In many ways, esports and traditional sports experience crossovers every single day. For instance, FIFA – a popular esports betting title and the most popular real-world sport. Today, we’re taking a closer look at another great example of that, and one that has been around for way more than a decade. This is a complete, comprehensive guide to iRacing betting – a virtual motorsports platform that has existed since 2008.
What is iRacing?
While iRacing has been around since 2008, its popularity as part of the esports scene has only really grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. As there was a lack of real-life motor racing due to the restrictions on activity that the pandemic created, fans instead flocked to online racing events. As a result, bookmakers started to take more interest in iRacing.
Betting on iRacing is growing increasingly popular as bookmakers cover more events and offer a more varied selection of iRacing betting markets. The range of iRacing betting odds is increasing all the time, so read on to find out more!
Top 3 iRacing Betting Sites
How to Bet on iRacing
Feeling tempted to try some iRacing betting? You can get started by following the basic process outlined below.
- Find one of the many good esports betting sites by reading our reviews at Esports.net.
- Check for any esports bonuses before you make your final choice of bookmaker.
- Open an account by providing all the identity details needed to verify your account.
- Select an appropriate payment method.
- Find the esports and iRacing sections at your chosen bookmaker.
- Choose the event on which you want to bet and take a closer look at the markets on offer.
- Click on your chosen market to add it to your bet slip and choose a stake size.
- Make a final check of everything and then click on Place Bet or its equivalent.
Types of iRacing
Just like in real-life motorsport, there are a number of different strands to iRacing in terms of the types of motor racing that are being simulated. Fans of iRacing will know already that players can compete in Grand Prix, NASCAR, World of Outlaws and IMSA races, as well as rallycross, road racing and hill climb events. A number of car manufacturers and other brands also have official links with iRacing, as you can see below:
- McLaren
- BMW
- IndyCar
- Nurburgring
- Mazda
- Audi
iRacing’s Top Racers to Back in Your Bets
Here are some of the top names to look out for when enjoying some betting on iRacing.
- Nick Ottinger
- Keegan Leahy
- Joshua K Rogers
- Sebastian Job
- Bobby Zalenski
- Alex A Bergeron

Image Credit: iRacing
iRacing Betting: What Types of Bets Can You Place?
The choice of bets you can place in iRacing events is growing all the time. As this esports game becomes more popular, more bet types will become available. We’ll outline a few of the types of wagers you can place at iRacing betting sites here. It is also worth noting that you can bet on esports with crypto at a growing number of betting sites, so keep an eye out for opportunities to do this too!
Race winner
This bet type should be pretty self-explanatory. As a bettor, you attempt to pick the racer who will finish first in your chosen event. This is the simplest form of betting on iRacing, but it still requires expert knowledge to be consistently successful.
Outright winner
An outright bet is where you look to select the winner of a whole competition or season of racing. This type of bet requires patience as well as the ability to make long-term predictions based on iRacing expertise.
Top 5 finish
This is another type of bet that you place on a season of racing or an entire competition. You are simply attempting to predict whether or not a team can challenge for the title or just come close, so it is similar to an outright winner bet.

Image Credit: iRacing
Strategies for Wagering at iRacing Betting Sites
Anyone who plans on checking out the best iRacing betting sites can put together a winning strategy by basing on the fundamentals that we outline here.
1. Play the game yourself and get to know it
First-hand knowledge of tracks and cars is invaluable when it comes to putting together a successful betting strategy. This is why it is a good idea to play iRacing yourself and get to know what racers will face when they cross the virtual start line. This can provide useful insight when it comes to predicting which players will do well in certain races.
2. Follow the iRacing news as closely as possible
It is always important to base any betting strategy on good knowledge if you want to win when you bet on esports. You can boost your knowledge of players and teams by staying up to date with all the latest esports news. Make sure that you follow the social media accounts of the top iRacing players and teams. Every nugget of knowledge you pick up could be crucial in making your bet selections successful!
3. Study the form of players competing in the event on which you are betting
In addition to keeping up to date with all the latest esports news, you need to narrow your focus in the run-up to the main event. Before you place any bets on a race, make sure you have a really good understanding of how the players have been performing in recent weeks. Good knowledge of how they have performed on certain tracks or in specific races is also crucial.
4. Understand the types of bets that you can place on iRacing
Before placing a wager on any form of iRacing you need to understand how to place bets and what types of bets are available. We have outlined a few of the bet types above for you. You also need to possess a good understanding of iRacing betting odds so that you can make judicious choices about which players and teams you should back for success.
5. Always keep a close eye on your bankroll and stay calm and in control when choosing your bets
Any poker player will tell you that keeping a close eye on your bankroll is a key skill for any gambler. Sensible stake sizes are crucial to your chances of coming out ahead when betting on Formula Retro Racing World Tour races or any other iRacing events. A cool mind means that you will make better decisions that are more likely to bring victories.