The fast-paced NASCAR racing world depends on its audience and sponsorship deals. Also, being a betting-friendly sport, it’s fertile ground for cooperation with brands and operators. While analyzing insights into gaming experiences at Zodiac Casino, experts discovered online players love being engaged in such crossovers. Accordingly, new NASCAR betting opportunities sound like playing innovative games.

The puzzle pieces came together in February 2021. At the same time, BetMGM became the first official sports betting operator to sponsor a racing team. We will go over growing partnership trends and show you what the deal means to the online gaming industry. Learn the impact of BetMGM NASCAR’s first casino partnership on responsible gambling practices.

Richard Childress Racing’s historic cooperation with BetMGM

In 2021, Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and NASCAR signed the first casino partnership in the competition’s history. The deal kicked off in February’s Daytona 500. BetMGM served as Austin Dillon’s number three Chevrolet sponsor. Moreover, the betting site sponsored Tyler Reddick’s number eight car.

Tyler Reddick’s number eight car

Richard Childress called it a chance to collaborate in many ways. Matt Prevost, CRO at BetMGM, was happy to see Richard Childress Racing cars under the casino’s banner. He said the parties will continue to develop compelling marketing opportunities. Moreover, it is a chance to introduce the betting platform to fans worldwide.

The benefits to the two parties

The landmarking deal triggers certain assets to both parties. Doing business is the most significant, but there’s a lot more:

Moreover, BetMGM users profit from racing-themed games and associated bonuses. We can describe how it works, giving Zodiac casino bonuses as an example. First, interested players register an account. They connect casino wallets with a chosen payment method for the deposit. Finally, the Zodiac Casino New Zealand allocates extra funds for playing. The fan base grows with attractive promotional offers. The same goes for BetMGM, so they wanted to introduce their offering to players who enjoy racing and betting.

How NASCAR and the casino industry are addressing ethical issues and promoting responsible gambling practices

As exciting as it may be, betting on NASCAR races adheres to strict gambling regulation principles. Both NASCAR and the casino industry understand the importance of maintaining ethical standards and promoting responsible behavior. Their balancing promotion efforts emphasize the information about resources for gambling-related issues. Moreover, the series of educational activities takes place between the races. Also, access to partner betting sites comes with age restrictions and verifications.

Growing trend of sports teams to partner with contemporary industries, including casinos

This trend is part of a broader strategy by sports teams and organizations. Successful brands look to diversify revenue streams, increase fan engagement, and enhance visibility. Then, brand visibility and exposure are the next logical step. By branding on team jerseys and stadiums, companies reach a wider audience.

We saw many English Premier League teams wear casino marks on jerseys, opening room for cross-promotion of online industries. It allows both casinos and other brands to profit from a novelty goods and services exchange. Casinos promote sports events to the customers; sports teams advertise casino offerings to the fan base.

Finally, online entertainment enables interested businesses to extend to the markets and demographics. This is one of the reasons why casinos and motorsports can benefit from all mentioned aspects.

Opportunities for Motorsport Teams Creating Partnerships with Casinos

Many examples show the positive impact of cooperation between the two different niches in the gaming industry. For instance, game shows and live casinos created a prosperous gambling field. Sport-themed slots are on the rise, so branded games are a competitive advantage for a casino. The other prospective field relates to bonuses. Registered members in the casino app get access to a partnered zone. They claim bonuses, collect points, and exchange them for cash.

Wrapping up

The use of sponsor names on the sides of race cars is hardly new in the industry. Yet, the actions of BetMGM and Richard Childress Racing are altering the game. The parties have agreed to a multifaceted interaction. The team chairman sought an opportunity to connect racing with a sports betting brand. The innovative move marks the first partnership between a 6-time NASCAR Cup Series winner and a nationwide casino with branches in all major US cities. Together, they’ll create and promote innovative sports betting experiences. In-race betting is among them, to the joy of racing fans worldwide.

Overall, the BetMGM NASCAR is a profitable deal for:

• Themed and branded slot games.
• Bonuses based on participation in such games
• Points collection and cash exchanges.
•  VIP packages, special events, and access to exclusive areas.

2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button took on a new adventure last weekend, as he made his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Button has dipped in and out of racing categories since he departed F1 at the end of the 2016 season.

For his NASCAR debut, which was spent with Rick Ware Racing, Button returned to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas – a track that is familiar to him through his F1 career.

William Byron took pole for the race, with Button setting a time that was good enough for 24th out of 39 drivers.

Button got in the mix straight away and made up two positions in the opening sectors, but dropped back to 26th by the time he completed his first tour of the track.

The race was filled with caution periods, but Button kept out of major trouble and avoided race-ending damage, despite being involved in the wards.

In the end, he took the chequered flag in 18th place.

However, a major factor in his race was temperature inside the car, admitting that he almost retired due to heat exhaustion.

“Finished 18th after almost stopping because I had heat exhaustion,” Button said.

“It was so hot, I don’t have a fan in my seat which really didn’t help me too much. It was so hot, I thought I was going to faint in the car. 

“So, I stopped twice for a minute. They put ice on me, gave me loads of water, and I went back out. I was so close to getting out of the car because I thought I was going to faint. 

“I must’ve drank eight [or] nine bottles of water during the race. The team kept me calm, and it’s the reason why we got a good result in the end. So, I was happy.”

Button also revealed that his car wasn’t feeling right after he made contact with former F1 rival Kimi Raikkonen, who made his first outing in the Cup Series after his 2022 debut.

Raikkonen finished the race in 29th.

“I also had a massive whack from Kimi, and it fell off after that,” Button said. “The car wasn’t quite right. Every time I turned in, the rear tyres would chatter, then immediately to oversteer. 

“It was really difficult, but towards the end, we made some good calls stopping and putting on fresh tires. I enjoyed the last three restarts – got good placement and good overtaking moves from the outside.”

Button will be back competing in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Chicago Street Course event on July 2.

Ahead of his NASCAR debut, 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button has identified stage points as something the pinnacle of motorsport could learn from the American stock car series.

Along with fellow F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen, Button will race at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas in the cup series in two weeks, before taking part in two further events in Chicago and Indianapolis this summer.

The cup series points system sees points handed out in three stages of the race, and Button feels this is something F1 could explore.

READ MORE: Button to contest three NASCAR Cup rounds in 2023

“I think the great thing about F1 is they are very open to changes and tickling it here,” he said. “We have the sprint races, which I think work really well. Not everyone’s going to be happy when you change a sport that has been the same for so long. But I like that change.

“In NASCAR they have stage points through the race. That could make it interesting because it depends on when you pit for tyres.

“If you get points at certain points through the race, if it’s lap, 20 lap 40 and the end of the race, it might change strategies around. Who knows? I don’t know if it would work.”

The 43-year-old, who has also tried his hand in endurance racing, is happy with where F1 is but affirms that it needs to keep trying new things.

“I think F1 is in a great place, I enjoy the racing,” added Button. “The dream in F1 is that the cars are lighter, that’s always the dream, because I think as drivers, we like lightweight cars – he says, as he’s about to race a stock car!

“But I’m happy with where F1 is, as long as we’re ready to tickle things here and there if we think it’s necessary, and try it and not be afraid.”

Jenson Button will make his NASCAR Cup debut in 2023 after signing up to contest three rounds this season.

Button, the 2009 Formula 1 World Champion, will debut on March 26 at the Circuit of the Americas before also running the inaugural Chicago Street Race on July 2 and the Indianapolis Road Course on August 13.

Button will drive the No. 15 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang fielded by Rick Ware Racing with promotional and marketing support from Stewart-Haas Racing.

The NASCAR outings will be in conjunction to Button contesting this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours as part of the Garage 56 effort that is bringing a modified stock car to the French endurance event.

“The first time I jumped into the Garage 56 car, it was like, ‘What have I done? This is so different,’ and that lasted about four laps,” said Button.

“Then it was like, ‘Hang on, it’s still a racing car. It’s got four tyres that touch the road. It’s a mechanical race car, which is even better for learning.’ I’ve really enjoyed the challenge.

“A Cup car has a lot less downforce and is a lot heavier, but the Garage 56 car has given me an idea of what it will be like along with a direction, which is really useful.

“I know in my first race I’m not expected to be qualifying right at the front and I’m not expected to be fighting for a victory. I have a lot of respect for the drivers racing in the Cup Series. There’s so much talent there, whether it’s on ovals or road courses.

“Ten years ago, people used to say NASCAR guys can’t drive around a circuit, but I think they’ve proven that they can.

“Every time an ex-F1 driver gets in a stock car these days, they struggle initially. It takes a while for them to get up to speed, so I don’t expect to be right at the front, straight away.

“That’s why, for me, doing more than one race is really key so I can get the best out of myself and the best out of the car.”

Button will consequently be on the same grid as former F1 rival Kimi Räikkönen, who has also signed up for this month’s round at COTA.

Kimi Räikkönen will return to NASCAR at this month’s round at US Grand Prix venue Circuit of the Americas.

Räikkönen retired from Formula 1 at the end of the 2021 season but made an appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen last August.

Per Räikkönen’s maiden run his outing at COTA will come with the PROJECT91 operation, which is run in conjunction with Trackhouse Racing.

Räikkönen participated in eight grands prix at COTA and claimed his last Formula 1 win at the track in 2018.

“I had a fantastic time in NASCAR,” said Räikkönen. “There was a lot to learn in a very short amount of time, but everyone was very helpful, the competition was a big challenge.

“This time I get to race on a track I am familiar with so there won’t be as steep of a learning curve. I want to have fun, but also do as well as we can.”

Räikkönen will race the No. 91 Onx/iLOQ Chevrolet Camaro and is not due to test the car until the event at COTA on March 26.

“When we announced Kimi last year I said he was the global superstar I had in mind when we created PROJECT91,” said Trackhouse Owner Justin Marks.

“I think you saw the fan reception across the world and Kimi’s performance in the car was proof of the concept. Kimi’s following is massive and it’s great for NASCAR, Trackhouse plus I think Kimi really enjoys our racing.”

McLaren is currently considering running a fourth car in the upcoming Indianapolis 500, and is reportedly eyeing up NASCAR driver Kyle Busch to pilot the entry.

According to a report from the Associated Press, McLaren CEO Zak Brown has been having serious conversations with Busch recently about the potential crossover next May.

Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, recently announced that he was going to be driving for Richard Childress Racing for 2023, and his new contract gives him permission to compete in the Indy 500 with a Chevrolet-powered entry.

If plans fall into place, Busch would become just the sixth driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca Cola 600 on the same day, and the first to do so since his brother Kurt Busch in 2014.

Racing in both events is often known as ‘The Memorial Day Double,’ and driving in both races demands setting up a detailed travel schedule to move between Indianapolis, Indiana and Charlotte, North Carolina throughout the build-up to each race.

With the two tracks being 430 miles apart, travelling from one event to the next on race day can be quite challenging, let alone the fatigue involved in racing 1,100 miles in one day.

Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon each completed ‘The Double’ multiple times, with Stewart earning the best result in his 2001 attempt by finishing sixth in the Indy 500 and third in that evening’s NASCAR race.

AMSP will have three full time entries for the 2023 IndyCar season with the addition of Alexander Rossi, and is currently building up staff to support the expansion.

The team has often run an extra car in the Indy 500, including years ago when the team was known as Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and had no McLaren involvement.

The past two seasons, Juan Pablo Montoya has filled the extra seat that the team has fielded, but no future plans have been announced for the veteran driver at this time.

The motorsport industry has borne witness to some beautiful and iconic tracks, but they have also seen many such venues dropped by the events they were built for and used by other series or just dropped completely and redeveloped.

Whether it be because of financial or technical reasons, we have had to bid farewell to some racing royalty over the years. 

Throughout the history of Formula 1, a total of 75 circuits have held races across 34 different countries. Currently, there are only 40 circuits worldwide which have a suitable FIA grade license to host a race, and of these 40 only 24 are chosen for 2023. But it is not just the F1 who have excluded tracks from their calendar. 

Here are just three race circuits around the world, which no longer host the events they were built for and in one case, no longer used at all. 

Kansas Speedway, USA

The Kansas Speedway is best known for hosting two NASCAR race weekends every year but that wasn’t always the case. When the 1.5-mile tri-oval racetrack was opened in 2001, it was primarily used to host the IndyCar Series.

For almost a decade, the Kansas Speedway hosted the Indy Car series and in 2010 it was one of four race circuits owned by the International Speedway Corporation which were dropped from the selection. Three of these tracks were then picked up by NASCAR and have hosted the event ever since. 

In 2010, the motorsports entertainment industry was facing tough economic times; NASCAR’s reported revenue was $177 million. But over a decade later, their revenue has almost doubled in size and motorsports in the US has never been as popular.

A large contributor to this is the rise of the betting industry in the US, which NASCAR has taken full advantage of. This has also led to a wide range of promotions in states like Kansas, where betting is legal, the most popular of which are listed here, and you can choose the one you prefer.

Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia

The Sepang International Circuit hosted its first ever F1 race, the Malaysia Grand Prix, in 1999 and continued until its end in 2017. No one would have been more disappointed to see the track excluded from the calendar than Ferrari, who won seven of the nineteen grands prix held here. It was also former Ferrari driver, Sebastian Vettel, who boasts the best winning record on the track with four wins.

But the cost of hosting the Grand Prix was too high for the government to continue hosting the event. And along with the dwindling ticket sales and decreasing revenue, they thought it best to stop hosting any Formula 1 races although MotoGP has now found a more permanent home at the track. The two-wheel boys also use the track for their annual tests. 

Rockingham Motor Speedway, UK

The Rockingham Motor Speedway opened in 2001, becoming Britain’s only banked oval track at the time. It was seen as a way to replicate the American-style racing tracks and had a capacity of over 50,000 fans.

Initially the track hosted to CART (IndyCar) races in 2001 and 2002 but it proved too expensive for the US based series to return and local UK series, using the inner road course layout (much like Indianapolis Motor Speedway) to run major events like the BTCC, British GT Championship and the British Superbikes. 

Sadly there wasn’t enough racing to make the venue pay for itself and in November 2018, before entering administration, the Northamptonshire circuit saw its final race. The facility was then purchased in 2021 for $80 million and is now home to an automotive dealer.

Kimi Raikkonen ventured into a new arena last weekend, as he made his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing.

The 2007 Formula 1 World Champion has previous experience in NASCAR, but the other entries, which occurred over 10 years ago, took place in the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series.

His Cup Series debut came at Watkins Glen, a fan favourite of many drivers. 

Raikkonen was offered some practice laps in Virginia prior to the weekend, as he came to grips with the new-for-2022 Next Gen car.

The Finnish driver qualified in 27th place, nine places in front of fellow ex-F1 driver Daniil Kvyat, who was making his second Cup Series start.

Raikkonen’s race was progressing well, and he was running inside the top 10 after the first stage before making a pit stop.

Unfortunately for Raikkonen, his race came to an end with a crash into the barriers as he was caught up in a multi-car incident midway through the event.

“I had a good line there but everybody seemed to come to the left, unfortunately,” Räikkonen told NBC Sports. 

“I had no time to react. The first impact, somebody hit the tyre or the wheel and the wheel spun and something’s wrong with the wrist, but that’s how it goes.” 

Darian Grubb, crew chief of Raikkonen’s No. 91 entry, hailed the 42-year-old for commitment to the weekend.

“It was amazing,” Grubb told Nascar.com. “He worked so hard trying to get ready for this. It’s really disappointing to end that way. 

“The way the strategy scenario was working, I think he was going to have a good chance to go race hard with guys. 

“He had good tyres and able to race his way up, he was able to make some passes and stuff already. And I think we had a good shot to be up in the top 10, which is what our goals were for the weekend.

“So disappointing end, but he did an amazing job all week preparing for it, coming in and ready to go.”

Kimi Räikkönen discusses his first day driving a NASCAR Cup Series Car at Virginia International Raceway

Kimi Raikkonen tested a NASCAR Next Gen car for the first time on Thursday, driving around the Virginia International Raceway.

Raikkonen will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut next weekend at Watkins Glen, the 25th round of the 2022 season.

The Finnish driver had an extensive career racing in Formula 1, currently sitting as the most experienced competitor in the sport’s history.

He racked up 21 grand prix wins in that time, and took the World Championship in 2007 with Ferrari.

Raikkonen decided to walk away from F1 at the end of the 2021 campaign, spending the last three seasons of his stint in the sport with Alfa Romeo.

The 42-year-old will be back behind the cockpit next weekend as he makes his first start in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Raikkonen has previous experience in NASCAR, however prior entries came in the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series with Kyle Busch Motorsports.

This time around, Raikkonen is competing for Trackhouse Racing.

Raikkonen isn’t the only ex-Formula 1 driver to venture into NASCAR Cup Series racing in 2022 – earlier this year, Daniil Kvyat raced for Team Hezeberg at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

As quoted by RACER, Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks  said of Raikkonen’s upcoming debut: “I’m optimistic I have high expectations.

“I think that the speed and the race craft and adaptation to the track and the car is not going to be an issue at all. 

“Just spending time with him in the shop, the way he was prepared when he first showed up here in America — not just 24 hours ago — he was asking questions about pit penalty at Michigan, he had questions about short pitting stages and how to work strategy backward at the road courses. 

“He has really done a lot of work and preparation, and that’s not surprising to me because that’s what it takes to be as successful as he’s been in Formula 1 for so long.”

Raikkonen’s debut race, the official name of which is the Go Bowling at The Glen, will take place on August 21 at 15:00 ET.