Motorsports started shortly after people started using cars and appreciating the thrill of speed. It’s no wonder motor sport betting has become so popular as well, with many sportsbooks offering numerous markets to their customers. Here’s the list of online betting sites where you can bet on motorsports.
What Makes Motor Sports a Good Option for Betting Online
Motorsports are among the most dynamic sports, both for betting on and watching. One crash or malfunction can change the entire race, and that’s when you can seize your chance to make a bet in-running and grab the new odds motor sport betting sites offer.
All the adrenaline and thrills from the road get transferred to the fans and bettors, who become a part of each spectacle. The tension rises with each tyre-screeching sound, acceleration and overtake, and just like that, you have fallen for the lure of motorsports.
The seasons are long for some motorsports, like Formula 1, NASCAR, or MotoGP, giving bettors plenty of chances to wager on their favourite racing markets throughout the year. And there are a few available pre-event and live betting that we are sure you will enjoy.
How to Choose Best Motor Racing Betting Site?
The first thing we look into when evaluating the best motorsport betting sites is the licence information and security measures the operator implements to protect its customers. An operator must be licensed and secure to be recommended on AskGamblers.
We also appreciate it when an operator shows commitment to responsible gambling practices and provides tools to keep gambling habits in control.
Here are some other things we look into when reviewing an online motor racing betting site:
Betting Features
Betting features are important for online motor sport betting because they add thrill to an already exciting betting experience. In-running betting allows bettors to wager on a race while it’s ongoing and then eagerly wait for the outcome of their bet.
If an operator provides a chance for bettors to livestream the race while awaiting the bet outcome, that’s a big plus, both for us as reviewers and for its customers. Bet builders are typically not available for motorsport betting, so we don’t really expect to see this feature.
Payment Methods
When it comes to the payment methods sportsbooks accept, the more, the merrier is always a motto we find appropriate. It is crucial that the operator accepts at least the most popular betting payment methods, such as Visa or Mastercard debit/credit cards and popular e-wallets and other digital payment solutions.
If a sportsbook also offers crypto payments, we consider that a plus because of the rising popularity of this payment option among bettors.
Available Betting Markets and the Quality of Odds
Apart from the outright betting markets, like the championship winner market for both drivers and constructors or seasonal head-to-head market for drivers, top motor sports sportsbooks will also offer many markets for each event.
When we say that you should look into the quality of odds, that means that betting accounts that constantly offer higher odds than the competitors should get bonus points, especially in the long run.
Betting Bonuses
A good welcome bonus is an offer that can attract new customers to try an online motor racing betting site. It comes in the form of a deposit match bonus or free bets users can use on all or particular sports the operator specified.
Bettors also appreciate it when sportsbooks offer other bonuses, such as race weekend-related bonuses, special odds boosts, or accumulator boosts for a Moto GP race, for example, or any other racing event. Cashback bonuses are also popular with bettors.
Motorsport Betting Markets
Some markets are pretty much the same for all motorsports with similar competition formats because the racing and ranking concepts are similar, if not the same. Let’s have a look at the most popular betting markets sportsbooks offer for motor racing betting.
Outright Markets
The most popular outright markets for motorsport betting are the Outright Winner and the Outright Constructor Winner. The Outright Winner market allows bettors to predict which driver will win the championship at the end of the season. This market is active before the season begins and remains active throughout, with fluctuating odds.
You can also predict the constructor (team) that will win the most points based on their drivers’ placements in all races during the season. The odds change during the season based on the results.
Race Winner
This is a straightforward market for all motorsports that all the best motor sports sportsbooks offer to their customers. It allows you to predict the winner of each race, and it’s the market that typically opens ahead of the event, with odds fluctuating as the racing weekend progresses.
Podium Finish
If you are unsure whether a driver can win the race but deem them a strong contender for one of the top three positions, the Podium Finish market could be the right option for you. Each driver gets corresponding odds for this market, so you can choose your favourite without any limitations.
Pole Position Winner
If you look at statistics from the previous races or the same event the year before and feel confident that you can predict who will win the qualifications and start the race from the first position, this is the market you can wager on. Some Formula 1 or MotoGP bettors wait until the Free Practices are done before betting on this market.
Fastest Lap
The Fastest Lap market is available for Formula 1 betting, for example, where the driver who has the fastest lap in the race gets an extra point.
Driver Head-to-Head
Sportsbooks often provide odds for this market for two drivers from the same team, especially if they are close in the championship race, or if there is a famous rivalry between them. The head-to-head market is also for the drivers who compete for the championship title, regardless of their team.
Most Important Motor Racing Events to Bet on
Motor racing championships like MotoGP, Formula 1 or NASCAR Cup Series feature multiple events during the season, often more than 20. Not all events attract the same amount of attention from motorsports enthusiasts, even in the same sport or championship.
Speaking of Formula 1, some of the most popular events at F1 betting sites are the Australian Grand Prix, the British GP at Silverstone, the Monaco Grand Prix, and the famous Monza, the Italian GP. NASCAR is only driven in the US, and the events that grab the most attention are the Daytona 500, Darlington, the BMS and the Coca-Cola 600.
Mugello Circuit, Italy, is the most popular MotoGP event, followed by the Circuit de Barcelona and the Sachsenring, Germany. World Rally Championship also attracts plenty of attention from the bettors, the Indy Car Series.
The famous endurance race, 24 Hours of Le Mans, is another prestigious motorsport event, just like the thrilling Dakar Rally. These might be the most popular events for audiences worldwide, mostly because of the tradition behind them, but all events from all series are popular for motor sport betting.
Tips for Betting on Motor Sports
Betting on motor sports can be a bit tricky at the beginning of the season when you don’t know how each team has set up the cars for the new season. They can continue with the good (or bad) performances from the end of the previous season, or they can improve drastically or fall behind their competitors who made better adjustments to their cars.
Also, things change after a longer break between races, with some teams adjusting better to future challenges. If the trend continues for at least two races, you should consider adjusting your betting picks accordingly.
Here are some more tips:
- Check previous performances: What past seasons have taught us is that some drivers have favourite tracks where they win multiple times, and if they are in good shape at the moment you are placing your bet, that could be a good wager.
- Starting grid position is important: While it happens that drivers can make up for a bad qualifying position, it doesn’t often happen that they win the race. However, they could finish on the podium, so that could be your bet for the day.
- Make your bet each way to lower risk: If you still wish to bet on your favourite to win, even if they don’t have a good grid position, you can turn your bet into each way and add Place market to the Winner one. Use a betting odds calculator to know your potential returns.
- Weather could have a huge influence: Some teams are better than others at reacting to weather changes, and some drivers are better at driving when the track is wet. Take a look at some historical data to help you make an informed decision.
Interesting Facts About Motor Racing Events
Motor racing sports are adrenaline sports that bring a lot of excitement to fans and bettors everywhere. Here are some interesting facts about motor racing and popular events:
- Formula 1 championship features ten teams with two drivers each, while MotoGP has eleven teams. NASCAR can have up to 17 teams in its series.
- The fastest pit stop in F1 is 1.80 seconds, the time it took the McLaren team to replace all four tyres on Lando Norris’ car in lap 27 of the 2023 Qatar GP.
- The 2005 United States Grand Prix was an F1 event where only six cars from three teams with Bridgestone tyres (Ferrari, Jordan, and Minardi) competed, whereas the other seven teams were forced to retire from the race due to safety issues with Michelin tyres at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
- John Surtees was the only driver to win both a Formula 1 and MotoGP title, and it happened back in the 60's.
- Richard Petty has 200 race victories, making him the most successful NASCAR driver in history.
Betting on motorsports is very exciting, partly because of the adrenaline that hits with all the speed and throttle and braking sounds, but it is also vital to remember to bet responsibly and not let your emotions get the best of you. Make sure to check the available data before making your bet and stay in control of your betting.