British Champions Day brings the Flat season to a close at Ascot on Saturday 17 October, and the bookmakers have rolled out their best Champions Day betting offers for the biggest card of the autumn.
Seven races carry around £4.35 million in prize money, including five Group 1s headed by the £1.3 million Champion Stakes, where defending champion Calandagan meets Ombudsman in a rematch of last year's feature.
Below we've rounded up the best Champions Day free bets for new customers, the top offers for existing customers, and a race-by-race guide to help you use them.
Best Champions Day Betting Offers and Free Bets
New customers can claim free bets from most major UK bookmakers ahead of Champions Day. These are the best sign-up offers available for Ascot this weekend.
Betfred Champions Day Offer: Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets
£50 in free bets when you bet £10 with Betfred New customers only. Register, deposit with a Debit Card, and place a first bet of £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports, to be settled within 7 days, to get £30 in Sports Free Bets and £20 in Bet Builder Free Bets within 24 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware BOYLE Sports Champions Day Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets & Money Back as a Free Bet if Your Horse Loses - 12.55 Ascot with BOYLE Sports 18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply 18+. IRE/UK online only. Max free bet (FB) £/€10 on losing bets. Applies to 1st bet on the 12.55pm Ascot (17/10/26) from 2.00pm 15/10/26 on win single & win part of e/w single (outright). Antepost/combined odds/multis/free/void/cashed-out bets excluded. FB expires in 7 days. One per customer. Account/payment restrictions. T&Cs apply.
Kwiff Champions Day Offer: Bet £10, Get £40 in Free Bets
Sky Bet Champions Day Offer: Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £50 in accas/bet builders with Sky Bet Bet £10 Get £50 in accas/bet builders with Sky Bet. 18+ GambleAware
Paddy Power Champions Day Offer: Bet £5, Get £30 in Free Bets
Get £30 in free bets when you bet £5 with Paddy Power <View>Paddy Power: Get £30 in free bets when you bet £5 with Paddy Power</View>.Virgin Bet Champions Day Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10 get £30 in free bets with Virgin Bet New members only. £10+ bet on sports (ex. virtuals) at 1.5 min odds, settled within 14 days. Free Bets: accepted in 7 days, valid 7 days; £20 use on sportsbook, £10 on Bet Builder. Stake not returned. T&Cs + deposit exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. 18+ GambleAware
Coral Champions Day Offer: Bet £50, Get £50 in Free Bets
Get a £50 free bet when you bet £50 with Coral New UK & ROI Customers only. Min deposit up to £/€50. Min first up to £/€50 bet at minimum odds 1/2 to qualify for up to 1x £/€50 free bet. Certain deposit methods and bet types excl. Free bet valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware
Bally Bet Champions Day Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10 get £30 in Free Bets with BallyBet New members only, must opt in. Deposit & bet min. £10 within 30 days at min. 1/2 odds, excl. odds & profit boost. Free Bets: 3 x £10 tokens (odds & bet leg restrictions apply), non-withdrawable, issued on settlement, valid 30 days, stake not returned. T&Cs: www.ballycasino.co.uk/terms. Play Responsibly. 18+ GambleAware William Hill Champions Day Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
William Hill: Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10 Play Safe. New players using R30 code. Online only. Full T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware
QuinnBet Champions Day Offer: Get 50% back up to £50
QuinnBet: Get 50% back up to £50 New UK Customers Only. Bet £10+ on any sportsbook markets at odds of evens (2.00) or greater. Get 50% back of your first day’s losses as a Free Bet up to £50, valid for 7 days. 18+ GambleAware
Bet365 Champions Day Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10 & Get £30 in free bets with bet365 Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required 18+ GambleAware
Champions Day Offers for Existing Customers
You don't need a new account to get value at Ascot. Look out for these Champions Day offers from bookmakers you already use:
•
Best Odds Guaranteed
– if the starting price beats the odds you took, you're paid at the bigger price.
•
Extra places
– more each-way places on the big-field races, such as the 16-runner Sprint and the Balmoral Handicap.
•
Money back offers
– stake refunded as a free bet if your horse finishes second or third in selected races.
•
Price boosts
– enhanced odds on the favourites in the Group 1s.
•
Acca and placepot bonuses
– extra returns for building bets across the full seven-race card.
How to Claim Champions Day Free Bets
1.
Pick an offer from the list above and tap the claim link.
2.
Register a new account and enter any promo code required.
3.
Deposit using an eligible payment method (usually a debit card).
4.
Place your qualifying bet at or above the minimum odds.
5.
Receive your free bets once the bet settles and use them on the Champions Day races.
Champions Day 2026 Race Times and Betting Guide
The action starts at 12:55 and runs through to the Balmoral Handicap at 4:35. Here's every race on the card and the horses at the top of the betting.
12:55 – Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes (6f, £250,000)
Eleven juveniles go to post in the opener, with Arapaho Gold and Inner City Blues heading the market.
1:30 – Long Distance Cup (Group 1, 2m, £500,000)
The staying championship has opened up after Aidan O'Brien ruled out Scandinavia, who had been promoted to favourite. Trawlerman won this race last year for John and Thady Gosden.
2:05 – British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1, 6f, £500,000)
Sixteen are declared, and William Haggas's Almeraq is a clear favourite as he goes for a Group 1 hat-trick after wins at Royal Ascot and in the Haydock Sprint Cup. Extra-place offers are worth hunting out in a field this big.
2:40 – Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1, 1m4f, £500,000)
Kalpana is a strong favourite among 13 runners, bidding to win this race for a record third time.
3:20 – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1, 1m, £1.1m)
The mile championship sees Ballydoyle's Gstaad (Ryan Moore) and Hawk Mountain (Colin Keane) take on Talk Of New York and a strong home team. O'Brien switched Gstaad here from the Champion Stakes this week.
4:00 – Champion Stakes (Group 1, 1m2f, £1.3m)
The richest race of the day is a six-runner rematch: defending champion Calandagan against Ombudsman, with Coral-Eclipse and French Derby winner Constitution River added to the mix. The result could also settle the trainers' title race between Andrew Balding and Aidan O'Brien.
4:35 – Balmoral Handicap (1m, £200,000)
The Gosdens' Gavriel is joint-favourite for the finale as he looks for compensation after being narrowly beaten as favourite in the Cambridgeshire.
Champions Day Betting Offers FAQs
When is British Champions Day 2026?
British Champions Day takes place at Ascot on Saturday 17 October 2026. It is the final big meeting of the British Flat turf season.
What time is the first race on Champions Day?
The first race, the Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes, is due off at 12:55. The Champion Stakes is the feature at 4:00.
What is the biggest race on Champions Day?
The Champion Stakes is the richest race, worth £1.3 million, followed by the £1.1 million Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Total prize money across the day is around £4.35 million.
Is it still called QIPCO British Champions Day?
No. QIPCO sponsored the day from 2011, but in 2026 it runs as Qatar Racing British Champions Day.
What is the best Champions Day betting offer?
The best offer depends on how you bet. A larger free bet suits one or two big-race bets, while extra places and Best Odds Guaranteed add more value if you bet each-way across the card.
Can existing customers get Champions Day offers?
Yes. Most bookmakers run Best Odds Guaranteed, extra places, price boosts and money back specials for existing customers on Champions Day.
Where can I watch Champions Day?
Watch live on Racing TV or ITV Racing.