Sports Betting Tips: How to Bet on NASCAR

 

When your favorite NASCAR drivers first hit the track each year, you’re likely glued to the TV to see who finishes first. The thrill of the turns, the thrum of the engines, and the nail-biting conclusion of the final lap are all what makes this sport so great.

Watching at home (or even in person at the race) is a great way to show your fandom, but what if you could raise the stakes? Be the driver of your own fortunes when you try NASCAR betting.

NASCAR betting odds differ from other sports; there are no spread, money line, or over/under bets to choose from. And while you’ll be focused on picking drivers to win, there’s a lot more to NASCAR betting than simply throwing down some cash on who you expect to take first. Use our guide to learn how to bet on NASCAR during your next Vegas trip.

 

The NASCAR Sports Betting Basics

 

NASCAR betting odds are based on who is expected to win at any given race. This is usually displayed as a number with a plus sign in front of it. Drivers with higher odds to win have lower numbers, while underdogs have higher numbers.

Let’s say Driver 1 has +400 odds to win the race, and Driver 2 has +5,000 odds to win the race. Driver 1 has a much better chance of winning the race, so you’ll make less if you bet on them. Sometimes, these odds may also be displayed as fractions or decimals. In this case, they would be 4/1 and 5.0 and 50/1 and 51.0, respectively.

 

Different Types of NASCAR Bets

 

Basic Bets

The most basic bet you can make with NASCAR is a win outright bet. This is when you choose the driver you want to win. Using the above example, if you choose Driver 1 and bet $100, you’ll win $500 back — a $400 profit — if they win. As you can see, you have the potential to make a ton of money if an underdog driver wins, and since there can be up to 43 drivers in each race, there are always a ton of underdogs.

If you’re not sure who is going to win the race but have a hunch that a driver might at least make it to the podium, you can try a podium finish bet. All that driver has to do is finish in the top three for you to win. Just keep in mind that there is no difference in winnings whether the driver finishes in first or third. The odds on this bet will be lower than an outright win bet, but you can still earn big.

 

Advanced Bets

Once you master the above basic NASCAR bets, you can try something more complicated, like a driver matchup bet. In this NASCAR bet, the sportsbook will match up two drivers, and you have to decide which of them you think will beat the other. This doesn’t mean they have to win; it just means they have to beat the other driver. Because the sportsbook is in control of the matchup, you might see a wide variety of pairs, including drivers from the middle of the pack or drivers expected to be in the top or bottom.

Another thing to bet on is who will have the fastest lap time. This counts the driver who records the single fastest lap during the race — not the qualifying lap.

 

Prop Bets

One type of NASCAR betting that varies for each race is prop betting. This is when you bet on a random event happening during the race. It could be something as simple as choosing the car manufacturer that will win or something more complicated, like picking the driver who will lead the most laps.

Most prop bets are classified as skilled or unskilled. Skilled prop bets require you to have NASCAR knowledge (like choosing which driver will lead the most laps), while unskilled prop bets are more innocuous and based more on chance (like the number of caution flags in the race).

Prop bets might not be on offer for every race of the year, but you can definitely expect them for the bigger ones. 

 

How to Bet on NASCAR in Vegas

 

Now that you understand how to bet on NASCAR, it’s time to place your bets. Circa Sports is the ultimate sportsbook in Las Vegas for NASCAR sports betting. Stop by the the D or Circa Resort in Downtown Las Vegas to place your bets in person. Can’t make it into the sportsbook? Download the Circa Sports app on iOS or Android to have your bookie right in your pocket and bet wherever you are in Nevada.

Whether in person or on the app, join Circa Sports for your premier place to bet on NASCAR in Vegas.