How to Bet on Formula 1: The Complete Guide to F1 Odds & Strategy 2025

Best Bookmakers for Betting on Formula 1

In this section, you’ll find our carefully selected online bookmakers. You can join one or more of the options listed to secure the welcome bonus for new players. Each app offers excellent F1 betting odds, generous specials, and a wealth of markets.

The Main Types of F1 Bets Explained

The first step in creating a winning F1 betting strategy is to thoroughly understand the available markets. Online gamblers and modern motorsports fans enjoy a long list of options when betting on a season championship or a Grand Prix. In this section of my F1 betting guide, I cover the most popular gambling markets.

Race winner

The most straightforward way to gamble on Formula 1 is to predict the winner of the Grand Prix. Visit your chosen betting app, click on motorsports, F1, and the next Grand Prix. Among the options will be the race winner. Click the odds attached to your chosen driver to add to your bet slip, input a stake, and confirm. If your driver wins, you secure the profits, but if they fail to win, you lose your stake.

Podium finish

If you expect a driver to perform well in a Grand Prix, but aren’t sure they’ll win, you can play the podium finish. With this approach, you must predict a driver to finish in the top three, also known as securing a spot on the podium. Their finishing position isn’t important, and you won’t win more if they finish first rather than third. This bet covers all three places.

Points finish

The first ten drivers home in a Grand Prix receive points that correspond to their finishing position. When betting on a points finish, you’re risking your stake on a driver to finish in the top ten. Again, it doesn’t matter if they pass the flag in first place or eighth position. As long as they secure at least a point, you’ll boost your balance.

Head-to-head

Another interesting and popular approach used by F1 bettors is the head-to-head. Here, you’re taking two drivers out of the field and betting on one to perform better than the other. Neither need to win the race, and they could finish second from last or last: it doesn’t matter. Check the head-to-head stats, find the perfect match, and pick your winner. You now have your eyes on just two cars.

Futures (Championship winner)

As well as gambling on the next Grand Prix, the leading apps offering F1 betting odds allow you to wager on the season outright. Known as futures betting, you can predict the outcome of the driver’s championship or the constructors’ championship before the first race or at any time during the season, thanks to live betting. Pick your favourite driver and bet on them to collect more points than the competition to secure the title.

How to analyse a race weekend: A strategy guide

When betting on F1, there’s no shortcut to beat the bookies and secure a guaranteed winner. How do you target a profit? By making informed, data-driven decisions and predictions. The more research you do before parting with your hard-earned stake, the more winners you’ll find.

Here are some things to consider when playing everything from fastest lap betting to live F1 betting.

Track characteristics

Drivers must know the track like the back of their hand, and so must you. Knowing the unique challenges of a track gives you a strong advantage when picking the winner. Is it a high-speed track like Monza that favours powerful cars and aggressive drivers? You’re looking for speed.

Is it a riskier course, like the tight corners of the Monaco street circuit? You’re now siding with skill. Learn a track, check past winners, compare it to other tracks, and you’ll be well on your way to finding a winner.

Car performance and updates

If you’re betting on football, you’d want as much information on the teams as possible, including form and injury news. It’s the same when making predictions on F1. Learn a car’s strengths and weaknesses. Learn a track’s positives and negatives. When you have all the information, you can then make an informed decision on your winner.

Track the results from previous years, and you’ll see that some cars are better suited to certain tracks. Check the latest updates from a constructor, browse the odds, and bet.

Driver form and track history

Regardless of the sport and competition I’m betting on, I always lean heavily on the stats and trends when making my predictions and placing bets. Taking your lead from a driver’s form and the track history allows you to spot a name that’s poised to perform well.

Check how a driver has performed so far this season, and then their most recent results. Check the previous years’ results from a Grand Prix, and then the last three results. You’ll notice if a car or driver has a knack for winning at a certain track or has been knocking on the door, landing a few points and podium finishes.

The importance of qualifying

The results from practice and qualifying will often lead you on the right path to predicting the winner of a Grand Prix. How did the cars and drivers look in practice, and how did they perform in qualifying? Starting from a prominent position in the grid is key at tracks where overtaking is difficult or the weather will play a part.

A driver starting from pole position is in a strong position to either win the race or secure a podium finish at tricky tracks. But at Grand Prixs where speed is the deciding factor, you could take a chance on a driver battling to win from further down the pecking order.

The Flashscore advantage: Your essential F1 research hub

As you can see from my article on F1 betting markets and odds, research is crucial to beating the bookmakers and earning a profit. Thankfully, Flashscore has everything you need in one place, including the latest results, standings, and betting. Here are just some of the ways Flashscore can help you find a winner.

Live timings for every session

Tracking performance is key, and Flashscore users enjoy live updates and leaderboards from every session, including all practices, qualifying and the Grand Prix. Accessing updates in real-time is ideal when betting live or narrowing the field.

Detailed qualifying results

Who has the standout in qualifying, and where does your pick start on the grid? Visit Flashscore, F1, and click on qualifying results. You’ll see the latest starting grid, complete with the driver opening from pole position.

Driver and constructor standings

Checking the up-to-date championship standings on your laptop or mobile couldn’t be easier at Flashscore. Visit the F1 section and you’ll see the latest results and tables following the latest round of action. The standings are ideal for those betting on the futures markets.

Circuit information and history

The Grand Prix preview, available on the Flashscore app and website, includes key circuit information, such as the number of laps and the total distance. There’s also info on past winners, which is ideal for bettors placing their trust in the stats and race history.