How To Bet On NASCAR?

Where Is NASCAR Betting Legal

Legal NASCAR betting is growing more popular in several states, with the use of mobile apps and retail sportsbooks. Finding a place to bet on NASCAR online is easier than ever before. Since the Supreme Court ruling in May 2018, the market for sports betting has grown vastly. Many states have  jumped on board quickly including Delaware, New Jersey, Mississippi, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York, and Arkansas as they all launched some form of legal sports betting, not long after the PASPA was overturned

As of March 2023, The following states all have a legal and regulated sports betting industry, where you can wager on NASCAR:

How To Bet On NASCAR 

Betting on NASCAR is one of the most popular wagering options for fans of auto racing. It has a massive following in the United States, and a busy schedule of events taking place at tracks across the country running from February until November. 

Betting sites will set their NASCAR odds based on a driver’s current form, including their track record at a certain race track or others of a similar nature. Other odds influences include how a specific team has been running, and how well a driver qualifies for the specific event. 

The best way to bet on a NASCAR event is to look at a driver’s stats at a specific track. Pickswise’s team of NASCAR experts follow all of the action and news leading up to race day to make the most informed and well-researched NASCAR picks during race week. Particularly during qualifying you can pick up on key details for how the race may pan out, and our experts use this research among other factors to find the best value NASCAR picks for each weekend’s race. 

We put in the time for you and be sure to check out our NASCAR predictions all season long. 

What Are the Different Series Within NASCAR?

There are a number of developmental series in NASCAR, but the top three series are the Craftsman Truck Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Cup Series. 

NASCAR’s rising stars are first molded in the Craftsman Truck Series. Formed in 1995, this series features a 36-car field and is home to some of the developmental or feeder teams for the Xfinity and Cup teams. Top teams include Kyle Busch Motorsports, GMS Racing as well as Thorsport Racing. 

After the Trucks Series comes the real proving ground, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where tomorrow’s stars are made. The Xfinity Series has been a mainstay in NASCAR since the 1980s and features a 40-car field. Joe Gibbs Racing, Kaulig Racing and JR Motorsports are some of the many teams featured in this series, as they prepare drivers to make the jump to the top level of the sport. 

The top level of NASCAR is the Cup Series. This has been the pinnacle of the sport since 1949. The field size can vary from 37 to 40 cars depending on the race. This series features championship winning teams including Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing, among many others. It also features a 36-race schedule. 

Ways To Bet On NASCAR 

There are many ways you make a wager in NASCAR, whether it is on a single event’s race winner, or the top five finishers of the race. Others will take a shot at who will win the Series Championship at season’s end. 

All three of NASCAR’s series have odds so, that gives you plenty of chances to play on a given weekend. Odds usually come out a few days prior to the event.  Check out the most popular NASCAR betting markets below. 

Money Line Betting – To Win The Race Bets

Easily the most common and simplest way to bet on a NASCAR race is to take an outright winner of the race. You can pick which driver you think will take home the trophy. The money line odds are based primarily on a driver’s current form and history at a specific track. The numbers won’t stay at the starting line, as many drivers’ odds will move due to fans picking that specific driver. Race winner odds are displayed as a long list of each driver name with an odds value assigned to each of them. 

Here is an example of the top five 5 favorites for a race:

Kyle Larson +500

Kyle Busch +600

Ross Chastain +800

Tyler Reddick +900

William Byron +1200

Podium Finish Betting

Another popular bet for a NASCAR race is whether or not a driver will finish on the podium, which means the first three places in the race. This is a good choice for someone who isn’t sure on picking the winner outright. This will pay out as long as the driver chosen finishes in one of the top three positions. The odds will be a lot shorter than far an outright win bet, but the risk is lower too. This is a good bet for beginners. 

Here is an example of some of the best top 3 bets for a race:

Kyle Larson +175

Kyle Busch +225

Ross Chastain +250

Matchup Betting

Head-to-Head or Match-up betting pits two drivers against each other. Bettors will be able to choose which one of the two drivers they think will finish higher than the other. Each driver will have an odds value assigned based on current and past success along with their starting position for the race. It doesn’t matter where in the field the drivers finish, just which one finishes first, whether that’s 2nd vs 4th or 12th vs 23rd.

Here’s an example of a Match-Up Bet
Which Driver will have a higher finish?

Kyle Larson -140 or Kyle Busch +110

Group Betting

This category is for those who want to try their hand at picking which team will win the race. Each team’s cars are prepared in the same way and have the same equipment, so if one goes well, the others should too. If you think a team will have a good race but aren’t sure which of its drivers will do best, this could be the bet for you. This can be easily described as Which NASCAR team will win the race? 

An example of a Group Bet

Joe Gibbs Racing +150

Hendrick Motorsports +165

Team Penske +550

Stewart-Haas Racing +800

Futures Betting

Futures Betting in NASCAR is usually done at the beginning of the season, before any races have taken place. The biggest Futures bet is for who will win the Series Championship. Those odds will start out high at the beginning of the season, and will be updated throughout the season. The odds will adjust tor records and events throughout the season, and the field will be reduced as drives are eliminated and other drivers qualify for each stage of the playoffs, until it is down to the final four for the season finale race. 

An example of a Futures Bet

Kyle Larson +600

William Byron +650

Chase Elliott +700

Kyle Busch +750

Top Position Betting (Top-5, Top-10 etc)

Even if you think a certain driver is valuable to pick during a race, but don’t feel confident enough that they will win the race outright. You can bet on if they will finish inside the top 3, top 5 or even a top 10 finish. Those bets have a lot shorter odds than an outright winner, but there’s less risk due to the large range of possible finishing positions. 

An example of a possible Finish Prop:

Denny Hamlin  Top 3 (+300) Top 5 (-118) Top 10 (-375)

Kyle Larson  Top 3 (-112 ) Top 5 (-200) Top 10 (-670)

Other Props 

There are a number of other possible Prop Bets or NASCAR bets worth considering including Winning Manufacturer, Car Number of Race Winner, Any driver to win both Stage 1 and Stage 2 and Which driver will be the top finisher of the car they drive?

Here are some examples:
Manufacturer of WInning Car –  Chevrolet +135, Toyota +145, Ford +280

Car Number of Race Winner-  Odd -137 Even +106

Any Driver to win both Stage 1 and Stage 2- No -1250 Yes +600

Five Ways To Bet Better On NASCAR  

Know the Tracks

Don’t just go into betting on a NASCAR race and take the top five best odds, because they won’t always win. There are a number of different types of tracks in the 36-race schedule, including tracks of less than a mile, 1.5-mile tracks, 2-mile tracks and the superspeedways, along with road courses. Many drivers excel on different tracks, and struggle on others. Just because a certain driver has looked strong on a 1.5-mile track doesn’t mean he will be good on a 2-mile track like Michigan International Speedway. Find out what track types suit your favorite drivers before placing a bet. Some teams even bring in specialist drivers for road courses if their regular driver prefers ovals. 

Momentum is Real

Momentum can really be a big thing in the racing world, and that is very true in NASCAR. If a driver suddenly finds his mojo he could pick up back-to -back wins, maybe just through improve confidence, or it could be that his team have made a breakthrough with his car set-up. Momentum can be negative too, as some drivers have slumps throughout a season, losing confidence in their cars. Be mindful of the highs and lows of racing when placing your bets.

Stats don’t Lie

Stats are your best friend when it comes to NASCAR. Like any sport, statistics are always worth looking at. There are plenty of stats and records available when betting NASCAR. While betting on a hunch or going with your gut might work sometimes, trusting the stats tends to be a smarter approach. To put together a good run of winning bets, you have to take drivers that are strong statistically at a certain track. At the specialist tracks such as Darlington for example, cars that race well there one year may well be at the top of the leaderboard again 12 months later, even if they have not been going so well elsewhere.

Teamwork makes the dream work

Teamwork is a key factor in NASCAR, as much as it is in any stick or ball sport. A pit crew and spotter are important components of any driver’s success and the crew chief might be the second most important person on the team. If the pit strategy doesn’t work out, then there is not much the driver can do. If a driver has difficulties with their team, then the morale of the whole team can easily affect the outcome of races. Not just that, in NASCAR most drivers have two, or three other teammates on the race track. Those teammates can also help a driver who is in the thick of the playoff battle. Teammates and teamwork is a key to racing at Superspeedways such as Daytona and Talladega, as the draft plays a big role in who wins.

Weather is always a factor

You may wonder how weather can affect the outcome of a race but it happens all the time. A hotter track tends to lead to a slick racing surface and can make the cars a lot tougher to control. A cool race track means more grip. The cooler temperatures can also affect the air getting to the engine, which is why you can see teams putting tape on the grill of the car at some tracks. What you need to know about as a bettor is how the conditions might affect the driver you are placing your bet on. NASCAR is certainly a sport that works better in certain conditions, and there are drivers who tend to perform better in particular scenarios. You might think your driver pick is safe, but if rain comes into play the whole race outlook can change dramatically. 

Expert NASCAR Betting Strategies

Basic

Always plan ahead when betting on NASCAR, or any other sport for that matter. Don’t burn all your money on the first race. Play it safe and strategically. If you are new at this start with a basic strategy of going for a top 10 or a top five, don’t just jump on the big money line for the race winner. That doesn’t always work out especially if you take the favorite, a number of things could quickly take that driver out of contention.

Don’t pick your drivers without knowing where, when and who is in the race. It pays off if you know the schedule ahead of time. Knowing the field especially helps when betting on a Truck or Xfinity Series race, as some Cup drivers from time-to-time will be racing in the lower-tier series. 

Intermediate

It is smart to check track trends throughout the season, especially when NASCAR makes a return to a track they have visited earlier in the season. The 1.5-mile tracks often play out the same way. Short tracks will have a lot of bumping and banging, so sometimes it is smarter to avoid the heavy favorites. Always be sure to check if it is going to be a hot day when NASCAR visits Las Vegas, as that track is always slick.

There are a vast number of sites that offer NASCAR odds. If you are comfortable with a certain site, then go with that one, but don’t be scared to shop the odds. Compare the different sites as sometimes the odds may be very different. Some sites may also offer more prop bets than others. 

Advanced

Another key factor to keep in mind is the different types of pit strategies teams will use on race day. Whether they take two tires or four tires can make or break a driver’s day – taking two tires provides less grip, but the pit-stop takes less time, so it can improve a driver’s track position. Sometimes taking fuel only may pay off. Just because a driver is on a certain strategy doesn’t mean it will always work out, as cautions almost always present themselves throughout the race. 

It is also smart to remember the trends of the different races. Late-race cautions always have drivers and their crews on their feet. When picking drivers for a race, look for drivers that have a strong history at a specific track. It isn’t always smart to take someone who has won at another track of the same length because the form doesn’t always translate to other tracks. A driver’s average finish is also a helpful indicator for which drivers to take each week.

Things To Avoid When Betting On NASCAR  

1. Avoid drivers who struggle at a specific track or type of track. If they have not been able to work it out at a particular venue, fade them until they show any sign of figuring it out.
2. Don’t always take the top favorite to win. It could be smarter to take the same driver for a top-five finish than a victory at times. No driver is perfect either, so always picking the favorite isn’t a smart move in a sport with so many random factors that can affect the result.
3. Track type can be a big contributor in determining which drivers to pick each week. Don’t take the same driver to win every week as at some point you’ll be backing them at a place that doesn’t suit them..
4. There are also tracks where it is best to leave the longshots well alone. These are the more predictable tracks such as Michigan, Bristol or Darlington, where the same drivers will typically dominate each year. Kyle Busch has been a strong bet at Bristol throughout his career, for example. At Darlington Raceway the winner is usually one of the top drivers of the sport. It’s one of the sport’s toughest tracks to learn, hence its nickname the ‘Track Too Tough To Tame’.