NASCAR is a classic American sport that racing fans flock to. Drivers like Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick make picking the right sportsbook critical for finding competitive NASCAR odds. However, Fans of the Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing teams may flock to sportsbooks in the wake of teams victories. There are many ways to bet on NASCAR lines. Here’s everything bettors need to know about NASCAR betting.
Best NASCAR Sports Betting Sites
If NASCAR fans want to find competitive odds, then they’ll need to know which sportsbooks are the most popular and why. Most sportsbooks reliably include lines on the NASCAR season and postseason. We’ve highlighted a few sportsbooks that NASCAR fans should keep within their reach when comparing NASCAR betting odds.
BetRivers
BetRivers has one of the largest selection of NASCAR wagers. Bettors will find the best finishers in different groups and specials like betting on the race winner’s car number. BetRivers’ podium finish odds tend to edge out FanDuel’s. But BetRivers’ 100% deposit match up to $250 lags behind its competitors’ bonus offers in the amount on offer. However, it only requires a 1x playthrough.
Caesars
Although it’s a major sportsbook brand, some of Caesars’ NASCAR offerings are limited. However, its odds on outright winners come in second to FanDuel overall, edging out BetMGM and BetRivers. It offers a $1,001 risk-free bet to new bettors ($300 in Illinois), which may attract bettors to the Caesars app.
BetMGM
BetMGM can have the best or the worst odds on a NASCAR race. It’s a must-check wild card for odds-hunters to check. However, it has a wide variety of wagers for NASCAR bettors. BetMGM offers head-to-head game lines, podium finishes, and outright wins. However, bettors will also find lines on which team and car make will win and a list of race props. BetMGM also offers a $1,000 risk-free bet, which is an attractive quality.
FanDuel
FanDuel offers betting options on podium finishes and outright winners. It tends to have the best odds on outright winners and competitive game lines when they’re offered. But FanDuel’s odds on podium finishes lag behind BetRivers. FanDuel also tends to have fewer NASCAR betting markets than BetMGM and BetRivers. But FanDuel’s $1,000 risk-free bet makes up for its bet variety.
Top Events For NASCAR Auto Racing Betting
If bettors aren’t familiar with NASCAR racing, they’ll need to understand the NASCAR season’s structure. The NASCAR season has 36 races. During the first 26 races, drivers compete for wins. The NASCAR playoffs consist of the final ten races where the top 16 drivers compete.
The NASCAR Championship is on Phoenix Raceway, where the winner hoists the NASCAR trophy in triumph. However, NASCAR Championship odds aren’t the most sought-after odds in the league. Two other races send NASCAR fans into frenzies: the Daytona 500 and the GEICO 500 on Talladega Superspeedway.
The Daytona 500 is the NASCAR season’s first race. It’s the most popular NASCAR race, and it had the largest purse in the 2021 series. When the season starts in February, NASCAR Daytona odds will populate the country’s sportsbooks. So, if bettors want to dive into NASCAR betting, that’s a good time to do it.
However, NASCAR Talladega odds are worth checking out, too. Bettors probably know the Talladega Superspeedway’s track by name, rather than the event the track hosts, the GEICO 500.
But the Talladega Superspeedway isn’t just known for being the longest NASCAR track. It also ranks alongside Daytona as one of the most dangerous tracks in NASCAR. Both tracks require restrictor plates which reduce speed but negatively impact handling. It makes it harder for cars to navigate around each other. That’s important for bettors who adjust their picks based on probable crashes during these two races.
How To Bet On NASCAR
There are many different ways for bettors to wager on NASCAR. Moneylines may look a little different to bettors new to NASCAR betting. Bettors will find head-to-head matchups against high-profile drivers. But bettors will probably want to focus on place betting.
There’s a long list of drivers to choose from, and sportsbooks have odds on each of them. Bettors can bet on the outright winner, or they can bet on who’ll break the top two, three, five, or ten places. That gives bettors more flexibility to be correct, but lower rewards.
If bettors don’t want to bet on the whole field of drivers, bettors can try group betting. Group betting breaks drivers into groups and makes the field more approachable to new NASCAR bettors. Those odds are usually lower than outright winners on the whole field, but check current NASCAR odds to see where the opportunities are.
NASCAR Prop Bets
Most sportsbooks offer NASCAR prop bets. For example, BetMGM offers a NASCAR prop on whether the winning car’s number will be odd or even. Bettors can also find props on the winning car’s manufacturer. They can even find odds on what number the winning Ford will be. The prop bets go deep.
However, NASCAR prop bets aren’t available on every sportsbook. When we wrote this page at the end of February, Caesars Sportsbook had none. So, anyone looking for them may have to shop around.
NASCAR Futures Odds
The most confident bettors can place bets on who’ll win the NASCAR Cup or NASCAR Xfinity Series. However, don’t confuse them with bets on outright race winners. Futures bets are wagers on the season’s outcome. Game lines are on who’ll win individual races. NASCAR race odds can look similar to futures odds, so it’s important to pay attention.
The oddsmakers who set futures odds are NASCAR experts who understand the sport and statistics well. However, they also balance money wagered on each driver so they’re prepared for any outcome.
It’s one reason that betting on favorites because they’re popular is a bad strategy. NASCAR racing odds change throughout the season as favorites fail to live up to the hype and underdogs secure surprise victories. Watch the season to remain informed about who’s overhyped and who’s undercovered.
NASCAR Odds And Betting Sites FAQs
Yes. State gaming commissions allow NASCAR bets because NASCAR is a recognizable sport. It has clear rules that anyone can understand. It’s also recorded, so verifying wins and losses is easy. It’s a good candidate for allowing sports wagers, and that hasn’t been lost on states or sportsbooks.
Oddsmakers set NASCAR betting lines. They know the game well, and they know who’s probably going to win. But they also have to move odds around to adjust for hype. If bettors put too much money on one driver, oddsmakers will tweak odds to make other drivers more attractive bets. Sportsbooks can’t lose money just because a popular driver wins.
Online and from sportsbooks themselves. If bettors know which sportsbook they want to wager at in Vegas, they can go to the sportsbook’s website. Bettors in states that don’t have legal sports betting can still view odds in their states. That takes a middleman out for bettors who just want to view the odds.
Sports journalists have begun picking standout bets on news outlets like CBS Sports, Fox Sports, and ESPN. Bettors can find the best NASCAR picks from some of these outlets. However, if they’re data-driven enough, bettors can pay attention to the season and figure the picks out for themselves.
Yes. NASCAR is easier to track live than other sports. Tracking cars on a track racing toward the finish is easier than tracking all the players on the court. But sportsbooks without simulcasting just need to know the positions and the lap. Live betting is a straightforward offering for sportsbooks.
Yes. DraftKings has a full section of NASCAR odds. Bettors will find outright race winners, futures, and props. In general, DraftKings has one of the largest selections of sports and wagers. If bettors are looking for different types of wagers, DraftKings is a must-check sportsbook brand.
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