NASCAR is an adrenaline-pumping motor race, and betting on it just adds to the thrills for racing enthusiasts. For hours on end, lap after lap, drivers are literally putting their lives on the line, and they can’t afford to lose focus for a split second.Â
With sports betting becoming legal in more and more places, you can now put your money on the line as well, and we’ll show you how in this tutorial about NASCAR odds.
There’s a lot more to betting on racing than choosing the winning driver, car, or team from a gambling standpoint. In truth, the labor of a seasoned NASCAR gambler begins far before race day, which we will dive into below.
The week leading up to each race is just as important as historical data from the past in determining how you should bet. And, because the season lasts almost all year, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice your betting techniques.Â
What is the Process of NASCAR Betting?Â
NASCAR betting is a little different than the four main North American sports’ typical betting lines. Given that we’re dealing with a race rather than a game with points runs, or goals, it’s not surprising that it’s different.Â
However, many of the basic betting notions are identical to those seen when betting on other sports. When it comes to NASCAR betting, the moneyline and over/under are the most critical concepts to grasp.Â
Moneyline Betting
If you’ve ever wagered on other major sports, you’re probably familiar with moneyline odds. The moneyline is a wager on which team will win a game in other sports. You wager on which driver will win the race in NASCAR.Â
The odds are similar to those in other sports and are generally displayed in American odds, commonly known as moneyline odds. It’s a mechanism for casinos to manage how much you win in relation to how much you wager, and if you grasp the basics, it’s really simple.Â
Moneyline odds are displayed as a three-digit figure beginning with a plus or minus sign. For instance:Â
Jeff Gordon (+900)
In this case, a $100 wager on Jeff Gordon will result in a total payout of $1,000 ($900 profit plus your original $100 wager).
Over/Under Betting
This type of wager is also widespread in other sports, including NASCAR betting. To begin, the sportsbook will set a line on how many times something will occur in the race, and your task will be to decide whether you believe there will be more than the line (Over) or less than the line (Under).Â
A typical race Over/Under line will identify a certain driver and his or her finishing place. For instance:Â
Finishing Position: Jimmie Johnson – Under 6.5 Over 6.5
The amount you win in both circumstances is decided by the odds, which are established by sportsbook oddsmakers. These odds will generally be in the -110 range for whichever odds you choose.
Prop Bets
Prop bets, or proposition bets, are a type of wager that involves a variety of different types of wagers that aren’t about which driver will win.Â
A futures bet is one of the most popular prop bets in NASCAR. This is a gamble on a result that will occur far later in the season. Picking who will win the Monster Energy Cup title at the conclusion of the season is the most popular futures bet in NASCAR. The odds will be given in the same way as the other wagers, with the exception that you will have to wait longer for the outcome.