Throughout the world, there are numerous racing events being arranged — individual exhibitions, series, seasonal races, and cup competitions. However, when it comes to motorsport sports betting, bookmakers mostly cover the most popular formats. Let’s take a closer look at the major categories.

Types of Motorsport

First of all, this global sport is divided into two wide categories: car racing and motorcycle racing. Both include a variety of specialized tournaments, often held on multiple levels.

Car Racing

Surprisingly enough, there is no single "number one" global world race series. In Europe there is no doubt that the crown belongs to Formula 1, while in the United States NASCAR holds court, and in Australia Supercars sit at the pinnacle.

• Formula 1 needs no introduction. It is possibly the most glamorous and expensive race endeavor on the planet, located on every continent except Africa and Antarctica. Besides the pinnacle class, the junior classes like Formula 2 and Formula 3 prepare the drivers for the pinnacle category.
• NASCAR — true to its American heritage — is as much a show as it is an athletic event. While the cars are nominally production vehicles, in reality they are specially engineered racing cars. The races take place on high-banked oval tracks, and 43 cars compete simultaneously. Wrecks and crashes abound, but their destructive power is cushioned by specially reinforced safety barriers.
• Supercars — Australia's incarnation of touring car racing, employing production cars modified to high performance. It is hugely popular: some races draw a crowd of more than 250,000.

Motorcycle Racing

Things are no less competitive in motorcycle racing — and that is good news for both fans as well as punters. Punters usually bet on two most popular formats while placing bets: MotoGP and Superbike.

• MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorbike racing and the most expensive series. These bikes are one-off prototypes, made from scratch to order with the best technology available. You can't even find an example in a showroom — they're pure exclusivity.
• Superbike is, though, "closer to the ground." It uses production bike-modified bikes, so it is more realistic. The public likes the fact that they can afford a bike that is almost identical to the ones the champions ride.

Commonly Popular Motorsport Bets

Every kind of race has its own idiosyncrasies, but the major betting markets are fairly typical. These are the most favored options bookmakers provide in motorcycle racing:

• Race Winner – a bet on who takes 1st place. Even the favorites often come with attractive odds due to the large number of participants.
• Podium Finish – betting on a rider to finish in the top three. Good for spotting “hidden contenders.”
• Top 10 Finish – betting on a rider to place anywhere from 1st to 10th. Useful for analyzing mid-tier competitors.
• Fastest Lap – selecting the rider to record the best lap time. Historical statistics of the track in question are crucial here.
• Did Not Finish (DNF) – looking for a rider to drop out of the competition. Crash and mechanical breakdown statistics are very handy.
• Head-to-Head Duel – betting on which of two selected riders finishes higher.

These same bets may be applied across a whole season — e.g., to name the champion or podium-place finishers.

Betting Strategies for Motorcycle Racing

Just like in any other sport, betting on motorsport should not be an impromptu move. It should instead be done after planning and analysis.

There are multiple influencing factors: a rider's physical and mental condition, motivation, position in the championship at the moment, weather conditions, race location, surface, etc. Three basic strategies are presented below:

• Backing the Leaders – choose a few top contenders and place them to win in such a way that success for any of them assures profit. If the math fails, reduce the number of contenders.
• Flat Betting on Duels – analyze all riders' chances and create a forecast table. Then, consider the bookmaker's "Head-to-Head" market and select 3–5 bets which best correspond to your predictions and the odds.
• Progressive Betting on a Dark Horse – identify a dark horse that may win at least four races within a season and consistently bet on them. In case they lose, increase the next stake to compensate for the previous loss and make money when they eventually win. Avoid the top favorite unless the odds are not sufficiently low.