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NASCAR Betting Guide

If you want to learn how to bet on NASCAR – you’re in the right place.

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about online NASCAR betting.

We’ll explain how the different bets work and offer tips and strategies to be more profitable.

Make sure to read until the end before placing your wagers. This way, you’ll avoid making mistakes and increase your chances of winning.

How To Bet On NASCAR Online

This is a quick step-by-step guide on how to bet on NASCAR races at online sportsbooks.

1. Choose A Trusted Sportsbook

   All online sportsbooks offer motorsports as part of their sports betting menu, but not all of them are safe. To avoid headaches make sure to use any of our recommended NASCAR sportsbooks to place your wagers,

2. Make Your First Deposit

   Once you have chosen a betting site, sign up and make your first deposit. Don’t forget to take advantage of sports betting bonuses. This is the best way to increase your bankroll right from the get-go.

3. Choose A NASCAR Race Or Series

   Before checking odds and picking a wager, you must know which race you want to bet on. NASCAR races usually happen on the weekends throughout the year, with a few weeks off for the winter and summer vacations.

4. Choose Your Driver And Bet Type

   Once you’ve found your NASCAR race at the sportsbook it’s time to check the odds and pick your bet. Choose the driver or the market you want to bet on and click on it to add it to your bet slip.

5. Confirm Your Bet

   Make sure that your wager amount and selections are correct on your bet slip before continuing. Once you are ready, click to confirm and place your bet. Now it’s time to watch the races and have some fun!

How NASCAR Betting Works

The most common NASCAR bet is an outright wager. This is where you predict which driver will win a particular race. These markets can also be focused on a top-three or top-five finish.

Prop bets, futures, and head-to-head bets that pit different drivers against each other are also extremely popular.

We will go over some examples below for each bet type, but one of the keys to understanding how NASCAR betting works is knowing how the betting odds work.

Understanding NASCAR Betting Odds

NASCAR bets are represented with American or Moneyline odds. Let’s go over them quickly.

American odds are centered around the amount of $100. For instance, if the odds are -120, you need to wager $120 dollars to win $100.

When the odds have a + sign, those odds signify the amount of money you will win with a $100 wager. For instance, a $100 bet on +200 odds would bring back a profit of $200.

Understanding American and Moneyline odds is a must for NASCAR betting. If a sportsbook is showing the odds in a different format, use our betting odds converter.

Popular NASCAR Bet Types

Here are the most popular types of NASCAR bets explained.

Outrights Or To-Win Race Bets

This is the most common bet type you will see offered when betting on NASCAR.

Any sportsbook that has odds on NASCAR will at least offer outright or to-win race odds.

This betting market is simple. Your goal is to choose the winner of the race.

Let’s take a look at an example.

Geico 500 Odds To Win
Denny Hamlin	+500
Joey Logano	+900
Ryan Blaney	+1000
Chase Elliott	+1100
Brad Keselowski	+1100

For the sake of the example, we have shortened the list (it usually includes every driver in the race). 

All we are doing with this type of bet is choosing a driver who we think has a chance to win based on the odds presented.

Bettors can make multiple wagers in this outright market and choose many different drivers to win. However, there are no pushes here.

For to-win wagers to be graded as a winners, the driver must win the race (place 1st overall). Otherwise, the bet is a loss.

Top Five or Top Three Finish Bets

This type of NASCAR bet is also known as a Podium Finishers wager.

For these wagers, the driver must finish in the top-three or top-five, depending on which betting market you select.

Again, multiple bets can be placed, but for the wager to cash, the driver must finish in the specified range, either first through third for a top-three bet or first through five for a top-five bet.

NASCAR Group Betting

This bet is another form of futures or outrights, and is also very popular.

Instead of choosing drivers from the entire field of possible winners, bettors will pick a driver to win from a smaller pool, such as four or five racers.

Pick the driver to finish the highest out of the group, and you will win your bet.

NASCAR Prop Bets

NASCAR prop bets are wagers that are not related to the winner of a race. And the coolest thing about betting NASCAR is the ever-expanding list of props there are.

NASCAR is one of the most profitable sports for sharp bettors when it comes to prop betting markets.

There are many types of prop bets for NASCAR. Let’s go over them below.

NASCAR Matchup Betting Or Head-to-Heads

NASCAR matchup bets pit two racers or drivers against each other regarding their race finishing position.

Head-to-head matchups can be between any two drivers, but usually, betting sites try to match drivers closer in skill level or ones that have personal rivalries.

Let’s look at an example.

NASCAR Head-to-Head At Daytona 500
Kevin Harvick	-150
Ryan Preece	+130

We can bet on which racer will finish higher at the Daytona 500. Harvick is the firm favorite in this example at -150. Meaning, we have to wager $150 to win $100. 

Ryan Preece is the underdog at +130, meaning we need to wager $100 to have our return be $230, with a net profit of $130 (and our $100 stake or original bet) if our bet should win.

Winning at this betting market entails picking the driver who finishes or places higher than the other.

For example, if Preece finishes 9th at Daytona and Harvick finishes 3rd, we would win our wager if we bet on Harvick at -150.

Stage Winners Bet

NASCAR races are broken up into stages, this bet is about choosing which driver will win each stage.

Betting on the winner of a stage will be graded in the same way that outrights or to-win the race markets function. Choose the correct winner of the stage, and your bet will be a winner. Otherwise, it’s a loss.

Fastest Lap Bet

With the fastest lap prop bet you can choose the driver that you think will have the fastest lap in the race.

This is another bet type that functions similarly to outrights and allows bettors to pick from the field of racers.

It is also quite simple to grade. Choose the driver with the fastest lap, and you will be rewarded with a payday. Otherwise, your bet will be graded as a loss.

Other NASCAR Prop Bets

Depending on the race, there may be other prop bets available. For instance, the Daytona 500 is the biggest race on the NASCAR calendar, and it may have some specialized prop bets specific to the event.

Here are other prop bets you might see for one of the biggest NASCAR races of the year:

• Will there be a crash in the race?
• How many caution flags will appear? (over/under)
• Over/under on the finishing position of top drivers

NASCAR Future Bets

Many sites offer futures on which driver will win the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. This futures bet is an outright bet on which driver will win the championship/series.

The series winner is the driver that accumulates the most points throughout the racing season. Points are awarded to the top drivers who finish the race.

Let’s look at an example.

NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds
Chase Elliott	+550
Denny Hamlin	+650
Martin Truez Jr.	+650
Joey Logano	+700
Kyle Larson	+800

Once again, the full list of odds is much larger and usually includes every driver in NASCAR. The same principle applies here when it comes to outrights for a particular race.

Bettors must pick the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series to claim their price, otherwise the bet will be graded as a loss.

NASCAR Live Betting

NASCAR in-playing betting or live betting allows bettors to wager on the race as it plays out live, with updated odds throughout the event based on who is winning the race.

As far as bets, NASCAR live betting will offer outrights for the race winner and some propositions.

Live betting is relatively new for NASCAR races but is available at most online sites. Some sportsbooks will offer more options than others.

For the best experience with in-play wagering, take a look at our live betting guide.

NASCAR Betting Tips And Strategy

There are a number of different betting strategies you could use to increase your chances of making profitable NASCAR wagers.

Below, you will find the most important tips shared by our experts.

Betting Tip #1Advanced Statistics In NASCAR

It’s important to understand that, as most motorsports, NASCAR is mainly data-driven. Small details often have a profound impact on the outcome of any race or the driver’s performance.

Therefore, having in-depth statistical knowledge will boost your ability to pick the winner. A fantastic resource for getting drivers’ statistics is driveraverages.com.

This site breaks down statistics by the driver or by track and is an excellent resource for anyone who is serious about being a successful NASCAR bettor.

Betting Tip #2NASCAR Driver’s Track Preferences

Not all racing tracks are made equal. Some have long corners, short straightaways, or dirty surfaces.

Therefore knowing which track a certain driver favors is vital to consider before placing a bet.

It is also essential to be aware of each driver’s racing history and style as it pertains to a particular circuit, as this will improve your betting prediction.

Betting Tip #3Don’t Miss Reading Our Race Previews

Don’t forget to read our NASCAR betting predictions in the build-up to the race.

They are written by experts and often have useful news and inside knowledge about race drivers and teams.

You should take this insider information into account as part of your overall research before making any bet selection.

Betting Tip #4The Weather Factor In NASCAR Races

The weather during the race weekend plays a massive role in the final outcome.

Falling rain has produced some of the most infamous racing incidents in the sport’s history and caused some shocking race results.

Research which driver and team fare better in wet or interchangeable conditions as it will influence the outcome of a race.

Betting Tip #5Don’t Forget About The Crew

The driver is essential in NASCAR, but don’t forget about the pit crew and team. Some NASCAR teams have far more success than others, and there’s a good reason for that.

Drivers on teams may even work together during the race, such as one driver drafting another to help them win a race in the clutch.

Teamwork makes the dream work, even in an individually focused sport like NASCAR.

Best NASCAR Races To Bet On

Daytona 500

A victory in the Daytona 500 has always been and remains NASCAR’s ultimate prize.

The Daytona 500 is regarded as the most important and prestigious race on NASCAR, carrying by far the largest purse in terms of potential winning.

The event is held each February at The World Center of Racing in Daytona Beach. Championship points awarded are equal to that of any other NASCAR Cup Series race.

Brickyard 400 At Indianapolis

Since Indianapolis Motor Speedway joined the Sprint Cup Series, the Brickyard 400 has been the clear number two race in the pecking order of NASCAR’s most prestigious events.

The 400 miles race has been part of the Cup Series since 1994.

The Brickyard 400 carved out a unique place in Indy from the very beginning and continues to be one of NASCAR’s premier crown jewels.

Coca-Cola 600 At Charlotte

The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is the longest race on the Sprint Cup Series schedule by 100 miles.

It makes it arguably the ultimate test of NASCAR drivers’ stamina and endurance.

The 600 is well-known for its well-orchestrated pre-race salutes to the armed forces as it is held on Memorial Day weekend.

GEICO 500 At Talladega Superspeedway

The GEICO 500 is usually held in April or May each year.

The 1997 event stands as the fastest NASCAR race in history.

It had an average speed of 188.354 miles per hour and was not interrupted by any caution period.

It is considered the fifth of the Crown Jewel races. 

NASCAR Sanctioned Series To Bet On

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is the sport’s highest level of professional competition. It is the most popular and most profitable NASCAR series.

Since 2001, the Cup Series season has consisted of 36 races over 10 months.

NASCAR Xfinity Series

The NASCAR Xfinity Series is the second-highest level of professional competition in NASCAR. This series began in 1982 with sponsorship by Anheuser-Busch Brewing brand.

The Anheuser-Busch sponsorship expired at the end of 2007, being replaced by Nationwide Insurance from 2008–2014, and now sponsored by Comcast through its Xfinity brand.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.

The series is one of three national divisions of NASCAR, ranking as the third tier behind the second-tier Xfinity Series and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Free NASCAR Betting Picks

NASCAR Betting FAQ