After an abbreviated schedule in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Nascar is back to a full slate in to 2021. Next up on the race docket: Go Bowling at The Glen.
Chase Elliott is the current reigning champion, having won the race in both 2018 and 2019. (There was no race in 2020.) Can he win a third time? We've got your betting odds and predictions for Nascar Go Bowling at The Glen to help figure it out.
First and foremost, let's take a look at the latest Nascar odds, courtesy of BetOnline:
| Driver To Win |  |
|---|---|
| Chase Elliott | +175 |
| Kyle Larson | +400 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +600 |
| Kyle Busch | +700 |
| Denny Hamlin | +1200 |
| Christopher Bell | +1600 |
| Joey Logano | +1600 |
| William Byron | +1600 |
| Kurt Busch | +2000 |
| Alex Bowman | +2500 |
| Brad Keselowski | +2800 |
| Kevin Harvick | +2800 |
| Ryan Blaney | +2800 |
| Tyler Reddick | +3300 |
| Ross Chastain | +4000 |
| Chase Briscoe | +5000 |
| Matt DiBenedetto | +6600 |
| Michael McDowell | +6600 |
| Chris Buescher | +8000 |
| Daniel Suarez | +8000 |
| Erik Jones | +10000 |
| Aric Almirola | +12500 |
| Cole Custer | +12500 |
| Austin Dillon | +15000 |
| Bubba Wallace | +15000 |
| Ryan Preece | +15000 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | +20000 |
| Ryan Newman | +20000 |
| Corey Lajoie | +30000 |
| Justin Haley | +30000 |
| Anthony Alfredo | +50000 |
| James Davison | +50000 |
| Garrett Smithley | +100000 |
| Josh Bilicki | +100000 |
| Kyle Tilley | +100000 |
| Quin Houff | +100000 |
| RC Enerson | +100000 |
Always be sure to double-check these lines before deciding on a wager. Go Bowling at The Glen wil take place on Sunday, August 8. Until then, you will see the odds shift at BetOnline and other top sportsbooks.
2021 Go Bowling at The Glen Picks
Before diving into our latest Nascar picks, it helps to know the background of this race specifically, so you can understand what the drivers are up against.
Go Bowling at The Glen takes place at the Watkins Glen International Raceway in Glen, New York, and is one of seven road-course contests on the Nascar Cup Series schedule. Since 2018, it has included 90 laps on the 2.454-mile course, amounting to a roughly 221-mile race in total.
While Elliott is the two-time reigning champion, other past winners of Go Bowling at The Glen will partake in the festivities, including Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Busch. Who should you be wagering on?
Let's tackle all the ins and outs of this year's racing field.
Should Chase Elliott be Favored to Three-Peat?
Oddsmakers sure believe the answer to this question is "yes." Elliott enters with a field-leading +175, with his next closest competitor, Kyle Larson, checking in at +400.
It's always a risky proposition when investing in someone to three-peat. It's so hard to do in Nascar. And Bowling at The Glen hasn't seen it happen since Jeff Gordon won three consecutive times to close out the 1990s.
Still, Elliott isn't just getting the usual reigning champion bump. He ranks fifth in Nascar's standings so far this season and has picked up two victories and nine top-five finishes overall. It's okay if he isn't your pick to win. But you have to give him ample consideration. After all, he is a relatively heavy favorite compared to everyone else's odds.
Who's the Better Bet: Martin Truex Jr. or Kyle Larson?
Immediately after Elliott (+175), there is Larson (+400) and Truex Jr. (+600). Larson currently has a commanding lead in the Nascar standings, pacing the field with a whopping 861 points compiled through four victories and 11 top-five finishes. His dominant performance wire-to-wire this season certainly matters.
At the same time, Truex won Go Bowling at The Glen in 2017 and has generally raced well on this course. He is no slouch in the standings, either. His 696 points to date are the second-most among the entire field.
Sure, he doesn't have as many top-five placements (seven), because he can be hit or miss given his aggressive driving style, but his three victories this year speak for themselves. In this race specifically, we consider Truex the better value.
Is Alex Bowman a Dark Horse Betting Candidate
Alex Bowman (+2500) is wildly undervalued in our eyes at 25-to-1 odds. He is one of only three drivers this season with three first-place finishes, joining Truex (three) and Larson (four), and he presently ranks third in the Nascar standings.
So why is he laying 25-to-1 odds and barely registering as a top-10 betting option? Well, road courses are not his strong suit. That's part of the reason he doesn't have more top-five finishes to his name (six). He can fall out of contention rather significantly on certain courses.
Then again, this feels like a mega overreaction. He has shown some improvement on road courses this year. And let's not discount the fact he has more top-10 checkered flags (12) than Truex (11). If your wallet can stomach the risk, he's a great option.
2021 Bowling at The Glen Prediction
At the end of the day, Martin Truex Jr. does the job for us.
We view Chase Elliott as too much of a risk because of the sheer difficulty associated with a three-peat, and Truex has historically thrived on courses that require him to make multiple turning maneuvers every lap.
Bowling at The Glen mandates eight different adjustments per lap. That demand for superior handling helps separate Truex from other top candidates like Larson, Kyle Busch (+700), and Denny Hamlin (+1200).
OSB Prediction: Martin Truex Jr. (+600)
Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all of your Nascar betting:
T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
