Can You Bet On Nascar Races

Betting on NASCAR is more than just betting on one driver to win a race.
There are numerous types of NASCAR bets that can be wagered on each week, for
the regular season and for the postseason. However, before you start betting on
this popular form of motorsports, it’s very important to learn about how to bet
on NASCAR and the best online betting sites to place your NASCAR wagers at.

If you don’t know anything about auto racing, you might be hesitant to give betting on NASCAR a whirl, but it’s honestly not as imposing as you might think. There’s plenty of easy-to-access information out there you can use to your advantage when making your picks, as most drivers have a couple of tracks where they traditionally feel more. Any time you are getting beat, you are looking to see what someone is doing. It doesn’t matter if they’ve won 100 races or one race. If you are getting beat these days, you are looking how. Your NASCAR picks can stand to win you some serious cash if you know what bets are best for you. This is one of the more straightforward NASCAR bets and involves simply picking which driver you think will be crowned the race’s NASCAR winner. Betting on the NASCAR winner, though simple in theory, is a hard bet. In fact, here were Hamlin’s finishes at the four superspeedway races last season: first, fourth, third and first, for an insane 2.3 average finish. I’m typically in very little rush to bet Daytona 500 favorites this early, but I can’t find any reason to wait on Hamlin at 8-1 odds right now. McClure then used the model to lock in a 10-1 bet on Hamlin for his win at Miami. At The Brickyard, the model called Harvick's fourth victory of the season. Then during the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs, the model nailed its picks in back-to-back races, calling Denny Hamlin to win at 17-2 at Talladega and Chase Elliott to win at 7-2 at the Charlotte Roval.

What Makes a Betting Site One of the Best?

In the spirit of full transparency, we want to share with you why we’ve
chosen these internet sportsbooks as the best online betting sites for NASCAR.
Additionally, we do not take money from these sites for the purpose of inclusion
into our lists. To make the best NASCAR betting sites list, every betting site
needs to be reputable and rank high with each of our 10 criteria points below:

Safety and Security

Safety and security are two aspects of an online betting site that needs to
hit a home run before we include it on our lists. This means that all of your
banking transactions and personal data are protected with the highest encryption
available in the industry. The last thing anyone wants, or needs, is to lose
their hard-earned winnings or to have their identity stolen.

Solid Reputation

Reputation is key in this industry. Not all sports betting websites have a
solid reputation, which could be the result of shady business practices, just
starting out, or terrible reviews from users. We dig deep into each online
sportsbook to ensure that they deliver on their promises and that they treat
each customer with the utmost professionalism. Most importantly, we ensure that
these sites protect and pay you.

Variety of Banking Options

As the sports betting industry continues to evolve, banking options have
become a primary area that differentiates the great betting sites with the
average ones. First, it’s important to have an online betting site that offers a
wide range of deposit options like credit cards, checks, wire transfers, online
money platforms, and cryptocurrency. Secondly, it’s just as important that these
sites offer the same range of withdrawal options.

In addition to variety, it’s also important that these banking options are
very efficient. That includes the speed of transactions. We ensure that our list
of the best NASCAR betting sites includes online sportsbooks that offer an
assortment of highly efficient, secure, and fast banking options.

Ease of Use

If betting sites are overly complicated or too difficult to navigate then
sports bettors are just going to go elsewhere or not bet at all. Our list of
betting sites include websites that are easy enough for beginners to master and
quick enough for advanced bettors to get their last-minute wagers in. Placing
bets in a timely manner can be the difference between winning and losing a
NASCAR wager.

Variety of NASCAR Wagers

We will go more in-depth on the types of wagers that a betting site should
include. Suffice to say, our list of the best NASCAR betting sites allows
bettors to wager on all aspects of a NASCAR race, in both regular season and
postseason. This provides users with opportunities to really maximize their
bankroll.

Top-Notch Customer Service

We can’t stress enough as to how important this overlooked attribute is. Poor
customer service can make any company or industry a miserable experience. When
searching for top-notch customer service experiences, we look for response time
and methods of contact among other aspects. Our list of betting sites has a
solid reputation for putting their customers first and addressing any and all
communications.

Mobile Platforms

Mobile sports betting is a major aspect of this growing industry. In fact,
it’s becoming the most dominant and preferred method for placing wagers on any
game or race. It’s essential that an online betting site not only offers a
mobile-friendly desktop version, but also an app that’s designed for smartphones
and tablets. Mobile sports betting sites will allow bettors to place their
wagers with ease while on the go.

Live Betting

Live betting has become a popular form of sports betting because it allows
bettors the chance to watch a game or race before placing a wager. In a sense,
it’s an opportunity to place a more educated and informed sports bet. Our list
of NASCAR betting sites offers live NASCAR betting so that you can get a feel
for the drivers and track conditions before placing a wager.

Bonuses and Promotions

If a betting site doesn’t offer bonuses or special promotions, then move on.
This is a key feature that can really boost your bankroll without having to put
more of your own money in. Some online betting sites even create bonuses or
promotions focusing on NASCAR betting by allowing free bets or matching a
percentage of your deposit. Fortunately, we’ve already identified betting sites
that offer some of the best bonuses in the industry. If you love free money,
then take advantage of these promotions.

Helpful Tutorials

All too often, we find ourselves struggling with a site’s feature, function,
or experience a glitch in the system. When this happens, it’s important to have
access to tutorials in order to figure out the problem without making it worse.
Furthermore, sports betting tutorials are great for beginners who are still
trying to learn about betting on NASCAR. Our list of the best NASCAR betting
sites have solid help sections and tutorials for users of all levels of
experience and covering a wide range of topics.

Popular Types of NASCAR Bets

As mentioned above, it’s important for a betting site to offer a wide range
of NASCAR wagers, which includes the following popular types of NASCAR bets:

Race Winner

Picking one driver to win a race is the most common and well-known type of
NASCAR bet. It’s like picking the moneyline for a team or fighter. An example of
this NASCAR wager can be seen in the following listing for the odds on favorites
to win the Daytona 500:

• Brad Keselowski (+900)
• Joey Logano (+900)
• Kevin Harvick (+900)
• Aric Almirola (+1200)
• Chase Elliott (+1200)

If you believe that Kevin Harvick will win the Daytona 500, then you can win
$900 dollars on a $100 bet. Betting on one driver to win the race can offer some
of the highest payouts, but it’s also the hardest NASCAR wager to win because
there are roughly 40 drivers competing at any given race.

Top Place Finishes

NASCAR places emphasis not only on a driver winning the race, but also when
drivers finish in the top five or top ten. Sports betting sites have also
incorporated top finishes into NASCAR betting by allowing bettors to bet on a
driver placing in the top three or top five. One major benefit for this type of
NASCAR wager is that it’s easier to pick a driver placing in the top three or
top five than to win the race outright. However, the odds are lower than picking
a driver to win the race.

Top 3 Finish

• Brad Keselowski (+200)
• Joey Logano (+200)
• Kevin Harvick (+250)
• Aric Almirola (+300)
• Chase Elliott (+350)

Top 5 Finish

• Brad Keselowski (+125)
• Joey Logano (+150)
• Kevin Harvick (+200)
• Aric Almirola (+250)
• Chase Elliott (+300)

In these hypothetical examples above, Joey Logano has +200 odds to finish in
the top three and +150 odds to finish in the top five. The odds are smaller than
his +900 odds to win the race outright. However, you have a better chance of
winning your wager when choosing a top place finish rather than the race winner
option.

Driver Matchups

Driver matchups are an exciting NASCAR wager because they allow you to just
focus on a specific head-to-head battle no matter what else happens in the race.
These matchups can be between two drivers or a group of four drivers.

Head to Head Matchup

For this wager, you are picking which driver will finish the race with the
higher result. As you can see, Logano is favored to win this matchup. However,
if you feel that Elliott will finish higher than Logano, then you can pick him
to win and hopefully capitalize on the betting value that the odds offer.

Group Matchup

• Brad Keselowski (+150)
• Joey Logano (+180)
• Kevin Harvick (+200)
• Aric Almirola (+300)

The most common number of drivers in a group matchup is four. In our example
above, Keselowski is the odds-on favorite to finish higher than Logano, Harvick,
and Almirola.

As you can see, the odds are lower than picking the outright winner. However,
you are now only having to choose one out of two or one out of four drivers
instead of having to choose one out of forty.

Prop Bets

Prop bets are specific racing scenarios that you wager on. Some popular
examples of NASCAR prop bets are:

• Which manufacturer will win the race?
• How many caution flags will be thrown?
• How many caution laps will there be?
• Will anyone get flagged for speeding on pit road?
• Number of crashes in a race.

As you can see from the examples above, these types of bets don’t require you
to pick a winning driver or depend on where a driver will finish. They just
require you to wager on a specific occurrence, action, or accomplishment. Prop
bets are a great way to add a little excitement to a NASCAR race and to increase
your NASCAR bankroll.

Futures Bets

Futures bets can also be considered a type of prop bet as these NASCAR wagers
are based on future events and accomplishments. For the sake of making things
easier, we’re placing futures bets into its own type of NASCAR wager. Common
examples of NASCAR futures bets include:

Can You Bet On Nascar Races

• Which driver will earn the most wins this season?
• Who will end up with the most points this year?

Perhaps, the most popular NASCAR Futures bet is:

Who will win the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Championship?

• Kyle Busch (+590)
• Kevin Harvick (+600)
• Martin Truex Jr (+730)
• Chase Elliott (+730)
• Kyle Larson (+750)

For this bet, you are picking the driver that you think will win the
championship this year. This Futures bet often changes all season long depending
on how drivers do during the regular season and the postseason.

Additional Resources for NASCAR Betting

If you are looking to expand your NASCAR betting knowledge, or sports betting
knowledge in general, then check out the following additional resources that can
help you become a more informed and experience sports bettor:

Odds Converter

Our odds converter tool is a convenient way to make sure you fully understand
the various ways that sportsbooks display betting odds, how much money you can
win on a bet, and to lock in the best odds for any NASCAR wager.

Live Betting Odds

When it comes to betting on NASCAR or any other sport, it’s important to get
the most accurate and up to date betting lines available. Our live odds feature
will provide you with the latest betting odds on a wide range of sports for many
of the industry’s top betting sites.

Manage Your NASCAR Bankroll

As mentioned above, managing your NASCAR bankroll is imperative to becoming a
successful sports bettor. Check out these tips on how to improve your management
skills and possibly increase your overall bankroll.

Handicapping NASCAR

For the more experienced bettors out there, learn the fundamentals of
handicapping so that you can start applying these principles to the sport of
NASCAR and possibly make more money.

The Essentials of Sports Betting

If you are a beginner or just need a refresher, then check out our Sports
Betting Essentials guide. It’s a comprehensive tool to help you better
understand the ins and outs of sports betting. Sharpen your sports betting
skills, and learn how to bet like the pros.

NASCAR Betting Sites by Event

NASCAR is a 9-month long season, including the playoffs. For those who bet on NASCAR, this lengthy season provides a
lot of fantastic NASCAR betting opportunities. The best NASCAR betting sites have odds for every event during the regular
and post season. This includes weekly Monster Energy Cup Series races, All-Star races, Xfinity or Gander Outdoors Truck races,
and more. In fact some of the best online betting sites for NASCAR also have prop bets that cover qualifying and matchups for specific
notable events during the season like the following:

The Checkered Flag for NASCAR Betting Sites

If you are serious about making money, then it all starts with the online
betting site you choose. We’ve already done the hard work researching each and
every major betting site in order to bring you a list of the best NASCAR betting
sites that you can be confident in. Go ahead and open an account today!

NASCAR betting is really taking off, much like the rest of the legal sports betting industry across the US.

From February through November each year, the NASCAR calendar is jam-packed. For 2020 that translates into 41 racing events and televised races nearly every weekend for 10 months.

That opens up a lot of opportunity for sports bettors. The thrill of live stock car racing featuring the best drivers in the world can be tough to top, but adding a little skin in the game doesn’t hurt.

NASCAR is well aware that business is booming when it comes to sports betting. To that end, the circuit is doing what it can to make things even easier for NASCAR betting. NASCAR signed a deal with Genius Sports to become the exclusive data provider. As part of the deal, Genius is enhancing NASCAR live betting for sportsbooks.

Here’s everything you need to know about betting on NASCAR, including the best online sportsbooks at which to bet.

Best NASCAR betting apps

How to bet on NASCAR online

Dozens of states have now climbed on board and given a green light to legal sports betting. Most have a mix of retail and online sportsbooks available, with some still trying to get online and mobile betting on track.

Here are the states that have emerged as the most online sports betting-friendly so far:

A number of neighboring states, including New York and Illinois, are in the process of finalizing their online sports betting pacts. In the interim, those in New York can head to New Jersey, or Chicago residents can go to Indiana to take advantage of online betting apps.

You can do all of the account work from home, including registering and funding your account, and then simply head across the state border to place your bets. You can then head back home and withdraw any winnings from there.

While betting in-person at a legal sportsbook can be a great experience, it’s tough to compete with the convenience of online sportsbooks and betting apps. Having a sportsbook at your fingertips lets you take advantage of betting opportunities as they develop, especially when we’re talking about live betting on NASCAR.

Biggest NASCAR races & series to bet on

There are 41 races open for betting on the 2020 NASCAR schedule. Naturally, some of the races are just bigger than others. Here’s a look at the races that will attract a ton of attention in the coming year from both viewers and bettors.

Bet on Daytona 500

• When: Sunday, Feb. 14, at 2:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida
• How to Watch: FOX
• 2020 Winner: Denny Hamlin

NASCAR is unlike others in the sporting world in that one of its biggest racing events kicks off the season. The Daytona 500 attracts plenty of eyeballs to the screen, as well as a ton of betting interest. You can review the lines for the Daytona 500 below.

View odds for all of the drivers in the Daytona 500 at DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook and BetMGM.

Can You Bet On Nascar Races Results

Bet on Coca-Cola 600

• When: Sunday, May 30, at 6 p.m. ET
• Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina
• How to Watch: FOX
• 2020 Winner: Brad Keselowski

The longest race on the NASCAR calendar is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year. A 600-mile race is quite the endurance test, and it also opens up plenty of live betting opportunities. The odds on the Coca-Cola 600 are expected around the first week of May.

Bet on Brickyard 400

• When: Sunday, Aug. 15, at 3:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana
• How to Watch: NBC
• 2020 Winner: Kevin Harvick

Perhaps the most iconic venue in all of auto racing plays host to the biggest NASCAR race of the summer. The dog days of summer can be kind of slow from a sports betting perspective, so this signature event captures plenty of attention. The lines on the Brickyard 400 should be available by mid-June.

Bet on NASCAR Cup Series Championship

• When: Sunday, Nov. 7, at 3 p.m. ET
• Where: Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona
• How to Watch: NBC
• 2020 Winner: Chase Elliott

This is the final event of the season, and the NASCAR Cup champion will officially be crowned upon its completion. There’s a ton of betting interest at stake in this race, not to mention plenty of anxious futures bettors hoping to finally cash in their tickets.

While the above five races are the most popular on the calendar, plenty of attention is given to each of the other races as well. NASCAR runs off of a points system, so every lap in every race counts.

Drivers are awarded points based on their finishing position, as well as for things such as laps led and fastest lap. Points are tallied up all season long, and the top 16 will make it into the playoffs.

The points system continues through that series of races, which culminates at the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, where the season-long champion is officially crowned.

NASCAR betting odds explained

You’ll find live betting odds for NASCAR races at all major sportsbooks, including our recommended online sportsbooks and betting apps. This year, there should be even more betting opportunities.

That’s thanks to the aforementioned partnership between NASCAR and Genius. In a nutshell, Genius has put together a betting platform that’s specific to NASCAR. The first tastes were unveiled in 2019, but it’s expected to reach a new level in 2021.

That’ll open the door to even more live betting and prop bets, but there remains plenty of standard ways to bet on NASCAR, as well. Here’s a look at the most popular bet types.

NASCAR types of bets

• Race winner: For this bet you simply pick which driver you think will win the race. Odds for weekend races are generally released early in the week, while bigger events such as the Daytona 500 may pop up well in advance.
• Top-three finish: If you like a driver to perform well in an upcoming race but aren’t completely sold that the driver will win, then consider placing a top-three wager. As long as your selected driver places in the top three of the upcoming race, you have a winning ticket.
• Pole position: Before the official race gets underway, drivers will compete in a qualifier to determine pole position for the race itself. Yep, you can bet on this, too. This is a good spot for those who have a good sense of drivers who kill it in qualifiers.
• Lap times: Think you know which driver will record the fastest lap during the race? Then place your bets. This is one of the many NASCAR bets that can help enhance the overall enjoyment of the race and keep you engaged throughout.
• Driver head-to-head matchups: A head-to-head driver matchup is just like placing a money line bet on a team-based sport. Oddsmakers will put together matchups of drivers competing in the race, and you can browse through all of them to find your favorite opportunities.

These are some of the most popular types of bets for betting on NASCAR. Other NASCAR bet types include the following:

NASCAR futures

A futures bet is a wager that’s placed on an event yet to happen. For NASCAR, options will vary depending on operator, but these are the two most popular bets in that market.

• Who will win the Daytona 500?
• Which driver will win the NASCAR Championship?

In both cases, you’ll find odds listed just like any other futures market. There will be favorites with short odds, others in the middle, and long shots who aren’t considered to have much of a chance. For example, here were the opening betting favorites to win this year’s Daytona 500, courtesy of DraftKings.

• Denny Hamlin +550
• Joey Logano +650
• Kyle Larson +700
• Aric Almirola +750
• Alex Bowman +900

See the full Daytona 500 odds table above. For the latest futures odds, always check your preferred sportsbook.

You may also find NASCAR futures available for other major races, as well as season-long accomplishments such as which driver will earn the most points and which driver will have the most wins.

NASCAR prop bets

A prop bet is essentially a side wager on something that may happen during the race. Once again, offerings will vary, but we anticipate seeing some solid opportunities in 2020 due to the expansion of NASCAR betting. Some of the opportunities you may see include:

• How many crashes will there be in the race?
• Which manufacturer will have the winning vehicle?
• How many caution flags will appear during the race?
• How many drivers will finish the race?

In addition, you should see prop bets specific to drivers competing in the race. For example, a prop could focus on the finishing position for one of the drivers, such as Joey Logano.

• Over 4.5 +110
• Under 4.5 -130

If you think Logano is a lock for fourth or better, then take your chances for a potentially solid return. If you think he’s due to fall flat, then go for the under and still be in line for a nice payday if that comes to fruition.

NASCAR live betting

Live betting opportunities for NASCAR are expected to improve significantly in 2020. Part of the deal with Genius Sports is geared toward enhancing offerings for sportsbooks to present to end users.

Once the race gets underway, you may see opportunities similar to what you were betting on in advance of the race, such as:

• Outright winner of the race.
• Top three finishers.
• Fastest lap in the race.
• Who will win the most laps?
• Over/under on finishing positions for drivers.

Odds and markets are fast-paced in live betting, so be prepared to move quickly when intriguing opportunities emerge. You can also exercise patience and get a feel for how the race is going before checking in on live odds.

From that point, check back regularly as the action unfolds on the track.

Free NASCAR Pick ’Em contests

For the 2020 NASCAR season, NBC unveiled a free-to-play NASCAR game that was a hit with viewers. NBC is a broadcast partner once again, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the game offered again and perhaps even significantly enhanced.

Fox is another TV partner for NASCAR, and the media giant has entered the sports betting world via its Fox Bet platform. Expect to see some tie-ins with the races, including free-play opportunities.

As for other sportsbooks, the best course of action is to keep your eyes peeled for promotions. All of our recommended operators have regular sets of ongoing promotions, and they also aren’t shy about adding new ones as big events approach.

Opt-in for promotional emails when you open your account to be notified. As new promos are unveiled, you can review them right in your inbox.

NASCAR sports betting tips

Before diving in to NASCAR betting, get a handle on the NASCAR schedule. One of the cool things about the season is that the big races are run on weekends, so you have all week to dig in and research as time permits.

Next, take a look at the upcoming season. Which drivers look like they are in a position to make some serious noise? Answering that question isn’t easy, but there’s a place you can look for clues: the NASCAR futures market.

Take a look at the futures odds for major races and the season-long competition wherever they are available. The favorites on the betting board are those who are naturally expected to have solid campaigns.

In the middle, you’ll have drivers who could go one way or the other, followed by the long shots down at the bottom. Study the futures in advance of the season, and also get in the habit of checking the odds in that market each week.

If you see a driver who’s moving up the odds board, he could be the one to watch. The same holds true for drivers whose odds are growing longer. Paying attention to the futures market is a great way to get more familiar with the way the betting market is moving, as well as the general perception and performance of drivers as the season moves along.

As you approach the weekly races, it’s important to understand that each of the races on the schedule is an individual event and should be approached as such. The races are contested at varying lengths and on different tracks. There will be drivers who perform well on certain tracks and falter on others, and vice versa.

Spend some time understanding which drivers perform best under which circumstances. A little bit of research in this area can help you quickly come up with a shortlist of targets for the upcoming race.

Last but not least, pay attention to the news the week of the race. There will be qualifying pole position runs as well as practice heats. Who performed well? Who fell flat? Little nuggets of intel such as these can help point you toward some potentially profitable betting opportunities.

Single-race DFS for NASCAR

Beyond betting on NASCAR, you can also kick up the enjoyment level several notches by playing daily fantasy sports. Industry leaders DraftKings and FanDuel both offer DFS contests each time there’s a NASCAR race on the docket.

The concept is similar on both sites. You pick a team of drivers and stay under the predetermined salary cap. From there, you can enter the contests of your choosing.

You’ll find many types offered at varying buy-in points, ranging from low stakes 50/50s all the way up to high stakes tournaments with big prize pools.

The biggest difference on the two platforms is the number of drivers you’ll be selecting.

• On DraftKings: six drivers
• On FanDuel: five drivers

Scoring is similar on both spots. You’ll be awarded points for finishing position, as well as for other instances such as laps completed and laps led.

NASCAR DFS can be lots of fun and potentially profitable. Those who sign up for new accounts at DraftKings and FanDuel via our links below are eligible for exclusive perks:

NASCAR betting FAQs

What does NASCAR stand for?

NASCAR stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.

How long do NASCAR races take?

Time varies for completed races as each track is different. Races are run at different lengths and with varying numbers of laps each week. For a general rule of thumb, shorter races can be completed in around two hours or less, while longer races could take up to four or five hours.

How many drivers are there in a NASCAR race?

Generally, starting slots are reserved for 43 drivers. However, that doesn’t mean that all 43 will compete or finish the race. You’ll be able to research the final list of drivers in advance of start time, as any surprise or late scratches will be pulled off the odds board.

Which driver has won the Daytona 500 the most times?

Richard Petty is the all-time leader with seven wins at the Daytona 500. Cale Yarborough is next on the list with four wins. Bobby Allison, Dale Jarrett, Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin are tied for third with three wins each.

When are NASCAR odds released?

For the weekly races, odds are generally released early in the week for events that take place over the upcoming weekend. When it’s a bigger event such as the Daytona 500, many sportsbooks will release the odds well in advance. In addition, there’s also a futures market in NASCAR betting for things such as the winner of the NASCAR Cup.

How does the NASCAR playoff work?

All season long, drivers are jockeying for position on the NASCAR Cup series leaderboard. Points are tallied up for 26 regular season races. Drivers earn points based on how well they finish in the race, as well as things such as fastest lap and number of laps led. The top 16 drivers advance to the playoff round where they compete in another series of races. The ultimate winner is determined once the final race of the season, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, is in the books.