NASCAR Betting Guide – How and Where to Bet NASCAR
NASCAR Betting 101
If you’re looking for a simple yet exciting sport to bet on, it is pretty hard to beat NASCAR. There are no complicated rules to learn and there is no elaborate scoring system to memorize, just talented drivers speeding around the track, each putting the pedal to the metal and giving their all to finish ahead of the rest.
We don’t want anyone to die or get seriously hurt, but you still have to admit, crashes are half the fun!
Here are just a few great reasons to wager on NASCAR
During the season, you can look forward to races on most weekends. That gives you plenty of opportunities to place potentially lucrative bets.
You can spend less time learning the rules of the sport and more time studying the drivers, teams, tracks, and news leading up to events.
If you ever have a chance to attend NASCAR in person, you’ll be blown away by the sights and sounds of the track.
Lockouts and strikes almost never happen with NASCAR, so you don’t have to worry about unexpected cancellations, abbreviated seasons, and so forth.
Betting on NASCAR racing is a good segue into wagering on other racing sports (i.e. Formula 1).
NASCAR Events You Can Wager On
These are the sanctioned national division NASCAR series which you can bet on –
This is the most prominent NASCAR series, consisting of 36 races over a 10-month period. If someone simply talks about “the Cup,” they probably are referring to this series. Likewise, if someone just talks about “NASCAR,” they also probably are following this series.
Originating in 1982, this series was originally sponsored by Budweiser. Today, it is the most important pro NASCAR series after the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
This event is also known as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Just as you might guess from the name, modified pickup trucks compete in this series.
Along with these main series, you can also wager on the
and a number of regional racing series. Into betting on eSports? Check out the NASCAR iRacing.com Series.
You can appreciate now why there is almost always something going on in the world of NASCAR, leading to lots of opportunities for the attentive punter!
So, hopefully you’re all nice and jazzed up right now about all of the different types of NASCAR wagers you can make. Let’s first discuss the best places to do so from the comfort of your own home, and then we’ll break down them sweet NASCAR bets some more!
Where to Bet on NASCAR
Keep on reading for the where to place some bets. Check that out and then we’ll talk some strategy pointers for betting on NASCAR. Below are our favorite sites for NASCAR betting based on bet variety, odds, bonuses and other promotions.
Bovada
Betonline.ag
MyBookie.ag
CloudBet
5Dimes
On Bovada, you can wager on the Monster Energy and Xfinity Series as well as the Camping World Truck Series. So that is all the national division NASCAR series in one place!
When you sign up to wager on Bovada, you can receive a $250 Sports Welcome Bonus. Thinking of betting with bitcoin? Then you’re really in luck, because customers who deposit bitcoin can receive a $1,500 match bonus up to three times along with a 50% match bonus up to $500. That adds up to $5,000 in welcome cash altogether.
Another of our top recommended sports betting sites for NASCAR is Betonline.ag. This website usually offers special promotions exclusively for NASCAR bettors, which is awesome! For example, one past promotion allowed NASCAR bettors to receive up to $1,000 in deposit bonus funds.
On top of those special NASCAR bonuses, the site is also generous with bonuses in general. You can get a 50% welcome bonus on your first deposit, and if you choose to deposit a cryptocurrency, you can get a 100% match on your first crypto deposit. There is also a 35% crypto reload bonus offered, and a 25% sports reload bonus.
On this site, you can wager on the Monster Energy Series. The sportsbook also offers race matchups. If you are looking for news, predictions, and analysis, MyBookie maintains a blog specifically for NASCAR.
When you sign up to bet on NASCAR, you can receive a 50% sports sign-up bonus. You also can receive a $20 risk free bet. 25% sports reload bonuses up to $500 are available. There are also bonuses for the online casino portion of the website as well as horse racing if you are into betting on more than just NASCAR. The site is generous with daily bonuses as well, so you want to keep an eye on what is offered throughout the week.
Another option for betting with bitcoin on NASCAR is to go through CloudBet, a site specifically for crypto bettors. Here, you can wager on the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series.
When you join the site, you can receive a welcome bonus up to 5 BTC. There are also daily promotions throughout the week. For example, on “Money Back Mondays,” you can receive 25% back on your losses up to 50 mBTC. And on “Win Win Wednesdays,” you can receive a 20% bonus on your winnings up to 50 mBTC.
Just a note, or a reminder for those that already know, CloudBet does not accept players from the US. Thanks lawmakers, for protecting us from what we want to do with our own money.
Head on over to 5Dimes to wage on NASCAR Cup matchups or NASCAR Cup Series futures.
When you register, you can choose which of several bonuses you want to claim. One of these is reduced juice for sports betting. Another is a 50% match bonus up to $520 for new sportsbook gamblers. There are also sportsbook free-play rewards available up to $500. Additionally, 5Dimes offers cash-back rewards and more.
Different Types of NASCAR Bets You Can Place
There are a number of different types of NASCAR wagers which are available to place at online sportsbooks. Some of these include:
Outright bets
These are wagers where you are simply trying to pick the winner of a race. Because there can be a large field of participants for any given NASCAR race, doing so can be challenging even if you have conducted ample research.
To Finish in Top X
With this type of bet, you do not need to be as precise in your wager. You can bet that a driver will land in the top three, the top five, or so on. While these wagers generally do not pay out as well as outright bets, they can be easier to win.
Matchup Bets
When you’re not certain how a particular driver will perform against the entire field of competitors, but you do think you know how he will perform against just one, you can place a matchup bet. This could be on either a race or on the results of the qualifying process.
Prop Bets
Prop bets are wagers that you can place on miscellaneous aspects of a NASCAR event. For example, you could make a guess at how many caution flags will be thrown. Or you could bet on how many crashes there will be. It is also common to wager on the manufacturer of the winning car.
Accumulator Bets
As with other sports, you can place NASCAR accumulator bets where you link together a number of smaller wagers. These are also known as Parlay Bets In order to win the accumulator bets, all of your selections must be winners. Bets like these pay off handsomely if you win, but doing so is very difficult.
Futures Bets
Think you can make a prediction about a race event long before it unfolds? Then try your luck at placing a futures wager. If you happen to get it right, you could win a nice payout.
Live Bets
Live betting during sporting events has become a big deal online over recent years, and you can place live wagers during NASCAR races as well.
Evaluating NASCAR Tracks
We’re pretty sure you already know this, but the track itself should play a big factor in your wagers.
When you are planning your wagers for NASCAR, there are a lot of factors you need to think about. One of those is the track where the race you are betting on will take place, and how that might impact the action that unfolds.
It is easy to look at NASCAR racetracks and assume that they are identical, but this is not the case. As you will discover, they can include variations in terms of:
Short tracks
These are those which are under a mile, whereas those which are over that distance are defined as super speedways. These longer tracks allow for faster driving and potentially fewer laps as well (assuming the total distance of the race is the same as it would be on a shorter track).
Stock car track
These surfaces may be dirt, concrete or asphalt. Each of these can vary in how they respond to weather, with dirt tracks being the most unstable. NASCAR does not use dirt tracks in order to allow drivers to go faster. But you still may encounter them in other stock car racing contexts.
There are some variations in the oval shapes of tracks in terms of symmetry and the exact curvature present at various points along the track. Degrees of incline around the curves may also vary. So these factors can also impact how drivers fare on the tracks.
Racetracks may have different numbers of grooves. The fewer grooves are present, the more difficult it is to pass.
Some drivers do better on certain types of tracks than they do on others. If you go over their records and study their stats, you can figure out how they are likely to perform on specific tracks in the future.
Handicapping NASCAR
This is what it looks like when I drive to work everyday.
Along with paying attention to where a race will take place, here are some other factors to consider when placing your wagers:
Starting Position
How important this is depends on the characteristics of the racetrack. On those where passing is challenging, starting position can be of vital importance. On those where passing is easy, it may not be nearly as significant.
Pit Stall Location
The picks for pit stalls are determined by how the qualifying process pans out. Like starting position, the pit stall location can have a big impact on how a team fares.
Practice Stats
You can check these out in advance of a race, and find out the average and best speeds for teams.
Weather
Even with paved tracks, this leads to variations in how a car handles and how a driver performs.
Historical Stats
While it is wise to put an emphasis on recent data when you are handicapping, you should still take a look at historical performance data too to see how certain drivers handle particular tracks and conditions.
Interviews
These can provide you with insights into how a team is doing in terms of cooperation, handling stress, and so forth. The team may also provide you with additional insights regarding how their cars are handling and so on.
For just a fuzz more information about general handicapping, check this out.
NASCAR Stats
There are many different stats you can study when you are planning your NASCAR wagers. Here are a few.
Average Running Position
This tells you where a driver tends to be located on an “average” lap during a race.
Consecutive Laps with a Pass and Consecutive Passes Without Being Passed
These are self-explanatory.
Fastest Driver stats
These are statistics which compare drivers in a series of rankings. They include Fastest Drivers by Straightaway, Fastest Drivers by Turn, Fastest Drivers Early in Run and Fastest Drivers Late in Run.
Laps Driver Improved Position
This is a number which tells you how many laps there were where a driver was able to move up in position.
Passing Breakdown
This is a comparison stat which tells you how many passes were made by each driver in a race, and whether they were on turns or straightaways.
Quality Passes
When one driver passes another in the top 15, this is called a quality pass during green flag conditions.
Speed in Traffic
If there is a driver ahead of another and there is a car length or less between them, that constitutes traffic. How fast the car is going at that time is its speed in traffic.
Time Trailing at Finish
If a driver does not win a race, his time trailing at finish refers to how much time he needed to complete it after the winning car.
NASCAR Betting Mistakes to Avoid
Do not ignore track factors and how they affect each other. For example, the public frequently assumes that starting position is always critical, ignoring how many grooves are present on a track and how that can impact the significance of starting position.
Remember, if you want to win money betting on NASCAR, you need to search for value in the odds. If you place wagers which are easy to win but which offer no value, you will still end up being unprofitable even if you win the majority of your bets.
Do not put too much emphasis on historical data while neglecting more recent data. Historical data can be super helpful, especially when it comes to finding out how specific drivers have performed with specific track conditions in the past. But as with other sports, you’ll learn more about how a driver is performing in the present going by the most recent stats.
Do not ignore the pit crew. It is easy to focus entirely on the driver and neglect the role of the pit crew, but they are vital to the driver’s success. You need to be aware of them and how they work with the driver.
Do not assume that NASCAR rules are the same each year. Sometimes, there are major changes. In 2019, for example, race winners are announced tentatively when they cross the finish line, and are confirmed about 90 minutes later after post-race inspections are performed. Drivers who fail those inspections are disqualified from winning. This was not how it was done in the past. Also new this year are aero packages. See the image below.
New rules?? Better learn ’em!
Final Thoughts on Betting on NASCAR
You have now learned all about where you can bet on NASCAR, what types of wagers you can place, and some things to think about when you are handicapping. As with any other sport you would bet on, you will achieve the best results if you put time and effort into strategies and shopping the odds. Click on any of the links above to visit our recommended NASCAR sportsbooks online and start placing your wagers now!
As long as you’re here, why not also take a look at