Motor racing is fast and furious and with races competed at breakneck speeds, its high-octane style makes it extremely popular with sports fans. Although Formula 1 tends to attract the majority of the headlines, there are hundreds of other popular events taking place throughout the course of the year including Speedway, NASCAR, and the World Rally Championships.
Types of Bets
There will be different markets depending on the event, although the majority of reputable betting sites will have odds available on the Race Winner, Podium Finish, and Driver’s Championship. These are extremely popular with punters and are relatively simple ways of wagering on motorsport events.
Race Winner
This is the most straightforward market and is simply a case of predicting which driver will take the chequer’s flag. If you’re betting on this market, your chosen driver must be the first to cross the line.
Podium Finish
The podium finish market is also a popular way to bet on motorsport. If you’re betting on this market, your chosen driver must finish in one of the top three positions. If your chosen driver is victorious, however, you will still get paid out at the same odds.
Top Ten Finish
This is the ideal market for betting on unfashionable or out-of-form drivers. Your chosen driver does not need to win the race or finish on the podium, but they will need to finish in one of the top ten positions. Looking for underrated drivers is the key in this market, as the majority of successful drivers tend to be priced up at relatively prohibitive odds.
Fastest Lap Time
This is particularly popular with F1 bettors and requires you to select the driver who will record the fastest lap. This can be achieved at any point during the race and isn’t necessarily recorded by the eventual race winner.
Driver’s Championship
This is a market that is extremely popular ahead of the new racing season and it requires you to pick the driver who collects the most points throughout the entire year. There are often very few surprises in this market as over time, the best drivers tend to rise to the top.
Under/Over Rider Points
This is a popular betting market with Speedway fans and is based on the points which are accumulated throughout the course of an event. You need to predict how many points a rider will pick up and this is often set by the bookmakers. For example Under/Over 3.5 points.
Things to Consider Before Betting on Motorsport
Races can be decided on extremely fine margins and there are numerous factors that can influence and dictate the outcome of an event. As a result, it is imperative that you understand the rules and have followed the sport for at least a few months before placing a bet.
Conditions
Race conditions can play a significant role in determining the outcome of a race. The weather can play a huge part in Formula One with both levels of grip and braking ability constantly changing throughout the course of the race. All motorsport events can be impacted by adverse weather conditions and it’s strongly advised to look for drivers who have coped admirably in these types of situations OR those who are used to driving at a specific track (locally-based drivers or natives).
Mental Health/Potential Distractions
Although many motorsport fans often put their favorite drivers on pedestals, it must be remembered that the majority of these competitors are human beings who can be positively or negatively affected by outside influences. If you’re aware of a driver or rider who has endured a punishing schedule or there is a competitor who is dealing with problems at home, it may be worth swerving them completely. Likewise, drivers who are settled and are based locally may benefit from short journeys and ample practice time tend to show improved performance levels. Although this can be hard to quantify, the rise of social media has given fans increased access to their favorite sports stars.
Team Dynamics
In some motorsport events, two or three drivers may be representing the same team or manufacturer. As a result, there may be a hierarchy and this may play a part in determining the outcome or a race. Drivers must follow team orders and they may include letting the other team member pass in order to accumulate additional points in the driver’s championship. Although it is unlikely to have a significant impact on the outcome of every race, it may come into play at least once a season. Armed with this knowledge, punters may be able to second guess the team orders and use it to their advantage when betting on markets such as race winner or top ten finish.
Horses for Courses
In motorsport, some drivers just enjoy driving or riding at specific venues. This may be down to locality, track layout or occasionally, this can simply be put down to sheer coincidence. Looking through a driver’s history (at all levels and disciplines) is the best way to work out how a driver might perform. Similarly, a driver may struggle at a particular track and just simply cannot perform to their best at this venue.
Injuries
This is particularly prominent in speedway. Riders travel thousands of miles each year and are involved in rigorous riding exercises on a daily basis. As a consequence, injuries are often picked up and this can greatly affect the outcome of a contest. Riders coming back from injuries (short term or long term) may often need a few weeks to get back up to speed and this has to be considered when it comes to the betting.
