any sports market. Simply deposit and place a £10 bet on any sports market at odds of 1-5 or greater and once the bet is settled you will get £30 in free bet credits.
New Sky Bet customers can take advantage of a similar offer and can earn £30 in free bet tokens when they sign up and place any bet. To activate this offer, you need to simply sign up for a new SkyBet account and make a £5 deposit. Once you have done that, you need to place a bet of 5 pence or more on any bet and once it has settled you will receive three £10 free bets tokens. Perfect!
Finally, new Unibet customers can grab a risk free first bet of up to £40 plus a £10 casino bonus, which is perfect for your NAP selection at Ascot. Simply sign up and deposit, before navigating to the horse racing selection. Once you have found your selection, place your bet and if it loses you will receive the money back in the form of free bet credits up to £40, offering you a good insurance policy. On top of that, you will receive a £10 casino bonus to use on the next working day.
What is the “No runner no bet” feature at QIPCO British Champions Day?
‘Non-runner, no bet’ is a feature which is designed to protect punters who place ‘ante-post’ bets (wagers which are placed before the field is declared) on horse races. For example, if you were to place an ante-post bet on Paddington to win the Champion Stakes only for him to be declared for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, you would get your money back if your bookmaker is offering ‘non-runner, no bet’. It’s really important to check whether your operator is operating this before placing a bet in advance of the declarations – so make sure to check thoroughly before doing so.
Which operators have the ‘Best Odds Guaranteed’ for QIPCO British Champions Day?
‘Best Odds Guarantee’ is a price promise from bookmakers that they will give you the best price on your selection should its odds drift between the time the bet was placed and the race going off.
Most bookmakers offer this on all UK and Irish racing though starting times of the offer and other terms and conditions can very, so make sure you check with your operator before placing your bets on horse racing.
⭐Find bookmakers with best odds guaranteed⭐
How to claim free bets for QIPCO British Champions Day
Claiming free bets for British Champions Day at Ascot couldn’t be easier. Once you have picked your Ascot Champions Day free bet offer, claiming it is a straightforward process. Let’s say that you want to take advantage of bet365's offer of £30 in free bets once you stake £10, if you follow the simple steps below you will unlock your free bet tokens in a matter of moments…
- Head over to bet365 site with our link.
- Click on the Join-button to get to the next step.
- Complete the registration by filling out the form.
- Deposit your funds and place at £5 or greater bet on any sports market.
- Once your bet has been settled, your account will be credited with £30 in free bet tokens.
- Navigate to the horse racing section and look for the Ascot meeting on Saturday 21st October.
- Find the horse you would like to place your bet on and stake away. Good luck!
Who is the favourite to win the Champion Stakes?
The current favourite for the Group 1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday 21st October is the Patrice Cottier-trained Horizon Dore, who is a best price of 5-2 to win the race with bet365. The French challenger is improving all of the time having won each of his last four starts and with form on a range of ground, he is deservedly at the top of the odds table.
What is the prize money for the Champion Stakes?
The QIPCO Champion Stakes is one of the most prestigious races of the season and boasts the biggest prize pot on the day. There’s a whopping £1.3 million in prize money on offer, with the winner taking home a cool £737,230.
What is the minimum bet at QIPCO British Champions Day?
When you are betting on British Champions Day online, your stakes do not have to be high. The minimum bet on course at Ascot tends to be £2, but if you have an online betting account it’s much lower. The minimum stake with Ladbrokes is as small as 1 pence, which it’s 5 pence with Sky Bet and 10 pence with bet365 – so you don’t have to risk a lot when betting on the races.
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Which site has the best odds for QIPCO British Champions Day?
The nature of sports betting means that odds are always subject to change, however bet365 are a safe option if you’re looking for value. The firm are one of the biggest names on the market and have an ITV Racing price promise, which means they won’t be beaten on price on any race shown live on terrestrial television. With all six races set to be live on ITV, it’s worth looking at bet365.
Top 5 tips on how to make the best of your free bet at QIPCO British Champions Day
Once you have unlocked your free bet on Champions Day at Ascot, the idea of finding a horse to bet on can feel like a difficult task if you’re not used to placing bets on horse racing. To give you a helping hand, here are five tips to help you find a winner…
- Study the form – Champions Day sees the best of the best lock horns in an epic Flat racing finale, which means having a good grasp of the form lines is crucial. There are plenty of free resources out there to help you and good starting points are Racing Post, Timeform and Oddschecker.
- Keep an eye on the betting markets – Speaking of Oddschecker, the betting markets for Champions Day will be very competitive throughout the week leading up to it. Seeing who is popular in the betting can help you make your mind up – a horse may catch your eye on the form lines, but if they are drifting in the betting it may be worth looking elsewhere. Oddschecker is an excellent resource for this, showing live odds of the majority of major bookmakers.
- Don’t write off Frankie – We don’t tend to focus on one jockey too often, but it’s worth keeping an eye on the legendary Frankie Dettori, who is due to have his last rides on British soil on Saturday before heading overseas. Never shy of the spotlight, you can guarantee that Dettori will want to sign off with a notable winner and it’s worth looking at his booked rides.
- Follow the experts – As mentioned above, there’s plenty of information available for free in the modern era and lots of experts offer their advice for free. Top pundits like Andy Holding and Hugh Taylor recommend bets on Oddschecker and At The Races respectively, while Sky Sports Racing pundits Freddie Tylicki and Jamie Lynch are excellent judges.
- Keep an eye on the ground – Champions Day may be one of the biggest Flat race days of the season, but it’s highly likely not to be taking place on summer ground. With rain forecast, it might be worth looking for horses who are proven on soft or heavy ground, rather than those who have raced or won exclusively on good or good to firm ground – conditions they’re highly unlikely to get here.
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