F1 Betting Basics: How To Bet on Formula 1

For anyone that’s ever watched a Formula 1 event, you know just how captivating the races can be. With modern F1 cars reaching top speeds of 220-235 mph, the fastest sport in the world is also one of the fastest growing sports in the world.

However, like many other major leagues such as the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB, Formula 1 betting has its own set of wagers that make it unique. This guide is designed to take you through F1 betting basics and give you the tools you need to be able to make F1 wagers with ease.

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What Is Formula 1 Betting?

At its core, Formula 1 betting can be put into two categories: race-based betting and season-long betting.

Race-Based Betting

Race-based betting is simply a type of F1 betting that is focused on a single Grand Prix. This includes bets on the following markets:

• Race winners
• Podium finish
• Fastest lap
• Head-to-head matchups

Season-Long Betting

Season-long betting is focused on the entire F1 season as a whole that typically runs from early March to early December each year. This includes bets on the following markets:

• Drivers’ Championship
• Constructors’ Championship

Formula 1 has seen a massive surge in global popularity and its U.S. growth in recent years also can’t be understated. With Austin’s Circuit of the Americas (COTA) kicking off in 2012, that event has now been joined by the Miami Grand Prix (started in 2022) and the Las Vegas Grand Prix (started in 2023).

These U.S. F1 events have been integral in building a North American fanbase with huge audiences already existing for the motorsport in Europe and Asia.

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Common F1 Betting Markets

If you’re betting F1 for the first time, below are some of the most common betting options you’ll see at sportsbooks that offer odds on Grand Prix events.

Race Winner 

Race winner is typically seen as the most popular betting market in F1. You simply bet on a driver to win a specific Grand Prix.

For example, let’s say you wanted to place a bet on Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton to win the Monaco Grand Prix. Because Hamilton is a little older and hasn’t necessarily been dominating the F1 circuit like he used to, there might be slightly better odds tied to his name versus younger figures in the sport such as Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli or McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

Favorites are always going to have worse odds as Formula One race winners, while underdogs will have better odds.

Podium Finish

Podium finish is another very popular betting market on the F1 scene. You’re essentially placing a bet to pick a top-three finisher during a Grand Prix.

This type of bet generally has higher value than the race winner because it’s a little easier to predict. Choosing the exact race winner can be quite challenging, but there’s a little more leeway you get with a top-three finisher bet. If a driver has been doing quite well during the season and consistently finishing within the top-three (or very close to it) then it might be a good bet to pick them.

I personally like this bet more than race winner because it’s far more forgiving and still gives me good value.

Fastest Lap

Fastest lap bets are wagers on which driver will record the fastest lap time during a Formula 1 race.

While it can be a fun wager to make, fastest lap bets are quite volatile since it’s not always tied to an elite driver and there are several outside factors to consider. That said, Formula One odds are often longer on these types of bets and some experienced bettors may prefer that.

Head-to-Head Bets

Head-to-head bets give bettors the opportunity to wager on one of two drivers that will finish the race in a higher standing.

I personally like this bet because it’s quite easy to understand and very accessible to new bettors in the F1 space. You might get a market that pits two drivers against each other and if you choose the winner of the head-to-head matchup, you win the bet. You won’t have to worry about any final race results, simply pick one of two drivers to win and you’ll cash out if you guess correctly.

Race Qualifying Bets

Before every F1 Grand Prix, there ware race qualifiers that determine pole position (the best positioned starting spot on the track). You can bet on this along with head-to-head matchups during qualifiers as well.

Remember, these types of bets are not tied to the actual big race that takes place, but rather the qualifying session beforehand. Depending on the sportsbook you’re using, the race qualifying bet options maybe larger or more limited. It’s important to shop around in order find out.

Championship Futures

Championship futures bets are the ones most closely associated with season-long betting. This is a long term bet that runs the course of the F1 season and there are typically two major titles that bettors can wager on.

The Drivers’ Championship gives you the chance to bet on the driver who will accumulate the highest number of points throughout the F1 season and become the overall champion. In 2025, this award was given to McLaren’s Lando Norris, who scored 423 points and narrowly defeated Red Bull’s Max Verstappen with 421 points. Think of it like a world championship title for F1.

The Constructors’ Championship is awarded to the team that builds the best-performing car over the season. In 2025, this award was given to McLaren who, with a dazzling 833 points, finished far ahead of the second-placed Mercedes team with 469 points. The 2025 McLaren run of success was also reflected in the team’s drivers, Norris and Piastri, who respectively finished No. 1 and No. 3 in the Drivers’ Championship.

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How F1 Betting Odds Work

F1 betting odds function very similarly to other major sports and you’ll typically see American odds in the U.S. listed in a similar fashion.

There are favorites with a minus number typically attached (-150, for example) and underdogs with a plus number typically attached (+300, for example).

You might see someone like Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at +400 odds to win the Italian Grand Prix, for example. This means that the oddsmakers consider Leclerc an underdog to win the Italian Grand Prix. In contrast, Mercedes’ Antonelli might have -150 odds to win the Italian Grand Prix, which would make him a favorite.

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Key Factors That Impact F1 Betting

There are a number of unique factors that can impact the outcome of any given F1 race, let’s have a look at some of those in more detail.

Driver Performance

Driver performance is easy to understand. You need to carefully watch a driver’s performance over the season and consider their history and current status within the F1 circuit.

A household name like Lewis Hamilton might be tempting to bet on, but he is past his prime at 41 and there are many other F1 drivers that have been far more consistent and hence safer bets as a result.

Team Performance

Unlike a sport such as boxing or MMA where individual performance is king, so much of F1 leans on the car itself and the pit crew surrounding it.

Has the car that a particular team is using been fast and largely without massive mechanical problems? Is the pit stop fast and efficient to ensure that the driver can get back to racing smoothly? These are the types of things that bettors need to consider when betting on drivers or teams in F1.

Track Type

The type of track that a Grand Prix takes place on can make all the difference to a driver and team based on their car or strategy.

Street circuits such as the famous Monaco Grand Prix are extremely difficult to overtake on. This is why pole position in a race like that is critical as it’s not as open to drivers to have the freedom to make moves.

Permanent tracks like the Silverstone Circuit in England is much better for overtaking and gives more passing opportunities to drivers throughout the race because it’s open with wider sections.

Weather Conditions

Weather is one of the most important considerations to make when betting on F1. There have been many instances where rain suddenly becomes a factor during a race and drivers and teams are left scrambling because their strategy is off.

Tire strategy becomes critical during rainy conditions and it’s up to the pit crew to help the driver maintain their speed and have the right tires if the wet track becomes an issue. It’s also a really good idea to track conditions on race day in real-time to see how that could impact your wager.

Qualifying Results

The starting grid position is very important to drivers and teams on the F1 circuit because it can be a big indicator of race outcomes. On average, about 40%-45% of drivers who start the race from pole position (or first position) will go on to win the race.

While it’s certainly not a guarantee that a driver in pole position will win, staying in that top-three standing is very important in order to have a good start to the race.

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F1 Betting Strategy Tips

To have success in F1 betting, we’ve compiled a few important strategy tips to keep in mind so you can bet with confidence.

Focus on Value, Not Favorites

In the U.S. and Canada in particular, it’s very easy to focus on big names on the F1 circuit. Those that come to mind are Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, and Lando Norris, to name a few.

The real value, however, doesn’t come from betting on the favorites — you need to look at other drivers with consistent records. Maybe someone like Mercedes’ George Russell or Williams’ Carlos Sainz Jr. feel due for a big win. That’s where you’re going to find the real value, not in the biggest names on the scene.

How To Use F1 Practice and Qualifying Data

Practice sessions and qualifying sessions are great ways to see how a particular driver and team might perform on race day as well.

It’s important to keep track of performance outside of races to understand where drivers are excelling or weak and where the pit crew might also be falling short or out of sync. Remember, race day is only the culmination of all the track work that gets put in ahead of time.

Target Matchups for Consistency

Head-to-head bets are typically easier bets to make on F1 because there’s far less variance. When you have 15+ drivers all in the mix for one outright winner spot, the odds of you getting it right can be quite a bit lower than a head-to-head bet where it’s only driver vs. driver.

In my view, I personally really like F1 head-to-head bets since they give you a better opportunity to win your bet.

Look for Longshot Opportunities

Longshots can be fun to bet on, but keep in mind that they are quite rare. That said, chaos can sometimes hit races with unpredictable weather and cars can crash and pile up. It’s part of the sport. While it’s very hard to predict this, it could be worth putting a little cash when you see something on the track that could become an issue.

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When to Bet on F1 Races

Timing also matters when it comes to betting on F1 Grand Prix events. Here are three different times you should consider to place bets:

• Before qualifying: Typically higher odds and more uncertainty during this period as no driver has taken the track yet. It’s a good opportunity for better value bets.

• After qualifying: Odds are usually a bit lower than the pre-qualifying period, but you have far more data to work with and a better understanding of how drivers might perform on race day.

• Live betting during races: If you want that high-speed rush, there’s nothing quite like the live betting experience that gives you the ability to make and modify bets in real-time at many sports betting apps and sites.

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Is F1 Betting Legal in the U.S?

Yes, F1 betting is legal and regulated throughout the U.S. Below is an overview F1 betting apps in the country and where you can find them:

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FAQs: F1 Betting & Strategy