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We’re going to teach you how to bet on WRC. The World Rally Championship Series (WRC) is considered to be one of the most exciting racing series because of its nail-biting events. The WRC is an international rallying competition governed by the FIA that holds an average of 14 races/rallies in different countries annually. Forget oval tracks, as WRC rallies take place on surfaces such as asphalt, gravel, dirt, plus snow and ice.
As with other forms of motorsports, you can place fun wagers on WRC events. The offerings will vary from sportsbook to sportsbook, but there are some basic bets you should know about and a few suggestions on how to bet on WRC.
Understanding the WRC
First, it is important to put what you know about traditional motorsport races that take place on a track such as an oval, tri-oval, road course or street course using stock cars or open-wheel cars to use. WRC Rally races have the drivers racing against the clock instead of head-to-head against other drivers. Rally races include several timed stages that the driver and their co-driver navigate to completion to get to the next stage.
The WRC dates to 1973 when the Series started and now races are held in a variety of countries and on courses that range from open roads, streets, dirt, gravel, through forests, plus sometimes on ice and snow. The calls for a wide range of driving skill sets in highly customized vehicles (for each course) that are built from common daily-driver cars. Each race is “categorized” by track surface and conditions to allow for entrants to modify their vehicles – such as changes to gearboxes and more. A WRC event averages three days of competition, but can last 4 or 5 days with prerace activity.
WRC Points Explained
You need to understand the points system to bet on WRC.
The World Rally Championship has a points system that determines the winner of the season and the method of distributing points is very straightforward. The winner of a WRC rally race is the driver and co-driver who completes all of the stages in a race in the least amount of time. They get “winning” points. Additional points are also awarded to the top ten cars.
This makes finishing 10th or better very important. Other points can be earned by any driver team during the designated stages of a race, which are called Power Stages. There are three main WRC Championships determined at the end of each season. They are the Drivers’ Championship, the Co-Drivers’ Championship and the Constructors’ Championship.
How to Bet WRC – Tips for Winning
The main way to bet on WRC will be to place a bet on the rally/race winner. As with other motorsports, you look over the available odds and select the driver that you think will win the overall event. The main thing to keep in mind when you bet on WRC is that the overall winner is based on points at the end of the event, not the points gathered during individual stages. While rare, the winner could be a team that does not finish at the top of any of the stages.
This brings up the first tip for when you bet on WRC rally winners. Consistency goes a long way. When you are making your picks you should consider past winners, but also those that regularly finish stages and races inside the top ten. Now, for another tip that could be equally important. Remember, no two Rally races are the same. Every event has different stages, different surfaces and more. If your next bet on a Rally winner is for an event that often has snow and ice – look for drivers and co-drivers who have performed well in that type of situation in the past.
Tips for Betting on the WRC Champions
Aside from betting on race winners when you bet on WRC, you can also place bets on who will win the WRC Championship title, the co-drivers title and the constructors or manufacturers title. I need to point out that there can be a variation between the driver title and the co-driver title as sometimes a driver will split with a co-driver for a race or the remainder of the season. The reasons for splits are numerous, but that’s why there is a Championship title for both. There is also the constructors (manufacturers) Championship title.
These are all bets that fall into the futures category, but the WRC odds are constantly updated down to the last race of the season if not already determined. This has not been the most exciting market to bet on WRC, as two drivers from France have dominated. Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier have won seventeen drivers’ Championships since 2004.
While there was not much daylight for others to claim the title, there was room for sneaking in a constructor’s wager during that time. The two drivers piloted five different nameplates during that time; Citroen, Volkswagen, Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford.
The same tips apply when you bet on WRC for these three markets. Look for trends ranging from past performance from other seasons as well as overall performance during the current season. As mentioned above, consistency goes a long way when selecting your driver champion as well as the constructors championship.
Past Winners of the World Rally Championship
- 2023 – Finland, Kalle Rovanperä, Toyota
- 2022 – Finland, Kalle Rovanperä, Toyota
- 2021 – France, Sébastien Ogier, Toyota
- 2020 – France, Sébastien Ogier, Toyota
- 2019 – Estonia, Ott Tänak, Toyota
- 2018 – France, Sébastien Ogier, Ford
- 2017 – France, Sébastien Ogier, Ford
- 2016 – France, Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen
- 2015 – France, Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen
- 2014 – France, Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen
- 2013 – France, Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen
Remember, look for trends and not only the odds when you bet on WRC. Also, look for consistency across all of the types of racing surfaces when you bet on WRC. A driver, co-driver and manufacturer that constantly places 10th or better in stages and finishes may be the ones worth considering. Taking some or all of the tips I’ve listed above and combining them with your methods should help you make better-informed wagers.
