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DOVER, Del. (AP) – Bradley Saucier and Joshua Merrill made the trip from Maine to watch this weekend's NASCAR races in Dover. They carried bags filled with NASCAR products, wore hats and shirts supporting their favorite riders, and were ready to spend on their favorite new accessory: betting coupons.
All bets were at the Dover International Speedway on Saturday when the latter opened its on-site kiosk and became the only track allowing sports betting on its property.
"I will probably give Kyle Larson the whole house to take away," Saucier said.
Larson, who has not won this season, is 13-2 to win the Sunday Cup at Dover. Fans and bettors can place a few dollars on more than the winner of the race. Betting on props was offered for everything from the number of drivers on the main lap at the finish (12½) to most driver-led rides (188½) to the total caution (7½) on the race 400 miles.
"It really feels like part of the race," said Saucier. "I'm more part of it when I have a horse in the race."
With the 46-meter-high Miles the Monster monument looming in the background, bets have been placed on races, college football and other sports in the interior of the city. 39, an ordinary white tent that, hopefully, will revive interest in NASCAR.
The kiosk opened at 9 am and a modest line formed with fans, some who had questions about betting on NASCAR accessories; Specifically, do scene warnings count in the total number of warnings? They do not do it – just warnings of crash and debris.
John Hensley, general manager and senior director of horse racing and sports betting at Dover Downs, said more bets on props were being offered for Sunday compared to the average race.
"Even more than what they provide when they are at Las Vegas Motor Speedway," he said.
Saturday's Xfinity second-round NASCAR race was also open to action.
"I have money on Daniel Hemric and Justin Allgaier," Saucier said.
Hensley said that after four hours of play, the action had been split 50-50 by bettors who were choosing the winner of the straight-line race versus the variety of bets on props. Bets are capped at $ 1,000 on race winners and $ 500 on props.
The betting lines provided by William Hill are removed from the table during practice and qualifying.
"The risk management team will monitor who practices well, who does not," Hensley said.
Kasey Kahne was ranked at 500-1 to win Sunday's race on the opening lines, but was pulled off the table when he retired from the race due to illness.
Delaware launched large-scale sports betting in June, barely three weeks after the US Supreme Court opened the door for states to implement betting systems.
The News Journal of Wilmington announced this week that bets on NASCAR have only reported $ 60,000 since June 5, less than 0.2% of the $ 39.77 million wagered on all sports performed until June. Now in the state.
"The four major sports represent the essence of the interest," Hensley said. "At the start of the action this week, we have already made a good percentage of that $ 60,000 this week, while the event was here and with a little bit of dynamism from that. He had."
NASCAR declined to comment Saturday on the legalized sports betting and referred to a statement earlier this year that it "will continue to monitor what the (Supreme Court) ruling will mean for every state and for our sport".
NASCAR does not ban its drivers or team members from betting on the race. "With the limits of the risk manager, the risk and the return of trying to fix something are so minimal," said Hensley.
Some NASCAR fans are all in.
Merrill, who attends a few races each year, also bet on Larson to win Sunday's win and bet on some prop wagers.
"Kurt Busch will finish in the top 10. Over 6½ lead changes," he said. "This makes the experience more complex – attending the race and earning money makes you pay more attention to what is going on."
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