Well, well, well… here we are again. Viva Las Vegas! This time though, it’s not the King looking to score enough cash to replace his race car motor, but a star studded field of Formula One drivers returning to Sin City for the second running of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. With ticket prices lowering this year, and last year’s champion Max Verstappen cooling off from his hot start in 2024, the excitement for the return of the world’s favorite “engineered insanity” is palpable to say the least. Let’s break down the best bets of the weekend and how they play into the grand scheme of the remaining season.
Outright Winner
Max Verstappen, as mentioned before, started the season about as hot as a driver could. His seven wins in the first ten races brought his impressive win total up to 41 wins in the last 54 starts. But with only one win in his last 11 starts, he is not the outright favorite going into the race this weekend. Verstappen (Red Bull) is joined by Lando Norris (McLaren) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) at +250 odds to win the Grand Prix on BetMGM. Head over to Caesars for even better value for all three at +260 odds. With each driver having won in the last three contests, it is no surprise they share the best odds to win.
With this being said, Verstappen has a little extra motivation this weekend, not only hoping to repeat as the champion in Vegas, but a win would clinch his fourth consecutive Driver’s Championship if he were able to get the job done. With 60 remaining points available after the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Lando Norris must outscore Verstappen by at least three points to keep his outside chances alive of winning the Driver’s Championship. This will make things even more exciting at the front of the pack, as this season-long battle finds itself under a microscope in the bright lights.
It really is a toss-up between the three drivers with the best odds in the field, but I look to either Verstappen coming off a win in Brazil or Norris hoping to keep his championship hopes alive to top the podium this weekend.
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Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Leclerc’s teammate with Ferrari, Carlos Sainz Jr., comes in next at +600 and Oscar Piastri, teammate of Norris with McLaren, rounds out the top five with +1000 odds. As we look at the breakdown of the teams, one long shot to look out for is Sergio Perez (Red Bull) to finish on the podium at +2000 odds. Although 8th in the drivers’ standings, Red Bull cars perform historically well on straight aways and the layout in Las Vegas makes it one of the fastest tracks on the circuit. With four top three finishes this season and his teammate vying for the drivers championship, I like the value of Perez to clinch another finish on the podium in Las Vegas. Speaking of teamwork, look to Norris, Piastri, and their McLaren teams to secure the fastest pit stop of the Grand Prix at +175 odds. The McLaren team has taken home that honor in four of the last eight races, and have shown great success in pit lane this season.
If you are looking for a constructor to bet on to win, the odds suggest Ferrari (+145) to get it done, followed by McLaren (+180) and Red Bull (+225) rounding out the top three. This comes as no surprise when considering Team Ferrari drivers Leclerc and Sainz Jr. currently sit in 3rd and 5th place respectively in the Drivers Championship. This weekend is crucial for Red Bull as we approach the end of the season, vying for its third straight Constructors Championship and battling to regain first place after a strong second-half push from McLaren has landed them atop the standings. If you like Verstappen to get it done outright, +225 holds great value to cash in on his constructor taking home the win this weekend as well.
For a shot in the dark, pay attention to Team Alpine (+750) for both team drivers to score. Composed of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, who garnered a second and third place finish in rainy Sao Paulo, there is value in paying attention to the trending team to both top 10. Although, the weather looks just fine in Las Vegas this weekend so proceed with caution.
When considering what is at stake this weekend for Verstappen and liking Sergio Perez to secure a spot on the podium, we simply cannot overlook Team Red Bull having both drivers finish on the podium (+2200). Perez may be a long shot to get it done, but Verstappen is practically a lock and Perez held strong in second most of the race last year before falling to third after a pass by Leclerc on the last corner of the last lap. Perez has spoken on the importance of this weekend in Vegas, saying that teams will be more prepared to conquer the tricky street circuit.
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Feeling Lucky in Sin City
Regardless of the outcome this weekend, Las Vegas has once again shown they can host the biggest sporting events on a worldwide stage. Whether it is a Superbowl at Allegiant Stadium, UFC at the Sphere, or Formula 1 whizzing down the Strip, bettors both near and far are focused on events in Sin City for their chance to win big. Eyes worldwide will be pinpointed on the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend, and this is your chance to get in on the action.
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