Here at NetBet, we’ve got a whole load of great markets for Formula 1 racing, and we offer some of the best odds around. We don’t just take bets on individual races, we offer outright bets on who will win the Drivers Championship among others, and have deeper markets within each race. If you want to get involved in betting on F1, here’s a quick guide on how exactly you should go about betting on Formula 1 racing.
What Does F1 Stand For?
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international auto racing for single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The current top racer is Britain’s own Sir Lewis Hamilton, who is aiming to beat Michael Schumacher’s record for most drivers’ championships over the next few years. He won the 2020 Drivers’ Championship and is a strong favourite to take home the 2021 edition as well. His closest competitor is Max Verstappen.
How do I bet on F1 Racing this year?
Here at NetBet, we have a wide variety of markets available for Bahrain and beyond, just head over to the ‘Motor Sports’ section on sport.netbet.co.uk and find all the latest prices.
Race or Tournament Winner Bets
This is a pretty standard bet that you’re probably already aware of, in which you bet on who will win either a race, or a tournament outright. At the time of writing, we’ve got 4/6 odds on Sir Lewis Hamilton to take home the 2021 Drivers’ Championship, but these change after every big race. During the week of a race, we offer odds on all sorts of potential outcomes, not just who is going to win the race. You can also get great lines on a ‘podium finish’ bet where you select a driver you think is going to do well, but aren’t necessarily certain will win. If they finish on the podium, you win. A podium finish is when a driver finishes ‘on the podium’ by coming in first, second, or third place. So long as they finish in one of those spots, you win. They can win the whole thing, and you get paid out the same as if they are a runner-up or third place finisher.
The odds on these bets tend to be a bit lower than a straight to-win bet when it comes to the top racers, due to the more open nature of them. But if there’s a dark horse who you could see competing, without being fully confident they’ll pull an upset first place finish, this is the bet for you. It’s similar to, but not exactly, like a draw no bet gamble in football. Further to that, you can bet on the exact top 3, but this is similar to guessing the exact scoreline in a football match. Odds are wide, but you’ll need to have an intimate knowledge of the race to win that bet.
Driver vs Driver Match Bets
This is a fun option that is unique to Formula One. With a ‘driver v driver match bet’, you create a little competition between two participants in a race. You pick, for example, Max Verstappen and Mick Schumacher, and bet on who will finish higher of those two. This option is available throughout the race, and allows you to win money by betting on the racers who won’t be hitting the podium. Odds for this vary, but we’d strongly recommend taking a look at this market next time there’s a big race coming up. Probably a bet for the more highly educated F1 fans, but if you know your form, there are good options here.
Pole Position Bet
Before race day, generally on Saturday afternoon, pole position is decided. The drivers are tasked with setting their best one-lap time within an hour in an effort to escape elimination. The winner of Qualifying 3 will be given ‘pole position’ which gives them an advantage as they get put in spot 1 for the beginning of the next race. This is more of a toss-up, but can be a big potential earner as odds tend to be quite wide.
Fastest Lap Odds
This is a fairly simple market – you choose who you believe will record the fastest lap. Not only does your pick not have to finish particularly well, but they don’t even have to finish at all.
Will A Safety Car Appear?
There is not great value in this market, because it’s a simple yes or no option, but you can actually bet on whether or not a safety car will be needed in a race.