Tag: Sports Betting

Arizona sports betting: Is legal sports betting available in Arizona?

Is sports betting legal in Arizona? We look at the latest information.

No, sports betting in Arizona is not legal at this time.

Sports betting in Arizona

There is limited betting in Arizona. It is limited to horse and dog racing. Daily fantasy is considered betting in Arizona, so that is not legal either.

According to some projections, sports betting could come to the state as early as the year 2021.

In 2019, a bill was proposed in the state legislature to allow sports betting in local bars and tribal casinos. It was not approved.

Online sportsbooks in Arizona

There no current legal online sportsbooks in Arizona. State residents can bet on sports online through unregulated, offshore establishments, but their legality is also questionable.

Retail sportsbooks in Arizona

There are no legal retail sportsbooks in Arizona.

For more sports betting information and betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. And follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and on Facebook.

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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.

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New Jersey sports betting hurt by loss of NCAA Tournament, Masters, NBA, MLB, NHL

As sports leagues continue to cancel and suspend events, the sports betting world is one of many areas being hurt

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The dominos fell with stunning speed over a 48-hour period this week as fear of spread of the coronavirus forced the suspension of the NBA, NHL and MLB seasons, while while the NCAA Tournament, one of gambling’s Holy Grails, was canceled altogether.

The 2020 Masters golf tournament has also been postponed, Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley announced Friday.

So while there’s bitter disappointment among players and fans, it’s also  crushing blow to New Jersey’s sports betting industry at a time when revenue records could have been shattered.

In what would have been one of the two busiest times of the year – some $540 million was wagered in the state in January in the buildup to Super Bowl LIV – the industry is on hold indefinitely during the COVID-19 outbreak around the country.

In the 21 months sports betting has been legal, the additional revenue stream has provided a much-needed lifeline to New Jersey’s horse racing industry at the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park, with their respective sports books and online operations generating over $277 million in gross revenues during that time.

The Meadowlands has also canceled live harness racing through the weekend, with no decision made of the immediate future of racing.

“The ripple effect to sports betting will be profound because this extends so far beyond the sports wagering bubble,” said Daniel Wallach, a South Florida-based attorney who specializes in the sports betting industry. “This is just one subset of a broader impact across every segments of American life, and that is going to have a continued impact.

“These are unprecedented times and the gambling industry will take a huge hit. As will so many industries. So there will be an immediate impact and a trickle-down impact over time.”

HELLO FRIENDS: Augusta National postpones the Masters

NEED A FIX? A guide to the sports events still taking place

How significant will the impact be?

Last March, the first time New Jersey gamblers were able to legally wager on the NCAA Tournament, some $372 million was bet during the month around the state, producing gross revenues of $31.7 million. The Meadowlands, which partners with FanDuel on sports betting, accounted for $17.5 million of that revenue, including $13.3 online. Monmouth Park, which has William Hill as its partner, did $2.7 million.

But the market has expanded dramatically in the state over the past 12 months as New Jersey challenges Nevada for leadership in the industry.

In January, the $53.6 million in gross revenues for the state represented a 185.2 percent increase year-over-year. And with the market continuing to mature, the handle could have topped the record handle of $562.7 million set last December, when $32.9 million in revenue was generated.

A closer look at the numbers New Jersey sports books produced in February show a 54.4 percent increase from a year earlier, with $494.8 million wagered, compared with $320.4 million in 2019.

“New Jersey’s year-over-year gains remained impressive in February, but we are in uncharted territory now,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for the website PlayNJ.com. “Obviously there are bigger concerns with coronavirus, but the NBA is a major revenue driver for New Jersey’s sportsbooks. So the suspension of the season, in addition to suspensions of other sports, will undoubtedly have a significant effect.”

It’s not just New Jersey, with legal sports betting sweeping across the country after the 2018 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that the law that banned it in all but a few jurisdictions was unconstitutional.

The No. 1 sports betting state is Nevada. Sixteen states have legalized sports betting. All other states have imminent or long-range plays to make sports betting legal, except Idaho, Wisconsin and Utah.

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How you should bet the Big Ten Tournament

The Big Ten Tournament bracket was finalized on Sunday, which means so were the lines in Vegas. Despite Wisconsin landing the one seed following a three-way tie for first place, the Badgers are nowhere near favorites to be the last team standing in …

The Big Ten Tournament bracket was finalized on Sunday, which means so were the lines in Vegas. Despite Wisconsin landing the one seed following a three-way tie for first place, the Badgers are nowhere near favorites to be the last team standing in Indy. Banker’s Life Fieldhouse will play host to the tournament that begins with a pair of games today. Let’s take a look at the full list of odds and find every gamblers favorite thing: value.

Here is the complete list of odds to win the Big Ten Tournament:

  • Michigan State+250
  • Maryland+500
  • Wisconsin+500
  • Illinois+800
  • Michigan+1100
  • Ohio State+1100
  • Iowa+1200
  • Penn State+1200
  • Rutgers+1800
  • Purdue+2500
  • Minnesota+3000
  • Indiana+3300
  • Nebraska+25000
  • Northwestern+40000

The Pick: Michigan State – The chalk is not always the play, but in the case of this tournament I think it has to be. Michigan State enters Indy on a role, and over their last five games they have looked like the team that was a preseason national championship favorite. March favors two things: electrifying guards and elite coaching. The Spartans check both boxes. Coming off of a 27-point outburst on his senior day, Cassius Winston will be a man on a mission this March. Sparty has a double-bye, which will be significant advantage for the top four seeds given how close many of these tournament games are sure to be. Throughout their five-game winning streak, Michigan State has won three of the five games on the road including wins at Penn State and a double-digit Maryland. Playing away from home effects the Spartans less than any other contender, as we have seen this year in conference play. 

Sleeper: Iowa – The Hawkeyes provide the value at +1200, and anytime you have Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza you have a chance. Iowa fell short at Illinois on Sunday in an effort to claim a double-bye, but Garza showed us why he is the best big in the conference finishing with 28 points and eight boards. The Hawkeyes have an experienced leader in Fran McCaffery and the shooting to ignite a deep run in Indy.

Deep Sleeper: Indiana – No, the Hoosiers are not going to win the Big Ten Tournament, but winning multiple games seems like a real possibility. Indiana enters Indy with everything to play for, and a tournament site that is only about 50 minutes away from their home in Bloomington. You expect Archie Miller’s group to take care of Nebraska, a team that they swept in the regular season, and take of care of business in a must-win game. That would set up a matchup with Penn State, a squad that limps into Indy as losers of three straight including Saturday’s loss to a bottom feeder in Northwestern. The Hoosiers have their NCAA Tournament hopes on the line and a likely home crowd, so if you are really feeling lucky, dabble with +3300.

Homer Pick: The Badgers are the hottest team in all the land and the bracket works out nicely for them. Avoiding Michigan State until what would be the championship matchup feels like a major win given the way that the Spartans are playing. UW has a doable path to the final, and this team has refused to lose for over a month. The value is there if the Badgers make it to Sunday and you have the opportunity to hedge your bet.

Oddsmakers weigh in on Nets’ next head coach

Could Kenny Atkinson stay in New York but coach for a different NBA team? Oddsmakers weigh in.

When 2019-20 comes to a close there’s no guarantee Jacque Vaughn will continue to be the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. When the organization announced he would take over for Kenny Atkinson, the Nets said Vaughn would hold the position for the rest of the season.

With that being the case, there’s been no shortage of speculation as to who will be the next Nets head coach. The NBA media has weighed in and thrown around names like Mark Jackson and Tyronn Lue, the latter of which coached Kyrie Irving in Cleveland.

Oddsmakers have taken those individuals being considered and set a field for who will be Brooklyn’s next head coach.

BetOnline.ag has Lue as the favorite at 5/4 odds, with Jackson right behind him (2/1). SportsBetting.ag also feels Lue (+125) and Jackson (+200) are the two leading candidates for next head of the Brooklyn Nets.

Both sites feature Vaughn on their list of candidates — 6/1 odds on BetOnline and +600 on SportsBetting — but he’s fourth in both cases, trailing Jeff Van Gundy (5/1 on BetOnline, +500 on SportsBetting).

Also featured on both lists are Tom Thibodeau (7/1, +700), Jason Kidd (9/1, +900) and Brooklyn’s director of player development and assistant coach Adam Harrington (10/1, +1,000).

Both sports betting sites also presented fans with a question about Atkinson’s future.

BetOnline asked “Will Kenny Atkinson be Knicks head coach for the 2020-2021 NBA Season?” The odds have been set a 1/1 for “yes” and 5/7 for “no.”

SportsBetting asked a similar one, though slightly different: “Will Kenny Atkinson be the Knicks next head coach?” The difference here is the Knicks could easily move on from Mike Miller before Atkinson is ready to take a new job. This line has been set at -120 for both “yes” and “no.”

RELATED: Every name tied to Nets’ head coaching job

Tom Brady’s next destination? ‘You don’t have to be a psychic’ to know it’s Las Vegas

Tom Brady has a decision to make when the NFL free-agent market begins. Where will he be playing in 2020?

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LAS VEGAS — Ms. Laurie, a fortune teller who works on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, will reveal the future for a price: $20 for a palm reading, $20 for tarot cards or, this week, a steep discount on where quarterback Tom Brady will be playing football next season.

For free, Ms. Laurie told USA TODAY Sports that Brady will be playing for the Las Vegas Raiders. Brady bought a house here and so of course he’ll be leaving the New England Patriots, she explained.

“That’s common sense,’’ she said. “You don’t have be a psychic.’’

Never mind that there is no evidence Brady has bought a house in Las Vegas, much less Nevada. Truth is a minor inconvenience with NFL free agency starting March 18 and speculation simmering about where Brady will play.

The most probable outcome, according to oddsmakers, is Brady will stay with the Patriots. Of course, that’s where he has played for 20 seasons and won six Super Bowl rings. The sports books here taking wagers on Brady’s future still list New England as the odds-on favorite.

But Chris Andrews, the sports book director at the South Point Hotel Casino & Spa, said most money has been wagered on Brady going to the San Francisco 49ers. The thinking, Andrews said, is that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is ready to part ways with the aging Brady, 42, in favor of Jimmy Garoppolo, 28, whom the Patriots traded to the 49ers in 2017.

Also see: Where will Tom Brady play in 2020? NFL futures odds, picks and best bets

“I can tell you this,’’ Andrews said, “we don’t want to see (Brady) sign with the 49ers. We’d lose pretty good.’’

Jay Kornegay, who oversees operations at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, said most of the money wagered has been on the Tennessee Titans, with the Raiders drawing the second-most money wagered.

Get action on Brady’s 2020 team by placing a legal sports bet at BetMGM.

“The 49ers are beginning to get some interest with the latest rumors,’’ said Kornegay, vice president of race and sports operations, who added that the prop bet has generated more discussion than actual bets.

Brady fever hasn’t exactly swept through this city. In fact, cruising around town looking for Brady’s name on the back of a Raiders jersey is a fruitless exercise. And a guy who answered the phone at a sports apparel shop in Las Vegas said they had no Raiders jerseys with Brady’s name.

“Not yet,’’ he said. “Is it official?’’

Meaning, is it official Brady has signed with the Raiders. Uh, no.

The guy explained that stores licensed by the NFL are prohibited from selling team jerseys with the names of players from other teams.

OPINION: Brady leaving Patriots would make 2020 greatest NFL season ever

FTW: What did Brady tell Edelman in viral clip?

VEGAS BABY? UFC’s Dana White makes emotional pitch for Brady to join Raiders

GOING HOLLYWOOD: Brady launches production company

But that hasn’t stopped people from imagining. Mark Tuttle, who works at a marijuana dispensary near the stadium, was walking last week on a road in front of Allegiant Stadium, which next season will be the new home of the Raiders.

“You know the big rumor is Brady’s supposed to go to the Giants,’’ said Tuttle, who happened to be wearing a New York Giants jersey.

But Tuttle said he thinks Las Vegas would be the second-best destination for Brady, behind only New England. And he predicted with Brady, the Raiders would be big winners — if not on the field, in merchandise sales.

“Do you know how many jerseys we’d sell here?’’ he said. “It’d go through the roof.

“I’d like to see Brady come, I can tell you that. I’d definitely have a black and silver jersey.’’

Nearby, an electrical contractor said he was a lifelong Chicago Bears fan but declined to give his name after being asked what he thinks Brady should do as the psychics, sports book operators and fans speculate on where he’ll play next season.

“He needs to retire,’’ the electrical contractor said.

Get some action on Brady’s 2020 team by signing up and betting at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com.

Follow Josh Peter @joshlpeter13 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.

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.

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XFL schedule: Week 5 matchups, times, TV, gambling info for Saturday’s games

Looking at the XFL’s Week 5 slate of games, with times, TV, gambling info for Saturday’s games

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The halfway point of the XFL regular season has arrived with two games on Saturday.

(Vegas lines provided by BetMGM.com)

Seattle Dragons (1-3) at Houston Roughnecks (4-0) 

P.J. Walker and the Houston Roughnecks have established themselves as the class of the league. The Dragons made a quarterback change last week, with coach Jim Zorn benching Brandon Silvers for B.J. Daniels. They’ll need him to step up to knock off Houston.

Kickoff: 2 p.m.

Site: TDECU Stadium (Houston, Texas)

Television: ABC

Lines: Roughnecks -13.5, O/U 45.5

New York Guardians (2-2) at Dallas Renegades (2-2) 

The Guardians endured a pair of brutal road losses before recovering at home to get back to .500. Quarterback play remains shaky for New York, but the team has one of the better rushing attacks in the league. Dallas lost against in-state rival Houston by a touchdown and will be without Landry Jones. The difference between 3-2 and 2-3 in a 10-game season may seem small, but this is a pivotal matchup for both teams.

Kickoff: 5 p.m.

Site: Globe Life Park (Arlington, Texas)

Television: Fox

Lines: Guardians +8, O/U 37

Want action on these games? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @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.

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Arizona Coyotes at Vancouver Canucks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Arizona Coyotes at Vancouver Canucks sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Arizona Coyotes (32-27-8) and the Vancouver Canucks (34-25-6) do battle at Rogers Arena in British Columbia Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET (on ESPN+). We analyze the Coyotes-Canucks sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

The Canucks have some injury concerns. Starting G Jacob Markstrom (knee) hasn’t played since Feb. 22. D Quinn Hughes (undisclosed), D Tyler Myers (undisclosed) and C Jay Beagle (lower body) missed Tuesday’s practice and are all questionable. D Guillaume Brisebois and D Jalen Chatfield were summoned from the minors just in case.

Coyotes at Canucks: Projected starting goalies

Antti Raanta vs. Thatcher Demko

Raanta is expected to get the nod on the road against Vancouver, although he hasn’t been nearly as effective away from home than in the desert. At home he is a sparkling 10-5-1 with a 2.11 goals against average, .933 save percentage and two shutouts. On the road he is a dismal 5-9-2 with a 3.19 GAA and .909 SV% in 16 starts.

Markstrom (knee) is projected by some as the starting netminder for Wednesday, but we’ll believe it when we see it. The Canucks traded for veteran Louis Domingue to back up Demko, and it’s doubtful they’ll rush Markstrom back, but you never know. Demko was 1-3-1 with a 3.52 GAA and an .882 SV% in six games (five starts) in February.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Coyotes at Canucks: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 3:35 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Coyotes 3, Canucks 2

Moneyline (ML)

ARIZONA (+100) is an underdog on the road, and rightly so. But the Coyotes might be catching the Canucks (-121) at a good time since Vancouver is banged up and might be relying on some unproven commodities for this Hump Day affair. The goaltender situation is also a bit muddled, so Arizona could take advantage.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Coyotes to grab the road win returns a profit of $10, while a $10 wager on the Canucks results in a profit of $8.26.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The Coyotes puck line (+1.5, -278) is quite a bit more than their moneyline, which is a much better value. It’s just too high a price at -278. Arizona has struggled away from home, going 1-10 in the past 11 road games. The Canucks (-1.5, +225) are 1-4 in the past five as a favorite.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER 5.5 (-110) is a good bet, going 33-15-4 in the past 52 meetings, and 6-2-2 in the past 10 meetings in B.C. While the Over is 5-1 in the Canucks’ past six at home, they’re short-handed. Goals could be at a premium. The Coyotes are 4-0-1 on the Under across their past five on the road, and 7-2-1 in the past 10 overall.

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.

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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.

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