NASCAR has been a huge sport in the US for years, and NASCAR betting is now taking off with the legalization of sports betting. NASCAR has always been a popular sport in the United States, and it hosts some of the largest sporting events every year. In fact, the Coca-Cola 600 averages about four million viewers each year, and it’s not even the biggest race in the sport.
Since sports betting was made legal by the Supreme Court in 2018, sports betting has been legalized in Illinois and 24 other states. While NASCAR didn’t take off the same way other sports did, it is now becoming a huge market for sports bettors. It is projected that betting on NASCAR will triple in 2021, which is just a testament to how popular the sport is becoming.
NASCAR has also recently partnered with Genius Sports (a leader in sports data solutions) to help them establish NASCAR in the sports betting world. The partnership is set to help create a dynamic and engaging live betting experience for NASCAR races.
NASCAR is a major sport, and because of that, every major sportsbook available has a NASCAR market. Creating an account with a sportsbook and betting on NASCAR races in Illinois should take no more than five minutes.
How to bet the Coca-Cola 600 from Illinois
Betting on NASCAR is becoming increasingly popular. Since Illinois has legalized sports betting, there are several great options for how to bet the Coca-Cola 600. Here are some of the top sportsbooks available in Illinois.
DraftKings app IL
DraftKings is one of the most popular sportsbooks in the country. This is mainly because of its smooth interface and easy-to-navigate website and mobile app. DraftKings also provides solid odds for the Coca-Cola 600 and other NASCAR races, and even has betting previews for races.
FanDuel app IL
FanDuel is one of the biggest sportsbooks available in Illinois. FanDuel has a great website and mobile app with great features. One of the best features is OddsBoost which will increase the odds for certain bets for NASCAR races.
PointsBet app IL
PointsBet is one of the hottest up-and-coming sportsbooks in Illinois. This is because it has a unique feature called PointsBetting. PointsBetting essentially rewards users for the more a bet covers. You are also penalized for how much a bet falls short. Regardless, it’s still a cool feature everyone should check out.
William Hill app IL
William Hill is one of the oldest sportsbooks around; because of that, they have a super smooth and simple website and mobile app. William Hill also always provides competitive odds. This is a great site for beginners, as it has extensive articles about gambling basics.
BetRivers app IL
BetRivers is another major sportsbook available in Illinois. BetRivers has competitive odds, but what really sets it apart is its IRush rewards program. IRush rewards users for placing wagers with BetRivers. The more you use the sportsbook, the more rewards you will get.
How long has the Coca-Cola 600 been running?
The Coca-Cola 600 debuted in 1960, but it was called the World 600 then. The race happens every year at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Over its 60-year run, the Coca-Cola 600 has had some huge moments. Perhaps one of the biggest moments was when Darrell Waltrip won his fifth Coca-Cola 600, giving him the most of all time.
The most interesting thing about the Coca-Cola 600, though, is how it is run. For one, it is the longest race in NASCAR as the race is 600 miles long; what’s more interesting, though, is that the race begins in the evening. For the first 200 miles, the track is usually bathed in sunlight. For the next 200 miles, the race is run at dusk. In the final 200 miles, the lights come on as it is night-time at the track. This is unique for NASCAR, so this race is always an interesting one to watch.
Best bets for Coca-Cola 600
Betting on NASCAR is different from betting on traditional sports. While there are similarities, there are also some big differences. This section will outline some of the most common bets you can place on NASCAR races.
Race winner
Race winner bets are as simple as they sound. A sports bettor will simply choose who they think will win the race. Each driver will have different odds set by the sportsbook at the beginning of the race. Due to many drivers, most racers will have positive (+) odds to win. The only exception to this is if there is a big favorite in which they would have negative (-) odds.
Top three/top five finish
Top three/top five finish bets are also fairly simple. This means that you can wager on whether a driver will finish the race in the top three places or the top five places, depending on what you bet. It is a simple yes/no bet in which you decide if the driver will place in the selected range or not. The odds will usually be staggered for these types of wagers, depending on the expected outcomes of drivers. It is important to note that top three finish bets will have worse odds than race winner bets, and top five bets will have even worse odds.
Pole position
Pole position is a wager that lets sports bettors gamble on who will be the “pole sitter” for the race. A “pole sitter” is the driver that starts the race in the first row of the inside lane. It is important to note that this bet is only available if the race has qualifying rounds before the race.
Lap times
Lap times bets are set up like a typical totals (over/under) bet. Essentially the sportsbook will provide a time, and a sports bettor can wager whether the fastest lap will be over or under that time. Most sportsbooks also offer lap times bets for specific drivers as well.
Driver head-to-head matchups
Driver head-to-head matchups are some of the most fun NASCAR bets you can place. This type of wager lets you wager on head-to-head matchups between drivers. Essentially, you get to bet on which driver will finish the race in a higher position.
- Ex. Bubba Wallace -120 vs. Kyle Larson -110
Group matchup
A group matchup bet is similar to a head-to-head matchup, but instead of choosing between two drivers, it’s usually a group of four drivers. Essentially, you have to pick which driver will finish the race at the highest position in the group.
- Ex. Bubba Wallace +110; Kyle Larson +120; Denny Hamlin +130; Chase Elliott +110
Can you bet on futures for the Coca-Cola 600?
Simply put, yes, you can wager on futures for the Coca-Cola 600. A futures bet is a wager placed far in advance of the actual event. Futures bets provide some of the best odds in all sports betting. The main futures wager for the Coca-Cola 600 is who will win the race. This allows you to wager on who will win the Coca-Cola 600 far in advance. The odds are best the farther away from the event, so be sure to bet early.
There are also other futures bets for the Coca-Cola 600, but they more so pertain to the overall NASCAR season. For instance, you can place futures bets on who will be in the points leader after the Coca-Cola 600 and who will have the most wins after the Coca-Cola 600.
NASCAR head-to-head betting
Head-to-head betting is one of the most fun ways you can wager on NASCAR races. It is also, along with group matchups, one of the best places to find constant value for your bets. Head-to-head matchups make it, so you don’t have to try and figure out who will win the race. This type of bet simplifies the race basically down to two drivers, and you just wager on who will beat whom. In a sport with a large field size like NASCAR, this type of bet simplifies things. If you are new to NASCAR betting, this is a solid wager to start with.
Prop bets for the Coca-Cola 600
Prop bets for NASCAR races work similarly to how prop bets work in traditional sports. They typically have nothing to do with the final results of the race, but rather on individual stats and other aspects of the race. Some of the most popular prop bets for the Coca-Cola 600 are how many crashes will happen, which manufacturer will win, how many caution flags will be waived, and how many racers will actually finish the race.
Can you live bet during the Coca-Cola 600 in Illinois?
Live betting is legal in Illinois, so yes, you can wager on the race while it is happening. Live betting is one of the most popular ways to wager on NASCAR. This is because you actually get to watch the race and see it play out some before placing your wagers. It is important to note, though, that the odds rapidly change while the race is happening, so if you find value while live betting, you need to act fast. This makes mobile apps ideal for live betting on NASCAR races.
How the NASCAR points system works
The NASCAR points system may seem complicated if you are unfamiliar, but it is actually pretty simple once you break it down. Basically, NASCAR uses its points system to determine which racers will advance to the postseason after the regular season. Although structured differently, they also use this system to determine points in the postseason. Essentially, at the end of every race, all of the 40 drivers are awarded points for competing in the race. First place is awarded 40 points, second place gets 35 points, all the way down to 40th place, which gets one point. Points are also awarded at the end of stage one and stage two of each race, with 10 points going to first place all the way down to one point for 10th place.
Quick tips for betting on NASCAR
Betting on NASCAR can seem complicated for beginners and even experienced sports bettors. But once you get the hang of it, though, it can be a sport with much betting value. Here are some tips for betting on NASCAR races:
1. Stats and data analysis
While it is more complicated to find stats and data for NASCAR compared to other sports, they are still out there. This is by far the most important tip to follow. Comparing stats and data between drivers and previous races will be the easiest way for you to find value in NASCAR bets. Check out DriverAverages.com for some solid NASCAR stats and data.
2. Know the drivers
This is another very important step, as the best way to bet on NASCAR is by actually watching NASCAR and knowing the drivers. Knowing the drivers can help you find much value, especially in head-to-head bets and group matchups. This is another very important tip for new NASCAR bettors. While NASCAR races may seem long, and this may seem difficult if you are not a fan of the sport, it is essential if you want to bet on it. Also, remember if there are qualifying rounds, you should watch the qualifying rounds.
3. Know the track
While all tracks have similarities and differences, understanding how tracks compare to one another is another great way to find value with NASCAR bets. It is also important to mention here that you should always have up-to-date information on track and weather conditions.