It’s time for Arizona sports bettors to start their engines. The NASCAR Cup Series Championship will be held at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday. It is the first NASCAR Cup Series race in Arizona since sports wagering became legal in the state.
The festivities opened with Ben Rhodes clinching the Truck Series championship on Friday, followed by Daniel Hemric winning the Xfinity Series championship Saturday night.
Sunday’s main event will feature NASCAR’s biggest stars. Four of the world’s top drivers will be racing through the rest of the field, looking to take home the title.
Breaking Down Betting Odds for Cup Series Championship Race
It is down to the final four drivers who are vying for NASCAR’s Cup Series championship. After a nine-month, 26-race regular season and a nine-race playoff, all that’s left is 312-laps on the 1-mile track at Phoenix Raceway. Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. all have their eyes on NASCAR’s top prize.
For anyone unfamiliar with NASCAR‘s title format, it is very different from the points system that gets drivers to the final event. Since 2014, the final four title contenders hit the reset button and start at zero in the season finale. When the checkered flag is flown, the highest finisher among those four will win the championship. It is that simple.
Sports betting sites in Arizona have Larson as the odds on favorite to win the race.
| Driver | DraftKings Arizona | BetMGM Arizona | Caesars Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +190 | +125 | -135 | +200 |
| Chase Elliott | +300 | +225 | +145 | +380 |
| Denny Hamlin | +400 | +700 | +1000 | +450 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +500 | +1000 | +1500 | +490 |
Larson has won four of the nine playoff races, including three of the last four. If he wins at Phoenix on Sunday, he will become the first driver to earn double-digit victories in a season since Jimmie Johnson’s 10-win season in 2007.
But the three other drivers won’t go out quietly. Elliott is the reigning champ looking for back-to-back title wins. Hamlin is always a threat, with an average finish this season of 8.6. And while Truex Jr. may have the longest odds, but he has won four races in 2021.
NASCAR Betting 101 for Arizonans
Sports bettors in Arizona are finding how NASCAR can add depth to their betting options. The action is fast, furious, and exciting. NASCAR offers a variety of bets for you to try your hand at. Some prime examples are race winner, top 3/top 5 and driver head-to-head matchups, just to name a few.
There is also live betting on NASCAR races. You can bet on whether there will be a crash, which car will be the next to take the first position and more.
Phoenix Raceway is also providing a unique experience for bettors in attendance with the Barstool retail sportsbook. Creating the perfect spot for racing fans to put money down on their favorite drivers. Phoenix Raceway is the third sports organization to open a retail sportsbook in Arizona. In September, The Arizona Diamondbacks opened a temporary location for a Caesars Retail Sportsbook outside of Chase Field. And the Phoenix Suns opened up the FanDuel Retail Sportsbook inside the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix.
