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The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LCC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company. However, many of us know it best for stock car racing – especially when it comes to betting.
NASCAR traces its roots back to moonshine runners during prohibition who grew to compete against each other, notably in North Carolina. Considered as one of the top-ranked motorsports organizations in the world, NASCAR draws some of the largest crowds of spectators in the US. But when it comes to understanding NASCAR betting, do you think you know what it takes to get into pole position?
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What is NASCAR betting?
Back in 1935 in Daytona Beach, Bill France Senior started to establish races for what we now know as NASCAR. But by 1948, the series was fully founded, with races held in several divisions. This eventually ended up morphing into the modern-day ‘ladder’:
- The Cup Series at the top
- Xfinity Series in second position
- Truck Series in third
- And any smaller series below
Since it became a proper racing franchise, bettors have been able to enjoy placing NASCAR bets in-person and through online sportsbooks. Before placing a bet on NASCAR, you’ll need to decide which online sportsbook you want to bet with. NASCAR betting will focus on the next upcoming race, with futures bets running simultaneously on who will win the championship. The outcome of each race will affect certain futures betting odds.
New players should start with straightforward bets like ‘race winner’ or a ‘futures bet’ on who will win the championship. Once you’ve made a few NASCAR bets, you can move on to more advanced bet types like place bets, head-to-head, and prop betting.
As well as welcome bonuses, you can take advantage of a range of regular sportsbook promotions during the season. Signing up to more than one site for NASCAR betting will also allow you to get your hands on multiple welcome bonuses.
NASCAR Betting Example
The below example of a NASCAR bet shows you how NASCAR betting works at most sportsbooks. Remember that it’s always worth looking around to find the best odds available.
At the time of writing, the 2023 NASCAR season was well underway, with Martin Truex Junior the favorite to win the drivers’ championship at +400. If we had backed the New Jersey-born racer to prevail through the playoffs with a stake of $100, it would return $500: $400 in winnings plus your $100 stake back.
This betting market remains open until a championship winner is confirmed. The odds will likely fluctuate greatly during the rest of the season. Always check the terms and conditions with your sportsbook before making any substantial bet.
How to Place a NASCAR Bet
Let’s take a closer look at the process of how to place a NASCAR bet from beginning to end. We’re using BetOnline for our example, one of our recommended offshore sportsbooks for NASCAR betting. That said, the process tends to be very similar regardless of which online betting site you choose.
1. Make an Account
Unless you already have an account, you’ll need to join and create one. Navigate to the lobby of the site and press the ‘Join now’ button in the top right-hand corner.
2. Enter Personal Details
You’ll now need to enter personal details such as your name, date of birth, email address, and create a password.
3. Make a Deposit and Claim Any Welcome Bonus
Once you have passed any identity checks, you need to deposit funds into your account using one of the payment methods such as credit/debit cards or cryptos. Be sure to utilize any welcome bonus offered by the sportsbook for creating an account.
4. Navigate to NASCAR Betting Markets
Once you have cash in your account, head back to the homepage of the sportsbook. Scan down the options and select NASCAR (when available). This will load all the available betting markets in the sport, where you can choose between upcoming races and futures bets.
5. Place Your NASCAR Bet
Once you decide on the market and odds you want to bet on, you just need to select it to add it to your betslip. Finally, you’ll need to decide how much you want to stake. Whatever number you choose will produce the amount you will win and the potential total payout. When you’re ready, place your bet.
Types of NASCAR Bets
There are a vast array of bet types to make on NASCAR races and some differ from the way you would ordinarily bet on motorsports. You need know what’s available before you can truly understand how to bet on NASCAR.
NASCAR Race Winner
Probably the simplest NASCAR bet type, backing the race winner means betting on the driver you think will win a race. You might also hear this called ‘outright winner’, but remember, many NASCAR races can have up to 40 drivers in a field. You could bet on multiple different drivers or build an accumulator to increase the odds.
Pole Position
Pole position is similar to race winner – you are betting on the driver who finishes in the top spot, but this is only for qualifying races. Each driver races on an empty track before the big event to see who can get the fastest time, affecting the position in which they will start the race.
Fastest Lap of the Race
This type of NASCAR bet is won by betting correctly on the driver who logs the fastest lap time. This can take place at any point during a race, it doesn’t matter where the driver finishes in the standings.
Podium Finish
To finish on the NASCAR podium, drivers must place either third, second, or first in the race. This market allows bettors to back drivers who might come from nowhere to surprise the field and rank in the top three.
NASCAR Futures Betting
Longer-term bets are often called ‘futures’, where you bet on something to happen weeks, months, or even years in the future. A popular futures bet is betting on which driver will win the NASCAR Cup at the end of the series. Futures bets often provide better value than weekly wagers as there’s a lot more volatility over the course of a campaign.
Head-to-Head Bets
This type of bet sees sportsbooks pitting two drivers against one another – you decide who will finish better by betting on one of them. The odds are often lower than future bets. They usually resemble similar odds to team sports where one team is an underdog and another a favorite.
Live/In-Play NASCAR Betting
Live betting – also known as in-play betting – encompasses all the bet types mentioned above, with the key difference being that they take place while the action is ongoing. During a live bet, you have the option to cash out your winning bets before the NASCAR event finishes. Sportsbooks can also offer enhanced odds and bet boosts on live bets.
NASCAR Betting Tips and Strategies
Getting to know NASCAR races and tournaments might seem complicated at first, but the premise of NASCAR betting is simple. By using our betting tips and strategies, you can make money out of your bets.
Back the Track
As there are so many different tracks that NASCAR drivers race on, some will naturally favor certain circuits more than others. Whether a dirt track, road course, short-track oval, or superspeedway, the race location is pivotal to how your driver will fare. Do your research and always pair up good drivers and tracks they’ve liked (and performed well on) in the past.
Look for Drivers With Momentum
Like many team and individual sports, momentum is imperative to NASCAR success. Drivers often go on hot streaks, so identifying this in real-time can be particularly lucrative for betting. Conversely, you should also watch out for when to drop drivers who are in poor form.
Pick Motivated Drivers
Motivation plays a key role in NASCAR, given the points-scoring system. The best drivers are naturally more likely to win races, but towards the end of the season, those battling at the top table might feel some extra motivation.
Analyze NASCAR Teams and Crews
Behind each driver is a dedicated team of many parts that helps ensure everything runs smoothly on race day. Pit crews and crew chiefs are vital behind the scenes. They have a big impact on race performances, so you need to know about the good and bad ones.
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National NASCAR Series
There are three main national series when it comes to NASCAR, as well as international, regional, and even online series. You might encounter all of the following series when betting on NASCAR.
NASCAR Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series in the sport. It started in 1949, with sponsorship starting from 1971.
The championship is determined by a points system, with points awarded for finishing placement and number of laps led. The season works like so:
- The season is divided into two after the first 26 races.
- Within this division, 16 drivers are seeded based on their total number of wins.
- These drivers then compete in the last 10 races, called the NASCAR playoffs, where the difference in points is greatly minimized.
With strong roots in the southeast of the USA, around half of all races per season take place in the region. There have also been exhibition races held outside America such as in Japan, Australia, and Canada.
The Daytona 500 is the most prestigious race of the series. In 2019, it had a television audience of about 9.17 million US viewers.
NASCAR Cup Series Schedule 2023
The regular season consists of 26 races, with the results determining who progresses into the playoffs.
| No. | Race Name | Track | Date |
| Exhibition | Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California | February 5 |
| Exhibition | Bluegreen Vacations Duel | Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida | February 16 |
| 1 | Daytona 500 | Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida | February 19 |
| 2 | Pala Casino 400 | Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California | February 26 |
| 3 | Pennzoil 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada | March 5 |
| 4 | United Rentals Work United 500 | Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona | March 12 |
| 5 | Ambetter Health 400 | Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Georgia | March 19 |
| 6 | EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix | Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas | March 26 |
| 7 | Toyota Owners 400 | Richmond Raceway, Richmond, Virginia | April 2 |
| 8 | Food City Dirt Race | Bristol Motor Speedway (Dirt Course), Bristol, Tennessee | April 9 |
| 9 | NOCO 400 | Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, Virginia | April 16 |
| 10 | GEICO 500 | Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, Alabama | April 23 |
| 11 | Wurth 400 | Dover Motor Speedway, Dover, Delaware | May 1 |
| 12 | AdventHealth 400 | Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas | May 7 |
| 13 | Goodyear 400 | Darlington Raceway, Darlington, South Carolina | May 14 |
| Exhibition | NASCAR All-Star Open | North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina | May 21 |
| Exhibition | NASCAR All-Star Race | North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina | May 21 |
| 14 | Coca-Cola 600 | Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, North Carolina | May 29 |
| 15 | Enjoy Illinois 300 | World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Illinois | June 4 |
| 16 | Toyota/Save Mart 350 | Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, California | June 11 |
| 17 | Ally 400 | Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tennessee | June 25 |
| 18 | Grant Park 220 | Chicago Street Course, Chicago, Illinois | July 2 |
| 19 | Quaker State 400 | Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Georgia | July 9 |
| 20 | Crayon 301 | New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, New Hampshire | July 17 |
| 21 | Highpoint.com 400 | Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania | July 23 |
| 22 | Cook Out 400 | Richmond Raceway, Richmond, Virginia | July 30 |
| 23 | FireKeepers Casino 400 | Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan | August 6-7 |
| 24 | Verizon 200 at the Brickyard | Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Road Course), Speedway, Indiana | August 13 |
| 25 | Go Bowling at The Glen | Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York | August 20 |
| 26 | Coke Zero Sugar 400 | Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida | August 26 |
NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs 2023
The playoffs consist of 10 races to determine the winner of the championship.
| No. | Race Name | Track | Date |
| Round of 16 | Cook Out Southern 500 | Darlington Raceway, Darlington, South Carolina | September 3 |
| Round of 16 | Hollywood Casino 400 | Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas | September 10 |
| Round of 16 | Bass Pro Shops Night Race | Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee | September 16 |
| Round of 12 | Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 | Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas | September 24 |
| Round of 12 | YellaWood 500 | Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, Alabama | October 1 |
| Round of 12 | Bank of America Roval 400 | Charlotte Motor Speedway (Roval), Concord, North Carolina | October 8 |
| Round of 8 | South Point 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada | October 15 |
| Round of 8 | Dixie Vodka 400 | Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Florida | October 22 |
| Round of 8 | Xfinity 500 | Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, Virginia | October 29 |
| Championship 4 | NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race | Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona | November 5 |
Last 10 NASCAR Cup Series Winners
| Year | Winning Driver | Owner/Team |
| 2022 | Joey Logano | Roger Penske (Team Penske) |
| 2021 | Kyle Larson | Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) |
| 2020 | Chase Elliot | Rick Hendrick (Hendrick Motorsports) |
| 2019 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) |
| 2018 | Joey Logano | Roger Penske (Team Penske) |
| 2017 | Martin Truex Jr. | Barney Visser (Furniture Row Racing) |
| 2016 | Jimme Johnson | Rick Hendrick, Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports) |
| 2015 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) |
| 2014 | Kevin Harvick | Tony Stewart, Gene Haas (Stewart-Haas Racing) |
| 2013 | Jimmie Johnson | Rick Hendrick, Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports) |
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is the second-tier circuit to the top-level Cup Series. NXS events frequently take place as a support race on the day prior to a Cup Series event scheduled for that weekend.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Schedule 2023
The regular season consists of 26 races, with the results determining who progresses into the playoffs.
| No. | Race Name | Track | Date |
| 1 | Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner 300 | Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida | February 18 |
| 2 | Production Alliance Group 300 | Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California | February 25 |
| 3 | Alsco Uniforms 300 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada | March 4 |
| 4 | United Rentals 200 | Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona | March 11 |
| 5 | RAPTOR King of Tough 250 | Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Georgia | March 18 |
| 6 | Pit Boss 250 | Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas | March 25 |
| 7 | ToyotaCare 250 | Richmond Raceway, Richmond, Virginia | April 1 |
| 8 | Call 811.com Before You Dig 250 | Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, Virginia | April 15 |
| 9 | Ag-Pro 300 | Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, Alabama | April 22 |
| 10 | A-GAME 200 | Dover Motor Speedway, Dover, Delaware | April 29 |
| 11 | Shriners Children’s 200 | Darlington Raceway, Darlington, South Carolina | May 13 |
| 12 | Alsco Uniforms 300 | Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, North Carolina | May 29 |
| 13 | Pacific Office Automation 147 | Portland International Raceway, Portland, Oregon | June 3 |
| 14 | DoorDash 250 | Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, California | June 10 |
| 15 | Tennessee Lottery 250 | Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tennessee | June 24 |
| 16 | The Loop 121 | Chicago Street Course, Chicago, Illinois | July 1-2 |
| 17 | Alsco Uniforms 250 | Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Georgia | July 8 |
| 18 | Ambetter Health 200 | New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, New Hampshire | July 15 |
| 19 | Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 | Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania | July 22 |
| 20 | Road America 180 | Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin | July 29 |
| 21 | Cabo Wabo Tequila 250 | Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan | August 5 |
| 22 | Pennzoil 150 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Road Course), Speedway, Indiana | August 12 |
| 23 | Shriners Children’s 200 at The Glen | Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York | August 19 |
| 24 | Wawa 250 | Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida | August 25 |
| 25 | Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 | Darlington Raceway, Darlington, South Carolina | September 2 |
| 26 | Kansas Lottery 300 | Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas | September 9 |
NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs 2023
The playoffs consist of seven races to determine the winner of the championship.
| No | Race Name | Track | Date |
| Round of 12 | Food City 300 | Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee | September 15 |
| Round of 12 | Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 | Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas | September 23 |
| Round of 12 | Drive for the Cure 250 | Charlotte Motor Speedway (Roval), Concord, North Carolina | October 7 |
| Round of 8 | Alsco Uniforms 302 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada | October 14 |
| Round of 8 | Contender Boats 300 | Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Florida | October 21 |
| Round of 8 | Dead On Tools 250 | Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, Virginia | October 28 |
| Championship 4 | NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race | Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona | November 4 |
Last 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series Winners
| Year | Winning Driver | Manufacturers’ Champion |
| 2022 | Ty Gibbs | Toyota |
| 2021 | Daniel Hemric | Toyota |
| 2020 | Austin Cindric | Ford |
| 2019 | Tyler Reddick | Chevrolet |
| 2018 | Tyler Reddick | Chevrolet |
| 2017 | William Byron | Chevrolet |
| 2016 | Denis Suarez | Toyota |
| 2015 | Chris Buescher | Ford |
| 2014 | Chase Elliot | Chevrolet |
| 2013 | Austin Dillon | Chevrolet |
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series features modified pickup trucks. This series is the third-tier circuit to the Xfinity and Cup Series.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Schedule 2023
The regular season consists of 16 races, with the results determining who qualifies for the playoffs.
| No. | Race Name | Track | Date |
| 1 | NextEra Energy 250 | Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida | February 17 |
| 2 | Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada | March 3 |
| 3 | Fr8Auctions 208 | Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Georgia | March 18 |
| 4 | XPEL 225 | Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas | March 25 |
| 5 | SpeedyCash.com 250 | Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas | April 1 |
| 6 | Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt | Bristol Motor Speedway (Dirt), Bristol, Tennessee | April 8 |
| 7 | Long John Silver’s 200 | Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, Virginia | April 14 |
| 8 | Heart of America 200 | Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas | May 6 |
| 9 | Buckle Up South Carolina 200 | Darlington Raceway, Darlington, South Carolina | May 12 |
| 10 | Tyson 250 | North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina | May 20 |
| 11 | North Carolina Education Lottery 200 | Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, North Carolina | May 26 |
| 12 | Toyota 200 presented by CK Power | World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Illinois | June 3 |
| 13 | Rackley Roofing 200 | Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tennessee | June 23 |
| 14 | O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio | July 8 |
| 15 | CRC Brakleen 150 | Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania | July 22 |
| 16 | Worldwide Express 250 for Carrier Appreciation | Richmond Raceway, Richmond, Virginia | July 29 |
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs 2023
The playoffs consist of seven races to determine the winner of the championship.
| No. | Race Name | Track | Date |
| Round of 10 | TSport 200 | Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Brownsburg, Indiana | August 11 |
| Round of 10 | Clean Harbors 175 | Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wisconsin | August 27 |
| Round of 10 | Kansas Lottery 200 | Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas | September 8 |
| Round of 8 | UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics | Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee | September 14 |
| Round of 8 | Love’s RV Stop 250 | Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, Alabama | September 30 |
| Round of 8 | Baptist Health 200 | Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Florida | October 21 |
| Championship 4 | NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race | Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona | November 3 |
Last 10 Nascar Craftsman Truck Series Winners
| Year | Winning Driver | Manufacturers’ Champion |
| 2022 | Zane Smith | Toyota |
| 2021 | Ben Rhodes | Toyota |
| 2020 | Sheldon Creed | Chevrolet |
| 2019 | Matt Crafton | Toyota |
| 2018 | Brett Moffitt | Chevrolet |
| 2017 | Christopher Bell | Toyota |
| 2016 | Johnny Sauter | Toyota |
| 2015 | Erik Jones | Toyota |
| 2014 | Matt Crafton | Toyota |
| 2013 | Matt Crafton | Toyota |
Now that you know about all the different NASCAR series, you can head over to place a bet at BetOnline, our top-rated sportsbook.
NASCAR Betting FAQs
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References
- NASCAR Official Home | Latest News, Schedule, & Results (Nascar)
- NASCAR Xfinity Series latest news | News and Results from NASCAR (Nascar)
- Daytona 500 | Available Ticket and Hospitality (Daytonainternationalspeedway)
- Origin DNS error | calendar.nascar.com | Cloudflare (Calendar.nascar)
