The odds-on favourite to win the Champion Hurdle race at this year’s Cheltenham Festival was Constitution Hill until he was ruled out of the race when blood tests revealed the horse hadn’t fully recovered from an ailment, meaning State Man is now the odds-on favourite to win the race outright.
Let’s dive straight in and take a closer look at the average odds that are currently being offered by some of today’s most trusted online bookmakers for State Man to win the Champion Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
Can State Man really win the 2024 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival?
The quickest, easiest, and most reliable way to find out if State Man can win the Champion Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival would be to closely examine and compare the odds currently being offered on globally renowned iGaming sites that are well-known for having some of the industry’s most competitive horse racing odds.
Today’s best sports betting sites offer free bets for Cheltenhamraces to anyone over the age of 18 when they register a new account. Each site currently has State Man as the odds-on favourite horse to win the Champion Hurdle.
A closer look at the odds
State Man is the overwhelming favourite to win this race, and most sites are currently offering the following average odds:
Some of the other favourites also in the running are Luccia (14/1), Not So Sleepy (14/1), Iberico Lord (14/1), Zarak The Brave (16/1), and Pied Piper (16/1). In other words, a fairly safe bet would be for State Man to win this year.
However, anything can happen in horse racing, and betting odds are subject to change at any time. Betting on the favourite is a sensible way to bet, but it doesn’t mean that outsiders with long odds (aka longshots) cannot win.
In the past, many horses that were initially priced at 100/1 to 150/1 before the race started have won numerous major events.
Who are the least favourites to win the Champion Hurdle?
If you are looking to place a bet on an outsider instead of betting on the favourite, State Man, then you might be interested in Colonel Mustard or Love Envoi.
On average, these two horses are currently priced at around 33/1, meaning they both only have a 2.90% chance of winning. Don’t forget that many stranger things have happened in horse racing and that despite the odds, both horses could easily triumph.
The best thing to do would be to keep a close eye on the 2024 Cheltenham Festival odds. If you decide to bet on State Man or any of the other favourites – Lossiemouth or Irish Point, you might want to think about placing an Each Way (EW) bet, which pays even if the horse doesn’t win (depending on its finishing position), instead of betting on the horse to win outright.
For example, many online bookmakers that offer EW bets pay if the horse comes in first, second, or third. In fact, some websites pay up to five or six places.
Final note
State Man is trained by one of horse racing’s best, W P Mullins. The 7-year-old Chestnut Gelding is expected to win, but don’t forget that no sports bet is ever guaranteed to win.
The Champion Hurdle this year at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival is scheduled to begin at 15:30 on Tuesday, 12 March, so if you want to bet, perhaps get them placed in plenty of time, and try not to leave it any later than ten minutes before the start of the race so you’re not rushing.
