It's strange that a rowing contest between Oxford and Cambridge University can provide yet another opportunity for a free bet but it is true. The race has been taken to the nation's and punter's hearts and the annual duel will not only be watched by hundreds of thousands live but also by many millions more on TV.

The race began in 1929 but was not an annual event until 1859. Students from Cambridge and Oxford row their way down the Thames over a four mile course (just slightly shorter than the Grand National) with the light blues from Cambridge hoping to out punt the dark blues from Oxford.

There are a plethora of betting opportunities on the contest offered by bookmakers and the exchanges from who will win to the length of victory and even the odds on whether one team will sink!

The 2008 race is set to take place on March 29 and according to the betting and recent history it should be a very close affair. The Cambridge crew (Goldie) won the race in 2007 and have won five of the last ten rowings(?!), Oxford (Isis) have also won five of the last ten. Don't forget you may also use a free bet from this site to put on a dead-heat. Be warned though, this has happened only once in the history in 1877 and legend has it that the judge was asleep under a bush at the time!