The NASCAR season continues this week into the fourth race of the campaign and first non-superspeedway or road course event, as 37 drivers go head-to-head in the Straight Talk Wireless 500.
The 1 mile track in Avondale, Arizona will play host to some of the world’s best drivers as they go against each other to climb the leaderboard and look to make a push towards the Drivers’ World Championship, in a race that Christopher Bell has won in each of the last two seasons.
We’ll take a look ahead to the big race and provide you with our best free NASCAR betting picks to try and earn you some extra cash, while you enjoy the action on the track.
Check out the best NASCAR betting sites here.
Below you’ll find a list of favorites to win the NASCAR Straight Talk Wireless 500 race.
Ryan Blaney comes into this weekend as the favorite to win the Straight Talk Wireless 500 race, despite history being against him throughout his career.
The 32-year-old is now in his 13th season of racing in NASCAR, and his 11th as a full-time driver for a team, but he has never won this event. His best run has come in recent years, finishing in the top ten in four of his last five races here, where he finished 4th, 2nd, and 5th in 2022, 2023, and 2024, before a disappointing 28th-place finish in 2025.
So far this season, it’s not been a good outing for Blaney, as he finished 27th in the first race of the season, before a 10th-place finish in race two and an eighth-place finish last time out.
But his greatest successes throughout his career have come on these flatter, faster tracks, and this could be the perfect event for him to finally break his duck and kickstart his push towards another world title.
At odds of +500 there is decent value, however, history is usually a good precursor for these events, and his lack of success here means this is likely a bet to avoid.
Check out our review for Bovada sports betting here.
A veteran NASCAR star, Hamlin has been racing since way back in 2006, and this is a track that he has enjoyed great success at in the past.
The 45-year-old won this event way back in 2012, which remains his only victory, but he has finished in the top three on another six occasions, in the top five on another two occasions, and inside the top ten a further two times.
Last year, Hamlin had great success over the season, finishing second behind Kyle Larson in the Drivers’ Standings for the World Championship, and his performance in this race was excellent too, as he finished as the runner-up behind Christopher Bell.
All that success and history make the odds of +550 for him to win again here very appealing, but his performances this season have been disappointing. In his three appearances so far in 2026, Hamlin has finished 31st, 13th, and 10th, which does spark a bit of concern for any tempted bettors, but the odds may be worth a small flutter.
While Christopher Bell has never been a NASCAR Cup Series world champion, he is a household name now after winning the All-Star Race in 2025.
But alongside that, this is also one of Bell’s favorite tracks on the schedule, having won here in both 2025 and 2024 comfortably, while he has also finished sixth and ninth in two of his other appearances here as a NASCAR driver.
During the 2025 season, Bell had a fantastic individual campaign too, making it to the round of eight in the playoffs having finished fifth overall in the Drivers’ Standings for the world title. A large chunk of his points were earned early on in the campaign, where he won three of the first four races.
However, this year has been slower for Bell, and in the first three races so far he has finished 35th, 21st, and 3rd last weekend in preparation for this weekend.
His history on this track makes him a solid bet, especially having won in each of the last two years, and at +600 it’s not something to be ignore. But his performances this season should also be considered when making a decision.
Check out our review for BetUS sports betting here.
On paper this bet may look like a longshot, considering Tyler Reddick has never won this event before, with his best results being two consecutive third-place finishes in 2022 and 2023, while last year he finished all the way down in 20th place.
However, Reddick has started this season in unbelievable fashion, winning all three of the first three races. His car looks excellent, he is full of confidence, and he had also never won at any of those three venues before this season either.
At +1400, the value is sensational considering his performances this season, and Reddick is someone bettors should certainly consider.
About the Author
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.
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