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BETTING

Learning How to Bet NASCAR

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A new season of racing has commenced on the NASCAR circuit with the completion of the Daytona 500. If you watched any portion of the race and either had a rooting interest for a particular driver or you just like to see when crashes occur or almost do, you understand anything can happen.

Let us ask you this, have you thought about wagering on NASCAR? It’s fun, not overly complicated and you don’t have to watch one second of the race if you choose not to. Make the right picks and get paid.

Understanding What Qualifying and Practice Means to Betting

The importance of qualifying determines the starting position for the race. Generally speaking, being towards the front is advantageous at most race tracks, because you are avoiding having to pass as many cars and are less likely to get in a crash.

An often overlooked component of qualifying is the pit position. All pit areas are different depending on the track, but if a driver and their team earned the pole position, he is closest to being able to get right back on the track after a tire change or refuel.

If you are further back in the pack, you have to navigate getting to your spot and when leaving, watching who is coming up behind you and being aware of who is in front of you.

READ MORE: What is Smart Money Action in Sports Betting?

Opinions vary on practice, some believing it is a tell-tale sign of what to expect and others view it as only looking for higher-rated teams having problems, which could turn a head-to-head matchup in your favor with the right underdog.

If your schedule does not allow for this type of detail, the most important aspect is to know if a driver wrecked his car and either suffered significant damage or is forced to use the backup car, which could make them a play against candidate against the betting odds.

Understanding Race Tracks and Drivers

This is an important part of making NASCAR picks. Think of tracks like a baseball park, each has its own particular intricacies that everyone has to account for. Many of the older tracks on the circuit like Martinsville or Bristol, have a groove in the lowest part of the oval, which is the fast part of the track.

That makes passing more difficult for those trying to come from behind. There are several drivers on the circuit who know and better understand how to drive in these conditions and they annually are near the front of these races.

READ MORE: Back Testing Sports Picks Increases Profits

The opposite of these would be the larger super speedway tracks like in Talladega, Texas and Michigan where there are two lanes to travel and those that start the race in the middle of the pack or even further behind, will have the ability to pass with greater ease. Again, some racers are better at a certain type of track and history bears that out.

What To Bet On for NASCAR

There are two types of wagers that are most common for this sport.

When at OddsTrader.com, you can find FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM or other sportsbooks and try to pick the winner, a Top 3 or Top 5 finish. Because there are a finite number of drivers and teams, baring a crash that takes your driver out, you can do well by backing particular drivers and teams and match them with their success at specific race tracks.

The most popular bets are head-to-head. What you are doing here is taking your choice and wagering they will finish ahead of another driver by race’s end. This is far and away the most popular way to play and sportsbooks regularly offer 20 to 30 such matchups, providing you many opportunities to find the one that best fits your research.

READ MORE: How to Shop for the Best Lines

Not unlike the NBA, the outcome invariably comes down to the final five or seven laps and anything can and does occur and the finishes are frequently breath-taking. With all the races televised, you can watch as much as you want and be a part of the – racin’ and rubbin’ – maybe pick up some cash in the process, without an extreme amount of work.

And remember to check back for more betting strategy at the OddsTrader blog. Happy betting!

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