The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, more commonly known as NASCAR, is one of the leading sports racing organizations in the world. With races and events taking place near enough every weekend, there’s plenty of action to enjoy.
But if you’re new to the sport, you may feel a little lost. It’s not immediately clear how the different series work, and there are different types of bets you can place, too.
So, in this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know, from the top NASCAR series to watch to our top betting tips.
How does NASCAR work?
NASCAR has been around since 1948 and has steadily grown into one of the most recognizable brands in sports car racing.
The organization sanctions around 1,500 races a year, which take place at over 100 tracks in 48 states throughout the US, as well as in Europe, Mexico, and Canada.
Competitions are arranged in series, and the most popular and the highest level in the sport is the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS). The NCS takes place over 10 months and consists of 36 races. The current reigning champion is Kyle Larson.
Another popular series and the second-highest level in the sport is the Xfinity Series. While this series has fewer races and less prize money available, more and more NCS drivers are competing, treating these races as warm-ups for bigger events.
And another popular series of races is the Camping World Truck Series, which features modified pickup trucks – a popular vehicle in some US states.
Top tips for betting on NASCAR
Unlike other sports in which you can place different types of bets on different outcomes, like over/under bets or covering a spread, betting on NASCAR is centered on deciding who will win. And this can be tricky – there are many things that can go wrong in a race, such as crashes, mechanical failures, or mistakes during pit stops.
For these reasons, the odds can be a little better. One type of bet that draws decent odds is futures betting. This is a long-term bet on who you think will win a series. Odds in futures betting do vary, especially as events unfold during the season. So, if you’re someone who likes a comeback, placing a well-timed bet on an outsider could pay off.
Another popular type of bet is to simply back the winner of a race or make place bets. While the first type of bet is self-explanatory, place betting involves backing a driver to finish in either the top three, top five or another number offered by the betting site. Place bets are useful for more conservative betting.
And a final type of bet you can make is head-to-head betting. Simply match up two drivers and decide which one will finish better placed. However, the odds can be much lower, so it’s always worth checking first to see if it’ll be worthwhile.
You can make all of these types of bets on most sports betting sites in MI, NY, and other states in the US. It’s generally best to do your research first, however, as some sites may specialize in racing sports whereas others may lean toward the likes of football and soccer.
How to get the best deals and bonuses
Given NASCAR’s popularity, there’s fierce competition among betting companies to attract new players to their sites. They do this in the form of bonuses, deals, and enhanced odds. And if you make the right choice, you could walk away with some extra cash.
A popular offer that’s made specifically to new players is the matched first bet or first deposit bonus. The premise is simple – when you make your first bet after opening a new account, the betting site will match it.
So, if you place a bet of $150, your stake will be doubled, at no extra cost to you, to $300.
Some betting sites offer to match first bets up to a massive $2,000. So, if you’re confident that Kevin Harvick is going to win his next race, you could get an extra 50% – that’s if he wins, of course.
You’ll find that betting sites have better offerings around the time of big races and events, so it’s always worthwhile doing your research. You may find that some other sites that you don’t use will offer better odds, or they may offer enhanced odds for specific races. This is another common bonus that is made available by some betting sites, specifically for NASCAR races.
