COLUMN: Bettin’ at Talladega Superspeedway Is A Crapshoot Based On The Big One

By Jerry Jordan, Editor

There is no doubt about the excitement and action fans experienced last night at The Big One on the Boulevard at Talladega Superspeedway but NASCAR Cup Series drivers in today’s Geico 500 need to worry about the Big One on the track because it’s known to be a competition eliminator.

That makes picking drivers that have a chance to win the race a difficult thing to do because as we have seen in the past, restrictor plate racing levels the playing field for everyone. There have also been a few odds changes from the early WynnBET Sportsbook lines to the race day lines. And in most cases, the payouts went up for bettors, so choose wisely. My overall favorite pick today based on experience at Talladega, odds and starting position is Brad Keselowski at 14 to 1 or +1400 odds.

Bad Brad has six wins at Talladega and despite the struggles Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing has seen in 2022, earlier this week he told media members that the one thing RFK Racing had under control when he joined the organization was its superspeedway program. Look for Keselowski to be up at the front and battling for the win … if he can stay out of trouble.

My weekly mid-tier odds pick is Alex Bowman at 18 to 1 or +1800 odds. I don’t know why I am picking Bowman to be honest with you but sometimes you have to go with your gut. Sure, there are plenty of other drivers out there with better finishes and even wins under their belt at Talladega. Bowman isn’t even starting in a good position but odds-wise he dropped from 21 to 1 or +2100 to 18 to 1 or +1800 from Wednesday to Sunday. Someone at WynnBET Sportsbook liked something they saw as he was one of the few drivers to have their potential payout lowered. As I said, it’s a gut feeling and sometimes those pay off.

Looking at the weekly longshot, there are several potential candidates who could find their way to Victory Lane. My standout would have to be Noah Gragson. He won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race and he is in solid equipment at Beard Motorsports. At 150 to 1 or +15000, why wouldn’t everyone throw $5 at the betting window and take a chance for a huge return at the payout window?

Remember, my suggestions are based on what I see at the track and from past performances by drivers. It’s called gambling for a reason and there is no guarantee the drivers I pick will end up in victory lane. If you can’t afford to bet, then don’t. And if you aren’t 21 years of age, you cannot legally gamble, so don’t even think about it. Should you have a problem with sports betting or other forms of gaming, you can get help at 1-800-GAMBLER.

Photo: Christian Koelle, Kickin’ the Tires