NASCAR, which stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, is a family owned business that governs many of the top professional stock car races every year. The NASCAR Cup Series is the highest level of professional racing in NASCAR, while the NASCAR Xfinity Series is the second highest level. Most sportsbooks offer odds on every Cup Series race, and many also cover the Xfinity Series.
On this page we explain where you can bet on NASCAR, how the most popular NASCAR bets work, and a few tips to keep in mind.
Where Can You Bet On NASCAR?
Sports betting is legal in some form in 39 states plus Washington DC, and NASCAR races are available at licensed sportsbooks in those states. You must be physically located in a state where a sportsbook is licensed to use it, and most states require you to be 21. In states without legal sports betting, prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket offer contracts on major races under federal CFTC oversight, though their legal status is being challenged in several states. In Canada, Ontario and Alberta have regulated markets, while other provinces offer betting through their provincial lottery corporation. Our USA sports betting section covers the rules in more detail.
NASCAR Betting Options
The NASCAR betting options are similar to the bets described on our motor sports betting page. For each race you can bet on which driver will win, and most sportsbooks also offer head-to-head odds on which of two drivers will finish ahead of the other.
Race Winner
Betting on the race winner is the most popular NASCAR wager. You’re simply picking which driver will cross the finish line first. Here were the odds for the 2026 Daytona 500:
Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney were the co-favorites at 10-1, meaning a $100 bet on either driver would have won $1,000. With roughly 40 cars in the field, even the favorites carry long odds, which is part of what makes NASCAR winner bets so appealing. For more on the season’s biggest race, see our Daytona 500 betting guide.
Head To Head
Head to head betting pairs two drivers and lets you bet on which one finishes higher in the race, regardless of where either finishes overall. Here’s an example from the 2024 Daytona 500:
Denny Hamlin was a slight favorite to finish ahead of Chase Elliott, so you’d have risked $120 to win $100 betting on Hamlin. Most NASCAR head to head matchups are priced close to a pick’em like this one.
Other NASCAR Bets
Sportsbooks also offer odds on qualifying, top 3, top 5 and top 10 finishes, group betting, and stage winners. You can also place a futures bet on which driver will win the NASCAR Cup Series Championship each year.
NASCAR Betting Tips
- Consider The Track – Every track is different, and certain drivers perform better on specific types of tracks. Take into account the track’s size and configuration, and look at each driver’s success on similar tracks.
- Watch The Qualifying – You can get a good idea of a driver’s chances based on how comfortable they were with the track in qualifying. It’s also worth watching pre-race interviews to get a sense of how good drivers feel about their chances.
- Follow Practice Sessions – Practice sessions give a better idea of how a car will handle over a full race. In qualifying the goal is a single fast lap, while practice gives a much more realistic view of the car’s abilities.
- Set a Budget – Decide how much you’re willing to spend before race day and stick to it. If betting stops being fun, help is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
To keep up with NASCAR news, check out the official NASCAR website.