The Cheltenham Festival kicked off on Monday – but how much money did horse racing spread betting punters make on Day 1?

Are you Kiddering me?
The story of the day was Jeff Kidder’s 80/1 victory in the 4.15pm Boodles Juvenile Hurdle – the biggest starting price win for 30 years!

It’s tough to beat a starting price like that – unless you are a spread betting punter, that is. Rode by Sean Flanagan, the horse was at a 100 Race Index spread of 3-5 – that’s where the winner gets 100 points, runner-up 60 etc. Buy at that price, and you bagged yourself a fixed odds-beating 95 times your initial stake.

Even better, back Jeff Kidder at a binary spread of 0.1-2.5, and a makeup of 100 left you with 97.5 times your opening bet.

Head in the Clouds
Before Jeff Kidder blew everyone away at 4.15pm, the biggest winner had been 28/1 Vintage Clouds in the Festival Handicap Chase.

Like with the 4.15pm race, spread betting had fixed odds beat. Back Vintage Clouds at a 50 Race Index spread of 3-5 – here the winner gets 50 points – and you won 45 times your initial bet.

Buy the horse at a 100 Race Index spread of 8-11, and that is 89 times your original wager.

Again, best of all, back the Trevor Hemmings-owned gelding at a Binary spread of 0.9-3.5, and you won 96.5 times your starting stake.

Best of the Fest Day 1
Jeff Kidder and Vintage Clouds were vital for those punters buying a Starting Prices spread of 46-69 – that’s the total of the winning fixed odds starting prices across a meeting. The market came in at 124.7, meaning savvy bettors netted themselves 75.7 times their opening stake.

As for the jockey of the day, Jack Kennedy came 2nd in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, before winning the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle and National Hunt Novices’ Chase.

In the Super Mega Jockey market, Spreadex awards 25 points for a 1st win, 50 points for a 2nd and 75 points for a 3rd, as well as 10 points per 2nd place.

That meant Kennedy’s SM makeup hit 85, against a starting spread of 38-41. That’s 44 times your initial bet.