At the beginning of the year, the Auto racing odds were up for the top events in 2023. In recent years Formula One has captured the attention of more fans and gamblers. Cause by a highly popular reality TV show that humanized the circuit in a manner that common fans could relate to. NASCAR has struggled to hold onto what’s left of its fan base. But NASCAR TV ratings generate enough business to remain viable for the networks. And then the IndyCar circuit comes down to one race per year. The Indy 500 remains the greatest spectacle in racing.
2023 Formula One Championship Futures
| Date: | March 5, 2023, through November 26, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Defending Champion: | Max Verstappen (2-time defending champion) |
2023 Formula One Championship Odds
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | -138 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +350 |
| Charles Leclerc | +450 |
| George Russell | +1000 |
| Carlos Sainz | +2000 |
| Sergio Perez | +2500 |
| All Other Drivers | +10000 or higher |
Despite its increase in popularity, Formula One still has a competitive balance issue. The F1 circuit has a limited amount of serious online betting choices on the board. Also, too many races remain pretty parades of expensive, high-tech cars that rarely make passes. It is true that F1 has improved its race quality from a decade ago. But it still has a long way to go before matching NASCAR for competitiveness. Also, there is a snob factor to F1 that many serious gearheads don’t like.
2023 NASCAR Championship Futures
| Date: | February 19 through November 5, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Defending Champion: | Joe Logano |
2023 NASCAR Cup Championship Odds
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Chase Elliott | +650 |
| Denny Hamlin | +1000 |
| Ross Chastain | +1200 |
| Christopher Bell | +1200 |
| Kyle Busch | +1400 |
| Tyler Reddick | +1900 |
| All Other Drivers | +4000 or higher |
Once upon a time, NASCAR was touted as the sport of the future. In 2001, as the sport lost its ultimate bad boy, Dale Earnhardt, in a fatal Daytona 500 crash, FOX TV broadcasts transformed the sport. As a result, TV ratings exploded, as did handle with the Auto Racing lines. But a decade later, the sport lost its way. NASCAR grew too fast and ignored its roots. It expanded into markets in which it was a foreign sport. It killed many traditions that made it attractive. And then came the great recession, and the sport never recovered.
It is true that many sports would like to have NACAR’s TV ratings, low as they are. But it is also a fact that the circuit made too many changes and ignored its roots. Old time fans don’t recognize the sport. The rules changes are seen as gimmicky. And the culture of the sport is unrecognizable. Still, gambling handle remains better than many sports. And the races are far more exciting and competitive than F1.
2023 Indianapolis 500 Futures
| Date: | May 28, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Location: | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
2023 Indy 500 Odds
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Scott Dixon | +600 |
| Pato O’Ward | +700 |
| Colton Herta | +800 |
| Josef Newgarden | +850 |
| Marcus Ericsson | +1000 |
| Scott McLaughlin | +1000 |
| Alex Palou | +1000 |
| Will Power | +1000 |
| Tony Kanaan | +1500 |
| Takuma Sato | +1750 |
The IndyCar circuit never recovered from the split between CART and IndyCar 25 years ago. Consider that gamblers and fans blow off most of the Indy Car races with one notable exception. The Indianapolis 500 is a classic case of brand cache that overcomes all of the mistakes of the IndyCar leadership. In fact, the Indy 500 draws one of the biggest TV audiences of any race each year.