NASCAR betting guide

Stock car racing started unofficially as a rural southern sport, during the Prohibition Era of the 1920′s. More than two decades later, NASCAR organisation was born and the sport quickly spread all over the United States. The turning point in NASCAR's history came in the 1980s when ESPN began televising races nationwide, which significantly increased the popularity of this motorsport.

Nowadays, each sunday around 100,000 NASCAR fans attend the races, while millions of supporters watch their favourite drivers compete on TV. The atmosphere at the NASCAR race track is incredible. The loud roar of the crowd mixes with the rumble made by the cars. The contestants are bunched up together, without much room to maneuver, but still they are able to reach approximately 320 km (200 miles) per hour.

Collisions between cars are very frequent. NASCAR drivers often intentionally use the bump-and-run move which involves bumping into the car in front, to move it up the track. Serious accidents with cars going airborne are also common in NASCAR. Until very recently, when new safety measures have been integrated, fatal accidents happened once or twice a year with the Daytona International Speedway being the most notorious track.

The three most important and popular NASCAR racing competitions are :

• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (Sprint Cup, Cup Series). 36-races season divided into two parts: Chase for the Champions (26 races) and Champions stage (10 races with the top 12 highest ranked drivers). Time: on a weekly basis throughout the season.
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Pickup truck racing. Time: on a weekly basis throughout the season.
• NASCAR Xfinity Series (NASCAR's lower circuit). Races from this category are often held at the same race track and similar time as Sprint Cup races to attract more fans. Time: on a weekly basis throughout the season.
• The most renowned and prestigious NASCAR race is without a doubt the Daytona 500, also known as ‘The Great American Race’, which takes place at Daytona International Speedway each February. The race is organised since 1959 and covers the enormous distance of 500 miles which is 200 laps!

• Outright betting (long-term betting) – predict which driver will be the winner of the NASCAR Spring Cup series
• Winner of the race betting – predict which driver will win the race
• Driver to finish in the Top 3 – predict whether the driver will be placed in the top 3
• Head to head betting (H2H betting, Match-up betting) – predict which one of the two drivers proposed by the bookmakers will do better in the race
• Fastest lap time betting – bet on which driver will boast the fastest lap time
• Manufacturer betting – predict which manufacturer will win the race, e.g. Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge.

• Be up to date with all news concerned with NASCAR. Watch the qualifying sessions and listen to NASCAR experts opinions. Before each race read interviews with the drivers and mechanics. All these things will provide you with good insight before the race.
• Racing tracks matter. NASCAR race tracks vary in terms of their size and configuration. Each NASCAR track has its own distinct features such as high banking (angle of the racing surface) or various bumps on the track. Often drivers perform excellent at tracks that they favour or feel more confident on, while they struggle on those that they do not like, or are not compatible with their style. Overall, there are 30 NASCAR tracks. Most of them are oval, 0,8-4,8 km (0,5-3 mile) long racing tracks. In addition, there are four road courses and one triangle course.