Eric Uribe
All eyes are on the famed Circuit of the Americas again. The track will host the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas on Sunday, April 10 and we’re previewing the event right here. Be sure to read the article through to get our expert betting picks on the 2022 Grand Prix of the Americas — it’s free too!
Top-rated online sportsbooks have temporarily taken down betting odds for the event’s outright winner. But believe us, that won’t last for long — not with the race only days away. Nonetheless, we can probably guess which drivers will be the betting favorites and it’s the underneath names:
2022 Grand Prix of the Americas Betting Advice
The question that’s been top of mind all week long for anyone betting on the 2022 Grand Prix of the Americas is whether or not Marc Marquez would race. The Honda rider crashed a few weeks ago in Indonesia, which forced him to miss that race and the follow-up in Argentina. Welp, the wait is over because Marquez is officially back and will take the grid at COTA.
Marquez’s presence changes our betting approach slightly. We typically like betting an equal amount of units on two to three different drivers, but won’t be doing so this weekend. Allow us to explain our updated betting philosophy for the looming race:
Bet Big On Marquez
Marquez is not just one of the greatest of all time in motor racing. Marquez is not just an eight-time world champion (six of them coming in MotoGP). But in the context of Sunday’s race, Marquez is the unquestioned “King of COTA” — and it’s not even close. He’s won six of the seven MotoGP races in history with the lone loss being in 2019 when Alex Rins won instead (Marquez crashed out that day).
His dominance inside the Austin, Texas track extends even beyond outright wins. Amazingly, Marquez has also qualified on pole at the venue for every single event since 2013, minus last year (but he went on to win regardless). Marquez truly is Captain America when racing inside COTA.
So yes, we’re betting on Marquez, but it won’t be a moderate one-unit bet. No, no, we’re going to up the stakes to at least two units, and for those that like risk, consider upping it to three units. Marquez is THAT good at the Circuit of the Americas. All-time good, in fact, and when you have those types of betting opportunities, you take ‘em. Every. Single. Time.
Plus, you might get semi-favorable betting odds at popular MotoGP betting sites for Marquez too given he’s coming off the injury. Shortly after the Indonesian crash, Marquez suffered from another bout of diplopia — the same injury that affected him for months before the 2022 campaign. He’s seemingly recovered, hence why Honda is allowing him to race, but still, sportsbooks might temper Marquez’s odds slightly in light of the scary injury. Fear not, Marquez is a worthy bet here, and like we said, a big one if you can afford it.
Make Bagnaia A Backup Bet
While we’re big on Marquez to win, you do have to practice risk management. Marquez does have an injury history over the last three years so “going all in” with a bet on him is risky business. As an insurance policy, we strongly vouch for Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati.
The Italian got off to a less-than-stellar start in 2022. First, he DNF in the Qatar season-opener followed by a 15th finish in Indonesia. But that was then and this is now: Bagnaia is back on the up and up. He was fifth overall in Argentina, about six seconds off the lead of Aleix Espargaró.
We also anticipate COTA being favorable to Bagnaia — as it was one year ago. In 2021, Bagnaia qualified on the pole AND finished at the podium during the Grand Prix of the Americas. We believe he can “one-up” that performance and possibly win, hence our bet here. Bagnaia is the perfect complimentary wager to Marquez.
How To Watch The 2022 Grand Prix Of America
MotoGP isn’t the easiest sport to follow if you’re in the western hemisphere. That’s because with most races taking place in Europe and the Middle East, TV start times can be less than ideal. But no such thing exists this weekend. NBC will be the exclusive home to watch the 2022 Grand Prix of America. In America, most races air on CNBC, but this one is the exception given its magnitude and proximity.
The scheduled start time for Sunday’s MotoGP race is 1 pm EST. But there are other things on tap during the weekend beyond just the race itself. Here are a few events to keep an eye out for:
- Friday, April 8 — Practice (9:55-10:40 am EST and 2:10-2:55 pm EST)
- Saturday, April 9 — Qualifying (2:10 pm-2:50 pm EST)
- Sunday, April 10 — Warmups (9:40 am-10:00 am EST)
How To Bet On MotoGP This Season?
It’s a long MotoGP season ahead, even beyond the Americas. If you want a one-stop shop to bet on MotoGP this season, then take a gander at the sportsbook listed underneath. These sites have you covered with MotoGP odds, big-money sportsbook bonuses, and great customer service. Click the links below to see for yourself!
