Are you getting started on NASCAR wagering? If so, you may need some information to get started, such as the best tips for betting on NASCAR! As with any type of sports betting, some basic information is needed to ensure you get off to a good start.
Having good data is the key to making picks with a higher percentage of paying off. All of that being said, there is information that you can quickly use to your advantage. You should always look for trends and that happens from looking at past race and driver stats. Here are the best tips for betting on NASCAR. These are based on how I make my personal selections.
Understand What NASCAR Is
Under the NASCAR Sanctioning body umbrella, the Cup Series cars are at the top of the tier. Next comes the Xfinity Series, the Craftsman Truck Series and then the ARCA Menards Series. That’s four completely different types of racing vehicles, different weights, different designs, horsepower, engines and more.
Simply put, NASCAR is a governing body that sanctions four main Series in the United States. Yes, there are NASCAR sanctioned Series in Europe, Mexico, Canada and regional Series including Modified racing. However, the NASCAR Cup Series will probably be the main focus when it comes to wagering, but you’ll see offerings for the others.
Don’t be surprised to see a driver take part in more than one race during a race weekend. Kyle Busch is known for racing in a Cup race as well as a Truck Series race if the events are held at the same track on the same weekend.
Fade on Your Personal Favorite, Unless…
One of the best tips I can give anyone is to put your personal favorites to the side. Let’s say you’re a big fan of a fictional driver named Jake Speedster. Every week there will always be a handful of the same drivers near the top of the odds list going from week to week. Jake may be one of those drivers.
For example, our fake example driver Jake Speedster may have won five times in a Cup Series car – but all of those wins were on large tracks and superspeedways. The race you are betting on is a short track and Jake has never finished inside the top five on this type of track in a Cup race. Push personal favorites to the side and go with the stats… unless there is a good match.
Look for a Good Match?
NASCAR drivers are often described as being good drivers for certain types of tracks. You’ll hear descriptions of drivers as being a “great short track wheelman” or he may be a “fantastic drafting driver” when it comes to superspeedways. The same goes for road courses – “road course ringer” and “expert” on intermediate tracks.
Check NASCAR stats to see if the driver you are leaning toward has had success on the type of track of the race you are wagering on. Who knows, you may find a driver further down the odds list, outside of the favorites, that has success on the type of track on which you are betting. If Jake Speedster has won on the track twice, and had several recent top-ten runs at the same track – I would consider him as being a good match!
Look for Success in Other Series
One thing that I look for requires a deeper dive into NASCAR stats than just looking at past Cup Series races. Don’t overlook how a driver has performed on a certain track in another Series. A driver may have never won a Cup Series race at Talladega but he may have won at the famed track in the Xfinity Series, Craftsman Truck Series, and the ARCA Menards Series.
This is a great way to look for dark horse picks or drivers that may offer more value. I often apply this stat search when considering podium finish, top-five, or top-ten wagering options.
Understand Track Types and Finishing Position
Every track in NASCAR is different. There may be tracks the same length – but no two tracks in the sport are the same and it is important to understand this. Tracks have different banking, different turn radius, and different front stretches and back stretches. Even the last time the surface was paved could be a consideration.
Here’s why all of this matters – some tracks allow for easier passing and lead changes while other tracks tend to lean towards long green flag runs where the field chases the leader. Do some research on laps led, lead changes, and green flag passes at the different track types.
Two stats will probably jump of the page. The first will be the number of laps the driver you are considering has led at a certain track. The other will be the driver’s average finishing position and the number of top-ten and top-five finishes they have had at the facility.
Factors other than the Driver
This may be the broadest category for people new to betting on NASCAR to understand. Yes, the driver is the main focal point when it comes to NASCAR wagering. It is easy to focus on the person behind the wheel. But other factors may be worth considering and much of this information can be gleaned from social media and news sources.
For instance, Denny Hamlin’s crew seemed to have an issue with pit stops which took him out of critical races for a few seasons. That story was in the news constantly during 2021 and 2022. Kyle Busch was notably stressed during the 2022 season when he was going through contract negotiations with Joe Gibbs Racing. This put stress on both Busch and his crew.
A team could have switched manufacturers or NASCAR could tweak the setup and downforce rules if an issue arises. The same goes for Goodyear which is the tire provided for NASCAR. They have different tires for different tracks and they modify them regularly. They also have rain tires so now that brings weather into the mix.
Heck, your driver could have just had food poisoning or gone through a personal problem. As I said, this is a broad topic for a tip, but give a quick peak at the headlines to see if any outside factors could come into play.
Green Flag!
These are the best tips for betting on NASCAR that I use weekly when making my selections. Yes, everyone has a favorite driver – that’s not a great way to wager! It always helps to have additional information at hand when making your choices. The tips listed above may seem simplistic, but they will help you get started on making better selections.
You may hit upon a few stat categories that you pull even more information from. NASCAR loves data and they make it easy for fans to do research. Here are some resources for looking over all of the stats mentioned above as well as much more data.
NASCAR.com – for the current season.
RacingReference.info – owned by NASCAR Media, great for current and past stats.
DriverAverages.com – independent stat site for all main NASCAR Series.
For simplicity, I mainly referenced the NASCAR Cup Series, but you can apply the tips I listed above to all four Series and different types of racing, such as INDY and F1 as well as various wagering options.
Read our NASCAR head-to-head matchups betting guide next.
