With the success of documentary series’ like Drive to Survive and Break Point, sports fans have enjoyed a new way to engage with their favourite stars.

Does anything really come close to watching live sport unfold in real time? For most, the answer is a resounding no.

So to celebrate, here’s five sporting events that you can enjoy on TV this springtime.

Cheltenham Festival (March 12-15)

One of the most prestigious horse racing events worldwide, some of the fastest horses on the planet will be heading to the UK for the Cheltenham Festival in March.

There’s 28 races in all, with the most popular Cheltenham Festival betting odds those attached to the showpiece renewal: the Gold Cup, in which Galopin Des Champs (5/6) is the favourite to defend his title ahead of Fastorslow (4/1), Shishkin (13/2) and co.

One way to enhance your enjoyment of the Festival is with a Cheltenham free bet offer – having some ‘skin in the game’ will have you on the edge of your seat as you cheer on your picks.

Indian Premier League (March 22-May 26)

Cricket’s premier T20 franchise tournament is back!

You’ll see many of the finest T20 specialists on the planet strutting their stuff in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which returns for its 17th edition in March, with the season running through all the way to the final on May 26.

The Chennai Super Kings will be looking to defend the title they won in such spectacular fashion in 2023. And if they can, CSK will become the most successful franchise in IPL history with six hoists of the famous trophy.

The Masters (April 10-14)

Arguably the greatest tournament in golf, The Masters draws the interest of even the most casual of sports fans.

It helps that the host venue, Augusta National in Georgia, is simply sublime to look at – its incredible flower displays and arboricultural delights befitting of any award.

The players are not only duking it out for one of the sport’s four majors, they’re also vying for a chance to slip into the iconic green jacket – the memento that gets passed from the previous champion to the next as part of the trophy presentation. Can anyone dethrone reigning champion Jon Rahm?

There’s history, prestige and glory on the line… plus the not-small matter of £2.5 million in prize money for the winner.

Snooker World Championship (April 10-May 6)

Snooker’s ultimate prize is handed out at the end of three gruelling weeks at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

All of the greats of the game have lifted the trophy, earning themselves the title of world champion – a tag that will forever be ingrained in snooker’s hall of fame.

Going for an eighth world title will be betting favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan, who will be hoping to draw clear of Stephen Hendry as the most decorated champion in snooker’s lengthy history.

Kentucky Derby (May 4)

Thousands of miles away from the Cheltenham Festival is the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville – home to the Kentucky Derby.

One of the most revered racehorses in the United States, if not the world, the Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown and pays the connections of the winner a handsome £2.5 million.

If you can’t be amongst the mammoth 150,000 crowd on raceday, the best seat in the house – as it will be for all of the sporting events on this countdown – will be your armchair in front of the TV!