On the whole, the 2021 season was one of the most epic in the history of auto racing. Gamblers saw Kyle Larson beat the NASCAR betting odds dominantly to win the Cup championship. Meanwhile, Formula One had a controversial finish to its championship that still has fans and gamblers arguing. To show, Max Verstappen edged out Lewis Hamilton in the season’s final race for a stunning upset. Additionally, IndyCar gave bettors and fans plenty of excitement when Alex Palou took the title. At age 24, Palou is expected to be the next dominant driver in the sport.
2022 NASCAR Cup
2022 NASCAR Cup Championship Odds
| Drivers | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +360 |
| Chase Elliott | +500 |
| Denny Hamlin | +700 |
| William Byron | +800 |
| Martin Truex Jr | +900 |
| Kyle Busch | +1000 |
| All Other Drivers | +1200 or Higher |
Dates: NACAR Cup Championship to be determined on November 6, 2022
In view of NASCAR’s efforts to ensure offshore betting parity Kyle Larson’s 2021 performance was one to behold. Larson posted ten wins on the schedule, six more than Martin Truex Jr’s four wins. It was a tremendous comeback season for Larson after his 2020 suspension for racially tinged remarks. Overall, Larson won both the regular season and playoff titles. As the top driver for Hendrick Motorsports, Larson is all future.
2022 FI World Championship
2022 F1 World Championship Odds
| Drivers | Odds |
|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | -105 |
| Max Verstappen | +250 |
| George Russell | +500 |
| All other Drivers | +1200 or Higher |
Dates: F1 Championship to be determined on December 12, 2022
Last year’s controversial finish was a bitter disappointment to Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton has beaten the F1 lines for seven championships in his career. As the top driver for Mercedes, Hamilton is a worldwide brand. Of great concern to some gamblers is that Hamilton, age 36, could be on the downside of a remarkable career. Hamilton has 103 career wins, 182 podiums, and 103 pole positions.
But before anyone thinks that Hamilton will have a free pass to his eighth title, Max Verstappen is no slouch. Verstappen, age 24, is the most promising young driver on the circuit. Previously he finished third in the final standings in 2019 and 2020. Verstappen broke in with Red Bull in 2016. He has 20 career wins, 60 podiums, and 13 pole positions.
The controversial final race at Abu Dhabi may be the best thing that could ever happen to F1. Consider that the circuit has long been considered a pretty parade that lacked competitive racing. But F1 became a thing for fans and gamblers in 2021. First, the Drive to Survive documentary on Netflix was an immediate hit. Viewers who never knew about F1 were drawn into the sport. As a result of the documentary, fans were created for several drivers. Betting handle and TV viewership exploded. And then the final race was the icing on the cake.
2022 IndyCar Championship
2022 Indy Car Championship Odds
| Drivers | Odds |
|---|---|
| Alex Palou | 4/1 |
| Josef Newgarden | 5/1 |
| Colton Herta | 6/1 |
| Romain Grosjean | 8/1 |
| Scott Dixon | 9/1 |
| Pato Ward | 10/1 |
Dates: IndyCar Championship determined on September 11, 2022
Namely, Alex Palou remains unknown to the masses. But his IndyCar championship figures to change that.
Last year the highlight of the IndyCar season was Helio Castroneves winning his fourth Indianapolis 500 championship. Castroneves competed in only six races in 2021. But he won the biggest race of the year and is the only one that most casual fans care about.