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The thrill and fervor of a NASCAR season draw in its ardent fans, eager to experience the thunderous rumble of cars zooming around the circuit. This phenomenon, which has swept the country without losing momentum, is just as popular in Arizona. The state even plays host to the championship race, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, at the Phoenix Raceway.
Now that Arizona has legalized sports betting, enthusiasts and bettors can place their bets on the race if they desire. We will guide you on how to bet on the NASCAR Cup Championship race and provide you with all the necessary information to rev up your engines.
Betting on the NASCAR Cup Series Championship
You can explore the list below to check out the currently available sportsbooks in Arizona. By clicking on the name of a sportsbook, you will be directed to its homepage. There, you can sign up for a new account, make a deposit, view the latest odds for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, and begin betting.
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It’s crucial to have the right sportsbook to fully enjoy your hobby. You certainly don’t want to constantly experience frustration when attempting to place a bet, or when depositing or withdrawing money from your account.
Fortunately, there is a wide array of sportsbooks available, enabling you to select the one that suits your requirements the best.
For instance, those engaged in daily fantasy sports are probably well-acquainted with the workings of Caesars Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook. Both companies initially established their reputation in DFS prior to branching out into sports betting. The positive aspect is, they have carried over their commendable customer service and user-friendly platforms and apps. Moreover, they persist in investing in their offerings.
Veteran sportsbooks such as BetMGM AZ app provide a user-friendly experience. BetMGM, having built its entire reputation on betting and customer satisfaction, ensures you’re in good hands.
Why betting on NASCAR’s title race is so exciting
Imagine beginning the season racing against a whole range of professional NASCAR drivers and crews. As the season concludes, you find yourself among the remaining four competitors vying for the championship.
The way NASCAR Cup Series racing operates is that all racers compete for a spot in the playoffs, with only the top 16 making it. These 16 are then reduced to a final four who vie for the NASCAR title. The championship race, held in Phoenix, determines the ultimate champion.
The unpredictability of the race remains given that the four contenders are still competing among a total of 43 cars. Since no bonus points are awarded, each of the four potential champions is vying for the top spot. Essentially, it’s a four-way battle for the title. However, every car on the track is still striving to secure a win to claim the first-place prize money.
Essentially, the NASCAR Cup championship race comprises two races, which significantly amps up the excitement. One can place bets on the race winner, the NASCAR title winner, and beyond.
NASCAR betting data, research and statistics
Do you recall the amount of homework required for school? Sports betting is similar, it involves a lot of homework. It’s never recommended to place a bet without conducting comprehensive research, regardless of your familiarity with the sport you’re betting on. This applies to NASCAR as well.
A range of online information about NASCAR is available. Key statistics and data to consider include numbers from practice and qualifying for a specific race, recent trends and results, and even weather conditions.
Gather as much of this data as possible to maximize your chances of winning. Making bets without thought or strategy is the quickest way to deplete your bankroll.
How to bet on a NASCAR race
Upon your initial foray into NASCAR race betting, you’ll encounter a variety of wagers distinctly different from those associated with NFL and NBA betting. Here are the four most frequent bets you’ll likely make in NASCAR:
- Winner’s Bet: This is an uncomplicated bet to place, though winning is seldom straightforward. You bet on a driver to secure first place in the race. If your prediction is correct, your winnings will be determined by your bet amount and the driver’s odds.
- Driver showdown: Select one of two drivers in a direct competition to decide whom you believe will secure a higher position. Your chosen driver doesn’t have to clinch the overall victory. It solely depends on who outperforms the other.
- Group Contest: This is similar to the one-on-one contest. However, instead of choosing between two drivers, you’ll have a group of drivers (typically four). The concept remains the same. You have to select the driver who will rank highest within the group. Just like before, the overall winner of the race is irrelevant.
- Wagering on futures: Every bet is akin to gazing into a crystal ball to predict the outcome. Who will emerge as the victor? Which racer will outperform? Futures betting operates on the same principle, though it typically involves events that are not immediately forthcoming. This could involve predicting the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, the team with the most wins in a season, and so forth. You can begin placing bets as soon as the previous NASCAR season concludes and continue until the event. However, the odds are likely to tighten as the event approaches. While earlier bets have the highest profit potential, they are placed with less information to inform the decision.
Other bets you may encounter include quickest lap time, fastest qualifier, and whether a driver will finish among the top three or five.
Every sportsbook offers a unique range of potential bets. You can search for the one that suits you the best.
NASCAR Cup Series Championship prop bets
Prop bets, also known as “side bets”, are a type of wager you place with a sportsbook regarding a specific event. The NFL’s Super Bowl is probably the event with the most prop bets, offering well over 100 options.
In addition to standard bets, most sportsbooks also provide NASCAR prop bets. These can include wagers on various aspects such as the count of crashes during the Cup Series Championship race, the number of caution flags raised, or an over/under bet on a specific driver’s finishing position.
Most sportsbooks typically offer similar prop bets, but some may offer more than others. To maximize the variety of available props, it’s advisable to compare different books.
Live betting on the NASCAR Cup Series Championship
Betting live occurs during a sporting event. In the context of NASCAR, this implies that you can make bets as the cars are racing. As live betting happens in real time, the odds fluctuate based on the events unfolding. If favorable odds present themselves, it’s advisable to place your bet before they change. Generally, using a sportsbook app makes this process more convenient.
Numerous bets are available depending on the race and the sportsbook, among other factors. Below are three examples of live betting options for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race, although many more possibilities exist:
- Who will finish in the top three?
- Who will be leading at Lap 150?
- After the first 100 laps are complete, who will have led the most?
Recent winners of the Cup Series Championship
The following individuals are the most recent 10 champions of the NASCAR Cup Series:
- 2020: Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)
- 2019: Kyle Busch (Toyota)
- 2018: Joey Logano (Ford)
- In 2017, Martin Truex Jr. drove a Toyota.
- 2016: Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet)
- 2015: Kyle Busch (Toyota)
- 2014: Kevin Harvick (Chevrolet)
- 2013: Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet)
- 2012: Brad Keselowski (Dodge)
- 2011: Tony Stewart (Chevrolet)
How is the annual NASCAR champion determined?
Following their inaugural year in 2004, there have been some changes in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Nonetheless, the system has maintained stability since 2014 when qualifying for the playoffs became simpler. Essentially, any driver who secures a victory in a Cup Series race is granted the right to participate in the playoff. The top 16 drivers (however, if more than 16 drivers win races, the spots are awarded to those with the highest points who have won) then engage in 10 races spread over four rounds to decide the champion. The first three rounds comprise three races each, and the final round consists of the single championship race held in Phoenix.
Every round, the four drivers with the least points are eliminated. The initial group of 16 racers is reduced to 12, then to eight, and finally to the last four competitors. These remaining four drivers are then required to compete against a complete field of 43 cars, attempting to secure the highest position amongst themselves to claim the championship title.
The following are the current playoff venues:
- 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
The NASCAR Cup Series Championship and the Phoenix Raceway
The NASCAR Cup Series Championship race was held at the Phoenix Raceway for the first time in the 2020 season.
Chase Elliott emerged as the champion in the race, successfully keeping Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and Denny Hamlin at bay. He maintained an average speed of 112.096 miles per hour over the course of the 312 laps.
Over the span of 2 hours and 47 minutes in the race, the lead changed hands 19 times among nine distinct drivers. Four caution flags were raised, lasting 27 laps in total, while no red flags were witnessed.