Category: Auto Racing

Best images of Bubba Wallace’s surge to victory in NASCAR’s Hollywood Casino 400

Bubba Wallace powered his way to victory in NASCAR’s Hollywood Casino 400

The Hollywood Casino 400 was a playoff race in the Chase for the NASCAR Championship. However, it didn’t go to one of the drivers vying for the title. Rather, it was won by Bubba Wallace in the 45 car. Wallace has moved into that ride with Kurt Busch unable to drive due to an injury suffered earlier in the campaign.

September Sports Betting Calendar: NFL and NCAAF Week 1, WNBA Finals and US Open Finals

Football is back.

It’s the time of year you’ve all been waiting for, so you don’t need this calendar to tell you football is back. There are so many intriguing debuts and matchups to look forward to in this first month of the season, but I simplified the calendar to give a quick glimpse of the prime-time matchups.

In addition to the NFL, we’ve got Week 1 of college football action with a few Top 25 matchups on the slate, though rankings are sure to change by the time some of these matchups roll around.

Finally, the WNBA will crown a champion, as will the US Open. And the MLB enters it final stretch of the season before the playoffs begin. Here’s your betting calendar for September.

[tipico]

Betting 101: How to bet on NASCAR for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around NASCAR, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

Wagering on NASCAR can be a daunting task for first-time bettors. In fact, you might lose a good chunk of money right off the bat if you simply try to pick a winner for each race out of a sea of drivers competing for the checkered flag. Luckily, there are more than a few ways to win money without having to choose the driver who will be doing celebratory burnouts before pulling into Victory Lane.

NASCAR betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of today’s sports betting odds and lines.

  • Choose the winner: Easily the most difficult. Similar to a moneyline bet in other sports, you will pick the driver who will win the race outright. There are tools you can use, such as Average-Finish Position (AFP) across previous races at a track, NASCAR Loop Data from previous stops, and knowing a driver’s production on certain types of tracks – flat tracks, intermediate, short tracks, superspeedways for example. If you hit on the winning driver, it can pay off handsomely, but it’s far more difficult than it sounds.
  • Selecting a driver to finish in the Top 3: If you like a driver, but aren’t confident of his finishing and winning the race, you can bet on him to finish inside the Top 3. This will not pay off nearly as well as an outright win, but it can still be rather lucrative. Sometimes the driver with the best car doesn’t always win, but he is right there at the end.
  • Driver vs. driver: For some of the major races, you can bet on Driver vs. Driver – or matchup betting. For example, wagering on a prop of Denny Hamlin vs. Kyle Busch is betting on which driver will finish higher. These are particularly popular for the Daytona 500 and other major races on the season. You can also participate in Group Betting where you select a driver among a group of four or five. If your pick finishes higher than the rest, you win.
  • Props: Again, this is mostly for the major races. Sportsbooks offer such props as “will a an odd- or even-numbered car win the race?” You can bet on the Over/Under of the car number of the winning driver. You can bet on whether the car manufacturer of the winning driver was Chevrolet, Ford or Toyota. Like the Super Bowl, or any major sporting event, these special props are available for the biggest races on the schedule. You can even bet the Over/Under on how many caution flags will come out during a race.

NASCAR betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Favorite: Similar to any other sport, the favorite – or chalk – is the driver with the greatest chance of winning the checkered flag.
  • Chalk: This refers to a heavy favorite. For example, +350 and higher is considered heavy chalk. Long shots for a particular race will be in the neighborhood of +2000 or greater.
  • Future betting: If you would like a long-term bet, you can choose a driver at the beginning of the season to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship. You can still make this bet during the season, as the odds are adjusted as the year goes on.

NASCAR betting: How do odds work?

NASCAR racing odds can vary greatly. There is rarely, if ever, a time where the favorite is minus-money. For example, if you were to bet an overwhelming favorite at +350, a $10 winning bet profits $350. An underdog wager at +2500 would profit $2500 on a $10 bet.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1950]

WATCH: Red Bull leader considered deliberately infecting Formula 1 drivers with coronavirus before season’s start

While people across the world are being asked to self-quarantine and practice social distancing one decision-maker within the world of Formula 1 was thinking about doing the exact opposite.

Drastic times call for drastic measures, but not as drastic as one Formula One leader would like to get.

Helmut Marko, the head of driver development for Red Bull, recently told Australian TV station ORF that he had considered gathering all of Red Bull’s drivers to create a coronavirus camp of sorts, with the hope that they’ll get their infections over and done with before the delayed Formula One season starts up.

“These are all strong young men in really good health,” Marko said. “That way, they would be prepared whenever the action starts. And you can be ready for what will probably be a very tough championship once it starts.”

We don’t have to lay out why that would be a bad idea, do we?

Fortunately for Marko’s drivers, it does not sound like they’ll be asked to create their own petri dish: ”Let’s put it this way,” Marko said,. “It has not been well received.”

The 2020 F1 season was originally set to start March 15. The first race of the season still on the calendar is the Canadian Grand Prix, which is scheduled for June 14.

Coronavirus sports postponements and cancellations: The latest

Coronavirus postponements and cancellations in the sports world: tracking the latest

Tracking noteworthy sports postponements & cancellations during the coronavirus pandemic:

NCAA

  • Canceled all remaining winter and spring championships, including the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments
  • Most conferences suspended on-campus and off-campus recruiting, as well official and unofficial visits; length of suspension varies by conference
  • Suspended all recruiting on and off campus for all sports until at least April 15, according to sources

Auto racing

NASCAR

  • Postponed race events scheduled for this weekend in Atlanta and the following weekend in Homestead, Fla.

INDYCAR

  • Canceled all series events through April

Formula 1

  • Postponed start of season; expects to begin season at end of May

Baseball

MLB

  • Canceled remaining spring training games
  • Delayed start of regular season, including minor leagues, by at least two weeks

Basketball

NCAA

  • Canceled men’s and women’s basketball tournaments

NBA

Football

NCAA

  • Most conferences have canceled spring football practices and spring games

NFL

  • Prohibited “all in-person pre-draft visits involving draft-eligible players effective at the end of this business day, until further notice”
  • Several teams suspended travel to pro days

XFL

  • Canceled remainder of regular season; “committed to playing a full season in 2021”

Golf

PGA

  • Postponed tournaments through April 12, including the Masters (April 9-12); hope to hold events, especially the Masters, at a later date

LPGA

  • Postponed tournaments through April 15

European Tour

  • Postponed tournaments through April 26

Hockey

NHL

  • Suspended all games until “as soon as it is appropriate and prudent”

Soccer

MLS

  • Suspended season for 30 days

Premier League

  • Postponed season until April 3 at the earliest

UEFA

  • Postponed UEFA club competitions (including Champions League and Europa League) through March 21

Serie A

  • Postponed season through April 3

La Liga

  • Suspended games for first and second divisions

Combat sports

UFC

  • Moved Saturday’s UFC Fight Night Brazil to Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia with no spectators
  • Moved UFC Fight Night: Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik, scheduled for March 28, from Columbus, Ohio, to Las Vegas
  • Moved UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris, scheduled for April 11, from Portland, Ore., to Las Vegas

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

NASCAR Betting: FanShield 500 odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series FanShield 500 at Phoenix Raceway, with NASCAR betting odds, picks and best bets

The NASCAR Cup Series moves to Phoenix Raceway Sunday afternoon for the FanShield 500 at 3:30 p.m. ET in Avondale, Ariz. Below, we analyze the FanShield500 betting odds and lines, with NASCAR picks and tips.

Who is going to win the 2020 FanShield 500 at Phoenix Raceway?

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 10:20 a.m. ET.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch (+325) has been at or near the top of the heap at Phoenix (previously ISM Raceway) for a while now. He has rattled off nine consecutive finishes in the Top 10, with eight of those runs resulting in a finish of fourth or better, with three runner-ups and a pair of checkered flags. Since the fall 2015 race he has an Average-Finish Position (AFP) of 2.9, which makes him the overwhelming betting favorite

Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (+1000) is on the pole for Sunday’s race. He has been a quick study at the track, posting an AFP of 13.8 in eight career starts with two top-5 showings, four top-10 finishes and 156 laps led, although he does have a DNF in that span. His teammate Jimmie Johnson (+5000) is looking to snap a lengthy winless drought, and Phoenix could be just the place for him. He has four career wins at the track, second-most among all active drivers. In 33 career starts, he has a 10.3 AFP with 15 of his runs resulting in a finish of fifth or better while leading 994 laps.

New to sports betting? A successful $10 wager on Busch to win would return a profit of $32.50.

Looking to place a bet on this race or other motorsports? Get some action in the NASCAR race through BetMGM. Sign up and bet at BetMGM now!

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick (+550) is always a threat at this track as well. He has collected nine checkered flags at this flat track in his 34 career starts, with exactly half of his starts resulting in a finish of fifth or better. He also leads all active drivers with 1,595 laps led. And, most importantly, he has never had a DNF in his 34 starts at Phoenix, so you know he’ll be there in the end.

JGR’s Denny Hamlin (+800) is one of five active drivers with at least two wins at the track, four if you exclude the injured Ryan Newman. The driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota has registered 13 top-5 showings in his 29 career starts with an impressive 11.0 AFP and 821 laps led.

Also of note, JGR’s Martin Truex Jr. (+600) will start from the back of the field due to an engine change before pre-technical inspection Saturday.

2020 FanShield 500 longshot bets

Of the racers without a career win at Phoenix, Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson (+2500) has slightly longer odds than the four above. He is the best non-winner by the career numbers. In 12 career starts he has a tremendous 12.7 AFP with four top-5 finishes, six top-10 showings and 69 laps led. He was a runner-up in the spring ’17 race, and he has five finishes of sixth or better in his past seven starts.

If you want an even deeper sleeper, SHR’s Aric Almirola (+6000) could be a nice selection. He has never won at the track, but in 18 career starts he has a solid 15.3 AFP with 14 of his finishes coming in the Top 20, and two runs inside the Top 5. The ‘Cuban Missile’ had back-to-back fourth-place runs in the fall of ’18 and spring of ’19 race, too.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1950]

NASCAR Betting: Auto Club 400 odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Auto Club 400 sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Auto Club Speedway Sunday afternoon for the Auto Club 400 at 3:30 p.m. ET in Fontana, Calif. Below, we analyze the Auto Club 400 betting odds and lines, with NASCAR picks and tips.

Who is going to win the 2020 Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway?

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Saturday at 12:05 p.m. ET.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch (+500) won last season’s Auto Club 400, and he has also picked up three checkered flags across his past six starts at the California track. The defending series champ is off to a rather uneven start through two starts this season, so perhaps a start at ACS is just what is needed to jump-start his season. In 21 career starts at the track he has four wins, 10 top-five finishes, 15 top-10 runs and 807 laps led with a 10.0 Average-Finish Position (AFP), too.

Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (+800) has had some strong showings at this track in the past, but victory has eluded him thus far. In four starts he has a 10.8 AFP with a pair of top-10 finishes, five laps led and he has never finished lower than 16th. He’ll be one to watch. Elliott’s teammate Jimmie Johnson (+1600) is showing some signs of life early on, and he leads all active drivers with six California wins, 13 top-five finishes in 25 starts, 980 laps led and a 7.6 AFP.

New to sports betting? A successful $10 wager on Johnson to win would return a profit of $160.

Looking to place a bet on this race or other motorsports? Get some action in the NASCAR race through BetMGM. Sign up and bet at BetMGM now!

Penske Racing driver Joey Logano (+600) will be looking for checkers for the second consecutive weekend. He is seventh or better in each of his past five outings, including a runner-up finish last season. Logano has never won this race in 13 career starts, but he has 57 laps led and a 13.1 AFP, sixth-best among all active drivers.

Logano’s teammate Brad Keselowski (+800) won this race in 2015, and he has rattled off three straight top-five showings, and five top-10 finishes in a row. Kes has a 14.5 AFP in his 11 career starts with 81 laps led.

2020 Auto Club 400 longshot bets

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kurt Busch (+2500) is worth a small-unit wager, as he enters Sunday’s race with the fourth-best AFP among active drivers. In 26 career starts he has a win, seven top-five finishes, 13 top-10 finishes and no DNFs with a 12.6 AFP and 298 laps led.

If you’re looking for a little bit more of a longshot, Erik Jones (+3300) fits the bill. He has finished 12th, seventh and 19th in three career starts at ACS with a solid 12.7 AFP, fifth among active drivers.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1950]