Betting on NASCAR in Arizona
As online sportsbooks continue to open across AZ, more and more bettors are beginning to place bets on motorsport events. NASCAR betting is ready for that continued expansion, too, thanks to its partnership with Genius Betting that has created a distinct real-time betting platform that allows for fan engagement unlike any other.
Arizona will provide a special experience for NASCAR bettors too, as Phoenix Raceway will be home to a Barstool sportsbook. The track is eligible for a sports betting license to offer betting on-site at the track in tandem with an Arizona betting app. Below find all the details for betting on NASCAR in Arizona including betting tips, major races, live betting on NASCAR, and key rules at legal sportsbooks.
Best Arizona sportsbooks for betting on NASCAR
What NASCAR has to offer sports bettors
Motorsports fans across the globe have long known just how fun their sport of choice can be. The action can be furious, is always fast, and the excitement is always present.
Sports bettors are just beginning to really discover how motorsports like NASCAR can add new depth to their betting options. While it may not have as many choices as an NFL odds board, NASCAR betting not only provides plenty to pick from, but the fandom has created so much demand for knowledge of drivers, teams, and tracks that finding information to research potential bets is very easy.
NASCAR's schedule also allows for plenty of time to get your homework done. Instead of having to worry about rushing from one event to the next, the pace is nice and manageable, even for a newcomer.
The convenience of using Arizona online betting platforms also gives you access to your accounts all day, every day. Having the ability to withdraw, deposit, and even make wagers from any corner of Arizona is appealing to a lot of bettors.
NASCAR Cup Series playoffs
For the outsider looking into the world of NASCAR, confusion can easily set in when you're trying to figure out how everything works. While we can't guarantee we will be able to answer every question that you're going to have, this section will aim to help. First and foremost, let's start by saying this: NASCAR Cup Series playoffs have seen a lot of changes since their origins in 2004.
These days, it's a bit easier to make the postseason in NASCAR than it used to be. Since 2014, full-time Cup Series drivers basically just need to win any race to qualify for the playoffs, so a win in the Daytona 500 or another event will secure a spot. If more drivers win races than there are available spots, the highest point earners who have wins make the playoffs.
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are open to 16 drivers and last 10 races over four rounds. The first three rounds consist of three races each, and there is a championship race.
The four drivers who collect the fewest points in each round don't advance. This pares the field of 16 down to 12, then eight, and then four drivers. Those four then race for the championship.
Here are the current playoff tracks:
- Darlington Raceway
- Richmond Raceway
- Bristol Motor Speedway
- Las Vegas Motor Speedway
- Talladega Speedway
- Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Texas Motor Speedway
- Kansas Speedway
- Martinsville Speedway
- Phoenix Raceway
Major 2024 NASCAR races to bet on
Betting on NASCAR races can be an exciting way to engage with the sport, and the 2024 season is no exception. Here’s a list of major NASCAR races that you should consider for betting, each offering unique challenges and opportunities for bettors.
| Race | Location | Date | Overview |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daytona 500 | Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL | February (Typically the first or second Sunday in February) | Known as ‘The Great American Race,’ the Daytona 500 is NASCAR’s most prestigious event and the season opener for the NASCAR Cup Series. |
| GEICO 500 | Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, AL | April | Held at one of NASCAR’s fastest and most notorious tracks, the GEICO 500 is famous for its high-speed action and the likelihood of the ‘Big One.’ |
| Coca-Cola 600 | Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC | May (Memorial Day weekend) | The Coca-Cola 600 is NASCAR’s longest race, testing the endurance of drivers and teams. |
| NASCAR All-Star Race | Varies | May or June | This exhibition race features a lineup of past and current season winners competing in a shorter, non-points race with a significant cash prize. |
| Brickyard 400 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, IN | August | Racing at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Brickyard 400 presents a blend of NASCAR’s stock car racing with the history and prestige of the Indianapolis track. |
| Southern 500 | Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC | September (Labor Day weekend) | Known as the ‘Lady in Black,’ Darlington Raceway hosts the Southern 500, a race famous for its rich history and the track’s challenging layout. |
| Championship Race | Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, AZ | November | The final race of the NASCAR Cup Series, where the championship is decided among the top four drivers in the standings. |
Main types of NASCAR bets
NASCAR, like other major sports, offers a variety of bets for you to try your hand at. Some of the best are distinct to racing, while others have a lot in common with bets from other sports. Here's a quick rundown of the bets you'll typically come across at popular Arizona sportsbooks like DraftKings, Fanduel AZ, and BetMGM AZ when wagering on NASCAR.
- Race winner: Wager on a driver to win the race. If you're right, you'll win based on your bet amount and the associated odds. Remember, though, that it can be very difficult to predict the winner of a race due to all of the factors that play into the end results, such as wrecks, pit stops and more.
- Top 3/Top 5: Instead of picking a driver to win outright, you can choose if a driver is going to finish in the top three or the top five. The odds obviously change, and the potential return on your wager decreases as you add more spots for your driver.
- Pole position: Another name for this bet is the "fastest qualifies." It has you choosing one or more drivers to have the fastest qualifying time and, thus, earning the pole position for the upcoming race.
- Lap time: Bet on a driver to have the fastest lap time during the race. The driver doesn't have to win, or even finish in some cases, but that driver does have to record the fastest time around the oval out of all of the drivers in the field that day.
- Driver head-to-head matchups: This bet matches up two drivers. You wager on which one will finish better overall in the race. It doesn't matter who wins the race, just which of the two drivers finishes in a higher position.
- Driver vs. group matchups: This is similar to the head-to-head, but instead of pitting a single driver against a single driver, you bet on which driver will finish best from among a group. This bet also doesn't need to have the outright winner, just the winner vs. the rest of the group.
NASCAR futures bets
Futures are long-term wagers that look beyond the next race. These wagers can range through a variety of outcomes, each with its own odds. Your options will vary depending on the sportsbook, but most of them will have futures like betting on a specific driver to win the NASCAR championship, or which will earn the most points. You can even bet on which team will have the most wins, or choose a driver to win a specific popular race, such as the Daytona 500.
Futures wagers are notoriously hard to research, which is why they often come with really attractive NASCAR betting odds. That doesn't mean you should just guess, though. Make sure you are thorough, have done all of your homework and are as confident as you can possibly be before you put down a bet.
Live betting on NASCAR races
Live betting, also known as in-game betting, has created a new level of interaction and engagement between bettors and the sports they are wagering on. It allows you to make wagers as the action unfolds in the race. You can bet on whether there will be a crash, which car will be the next to take the first position, and more.
Basically, you are watching the race and making side bets as the action is taking place. You are able to double down on your betting in some cases, such as if the driver you bet on to win is leading after a certain number of laps and you want to add another bet on the same outcome, or you can hedge your bets to prevent larger losses.
No matter how you intend to use live NASCAR betting, keep in mind that you're going to need to use an Arizona sportsbook app or website to participate. The reason is pretty simple: Online sportsbooks allow you to see the instantly adjusting odds as a race takes place. Retail sportsbooks just can't keep up with those shifts in the odds. If you're interested in trying your hand at live betting on NASCAR, then you're definitely going to need to get yourself set up with a legal and regulated online sportsbook.
Top tips for betting on NASCAR
Betting on NASCAR isn't like sitting down to wager on the NFL or NBA. It's just not that predictable. For most football players, every gridiron is basically the same. It's 100 yards of turf, two end zones, two goal posts, and plenty of screaming fans. NASCAR may share in the fans department, but beyond that, the sport can be quite different from most team- and stat-based professional sports. So here are three simple but effective ways to help yourself when it comes to making NASCAR picks and betting on NASCAR online:
- Know the drivers: You should watch the races, learn about the drivers and know what their racing style is. Are they aggressive? Do they like to rub their opponents? Do they draft for the majority of the race trying to delay their pit stops? By watching the races, reading up on the drivers, and getting to know them as well as you can, you'll learn where they like to race, what kind of conditions favor their style and how effective they can be in certain situations.
- Know the racetracks: Some tracks just spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E for certain drivers. Know which tracks are notorious for wrecks, difficult conditions and more. The venues in NASCAR aren't like a home-field advantage in other sports. Drivers don't have a track they call home, but they do have those they race well on and those they absolutely abhor.
- Use multiple sportsbooks: By shopping around at multiple sportsbooks, you're going to give yourself the best deal on your wagers. Sometimes this is a great way to hedge your bets as well, especially when you can find NASCAR odds that really even out your bets. Shop around for the best sportsbook odds and you'll create the best possible return on your wagers, which is always a good thing when it comes to your money.
House rules for betting on NASCAR
Every sportsbook is going to have its own set of rules that govern how it treats particular situations in NASCAR races. From what disqualifies a driver, to what happens with postponed races to what constitutes a completed race, every book has its own rules.
You'll find these typically listed under the terms and conditions section of the sportsbook you are using. When you sign up for an account, you will need to agree to these terms and conditions. A lot of folks just agree without ever having read them, but we suggest you do take the time. It helps keep you from being confused in future situations.
The good news is, most sportsbooks have very similar rules regarding major sports. Some common rules you might come across at the various sportsbooks include the following:
- The sportsbook will consider events shortened by weather or other situations to be complete if the governing body of NASCAR deems them official.
- Should a race restart from the beginning, bets will stand and the sportsbook will settle them according to the official results.
- If drivers take part in an official qualifying event, the sportsbook considers them to have taken place in the overall event. This holds true even if they don't participate in the race following the qualifier.
- Head-to-head bets must have all participants take place in the race in order for the bets to stand. Those drivers do not have to complete the race. Bets will stand whether a driver gets an official time or not.