Legal NASCAR betting is available in most states via reputable and licensed online sportsbooks. Finding a place to bet on NASCAR online in the USA is easier than ever. Identifying the best NASCAR betting sites is an entirely different matter, but that’s what the following guide will do.
Fans of the fastest sport in America can read on for introductions to the best NASCAR betting apps, BettingUSA’s ranking factors, critical legal information for bettors in every state, and pointers for maximizing their odds via promotions and sound handicapping strategies.
Best NASCAR Betting Sites
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Where NASCAR Betting Is Legal
The following map shows where it’s legal to bet on NASCAR online and in-person in every state.
States with Legal Sports Betting
Map Key
- Blue: States where online sports betting is legal.
- Red: States with retail sportsbooks only.
Can I Bet On NASCAR If Sports Betting Is Not Legal In My State?
Readers who live in states without legal sportsbooks should refrain from betting on NASCAR until local laws change.
Daily fantasy sports are the next best alternative and provide a similar experience. Leading fantasy operators FanDuel and DraftKings hold NASCAR contests for races throughout the year and are legal in most states.
Most notably, DFS NASCAR contests can pay significant sums to winners. For example, it is not uncommon for players to log in to DraftKings and find NASCAR fantasy contests with nearly half a million in guaranteed prize pool money, including $100,000+ for the first-place finisher.
Additionally, pick’em fantasy sites offer parlay-style predictions where fans pick “more” or “less” on NASCAR stats like fastest laps, laps led, starting position, completed passes, and total fantasy points. PrizePicks is one of the nation’s most prominent pick’em fantasy sites and is an .
Best NASCAR Betting Apps
Finding the best NASCAR betting apps begins with understanding which sites are licensed and narrowing it down from there based on a combination of objective criteria and personal preferences.
Caesars Sportsbook NASCAR Betting
- Standout features: Head-to-head matchups, prop menu, odds boosts, Caesars Rewards
As far as NASCAR betting apps go, Caesars Sportsbook takes the pole position. Caesars ranks in the top five for most betting markets overall, but its NASCAR menu is far and away the most comprehensive despite the app not being partnered with NASCAR in any significant capacity.
Event coverage is widespread. Caesars offers lines on virtually all NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and NASCAR Truck events, with futures available well in advance for all Championship races. There’s even a futures bet on which NASCAR Cup drivers will make the Championship 4.
Most major sportsbooks post dozens of lines for the biggest events on the NASCAR calendar, but Caesars goes a step further. Each event, from the Daytona 500 down to the smallest mid-season Xfinity race, has a ton of betting markets.
Bettors can wager on outright winners, top X, head-to-head matchups, and group matchups, along with more niche props like the Over/Under on the winning car number, whether the winner of Stage 1/2 will win the race, the exacta, and quinellas.
NASCAR fans can also place wagers on “Any of” or “Either” to win a race, and whether there will be overtime. The options truly feel endless.
The vigorish on popular head-to-head NASCAR betting markets is fair, clocking in at around 5-6%. However, the house edge on 4- and 5-way group matchups is high, often exceeding 15%. That and the rather unwieldy betting interface are the only real drawbacks of an otherwise perfect online NASCAR betting experience.
Caesars Sportsbook also makes it easy for bettors to build a bankroll and bolster their Caesars Rewards status, thanks to a generous welcome bonus.
Another money maker is Caesars’ regular NASCAR odds boosts, which have high $100 limits and are often substantial enough to flip the house edge in favor of the bettor.
BetMGM NASCAR Betting
- Standout features: NASCAR promotions, BetMGM Rewards, in-play betting, some pricing
BetMGM Sportsbook has played a major role in bringing live motorsports betting to the masses, largely thanks to its status as an Authorized Gaming Operator of NASCAR.
As part of the agreement, BetMGM has worked with Genius Sports to greatly strengthen the appeal of in-play NASCAR betting. Whether it’s been completely successful or not is an open question, but there’s little debate that bettors will find the best live NASCAR betting experience at BetMGM.
In addition, the partnership enables BetMGM to offer NASCAR-focused promotions. For instance, the app’s 3-Wide Challenge is a free-to-play promo where bettors are assigned three random drivers to win each week’s race. Bettors with the best performers are entered into a sweepstakes to win a variety of prizes, including a trip to the Daytona 500 and $3,000 in withdrawable bonus dollars.
BetMGM doesn’t offer a ton of online NASCAR betting markets for most events but steps its game up for notables like the Daytona 500 and Cup Championship. Futures are offered for all three NASCAR divisions (Cup/Xfinity/Trucks), and bettors can also wager on which drivers will make the Championship 4.
The pricing is a mixed bag. However, BetMGM is one of the few NASCAR sportsbooks online that will take positions on head-to-head matchups, making it a great option for line shoppers. Bettors will also sometimes find NASCAR moneylines that are priced extremely well. The average vigorish on 2-way moneylines may be about 6%, but it’s fairly common to find NASCAR wagers with a house edge well below 5%.
FanDuel NASCAR Betting
- Standout features: Head-to-head pricing
FanDuel Sportsbook is the online sports betting marketshare leader and ranks in the top 3 sportsbooks for nearly every betting market.
However, its NASCAR betting menu feels somewhat underwhelming. Only a limited number of futures are available, and while FanDuel does cover most NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and NASCAR Truck events, the betting menus are somewhat bare.
Bettors can bet on the outright winner or for a driver to finish in the Top 3 or Top 10. They can also wager on the winning manufacturer and a few head-to-head and group matchups. That’s about it. For more prestigious events, FanDuel expands its NASCAR betting menu, but even then there still aren’t many wagers that can’t be found on numerous other sites.
What FanDuel does extremely well is take care of its NASCAR head-to-head bettors. The average house edge on these wagers is an industry-best 5.4% FanDuel’s pricing is also very consistent, with low-profile matchups priced about the same as superstar pairings. For this reason, FanDuel should be on every NASCAR bettor’s smartphone.
Bet365 NASCAR Betting
- Standout features: Betting markets, bet boosts, qualifier bets, group matchup pricing
Bet365 Sportsbook certainly isn’t a one-stop-shop for NASCAR bettors, but it does excel in several areas.
Most notably, Bet365 has the best NASCAR odds on group matchups. The margin on 4-driver group bets may still seem high at 9-10%, but considering that most books take a 12%+ vig, it’s actually a bargain. It’s too bad that Bet365 isn’t as generous with its head-to-head lines, which are taxed at roughly 6.5%. That’s nearly 0.5% above the mean.
However, Bet365 does offer some tax relief on futures. Fans can bet on select drivers to win the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at boosted odds. The boosts aren’t huge, but taking a line from +600 to +700 is fairly significant, as it lowers the implied odds by nearly 13%. Does that completely offset the high house edge on NASCAR futures? No, but it comes fairly close.
Bet365 posts dozens of lines for high-profile events, and a decent number for less hyped races. Notably, it sometimes offers bets on qualifiers, like who will win the pole position.
BetRivers NASCAR Betting
- Standout features: Strong prop menu, qualifier bets, special promotions, iRush Rewards
BetRivers Sportsbook is another well-rounded option for NASCAR bettors, with odds on outright winners, and the Top 3, 5, and 10 finishers of all NASCAR Cup Series events. Odds are also offered for head-to-head and group matchups and the rather niche “Team of Race Winner” prop.
There are two props found on BetRivers that are relatively obscure and hard to find elsewhere. The first is an Over/Under on the grid position of the race winner. BetRivers not only posts a primary line for this wager but a slew of alternative lines. The other is a wager on whether the winner of Stages 1 & 2 will win the race. Naturally, a “Yes” bet on this wager pays handsomely, usually at +500 or more.
BetRivers is also only one of a few NASCAR betting sites that take odds on the highly uncertain qualifier market.
Only Caesars Sportsbook offers more props than BetRivers, and while Caesars may have better overall pricing, BetRivers offers better odds on group matchup props. The vigorish on these bets is roughly 11%, which is a shade better than industry standards. Head-to-head lines are also roughly average, taxed at approximately 6%.
However, NASCAR bettors can offset a large chunk of the house edge by regularly participating in promotional events. BetRivers is known for targeting promos toward every type of bettor, and NASCAR fans are no exception.
In particular, bettors who reach Level 7 of BetRivers’ stellar iRush Rewards VIP program will be treated to a slew of profit boosts, bet & get offers, and deposit match bonuses. In addition, all NASCAR wagers earn bettors valuable Bonus Store points which can be redeemed for bet boosts, bonus money, wheel spins, and scratch cards.
Becoming a VIP on BetRivers is arguably easier than it is on nearly all other online NASCAR betting apps, only requiring a moderate amount of monthly action. Loyalty kickbacks and promotions are what elevate BetRivers beyond other Kambi-powered sites.
Is DraftKings Sportsbook Good For Nascar Betting?
DraftKings Sportsbook receives top marks for most professional markets, especially ones that generate lots of betting handle.
However, its NASCAR online betting markets are simply not up to snuff. The head-to-head lines are poor, there aren’t many futures or props offered, and there’s significant downtime between qualifiers and official race starts.
DraftKings does offer favorable odds on group matchups, the interface is great, and its Dynasty Rewards program is second to none. So when it does fully embrace NASCAR, BettingUSA expects it to be a top option. It’s just that its time hasn’t arrived yet.
Keep using DraftKings for almost any other sport, but skip it for NASCAR for now.
What To Look For In NASCAR Betting Apps
Identifying the best NASCAR betting apps begins with ensuring the legitimacy of all potential sportsbooks. BettingUSA strongly urges readers to start by only considering online sportsbooks that are legal in the USA.
Fans can begin by viewing BettingUSA’s state-specific sportsbook recommendations. BettingUSA only recommends legal online sportsbooks to ensure the security of bettors’ funds and personal information.
Additionally, NASCAR bettors can check the websites of their state-level gaming regulators. Every state with legal sports betting publishes a list of licensed online sportsbooks somewhere on its regulatory website. For example, New Jersey residents can visit on the Division of Gaming Enforcement website to view all licensed betting sites.
Regulators in most states are highly demanding when it comes to approving online betting sites. Potential licensees must demonstrate they are reputable, well-funded, and have the technical expertise to ensure the safety of customers’ funds.
When it comes to NASCAR betting in particular, fans can consider additional factors when choosing their sportsbooks. Listed below are several ranking components that BettingUSA takes into account when recommending NASCAR betting sites:
NASCAR Betting Bonuses and Promotions
The days of sportsbooks pulling all stops to acquire new customers have passed. However, new customer bonuses can still be quite lucrative, and the best NASCAR betting promos allow fans to generate hundreds of dollars in expected value.
In addition, fans with existing accounts can claim recurrent promotions such as odds boosts and lost wager refunds in the days before important races. And for frequent bettors, online betting loyalty programs provide ongoing value through exclusive promotions, VIP points redeemable for high-end merchandise, and more.
Although NASCAR-specific betting promos are relatively infrequent these days, there’s plenty of value to be had from welcome bonuses, loyalty programs, all-purpose promotions, and the occasional promo for major auto races.
The key to extracting the most value from NASCAR betting offers is understanding how they work, being familiar with their most common formats, and giving every promo’s terms a look before jumping in. The overwhelming majority of NASCAR betting bonuses and promotions take one of the following forms.
New Customer NASCAR Betting Bonuses
Bettors should seek NASCAR betting apps that offer signup packages with high monetary caps, low wagering requirements, and few caveats or restrictions. Fans can get a sense of the best NASCAR bonuses by keeping up with BettingUSA’s online betting bonuses page.
Most NASCAR betting bonuses fit under one of three categories, each with pros and cons that determine their suitability for any individual bettor.
Second Chance NASCAR Bets
Second chance NASCAR bets welcome new customers by promising to refund their first wager if it loses. They’re almost like insurance, except they pay refunds as bonus bets instead of cash.
Consider a customer who signs up for an account to bet on the Daytona 500 online. If that customer places a $100 wager on the winning driver at +330, there are two possible outcomes.
- The bet wins: the customer receives a $430 payout, and the promotion ends there
- The bet loses: the customer gets a $100 bonus bet to try again
Pros:
- The biggest type of welcome bonus; max refunds of up to $1,000
- Easy to understand
- Refunds usually have no wagering requirements; bettors can withdraw their winnings immediately
Cons:
- Refunds are paid as non-withdrawable bonus bets, not cash
- Bettors only see a tangible benefit if their first wager loses
NASCAR Deposit Bonuses
Sportsbook deposit bonuses issue site credit to new users after funding their accounts. The size of the customer’s first deposit determines how much they receive in bonus funds, expressed as a percentage.
NASCAR betting apps typically market these promotions using language like “get a 100% up to $200 bonus on your first deposit.” In that case, a customer who deposits $50 would receive an additional $50 in site credit or bonus bets. Likewise, a customer who deposits $200 or more would max out the offer and receive $200 in bonus funds.
Pros:
- All new customers receive the bonus, regardless of the outcome of their first wager
- Bettors have complete control over how much bonus money they receive; nothing is left to chance like with second chance bets
- Most deposit bonuses issue site credit, so fans can spread the bonus across multiple NASCAR wagers if they want
Cons:
- First deposit bonuses either have low match rates and high maximums or high match rates and low maximums
- Most NASCAR betting deposit bonuses have high wagering requirements compared to other types of welcome offers
- Some deposit bonuses are withdrawable, but some only allow bettors to withdraw whatever they win with their bonus funds
NASCAR Bet & Get Bonuses
Bet & get bonuses welcome new customers by giving them bonus bets in return for placing their first wager. Unlike first deposit bonuses, bet & get promos have fixed bonus amounts.
For example, a sportsbook may offer $200 in bonus bets to all new users who register and place a first wager of at least $5 on any NASCAR market.
Pros:
- Favorable risk:reward ratio; the bonus often far outpaces the minimum qualifying wager
- Fixed bonus amount means customers don’t have to make large deposits to max out the offer
- NASCAR bet & get promos rarely impose wagering requirements on customers; their winnings are immediately withdrawable
Cons:
- Bonus bets are not withdrawable; bettors may only withdraw the net winnings from bonus bets
- Bet & get promos have lower maximums than second chance bet bonuses
Recurring NASCAR Betting Promotions
Just as NASCAR betting apps have cut back on their customer acquisition expenditures, some have also decreased their recurrent promotional spending. Some, but not all.
There are still some online sportsbooks that offer dedicated NASCAR promotions. These promos often coincide with NASCAR’s biggest events, like the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. However, the more aggressive NASCAR betting sites offer promotional incentives for every Cup Series event.
Additionally, legal betting sites regularly launch nonspecific promotions compatible with all sports, NSCAR included. All-sport odds boosts, bet refunds, and bonus bets are standard fare among online sportsbooks.
Between the various event-specific NASCAR betting promotions and all-sport offers, fans usually have at least one or two bonuses worth considering before every race.
The most common NASCAR betting promos take the following formats:
- NASCAR Bonus Bets: Online sportsbooks offer all-purpose and NASCAR-specific bonus bets at somewhat frequent but unpredictable intervals. Sometimes, sportsbooks run modest bet & get promos for existing customers who bet on specific races. In other instances, sportsbooks offer all-purpose bonus bets to customers who log in on a specific day or complete other challenges like placing a wager on a different sport.
- NASCAR Insurance Bets: Insurance NASCAR betting promotions are like second chance welcome bonuses, except smaller and open to existing customers. For example, BetMGM offered up to $25 in bonus bets back to anyone who bet on the last Daytona 500 and lost.
- NASCAR Odds Boosts: Odds boosts are some of the most common types of NASCAR betting promotions and benefit bettors by increasing the payouts on specific wagers. For example, a sportsbook may bump up a driver’s odds of winning from +400 to +550 for a day. Even better, sportsbooks occasionally issue all-sport odds boost tokens that bettors can apply to any wager.
- Live Event NASCAR Betting Promos: Live event promotions are exceedingly rare but always worth keeping an eye out for because they provide immense value. For example, BetMGM once held a free-to-enter NASCAR betting contest that awarded a top prize of tickets to the Daytona 500 and $3,000 in travel and spending money.
NASCAR Betting Rewards Programs
One area where NASCAR sportsbooks have increased their efforts is in providing customers with loyalty-based perks and promotions.
Companies like MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and PENN Entertainment have all extended their award-winning sportsbook rewards programs to encompass online play.
Other operators, like DraftKings and BetRivers, have launched online-only loyalty programs that are just as multi-dimensional and rewarding to NASCAR bettors as the best land-based programs.
These days, if an online sportsbook doesn’t offer some sort of rewards program, it probably isn’t in the top tier of NASCAR betting sites.
To learn more, see these reviews of the best NASCAR betting rewards programs:
How To Bet On NASCAR Online
Auto racing is a simple sport from the casual spectator’s point of view, but the best NASCAR betting sites offer a surprisingly diverse array of wagers. The most obvious starting point for new fans is the outright bet on who will win. In addition, higher-quality sportsbooks provide additional betting options, as explained below.
Live In-Play NASCAR Betting
In-play NASCAR betting allows fans to continue placing wagers even after the green flag drops, as sportsbooks leave their markets open and constantly update NASCAR betting odds in real time from start to finish.
With in-play betting, fans can watch the first few laps of a race, observe some pit stops, and so on before placing their bets. Fans usually get the best NASCAR betting odds by placing their wagers before the race, but in-play markets provide opportunities for fans to place bets with more information at hand.
The in-play betting concept is relatively new to NASCAR, but the organization has embraced the idea and hopes to grow its in-race wagering handle. In 2019, to collect live racing data and create an in-play betting product it can sell to sportsbooks worldwide.
In-play betting accounts for 80% or more of the total betting handle in some sports, and NASCAR insiders speak highly of in-race wagering. They anticipate in-play betting continuing to ramp up in volume, potentially accounting for up to 75% of all wagers placed on NASCAR events. So far that isn’t nearly the case, but at least a few sportsbooks have begun embracing live racing bets.
Industry experts believe that the number of NASCAR props will increase significantly in the years to come.
Major Nascar Betting Events
It’s almost ironic that the Super Bowl of NASCAR racing is the inaugural race of the Cup Series.
Like the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500 takes place in February each year and draws massive live and televised audiences. It also offers the most incentive to drivers, thanks in large part to the event’s prestige, but also its gigantic purse.
The run-up to the Daytona 500 is probably the best time for fans to take advantage of lucrative NASCAR odds boosts and promotions.
Other high-profile events throughout the NASCAR Cup Series include:
- Coca-Cola 600: The longest race of the NASCAR season, and the only one with four stages, takes place on Memorial Day weekend and is held at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
- Geico 500: Known as NASCAR’s fastest race, the Geico 500 is held in mid-April at Talladega Superspeedway.
- Coke Zero Sugar 400: This race can be super stressful for drivers on the fringes, as it’s the last race to qualify for the playoff rounds. It’s also the second race at Daytona, a fitting bookend to a long season. It takes place in late August.
- Dixie Vodka 400: This critical playoff race features the final 8 qualifiers, and plays a large role in determining the Championship 4. The Dixie is held at Homestead-Miami Speedway in late October.
- NASCAR Cup Championship: It’s “do or die” for the final four, as they duke it out for the cup in this single-elimination race held in early November at Phoenix Raceway.
Online NASCAR betting fans will certainly want to mark all of these dates on their calendar, as they present the best opportunities to generate value to bet on props that they might not otherwise see.
NASCAR also supports two other series. The Xfinity Series is NASCAR’s second-tier circuit but provides just as much drama and excitement as the Cup. The Xfinity Championship takes place the day before the Cup Championship, on a Saturday.
Finally, there’s the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, which as the name suggests, features pickup trucks instead of stock cars. The more aggressive NASCAR betting apps offer futures on the final event, which is also at Phoenix Raceway and takes place the Friday before the Cup Championship.
Suffice it to say, that early November is high-time for NASCAR bettors.
NASCAR Betting Tips
NASCAR may have suffered some decline, but it’s still an enormously popular sport. However, it only accounts for a small percentage of betting handle at online sportsbooks. This leaves the market open to vulnerabilities, and savvy bettors can eventually learn how to pounce on them.
In the meantime, following a few simple pieces of sound advice will help NASCAR bettors sustain their bankrolls:
- Always shop around for the best lines: Sportsbooks compensate for inefficiencies in NASCAR markets by increasing the house edge. Bettors can counter this by shopping at multiple sportsbooks. Head-to-head lines don’t vary too much, but group and futures markets have a greater degree of volatility. This is the easiest and perhaps most impactful step bettors can take toward breaking even.
- Know the rules: Not only should bettors know each sportsbook’s NASCAR house rules, they should get an idea of how NASCAR betting rules work in general. They should also keep up with frequent rule changes. Due to declining viewership, NASCAR has significantly changed its approach. For instance, in 2017 races were broken up into 3-4 stages. Yet, in 2023 stage breaks were eliminated for some road and street courses because they were deemed too dangerous. Knowing when a rule change occurs is critical because oddsmakers will take time to adapt. Use that time to study the impact of the change, and bet accordingly.
- Know what factors are already baked into NASCAR lines: Bettors often think they can flippantly browse box scores and beat the book. It’s not that easy. Many factors that bettors think will give them an edge are already accounted for in the lines. NASCAR may not be the most efficient market, but the lines aren’t posted randomly either.
- Bet smaller markets when possible: The Xfinity and Truck circuits feature lesser-known drivers. They also don’t generate much handle or sharp action, so books are less incentivized to move the lines. It’s worth studying these markets for line discrepancies and incorrect pricing. There’s a better chance of NASCAR betting sites hanging bad lines in smaller markets. Although it may seem contradictory to the prior point, bettors should also seek out inefficiencies prior to NASCAR’s biggest events, because this is when the craziest prop bets will be offered. If a sportsbook doesn’t offer a prop regularly, then there’s a good chance the odds will be off.
- Shrink the race: Beginning bettors shouldn’t try to complicate things by betting into high-hold markets with 40 possible winners. At first, stick to head-to-head matchups. That way, you only have to study a couple of drivers. Not to mention, the house edge on these wagers is fairly low, only about 5% at the best NASCAR betting sites.
- Observe, observe, observe: Online NASCAR betting odds are based primarily on advanced statistics. However, statistics don’t paint the entire picture and certainly don’t delve into the psychology of a driver. Pick a driver or two and observe how they race at different tracks and under different physical and mental conditions. For example, you might ask yourself if a driver races more aggressively when they’re in serious need of points, or if are they content to stick with their usual style.
How Legal Sports Betting Impacts NASCAR
The widespread legalization of sports betting will have lasting impacts on all sports in the United States, and NASCAR is no exception.
Generally, legal sports betting benefits NASCAR in two aspects: direct financial benefits from gambling sponsorships and indirect benefits due to increased viewership.
Can NASCAR Capitalize On Legal Sports Betting?
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has seen a gradual decline in popularity since its peak in 2005. But the new managing director of sports betting for the sport, Joseph Solosky, believes the expansion of legal betting in the United States is creating significant growth opportunities for NASCAR.
Solosky believes that a change in the US betting landscape means current fans are increasingly engaged, and the sport is attracting new fans through gambling and fantasy NASCAR events.
In a media on the official NASCAR website, Solosky said thousands of NASCAR fans are unfamiliar with betting. By educating and engaging these fans about betting opportunities, the tide can change for the sport.
Creating Stock Car Racing Fans
Engaging NASCAR fans through sports betting is the more straightforward mission. The more challenging one – but the one which promises better returns in the long run – is convincing fans who bet regularly on traditional sports such as soccer, basketball, and baseball to try their hand at betting on NASCAR.
As per Solosky:
“The big slice of the pie is the people who are not watching NASCAR but who may be betting on other sports, and introducing them to in-race odds or educating them on how NASCAR betting is different from other sports. We are interested in getting them to bet on the sport and then watch the sport and then hopefully go to a race where we can acquire them as fans.”
He believes that NASCAR betting does not have to come at the expense of other sports. Rather, they can complement one another.
“In growing our handle, we’re not looking to take away from other sports, we’re looking to grow the pie,” he said. “That may be co-creating experiences for people who are betting the NFL to get them to go to NASCAR events or bet on NASCAR events. These are ways I think that we can grow our handle.”
NASCAR Responsible Gambling Efforts
NASCAR joined the AGA “Have A Game Plan, Best Responsibly” campaign in September 2020, presented to NASCAR fans as “.”
The two formed a natural coalition due to both being contributors to the International Center for Responsible Gaming’s fund to support research on sports wagering.