NASCAR Returns To Phoenix: Will Barstool Retail Sportsbook Get The Green Flag?

Written By C.J. Pierre on March 11, 2022 - Last Updated on January 30, 2023

The rubber will be all over the road in Arizona this weekend as NASCAR returns to Phoenix Raceway for the Ruoff Mortgage 500. It will be the fourth race in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series.

Race fans should be excited. It is early in the season, and all of their favorite drivers are still in the hunt to take home the season championship.

With sports betting in Arizona being so popular, there is some additional excitement for race fans in the state. With that comes curiosity about what else is to come from the partnership between Phoenix Raceway and Barstool. We’ve already seen the Barstool Sportsbook app launch in the state. However, will we also see a retail sportsbook at the racetrack? And if so, when?

Latest on Barstool retail sportsbook at Phoenix Raceway

Several of Arizona’s top sporting venues have or are planning on opening up retail sportsbooks. The FanDuel Sportsbook at the Footprint Center is gradually becoming a Phoenix hot spot.

Also, temporary betting windows outside of Chase Field have fans excited for the official Caesars Sportsbook. Plans are still in place for that retail sportsbook to open at the ballpark later this Spring.

With DraftKings and BetMGM set to open retail spots in the near future, many have wondered if the Barstool Arizona Sportsbook would follow suit. As of right now, it is unclear when a retail sportsbook will make its way to Phoenix Raceway.

Matt Humphrey, NASCAR’s Communications Manager for Phoenix Raceway, told PlayAZ that no official plans for a retail sportsbook at Phoenix Raceway have been made.

He added that plans are still evolving and that we could see in-person betting at the racetrack in the future. However, as of now, fans headed to the track for this weekend festivities should only plan on making bets from their phones.

Barstool and Penn National Gaming race into Top 5 for AZ sportsbooks

It was back in July 2021 when NASCAR announced that Barstool would become the exclusive sportsbook of Phoenix Raceway. Penn National Gaming wasted little time getting into the sports betting game. AZ bettors were given a mobile app shortly after the state’s official launch of legal sports wagering.

In terms of popularity among Arizonans, the Barstool Sportsbook app just sneaks into the Top 5. According to the Arizona Department of Gaming’s December revenue report, Barstool ranks fifth among active online AZ Sportsbooks with over $20 million in wagers.

Ruoff Mortgage 500 could set the pace for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series

It is still early in the NASCAR 2022 race season. However, the Ruoff Mortgage 500 could show us which drivers will make a push for the championship.

The last three winners of the annual race at Phoenix Raceway have all finished in the Top 3 of the NASCAR Playoffs that season.

Martin Truex Jr. won this race in 2021. He would go on to finish second in the championship, only five points behind 2020 Cups Series champion Kyle Larson.

In 2020, Joey Logano took the checkered flag in Phoenix before finishing third in the championship.

However, it was none other than Kyle Busch that was able to take the Phoenix Raceway magic and ride it all the way to a title. In 2019, Busch won the Ruoff Mortgage 500. He went on to be the points leader at the end of the regular season and win the 2019 Cups Series championship.

Fast forward to 2022, and we are expecting a ton of drivers to push for a win in the desert. Most sports betting sites in Arizona have Kyle Larson as the favorite to take the checkered flag on Sunday. The 2021 champ is picking up right where he left off. He won the Auto Club 400 two weeks ago and finished 2nd at the Pennzoil 400 last weekend.

Driver Odds to WinDraftKings AZFanDuel AZBetMGM ArizonaCaesars Sportsbook AZ
Kyle Larson+400+400+400+450
Martin Truex Jr.+750+750+700+600
Kyle Busch+750+750+700+750
Denny Hamlin+800+900+800+650
Chase Elliott+800+850+800+700

There are sure to be tons of Arizonans betting on NASCAR this weekend. So be sure to shop around other AZ sportsbooks to find the best odds for your favorite drivers.

Photo by AP / Ralph Freso
C.J. Pierre Avatar
Written by
C.J. Pierre

CJ Pierre is a multimedia journalist currently residing in the Phoenix-Metro Area in Arizona. He has been covering news and sports for over a decade for both online and TV broadcasts. He was born and raised in Minneapolis and an alum of Minnesota State University: Moorhead. CJ has experience as a reporter and videographer and has covered high school, college and professional sports throughout his career. Most notably following Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Vikings and North Dakota State University football.

View all posts by C.J. Pierre