Eric Uribe
Bettors and race fans alike will be without NASCAR until early February when the 2022 season gets out of the starting line. But in the meantime, let’s make some way-too-early NASCAR 2022 betting predictions, shall we?
The best NASCAR betting sites haven’t released futures odds for the Cup Series championship next season, but we can probably guess who’ll be atop the list when they do (which should be sooner rather than later). Expect these five names to have the best odds at winning:
| Driver |  |  |
| Kyle Larson | TBD | TBD |
| Martin Truex Jr. | TBD | TBD |
| Denny Hamlin | TBD | TBD |
| Chase Elliott | TBD | TBD |
| Kevin Harvick | TBD | TBD |
Of course, Larson won the 2021 crown in what might go down as one of the best single-seasons in the sport’s storied history. His title win in Phoenix marked his tenth first-place finish of the year (11 if you count the NASCAR All-Star Open). Larson is the first driver to reach double-digit wins since 2007. Could an encore be in store for the 2022 season from the 29-year-old?
NASCAR 2022 Betting Picks
We must preface our NASCAR 2022 betting picks with one piece of advice: don’t risk a large sum of money. Not yet, at least. For one, there’s a natural opportunity cost of tying up lots of money for an entire year. Two, unlike other American sports, there’s no turnover of players/coaches from year to year in NASCAR so betting odds will be stable from now until February’s return. Therefore, there’s no real chance to lock in “early bird” odds.
Moreover, it’s a smart idea to “spread the wealth” when making bets. We mean, there are 40 different drivers that could conceivably win the Cup Series title so going all-in on one car just doesn’t make mathematical sense.
Kyle Larson
Did we mention Larson just had one of the best NASCAR seasons in a long time? Oh yeah, well he did. What most impressed us about Larson in 2021 was his “crunch time” performance. He won five playoff races. Five! That tied the all-time mark set by Tony Stewart back in 2011.
Being “clutch” is almost a requirement to win the Cup Series. The championship race is a winner-take-all system so if you can’t come up big then, it doesn’t really matter how good you performed in the 30-or-so races before then. And one thing is for sure: Larson can be counted on when the stakes are the highest. We don’t care what his betting line will be, Larson is almost an automatic bet after his historic 2021 campaign.
Martin Truex Jr.
The veteran Truex Jr. HAS to be kicking himself. At the decisive Phoenix championship, he was the best car in long runs and had the lead as late as lap 252. Truex Jr. lost the race when the caution flag flew later on and he lost positioning in the pit stop. He ultimately finished second in the race AND in the final standings. Nonetheless, he’s a “safe” bet going into 2022.
We say safe because no driver in the circuit has been more consistent over the past half-decade than the 41-year-old Truex. Here’s where he’s placed at the end of the season yearly since 2017: first, second, second again, seventh, and second one more time. So we’re talking about an average finish of 2.8. That’s the type of trend you need to ride with, whether you’re wagering on NASCAR or a team sport. Follow the trend! Always!
Chase Elliott
Elliott knows first-hand the tall order Larson will face all of 2022: the almost insurmountable pressure of going back-to-back in the Cup Series. It’s a feat no one has accomplished in the sport since Jimmie Johnson pulled off a five-peat from 2006 to 2010. Maybe it’s having a target on your back year-round, but it’s not easy to stay atop this sport for consecutive seasons.
The 2020 champion, Elliott, has that pressure off his back now after he finished in fourth-place this past season. And heck, he would be a smart bet going into 2021, which is why we’re advocating for him here. Elliott had a solid 2021 season with two outright victories and even led 94 laps in the Phoenix finale. Without the weight of a championship defense, he could realistically sneak in and steal back the Cup Series championship.
How To Bet NASCAR Online
Once the NASCAR season does roll around, you won’t find a better place to drop bets than one of the best-rated sportsbooks for motor racing listed below. You’ll find a bevy of betting lines for every single NASCAR race — whether it’s race-winner moneylines or other bets like futures or props. Any one of these sites could effectively be a one-stop-shop for betting NASCAR during the season.
There’s one more reason why you should be using these sites to place bets (whether it’s NASCAR or another sport) — free money! Yes, if you’re a new bettor, you could earn hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play through sign-up bonuses. Current deals available are detailed in the underneath table. Pick one and redeem it by clicking the “play now” button next to it. Do this now and your next sports bet could be completely “on the house.”
