Sports Betting, iGaming, Online Casinos & Prediction Markets Merge At Daytona 500

Feb 12th, 2026 3:19 PM EST

NASCAR Sports Betting Prediction Markets

(IMAGN IMAGES)

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – The colors green and yellow normally don’t mix in NASCAR. One means “go.” The other means “trouble.” For Corey Heim, Bubba Wallace, and 23XI Racing, however, the green-yellow tint of Robinhood means millions in sponsorship money, a second-year tie to the financial service site and prediction market, and a hard-to-miss signal that their team does things just a little bit differently.

When Daytona 500 returns Sunday, the domains of legal sports betting, iGaming, online casinos, and prediction markets merge in front of 250,000 fans at Daytona International Speedway, and a national TV audience on FOX.

Hard Rock Bet sponsorship adorns the DIS infield fan area. Hard Rock remains the lone legal sports betting operator in the Florida thanks to the Seminole Tribe’s compact with the Sunshine State.

NASCAR’s ties with the legal gaming space continue to accelerate. Thursday, Richard Childress Racing expanded its partnership with BetMGM by launching an online casino game called “Bet MGM Speedway.”

Online casino Chumba Casino extended its partnership with the 23XI Racing team this season.

It's all a signal that casino and gaming entities see continued value in NASCAR’s platform and audience on and off the track.

Legal Gaming Enjoys Full-Throttle Support In NASCAR

FanDuel and theScore Bet each remain an “Authorized Gaming Partner” in 2026. DraftKings remains NASCAR’s “Official DFS Game.”

In North Carolina, DraftKings partnered with NASCAR in 2024 to get licensed in the state.

In Kansas, PENN Entertainment operates a sportsbook a its Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway. The 400-mile Cup Chase Series race in September on that 1.5-mile course shares the Casino’s name. The following week, the South Point 400 takes place in Las Vegas.

NASCAR doesn’t allow teams or drivers to be associated with an offshore or illegal sportsbook. Under NASCAR policy, the sportsbook must be regulated and licensed in at least one state. There is no policy in place for online and/or social sweepstakes casinos, even as their dual-currency model remains in legal limbo, depending on the state.

Count Jimmie Johnson Among Those Not Impressed

With the sponsorship dollars brought in by sports betting and other gaming entities, not every driver has felt the impact or money flowing into the sport. Jimmie Johnson won the pole for his first Daytona 500 in 2002. Now 50, Johnson makes his 701st NASCAR Cup Series and 23rd Daytona 500 start Sunday. He's been along for the ride as legalized betting has proliferated across NASCAR and all of pro sports.

"I don't have a great sense of it. I've yet to see it hit our bottom line. It has, without a doubt, brought new fans in. Directionally, I know it's better for us. But I don't have a great sense of it," Johnson told Bookies.com during NASCAR Media Day. "It's been around for a while. We've seen the gambling platforms come and go in sponsorships. I don't know if that's a good sign or a bad sign. That layers that teams and drivers are removed from that, it leaves a gap there that I don't quite understand."

The race is on! Chumba Casino is thrilled to continue our partnership with 23XI Racing for another exciting season.

We’re bringing the same excitement and energy from our games to the racing world, and can’t wait to share the thrill with our fans.#VGW #ChumbaCasino #23XIRacing pic.twitter.com/FfLrYHHL4C
— VGW (@vgwco) January 8, 2026

Tyler Reddick drives the Chumba Racing No. 45 Toyota Sunday. “They’re an enthusiastic group about racing,” Reddick told Bookies.com at NASCAR Media Day. "They like to do things differently and get outside the box. I feel like everything we do is different, but in a way that’s better.”

Reddick says his play on Chumba is limited to the free coins. “The slots are fun, but I enjoy the table games, mainly blackjack,” he said. “But I haven’t had a lot of luck at it.”

Chumba Casino’s paint scheme return numerous times this season for an expanded number of races Reddick and the No. 45 team. Chumba Casino will also continue to support Wallace and the No. 23 team at select races. Meanwhile, Pala Casino Spa Golf Resort in California this week signed on to support NASCAR San Diego Weekend in June. It, too, also sponsors Reddick and the 23XI team.

The dual-currency component used by Chumba and other sweepstakes casinos has been banned in California and New York. Other laws banning dual-currency play have been proposed in several states this year.

Robinhood NASCAR — Bubba Wallace said he hopes Robinhood users pick him to win Sunday's Daytona 500. (USA TODAY)

23XI Racing, Robinhood Take Second Lap In 2026

Drivers and teams have no such barriers. Expect NASCAR to steer clear of any official partnership with prediction markets, unlike the NHL, UFC/TKO, and MLS. No one from NASCAR would speak on the record about a possible partnership with any prediction market. It is believed NASCAR’s ties with states like North Carolina where it serves as a sports betting licensee serve as a roadblock.

Bubba Wallace stood with Robinhood Chief Brokerage Officer Steve Quirk on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange last year the partnership with 23XI Racing began. Co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR star Denny Hamlin, 23XI Racing has quickly become one of the sport’s most noticeable teams.

“It’s been cool to see Robinhood come into the sport,” Wallace told Bookies.com during NASCAR Media Day. "We feel a little bit of pressure when you see that bright-colored car go around the track.”

Wallace added the Robinhood “had dabbled but is now fully invested” in the 23XI Racing team. Full-season NASCAR Series Cup sponsorship deals can run between $25-$50 million. Wallace had yet to venture into the prediction market space.

“Hopefully, I’m at the top of that list for them to pick.”

Wallace said his time with Robinhood heightened his focus on his financial future. “I’m 32 and I I started investing 5 years ago and I thought that was late. And they told me that was early.”

Robinhood Shares ‘Disruptor’ Moniker With 23XI Racing

The commercial tie with Robinhood fits well with 23XI Racing’s “disruptor” zeitgeist.

“We want to disrupt The Big Three,” Wallace said of 23XI Racing’s spot in NASCAR’s org chart. “We’re all about being different. Robinhood lies up with our core values.”

Robinhood told Bookies.com through a spokesperson that “23XI Racing represents the next generation of NASCAR, combining modern technology, data driven decision making, and a fresh approach to competition. Since launching in 2021, the team has quickly established itself as a forward looking force in the sport. That mindset closely aligns with Robinhood’s focus on empowering the next generation of investors. By partnering with 23XI Racing, Robinhood is able to connect with fans who are shaping the future of the sport while continuing to engage a new generation that values progress, accessibility, and opportunity.”

The company said its partnership with 23XI Racing remains a “key part of our broader sports partnership strategy” by building brand awareness “beyond traditional tech and finance spaces”

Like Kalshi, Polymarket, and the sports-book branded prediction markets operated by DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics (through crypto.com), Robinhood plans to offer a broader menu of NASCAR-related markets this season.

Heim Ahead Of Curve On, Off The Track

Heim, just 23, nabbed the No. 5 spot in qualifying Wednesday night in his first try for his first Daytona 500. He’ll be easy to spot come Sunday. His No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota carries Robinhood’s colors and logo.

His first interaction with Robinhood came 2 ½ years ago while racing in the NASCAR Truck Series.

“I started to use Robinhood about six months before I knew they would partner with us,” Heim told Bookies.com Wednesday at NASCAR Media Day. “That was a cool, full-circle moment. I haven’t gotten into the prediction markets.”

Heim’s view of money management would make Peter Lynch proud. “Me and my buddies talk about it sometimes. I try to keep it pretty safe at a young age before I blow it all on something random," Heim said. "I try to be on the safe side of everything. When I had someone starting to manage my money, he said ‘this is what we should probably do and select your app and this is what you should invest in on the safe side of things. As you earn more, maybe you can get more aggressive with it.

Hard Rock Bet Daytona 500 — The Hard Rock Bet Fanzone remains a fixture at Daytona International Speedway. (Bill Speros/Bookies)

Hard Rock Bet Enjoys Home-Track Advantage

NASCAR’s two “Authorized Gaming Partners” – FanDuel and theScore Bet – are persona-non-grata in Florida. At least when it comes to sports betting. DIS infield patrons find themselves in the Hard Rock Bet Fanzone whenever they head toward pit road from the track's massive infield parking area. .

DIS remains the exclusive turf of Hard Rock Bet for the third year. The partnership was announced in January 2024, less than 2 months after Hard Rock Bet cleared its final legal hurdle to go live statewide with retail and online sports betting.

The Daytona 500 remains the most-bet auto race on Hard Rock Bet. Hard Rock Bet offered action on the Rolex 24 held at DIS earlier year, as well.

Overall, the money handled on NASCAR across the literal and digital window is not comparable to the numbers produced by football, basketball, or baseball. Books take the action on NASCAR because it offers a chance them the chance to engage with the sports’ fanbase.

“Our partnership with Daytona International Speedway is all about meeting our players where they are. Throughout the weekend, we’ll engage with hundreds of thousands of fans at the Hard Rock Bet Fanzone and provide ‘money-can’t buy’ experiences - from pit row access to hot laps to premium hospitality,” Lauren Varnas, VP of Brand Marketing for Hard Rock Bet, told Bookies.com via email.

Hard Rock Bet introduced an online slot-like play on its app in Florida last year rooted in historic NASCAR results. The games powered by Past Motor Racing are allowed thanks to a clause in the gaming compact that allows online casino-like games based on historic race results. They are not affiliated with NASCAR, its teams, drivers, sponsors, and manufacturers.