Use these stats to improve your NASCAR betting.
Key Points
– A number of metrics can be used to improve NASCAR betting results.
– Bettors should take advantage of niche sports like auto racing.
Stats to Improve Your NASCAR Betting
The legalization of sports betting is garnering more attention, yet NASCAR betting still only makes up a small portion of the overall sports betting industry. The increased attention on sports betting means more bettors are searching for lucrative betting opportunities.
The odds for betting NASCAR at online sportsbooks are softer than those for well-known American sports like basketball and football since auto racing is considered a niche market. Because NASCAR betting has a significantly smaller aggregate handle than other sports, bookmakers are less concerned about producing subpar figures.
The most popular sport to bet on in the US is NFL football, which also has relatively high betting limits. Sportsbooks concentrate the majority of their efforts on ensuring that their lines for NFL games are as accurate as possible.
It makes sense that sportsbooks would act in this way given their resource limitations. If NFL oddsmakers make a mistake, they might lose a lot of money because high-roller bettors would profit.
Sportsbooks protect themselves from errors in the NASCAR markets with smaller bet limits and a lower overall volume. Because of this, there is value in betting on NASCAR events.
Below, what you will find are the most important metrics for NASCAR bettors to consider. In order to make informed betting decisions, gamblers should concentrate on these statistics.
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Average Finishing Position
This isn’t rocket science. A driver’s average finishing position over a predetermined number of races is known as average finish position. A driver that finished third, first, seventh, fifth, and 12th in five races would have an average finish position of 5.6. That could be rounded up to fifth or down to sixth.
The final race standings are the only thing that truly count in auto racing. The average finish, which mostly considers the final lap of the race, is a poor indicator of individual driver performance. That means we need more information.
Average Running Position in NASCAR Betting
Average running position serves as a more accurate predictor of driver performance. It considers a driver’s position in respect to the rest of the field. A driver is most likely always in a good position to win if his average running position is fifth. This measure is used in a lot of popular NASCAR betting strategies.
When handicapping NASCAR races and considering average running position, there are a few elements to bear in mind. Average running position can be affected if a driver has troubles, like mechanical problems or accidents, especially if you’re only looking at a small sample of races.
Let’s say a race has 500 laps, and a driver like Kyle Busch leads the first 300 laps before blowing an engine and not finishing the final 200. Although this is an extreme case, you get the idea.
Busch won the majority of the race and held the lead, but his failure in the final 200 laps skewed his overall average running position. Use caution when using this metric and adjust for unusual circumstances.
Laps in the Lead
Laps led should be added to average finish and average running position to get a better gauge of overall driver performance. In the Busch example, he held the lead up until his engine blew. He ends up with a terrible finish as well as a poor average running position.
Laps in the lead tells a different story and can help bettors determine the performance of a certain driver. It is more likely for drivers who take the lead frequently to win. Your NASCAR betting will improve drastically after considering this metric.
NASCAR Betting and Fast Laps
In assessing how a driver performed on the track throughout a race, average running position is a better indicator than average finish position. When deciding which drivers had the fastest cars, fast laps are preferred to laps in the lead.
Although all of the competitors have the capacity to complete a lap in the fastest time possible, only one driver can accrue laps in the lead.
Fast race vehicles may be sent to the back of the pack for a number of reasons, including poor qualifying, a penalty, an unplanned or long pit stop, and more. This means that when attempting to retake the lead, the driver is unable to lead laps.
Because that driver can still turn fast laps, this statistic is great for handicapping the fastest cars in a specific event or sample of races. Another great handicapping tool is this NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship betting guide.
Driver Rating
According to NASCAR.com, the following measures are combined into one to determine a driver’s rating: win, finish, top-15 finish, average running position when on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led, and lead-lap finish.
The most points a driver may earn in a single race is 150. For instance, William Byron received a score of 114, which was the highest driver rating of all the drivers in the 2019 Daytona 500. However, Byron was only able to finish in 21st position overall.
This suggests that Byron had one of the best cars despite the disappointing finish. Adding driver rating to the bettor’s arsenal can help in becoming more successful with NASCAR betting.
