In what might be the last major sporting event for a while, the 2020 Cheltenham Festival was a great one for spread betters.

Tuesday
The pick of the bunch on the first day of the festival, Put the Kettle On rode to victory in the Arkle Challenge Trophy from a starting price of 14/1.

A handy return, no doubt. But even better were the winnings you’d have made if you bought the mare at a Race Index spread of 4-6 – 44 times your initial stake!

Wednesday
The Queen Mother Champion Chase had something of a curse on it this year. Altior, back-to-back winner in 2018 and 2019, had to pull out lame the day prior, followed soon after by Chacun Pour Soi.

That left Defi Du Seuil as the clear front-runner in a vastly reduced field, with the Philip Hobbs-trained horse heading into 15.30pm at a Race Index spread of 23-26 and odds-on at 2/5. Instead last year’s runner-up Politologue led from start to finish, causing trouble for anyone who thought they’d back a sure-fire winner in Defi.

But wait! One of the best things about horse racing spread betting is that you can get against the favourite. Sell at that aforementioned Race Index spread of 23-26, and Defi’s 4th place finish made you 23 times your original bet.

Thursday
The 2020 Stayers’ Hurdle was one to remember. Paisley Park entered the race as heavy favourite, 8/11 odds on with a hefty Race Index spread of 33-36.

In contrast Lisnagar Oscar, ridden by Adam Wedge and trained by Rebecca Curtis, headed into the event as outside as they get at 50/1 and at a spread of 2-4.

You can maybe see where this is going. In a final 3 made-up of longshots – 2nd place Ronald Pump was 28/1, and 3rd place Bacardys 33/1 – Lisnagar won by 2 lengths clear, bagging 46 times your initial bet for anyone brave enough to back it.

Meanwhile those selling Paisley’s 33-36 ended up with a savvy 33 times their opening wager.

Friday
Cheltenham saved the best til last. In a remarkable day of riding, Paul Townend managed 3 winners in 4 races to nab the Ruby Walsh Top Jockey Award.

More importantly, that trio of victories – including the Gold Cup – and a 2nd place finish in the County Hurdle pushed his SM make-up to 160.

That’s were 25 points are awarded for the 1st winning ride, 50 points for a jockey’s 2nd and 75 points for the 3rd, plus a further 10 points for a 2nd place finish. Buy at a Townend SM starting spread of 24.5-26.5, then, and you were left with a massive 133.5 times your original stake.

Day 4 wasn’t done there. In the single biggest win of the festival, It Came to Pass won the St James's Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup from 66/1. That gave a 21.5 times multiplier to anyone backing a festival-long Biggest Winning Starting Price spread of 43-44.5.

Better yet, that shock victory played a huge role in the Cheltenham Launch! make-up. That market sees the Biggest Winning SP multiplied by the Biggest Winning Distance, the latter being Easyland’s 17 length romp in the Cross Country Chase.

With 66 by 17 equalling 1122, buying at a starting spread of 680-725 bagged you...drumroll please...a whopping 397 times your initial bet.