NASCAR Betting Odds at Watkins Glen: Expert Picks, Predictions & Long Shots

The NASCAR playoffs continue today at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network as we examine the NASCAR odds at Watkins Glen International and offer our best Go Bowling at The Glen expert picks, predictions, and long shots.

• Shane van Gisbergen is the consensus betting favorite across our best sportsbooks to win today's race at Watkins Glen.
• Ross Chastain, the pole-sitter for today's race, has the fourth-best odds at +800.
• We have our eyes on Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports to win a sixth straight race at the track.

NASCAR odds at Watkins Glen

(Watkins Glen raceday odds via our best sports betting sites as of Sunday at 3 a.m. ET.  | 🔥 = best odds | ❄️ = worst odds)

2024 Go Bowling at The Glen expert picks, predictions

NASCAR picks confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.

• Chevrolet to win (-125 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Hendrick Motorsports to win (+250 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Shane van Gisbergen to win (+600 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐

Bet $1, Get Ten 100% Profit Boosts

New users only. Must use promo code. Min. $10 deposit. Max. bonus is ten 100% Profit Boost tokens. Profit Boost tokens expire in 14 days. Void where prohibited. Full terms.    

Claim Boosts

Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission. 21+. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly

How to bet NASCAR today at Watkins Glen

Last week, we nailed our Quaker State 400 predictions when Joey Logano (+1000) helped Team Penske (+420) and Ford (+120) cash in an overtime finish (+200).

This week, we're targeting a different racing team with a dominant track history and multiple playoff contenders.

Road courses weren't always a fixture of the NASCAR playoffs, but Watkins Glen will make its postseason debut today as the first of two such tracks remaining before the championship race in November.

This 2.45-mile road course features seven tricky turns at varying elevations that challenge drivers' technical skill and precision. It's also a race that rewards prudent fuel strategy, often benefiting NASCAR's winningest racing team.

Hendrick's playground

Hendrick Motorsports has dominated this track over the years, winning five straight races at Watkins Glen and a record 11 overall - four more than any other racing team.

Chase Elliott was the favorite for years at this course and finally won his first two races in 2018-19. Then Kyle Larson stole the show in 2021-22, and William Byron joined the party by leading 66 of 90 laps to win last year's race.

All three of those drivers are dealing at +1500 odds or shorter entering raceday. Alex Bowman, who sits as high as +1800 via BetMGM, won the last non-oval race at Chicago and finished fifth last week at Atlanta. He'll start fourth in today's race.

Instead of splitting hairs between those four drivers, I'm betting on Hendrick Motorsports at +250 odds via Caesars, where a $10 bet will return a $25 profit if the prolific racing team wins a sixth straight at Watkins Glen.

Will SVG strike again?

If there's anyone who can foil Hendrick's quest for another trip to Victory Lane, it's easily van Gisbergen.

The former three-time Supercars champion won his Cup Series debut in last year's Chicago Street Race, and he's since won three of four non-oval races this season in the Xfinity Series.

He could have won this year's Chicago Street Race in the Cup Series, too, if not for a wreck ending his day. That seems to be the only thing that keeps him from finding his way near the front of the pack in the final few laps.

He'll start third in today's race, and while I still like Hendrick to win it, I do love SVG's chances of a top-five (+100) or possibly an outright win (+600).

Chevy all the way

We hit the full trifecta last week by betting on Logano, Team Penske, and Ford to win the race. That's one of my favorite ways to layer bets on volatile or otherwise tricky tracks where incidents are prevalent and a certain skill is strongly rewarded.

Much like Team Penske's drafting ability last week, I'm drawn to Hendrick's success at road courses and this one in particular. But a bet on Chevy also includes the race favorite in van Gisbergen and the pole-sitter in Ross Chastain, who is priced no better than +800.

It also includes road course specialist A.J. Allmendinger, who won here in 2014, and former two-time Watkins Glen winner Kyle Busch (2008, 2013).

All told, Chevrolet has won 22 of 40 total races (55%) held all-time at Watkins Glen, including five straight and 18 of the last 26. With these -125 odds on a Chevy win implying a 55.56% hit rate, I like our chances of cashing this prop bet at Caesars.

NASCAR long shots today at Watkins Glen

This isn't necessarily the best track to bet a long shot, consdering the success of Hendrick Motorsports drivers and others with a road course background.

Still, when high-speed turns are involved, chaos is just around the corner. Here are a few long shots worth a (small) wager ahead of today's race at Watkins Glen:

Joey Logano (+3000)

It seems crazy to even consider Logano a long shot after he won last week at Atlanta. He's also won twice at Watkins Glen and could make Caesars regret hanging such an outlier price compared to our other best sports betting apps.

Christopher Bell (+3400)

Bell has been highly competitive in road racing this season, finishing second at COTA and ninth at Sonoma with a late lead in the Chicago Street Race. His average finish at Watkins Glen (6.0) is the best in the field in three career tries, and he's finished in the top four in three straight races entering this one.

Denny Hamlin (+5000)

Toyota has struggled at this track over the years, but Hamlin won here in 2016 and finished second last year - his fifth top-five in his last seven races at Watkins Glen. I wouldn't want to be the bookmaker sweating out a 50/1 bet on the No. 11.

Best NASCAR long shots at Watkins Glen

• Joey Logano (+3000 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐
• Christopher Bell (+3400 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐
• Denny Hamlin (+5000 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐

Up To $1,500 First Bet + $50 in Bonus Bets

Bonus bets will expire in 7 days. One new customer offer only. Additional terms and conditions apply.

Claim $1,550

Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission. 21+. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly

Best NASCAR prop bets at Watkins Glen

• Over 3.5 Chevrolets in top 10 (-130 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Shane van Gisbergen top five (+100 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Christopher Bell top 10 (+140 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐

Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose*

*Deposit required. Mobile app only. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Claim Now

Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission. 21+. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly

Go Bowling at The Glen past winners

*Race was moved to Daytona International Speedway in 2020.

How to watch NASCAR at Watkins Glen (Go Bowling at The Glen)

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 15
• Track: Watkins Glen International (Watkins Glen, N.Y.)
• Length: 2.4 miles (90 laps, 220 total miles)
• How to watch: USA Network
• Defending winner: William Byron

2024 Go Bowling at The Glen picks made Sunday at 4:45 a.m. ET.

Here are our best sports betting apps:

• Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUSDYW | Read our Caesars Review
• BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
• bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
• FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
• DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review

(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

Not intended for use in MA.
Each betting site featured on SBR has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.

Related pages

• Best Sports Betting Sites | Best Sportsbook Promos (U.S. only)