NASCAR is one of the most popular motor racing standards in the US bar none, which makes it all the less surprising that there are more than a few NASCAR bet types for you to take advantage of.
More than just picking the outright winner of a race or season, you can fine-tune your betting to take advantage of a wide range of markets. This means that – for those punters who really like to get down into the nitty-gritty – this is a sport which is becoming more and more popular, even overseas.
As always, with NASCAR being an American sport, traditional betting on the races can work a little differently to UK standards – in that prop bets, matchups and futures can get involved – but with only a little bit of research, we’re sure you’ll be punting on the drivers like everyone else.
Here’s our guide to what to expect from NASCAR bet types.
NASCAR Race Winners
One of the most popular betting types in NASCAR is, of course, to pick an outright winner. This may seem simple, but it’s worth remembering that an outright win bet will depend on a number of factors.
Here’s what you should be looking out for if you’re aiming to punt your money on NASCAR race winners in the near future.
- Look closely at the form of each driver. When did they last win a race? What’s their form been like for the season?
- Look at the track records – how has each driver performed there specifically? Can you expect the same results from them again?
- Only consider betting on multiple drivers in a race carefully. The more bets you place, the more chance you’ll have of winning – but at the same time, you will also take away more losses, guaranteed. Only one driver can win!
NASCAR Prop Bets
Prop bets are a great way to make your punts that little bit more interesting. Proposition betting can be found across all US sports betting, and it tends to be favoured by those betters who like to open up the markets.
Nascar prop bets will simply require you to narrow down your betting options – in the sense that you’ll be able to place money on certain NASCAR events happening during a race, not just on who will be set to win. Consider, for example:
- How far ahead will the winner be by the end of the race?
- How many fouls or yellow flags will there be during a race?
- Who will come in second or third?
These are just vague examples – unlike other NASCAR bet types, prop betting really can get quite intricate and involved, which means it’s generally favoured by seasoned punters. In any case, if you’re feeling lucky and/or you’re already a huge NASCAR fan, it may well be time to start making a few prop punts.
We would definitely recommend William Hill shops along with Coral Betting stores if you are looking to place bets in a shop.
Futures Bets
Futures bets, as with other sports and events you can punt on, allow you to take advantage of your own clairvoyance. How do you think a season or cup is likely to end up? Who will win? Who will win the most races?
It’s all down to your predictive ability. You’ll largely get access to the best odds around before an event such as the Sprint Cup begins, meaning that in these circumstances it really does pay to take a closer look at driver form and ability, and how they’ve performed on certain tracks.
It’s worth remembering that any betters taking advantage of futures may not see money returned for quite some time – this is a slow-burning bet that’s worth putting on early, and worth leaving in the background while you take a look at other markets throughout the season or cup.
NASCAR Live Betting
NASCAR live betting is more popular than ever before. Unlike some other motorsports, NASCAR remains one of the least predictable and most open to change and chance.
This makes it the perfect opportunity for living betters to take advantage of in-play markets. In-play markets for live betting may include who wins each lap, lap times, and – of course – who’s set to win altogether.
Consider that, as racing has a habit of wildly changing from lap to lap, you’ll have access to betting on the events as and when they happen – so that’s less stress placed upon your predictive ability, at least.
Live betting isn’t for everyone, but it does open up a few more markets for those who are looking to dive deep into the sport.
NASCAR Matchup Bets
Otherwise known as the Speed Row, NASCAR matchup bets will allow you to pick a driver from a small selection – and you’re essentially betting on who you think will perform the best in a given race.
Match betting is split into two kinds, generally, which include head to head – where you’ll be asked to pick from one of two drivers – and wider matchups, where you’ll pick from a pool of up to six.
The latter of these, of course, will likely give you bigger returns if you’re right, but there’s more room for error.
What’s interesting with these NASCAR bet types is the fact that your chosen driver doesn’t have to win the race – they simply have to do better than the others in the matchup.
Therefore, in a head to head bet, if your pick finishes in 17th and the other in 23rd, you win the bet outright – as your pick raced better. Simple!
Remember, you can go to stores, like Ladbrokes, to place bets or you can place bets online. Make sure to check out the best betting sites if you are planning to place bets online.
NASCAR Top 3 Bets
NASCAR top 3 bets are seen as a little bit easier to bet on than your outrights or your matchups and can be considered something of a safe market.
Top 3 betting will allow you to pick from a complete starting grid as to who will finish on the final podium – less pressure than, say, if you’re having to choose the outright winner.
However, you’re still going to need to know a little bit about form, and what you can expect from the best drivers starting this specific race.
