NASCAR Betting

Red-state Dads are far from the sole fans of NASCAR, the nation's fastest growing sport year after year. The appeal of old-fashioned stock car racing combined with cutting-edge technology has extended the reach of this sport way beyond its traditional Southern roots. Drivers like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. possess a celebrity status that rivals that of Brett Farve and Michael Jordan.

As with football and basketball, NASCAR's popularity has translated into increased betting action as well. Racing fans and betting fans alike can't get enough of the high-speed dangerous action. Vegas odds makers lay odds on the chances of individual drivers winning particular races, allowing the bettors to pick them as if the cars were racehorses.

Checkered Flag Wagering

Since there are many more cars on the track than there are ponies on the dirt, the analogy with horse racing is not a complete one. In fact, NASCAR betting resembles golf in many ways as well. A large number of drivers in a race may not receive odds at all, meaning they are not favored to win, and thus they are part of "the field."

Betting on the field means that if any of the drivers who comprise the field win the race, the bettor wins the bet. Rather than betting on one car, you're betting on several, albeit several that are not favored to finish well. Still, in a volatile sport like NASCAR where anything can and does happen, betting the field remains quite an attractive option.