Formula 1 heads to the Red Bull Ring this weekend for the Austrian Grand Prix, with Mercedes once again entering race weekend as the team to beat according to the latest betting odds from Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.

Year 2 sensation Kimi Antonelli is installed as the betting favorite for both pole position and the race itself, while teammate George Russell remains among the leading contenders. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are expected to challenge for victory, while reigning 4x World Champion Max Verstappen will look to capitalize on home support at Red Bull’s home circuit in Spielberg.

Below are the latest Austrian Grand Prix odds for both Sunday’s race and Saturday’s qualifying session.

Austrian Grand Prix Odds

Race Winner Odds

• Kimi Antonelli (+110)
• George Russell (+500)
• Lewis Hamilton (+600)
• Max Verstappen (+700)
• Charles Leclerc (+900)
• Lando Norris (+900)
• Oscar Piastri (+1200)
• Isack Hadjar (+7500)
• Arvid Lindblad (+50000)
• Gabriel Bortoleto (+50000)
• Liam Lawson (+50000)
• Pierre Gasly (+50000)
• Franco Colapinto (+100000)
• Nico Hülkenberg (+100000)
• Oliver Bearman (+100000)
• Alexander Albon (+250000)
• Carlos Sainz (+250000)
• Esteban Ocon (+250000)
• Fernando Alonso (+500000)
• Lance Stroll (+500000)
• Sergio Perez (+500000)
• Valtteri Bottas (+500000)

Qualifying Winner Odds

• Kimi Antonelli (-125)
• George Russell (+375)
• Lando Norris (+600)
• Lewis Hamilton (+600)
• Max Verstappen (+700)
• Charles Leclerc (+800)
• Oscar Piastri (+800)
• Isack Hadjar (+10000)
• Gabriel Bortoleto (+50000)
• Liam Lawson (+50000)
• Pierre Gasly (+50000)
• Arvid Lindblad (+100000)
• Franco Colapinto (+100000)
• Nico Hülkenberg (+100000)
• Alexander Albon (+250000)
• Carlos Sainz (+250000)
• Esteban Ocon (+250000)
• Fernando Alonso (+250000)
• Lance Stroll (+250000)
• Oliver Bearman (+250000)
• Sergio Perez (+250000)
• Valtteri Bottas (+250000)

Austrian Grand Prix Schedule

Qualifying

• Date: Saturday, June 28
• Time: 10:00am ET
• TV: AppleTV+

Race

• Date: Sunday, June 29
• Time: 9:00am ET
• TV: AppleTV+

All referenced odds are subject to change.

Five races into the 2026 Formula 1 season, only one constructor has stood on the top step of the podium: Mercedes. But that streak could be in serious jeopardy this weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Ferrari has looked dominant through Friday practice, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing 1-2 in both FP1 and FP2. On the streets of Monte Carlo, where qualifying position is everything, the Scuderia duo has quickly emerged as the favorites to claim victory in motorsport‘s most iconic race.

Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook offers a full slate of Monaco Grand Prix betting markets, from qualifying winner and race winner to props like the first constructor to retire and much more. Below, we’ll break down the latest odds and share our top Monaco Grand Prix picks and predictions.

Referenced odds are subject to change.

F1 Monaco Grand Prix Odds

The current odds on Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook for each driver to win the Monaco Grand Prix are as follows:

• Charles Leclerc -110
• Lewis Hamilton +250
• Max Verstappen +600
• George Russell +1200
• Kimi Antonelli +1200
• Lando Norris +1600
• Oscar Piastri +2000
• Isack Hadjar +4000
• Nico Hülkenberg +50000
• Gabriel Bortoleto +100000
• Oliver Bearman +100000
• Pierre Gasly +100000
• Alexander Albon +250000
• Arvid Lindblad +250000
• Carlos Sainz +250000
• Esteban Ocon +250000
• Fernando Alonso +250000
• Franco Colapinto +250000
• Liam Lawson +250000
• Sergio Perez +250000
• Lance Stroll +500000
• Valtteri Bottas +500000

Who is favored to win the F1 Monaco Grand Prix?

Charles Leclerc is the current betting favorite to win the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix (-110). However, that price will change depending on the result of Saturday’s qualifying session.

F1 Moncao Grand Prix Qualifying Odds

Odds to earn pole position during Saturday’s qualifying session are as follows:

• Charles Leclerc +135
• Lewis Hamilton +250
• Max Verstappen +600
• George Russell +1400
• Kimi Antonelli +1400
• Lando Norris +1750
• Oscar Piastri +2500
• Isack Hadjar +6000
• Nico Hülkenberg +50000
• Alexander Albon +100000
• Arvid Lindblad +100000
• Carlos Sainz +100000
• Esteban Ocon +100000
• Franco Colapinto +100000
• Gabriel Bortoleto +100000
• Liam Lawson +100000
• Oliver Bearman +100000
• Pierre Gasly +100000
• Fernando Alonso +250000
• Sergio Perez +250000
• Lance Stroll +500000
• Valtteri Bottas +500000

2026 Moncao Grand Prix Picks & Predictions

Around Monaco the margins are razor thin. A centimeter here or there can make the difference between pole position and a DNF, and nobody knows this better than Charles Leclerc. After all, the Ferrari driver was born and raised in Monaco and won the Monaco Grand Prix back in 2024… but I’m actually going a different direction with my Monaco GP race winner picks.

Monaco GP Pick: Lewis Hamilton Race Winner: +250

Leclerc absolutely dominated the 7-time World Champion in qualifying sessions last season, and as we know qualifying position is extremely important in Monaco… but so far in 2026 across both Grand Prix and Sprint qualifying sessions the two Ferrari drivers are evenly split at 5-5, with Hamilton outpacing him in Montreal just a couple of weeks ago. Plus, while Leclerc won the Monaco GP in 2024… Lewis Hamilton is a three-time winner.

If the Ferrari is really the car to beat this weekend, the margin between Leclerc and Hamilton will be tight and I’d rather be on the side with the better price at +250.

Monaco Grand Prix Info, Schedule, TV

• Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix Qualifying Time: Saturday, June 6 – 10:00am ET
• Formula 1 Moncao Grand Prix Start Time: Sunday, June 7, 9:00am ET
• Where to Watch: AppleTV+

Formula 1 heads to Montreal this weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix, and the odds board reflects what’s been the biggest theme of the 2026 season so far: Mercedes are back.

George Russell and second-year driver Kimi Antonelli both open at +190 co-favorites to win this weekend’s Grand Prix, putting the Silver Arrows firmly at the top of the market ahead of McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari.

After years of chasing Red Bull, Mercedes have emerged as the fastest team through the opening stretch of the season, with Russell delivering consistent podiums while Antonelli has cruised to three straight victories.

Here’s what the current F1 odds look like heading into a critical Sprint Weekend.

2026 F1 Canadian Grand Prix Odds

• George Russell — +190
• Kimi Antonelli — +190
• Lando Norris — +450
• Oscar Piastri — +700
• Max Verstappen — +750
• Charles Leclerc — +1200
• Lewis Hamilton — +2000
• Isack Hadjar — +20000
• Pierre Gasly — +25000
• Esteban Ocon — +50000
• Franco Colapinto — +50000
• Gabriel Bortoleto — +50000
• Liam Lawson — +50000
• Nico Hülkenberg — +50000
• Oliver Bearman — +50000
• Alexander Albon — +100000
• Arvid Lindblad — +100000
• Carlos Sainz — +100000
• Fernando Alonso — +100000
• Lance Stroll — +250000
• Sergio Perez — +250000
• Valtteri Bottas — +250000

2026 F1 Canadian Grand Prix Qualifying Odds

• George Russell — +150
• Kimi Antonelli — +150
• Lando Norris — +700
• Max Verstappen — +800
• Oscar Piastri — +800
• Charles Leclerc — +1000
• Lewis Hamilton — +2000
• Isack Hadjar — +15000
• Pierre Gasly — +25000
• Esteban Ocon — +50000
• Franco Colapinto — +50000
• Oliver Bearman — +50000
• Alexander Albon — +100000
• Arvid Lindblad — +100000
• Carlos Sainz — +100000
• Fernando Alonso — +100000
• Gabriel Bortoleto — +100000
• Liam Lawson — +100000
• Nico Hülkenberg — +100000
• Lance Stroll — +250000
• Sergio Perez — +250000
• Valtteri Bottas — +250000

2026 F1 Canadian GP Sprint Odds

• George Russell — +175
• Kimi Antonelli — +175
• Lando Norris — +450
• Oscar Piastri — +700
• Max Verstappen — +800
• Charles Leclerc — +1200
• Lewis Hamilton — +2000
• Isack Hadjar — +20000
• Pierre Gasly — +25000
• Esteban Ocon — +50000
• Franco Colapinto — +50000
• Oliver Bearman — +50000
• Alexander Albon — +100000
• Arvid Lindblad — +100000
• Carlos Sainz — +100000
• Fernando Alonso — +100000
• Gabriel Bortoleto — +100000
• Liam Lawson — +100000
• Nico Hülkenberg — +100000
• Lance Stroll — +250000
• Sergio Perez — +250000
• Valtteri Bottas — +250000

Mercedes Lead a Wide-Open Championship Fight

The 2026 season has delivered far more parity than fans have become accustomed to in recent years.

Max Verstappen and Red Bull are no longer overwhelming weekly favorites, McLaren continue showing race-winning pace, and Ferrari remain dangerous on the right track setup. Meanwhile, Mercedes’ resurgence has completely reshaped the title picture entering the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.

Russell’s consistency has made him one of the favorites for the Drivers’ Championship (+225), while Antonelli’s immediate speed and surprise success has made him the favorite for the title at +100.

Canadian Grand Prix Weekend Schedule

This weekend’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix is a Sprint weekend. The schedule shakes out as follows:

Friday, May 22

• Practice 1 — 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM ET
• Sprint Qualifying — 4:30 PM to 5:14 PM ET

Saturday, May 23

• Sprint Race — 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET
• Qualifying — 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM ET

Sunday, May 24

• Canadian Grand Prix Race — 4:00 PM ET

Montreal Always Delivers Drama

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has long been one of the most unpredictable tracks in motorsports, blending long straights with tight braking zones and notoriously difficult walls that punish even the smallest mistakes.

With Sprint points also available this weekend, there’s even more at stake than usual as the championship battle continues tightening heading into the summer stretch of the season.

And for the first time in years, it feels like multiple teams enter the weekend believing they can win.

The pinnacle of motorsports, Formula 1, returns to Albert Park in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix, kicking off a 24-race calendar that will stretch from March through December. Six F1 Sprint weekends are again on the schedule, adding even more volatility, and betting opportunity, throughout the year.

With new-season optimism, evolving car development, and the usual early-season unknowns, Round 1 is often one of the most unpredictable races on the calendar. Before we get to the race-specific odds for Melbourne, here’s a look at the latest championship markets at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.

2026 F1 Drivers’ Championship Odds

Odds as of Friday, March 6. Subject to change.

Driver	Odds
George Russell	+225
Max Verstappen	+325
Charles Leclerc	+350
Lewis Hamilton	+800
Lando Norris	+1000
Oscar Piastri	+1000
Andrea Kimi Antonelli	+1000
Isack Hadjar	+6000
Fernando Alonso	+10000
Sainz Jr. Carlos	+10000
Pierre Gasly	+15000
Alexander Albon	+20000
Liam Lawson	+50000
Oliver Bearman	+50000
Franco Colapinto	+50000
Gabriel Bortoleto	+50000
Arvid Lindblad	+50000
Nico Hulkenberg	+50000
Esteban Ocon	+50000
Lance Stroll	+100000
Valtteri Bottas	+250000
Sergio Perez	+250000

George Russell enters the 2026 season as the championship favorite at +225, narrowly ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in what projects to be one of the tightest title fights in recent years. The compressed odds at the top reflect growing parity across the grid, with multiple teams showing strong pace in preseason testing – especially Ferrari.

A strong result in Melbourne will quickly reshape the championship odds board.

2026 Constructors’ Championship Odds

Odds as of Friday, March 6. Subject to change.

Constructor	Odds
Mercedes	+135
Ferrari	+225
McLaren	+225
Red Bull Racing	+700
Aston Martin F1 Team	+10000
Alpine	+10000
Audi F1 Team	+10000
Haas F1 Team	+15000
Williams	+15000
Racing Bulls	+50000
Cadillac	+100000

Constructors’ betting often comes down to consistency across both cars rather than outright race-winning pace. With 24 Grands Prix and six Sprint weekends on the calendar, maximizing points every weekend is critical. Teams with two dependable point scorers typically hold the edge over lineups reliant on a single front-running driver.

Australian Grand Prix Odds & Betting Preview

The 2026 Formula 1 season officially begins at Albert Park, but the grid will first be set during qualifying at 12:00 AM ET on Saturday. The Australian Grand Prix race itself goes green later that day at 11:00 PM ET.

F1 Australian GP Qualifying Odds

The current odds for each driver to sit on poll after tonight’s first qualifying session are:

• George Russell +225
• Charles Leclerc +275
• Max Verstappen +400
• Oscar Piastri +800
• Andrea Kimi Antonelli +800
• Lewis Hamilton +800
• Lando Norris +1000
• Isack Hadjar +3000
• Liam Lawson +25000
• Oliver Bearman +25000
• Arvid Lindblad +25000
• Esteban Ocon +25000
• Gabriel Bortoleto +50000
• Nico Hulkenberg +50000
• Pierre Gasly +100000
• Alexander Albon +100000
• Franco Colapinto +100000
• Sainz Jr. Carlos +100000
• Fernando Alonso +250000
• Valtteri Bottas +250000
• Sergio Perez +250000
• Lance Stroll +250000

Qualifying at Albert Park

Track evolution at Albert Park can play a major role, as lap times typically improve throughout each session. Timing a final flying lap perfectly can be the difference between pole position and starting from the second or third row, which is critical at a circuit where track position still matters.

The Australian Grand Prix traditionally delivers drama. As the season opener, teams arrive with limited real-race data, and strategy calls can swing wildly depending on Safety Cars and tire degradation.

Australian Grand Prix Race Winner Odds

The current odds for each driver to win the Australian Grand Prix are:

• George Russell +200
• Charles Leclerc +375
• Max Verstappen +400
• Andrea Kimi Antonelli +550
• Oscar Piastri +800
• Lewis Hamilton +1000
• Lando Norris +1400
• Isack Hadjar +6000
• Liam Lawson +25000
• Oliver Bearman +25000
• Arvid Lindblad +25000
• Esteban Ocon +25000
• Pierre Gasly +50000
• Alexander Albon +50000
• Gabriel Bortoleto +50000
• Nico Hulkenberg +50000
• Sainz Jr. Carlos +50000
• Franco Colapinto +100000
• Fernando Alonso +250000
• Valtteri Bottas +250000
• Sergio Perez +250000
• Lance Stroll +250000

But keep in mind that these will shift dramatically after qualifying.

Australian Grand Prix Betting Markets

Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook offers a wide variety of betting options for the season opener, including:

• Race Winner
• Top 3 / Top 6 / Top 10 Finish
• Fastest Lap
• Winning Nationality
• Winning Constructor
• Winning Margin

With 24 Grands Prix and six Sprint weekends on the 2026 calendar, early-season performance in Australia could provide immediate betting value, both for race-specific markets and long-term championship futures.

All referenced odds are subject to change.

Two-time Daytona 500 winner and NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke exclusively with Hard Rock Bet ahead of the upcoming season.

The JR Motorsports co-owner, who was named NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver a record 15 consecutive times from 2003 to 2017, discussed the contrasting pressures of life as a driver and team owner and offered his perspective on NASCAR’s reboot of the Chase format.

Earnhardt Jr. also reflected on his favorite race move by his father, Dale Earnhardt, and revealed which Formula 1 driver he believes would be best suited to succeed in NASCAR.

The upcoming NASCAR season and the life of an owner

We opened the conversation talking about the upcoming NASCAR season, from the reboot of the Chase to expectations for Earnhardt Jr.’s team. We also discussed the differences between being a driver and an owner, both of which Earnhardt Jr. has experience with.

NASCAR are rebooting the Chase, and it has had mixed reviews but what do you make of it?

Yeah, I’m pretty excited about the change in the points and how we’ll determine our champion. The last several years have been pretty exciting, and the sports had some pretty incredible moments, but there was a spreading philosophy or opinion amongst the race fans and many people in the industry that there may be a more pure and genuine way to determine the rightful champion every year.

I think NASCAR created this committee and I was lucky enough to be asked to be a part of it. There were many, many people on this committee, and we went through a lot of scenarios and ran a lot of scenarios and problems through the wringer to see what the best format might be going forward, and we had a lot of different opinions, but I think we landed somewhere nicely in the middle.

It’s not a bridge too far for some of the more traditional fans, or the more nostalgic fans, and it’s not a bridge too far for some of the fans who’ve only known the elimination playoff style format. So, it lands right in the middle and gives everybody a little bit of everything.

While I believe it’s still better at determining a more deserving champion. It’s hard to say all that without feeling like you’re taking away from anything that the past champions have done to secure the title.

They certainly went through a very difficult system to be able to attain the title, and they should be celebrated as champions. But I’m really looking forward to the way we’re going to be doing it going forward.

You’re bringing your team back to Daytona 500 for the opening race in NASCAR. We’d love to know how excited you are ahead of it, especially with the team that you have…

Well, going to Daytona, the Daytona 500’s the biggest race of the year, and when I think about my career, my life, all the things that I’ve accomplished, one area where I’ve not really been able to experience as much as I’d hoped was on the ownership side in the Cup Series, at the top level of our sport.

I’d always dreamed of being an owner and entering a car in the Daytona 500 from the owner’s perspective. I got to experience that last year; it was a lot of fun. We had a very drama filled experience trying to get into the race and finishing in the top 10.

It was really incredible. It ticked all the boxes, and we’re back to do it again, so I’m not sure what this leads to down the road for us, but I’m going to take these experiences while we can have them, while they’re here in front of me.

I’m going to seek out every opportunity for us to go to the racetrack and compete and race. That’s what we’re doing, that’s what we’re about, that’s what we love. We really had a great experience last year, and that’s going to be a tall order to try to measure up to going back again this year, but we’re going to have fun regardless.

I’ll be there as soon as the truck pulls into the racetrack and the liftgate comes down to unload the car. I can’t wait to be part of the whole process.

What is your outlook for the team this year, in terms of the ambition and in terms of the performances?

I think the points format and what we discussed earlier about how that’s changed is really going to dominate the conversation all year long. How you go about winning a championship has changed, and so the mentality, the approach, the preparation, the mindset for all the drivers will need some tweaking.

Who can figure that out? Who can adapt to that the quickest? Who can take advantage of that the quickest? I remember racing under a very similar format, and you walked into the season with a lot of anxiety, honestly, around the first, let’s say, 4 to 6 races.

If you didn’t come into the season and have consistent finishes, if you stumbled, if you had mistakes, if you crashed out, you immediately put yourself at a deficit to the rest of the guys who’ve had great starts, and that is very, very hard to overcome, even throughout the long process of the year.

I can’t wait to really watch the season play out, and I will be more inclined to be plugged into every race, knowing what’s at stake, what’s at risk. For the drivers, should they have a bad day, because that’s really going to matter this year as the win and you’re in moniker has gone away.

You’re going to have to have great finishes. You’re not going to be able to have a lot of engine failures, or bad mistakes, or DNFs. You’ve got to finish races, you’ve got to get points all year long, so the drivers will have to shift their mindset a little bit, from just going out there and trying to win, and not really worrying about the results. Otherwise, they’re going to have to care about every single race and every result.

You’re speaking about how being an owner now is different to being a driver, but in terms of pressure, what’s the difference?

When I was driving, you felt responsible for everything, the good and the bad and if you got a good result, you felt very rewarded, and you felt like you had a lot of influence on that.

But if you didn’t get a good result behind the wheel, you felt like you were the reason, and that was tough but that was part of being the quarterback of the team, right?

If you’re going to be the quarterback, if you’re going to be the driver, you have got to be willing to take getting your teeth kicked in, being embarrassed, humiliated, but also if you’re going to take the celebrations and the accolades and the credit for when you win, you’re absolutely going to get it when you don’t.

As an owner, you don’t have to worry so much about the week to week performance. I think as an owner, you’re really judged on the culture of your business. You’re judged on the long term success, you’re judged on a bigger picture, not week to week, lap to lap.

As a driver, you’re judged by every corner you run and you do that to yourself, too. You’re also judging yourself. As an owner, it’s all about the long game. It’s how I treat my employees. It’s how successful the entire year was. Have we put ourselves in a good position to retool and be good again the following year?

You’re making decisions that affect the team over the course of many, many months, so you have to be very smart about that, and it’s not quite as up and down emotionally like I experienced as a driver. The driver experience is like a rollercoaster every single day. As an owner, it’s much more forgiving, I would say.

Regret, admiration, and Fast and Furious

Earnhardt Jr. reflected on the biggest regret of his legendary driving career and shared some of his fondest memories in the sport. He also discussed which current and former Formula 1 drivers he believes could successfully transition to NASCAR, along with whether he would be willing to appear in the next Fast and Furious movie, scheduled for release in 2028.

You said that the one regret of your career was not being a good teammate. What did you mean by that?

I think in the first half of my career, I was competitive with my teammates and while I was okay with seeing them do well, I was somewhat envious, and it was me who was supposed to be the best car in the organization, in my mind.

My teammates were almost a complementary piece to the whole puzzle, and that probably wasn’t the best way to be a good teammate. I wasn’t really as supportive, or I didn’t lend them advice, or try to really help them as much as I probably could have.

I went to Hendrick Motorsports and then I wasn’t the big man on campus anymore. I was working with Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, who had won championships and had a ton of seniority at Hendrick Motorsports, and I learned what it was like to be on the other side of things, and I learned what it was like to watch them be good teammates to me, to be supportive, to be helpful.

I’m fully transparent. If I feel like I didn’t hit the target, or if I feel like I didn’t live up to my potential, I’m completely comfortable telling you that and I definitely could have been a better teammate when I was younger, but man, when you’re in your late 20s, and things are happening so fast for you, it’s very selfish.

It’s a very selfish thing when you’re in sports as an athlete, it can be easy to be selfish, and typically being selfish can be rewarding in competition. But I just think there were times where I could have been a better teammate, more supportive, more helpful. But I really didn’t know how to do that.

On social media, the viral clip of Ross Chastain’s ‘Hail Melon’ in 2022 resurfaced, what is the most impressive race move you have witnessed as well as your own race move?

I wouldn’t say it’s a specific move, but I like to go back and watch the 1987 All-Star Race that my dad won. I like to watch that because my dad didn’t have the best car that day but his almost stubbornness and refusal to lose… I don’t know that I can honestly say I see that in a lot of drivers, or have seen that in other drivers in the past.

He just wouldn’t concede. He just fought as hard as he could to win that race, and if you go back and watch it, I think it kind of explains itself, but that sort of terribly stubborn refusal to concede [attitude] was so interesting to me.

I saw a flash of that, actually, a reminder of that from Max Verstappen at Miami last year. I went to the F1 race for the first time. The McLarens were faster, much faster, but he had the track position in the middle of the race, and he knew that eventually they were probably going to get by him, but how he made that as hard as possible was really admirable.

Instead of just going, “You know what, they’re just quicker, I’m just going to finish second or third”, instead he made it as hard as possible, just so stubbornly a nuisance if you will, to allowing the pass to happen. I really appreciate that in a driver and that was a fun race for me to go back and watch.

In my own career, I would say, watching some of the races from the early 2000s at Talladega. I would like to also go back and, personally I don’t like talking about myself, but if I could then I really enjoy watching the last several laps of the 2004 Daytona 500 and some of the ways that I had to work to figure out a way to get by Tony Stewart without really any help at all.

It was a lot of fun to relive those moments, and I do watch them. I’ll see clips on social media, and when I run across a clip, I’m going to sit down and watch it. Those are some great days.

There’ve been a few former Formula 1 drivers who have tried NASCAR in the past from Jenson Button driving part-time to the likes of Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen. Has there ever been a F1 driver who has impressed you in NASCAR, and do you think there’s any current F1 driver that could make that transition and be a success?

I mean, I would love to see Max Verstappen give it a try. He’s incredible and I think his curiosity, his work ethic, I think all of that would play a great role in allowing him to be successful.

Plus, our cars have changed a lot. Our cars have independent rear suspension, the transaxle diffuser… our cars aren’t the stock cars from 10, 20 years ago, and so I think the opportunity for an F1 guy to have success is much better today than it was 20 years ago.

I was hoping that Daniel Ricciardo would come to NASCAR after his decision to leave Formula 1 and that may still happen. Daniel’s still relatively young.

I used to watch F1 very heavily back when Michael Schumacher was battling with Mika Häkkinen and those guys, I mean, those were incredible years. I had always wished for the opportunity to hear what Michael Schumacher thought about driving a stock car.

I only wanted him to be able to get in the car, run a couple hours, and I always thought Michael was the greatest race car driver that I ever knew in my life with everything that he accomplished, and how good he was, and I’m like, you know Dale Earnhardt’s my hero, but Michael Schumacher was the man.

Unfortunately, I never got to really understand what he might think about a stock car, but I guess what I’m trying to say is that I get excited when drivers from different disciplines from F1, or any car whatever it may be, come over and drive our stuff, because I’m anxious to hear what they say. I have so much admiration for their ability and their disciplines. I know what we’re doing is so different, and it’s fun to hear their opinions and point of view.

Would you appear in the new Fast and Furious movie coming out in 2028 if you were asked?

If I was asked, I would absolutely say yes. I mean, it’d be a great opportunity. I believe that’s an NBC property, I’m not 100% sure, but, you know, those are some great friends of mine. I’ve worked with NBC in the past, as a broadcaster.

But yeah, I mean if they requested any amount of my time to participate, I would be 100% in.

We’ve all been there: you sign up for the tickets for a huge sporting event, you sit through hours of online queues, you find the perfect seats – and then you see the price at checkout. There’s nothing more annoying than getting hyped to cheer on your team, only to have extortionate ticket prices get in the way. Nobody wants to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for a seat that would have been dirt-cheap years ago.

After WrestleMania 41 took place in Las Vegas this year, fans were shocked by ringside seats costing as much as $15,000 for the two-night event. Even the nosebleed tickets – usually the cheapest possible option – were priced at $1,050. WWE legend Randy Orton was even filmed telling a fan he thought the prices were “embarrassing” in a viral TikTok, saying it was “so much f***ing money for a seat”.

In the wake of WrestleMania, we decided to highlight the sporting events that have seen the steepest price hikes over the last decade. From tennis and boxing to ice hockey and baseball, no sport is safe from inflation. Here are the ten events that have been impacted the worst in recent years:

The top 10 most inflated events in the U.S.

1. United States Grand Prix – Formula 1

Want to catch some F1 action this year? You might want to buy a bigger wallet before you think about grabbing tickets…

The US Grand Prix was added back to the Formula 1 calendar in 2012, after the competition’s president Bernie Ecclestone said it would “never return” to Indianapolis in the past. By the 2015 edition, costs had gone up to an average of $200 for a ticket, so the writing was on the wall for its massive inflation rate.

In 2025 though, the event has become one of the most expensive on the American sporting calendar. A typical ticket will set you back a massive $1,018 – and that’s just for the average seat. Imagine how much the best seats must cost…

With such a steep rise in price, tickets now cost 409% more than they did just 10 years ago. That makes the United States Grand Prix the worst-affected event by ticket inflation in America.

2. Super Bowl – NFL

The Super Bowl is one of the most expensive events in the world, but its costs are somehow only getting higher. With estimates that the game draws more than $1 billion in revenue every year, though, it doesn’t seem like the NFL wants to back down when it comes to charging such high prices for tickets.

In 2015, anyone who wanted to see the Patriots beat the Seahawks would have to put up an average of $2,000 for a ticket. This year, seats in the Superdome for the biggest game of the year were priced at $6,304 on average, marking a 215% increase in costs over just 10 years.

The NFL finals continue to draw in more and more money every year, but is a Kendrick Lamar halftime show worth an extra $4,300 price tag? For most of us, we’ll just catch the game from home.

3. World Series – MLB

During the regular season, baseball games are usually a lot cheaper than the other biggest sports in America. With the right tickets, you could take your family to a three-game MLB series for less than the cost of one NFL game.

The World Series is the biggest baseball stage in the world though, which obviously means there’s an opportunity for the league to make some extra money. MLB fans were probably furious about paying an average of $800 for their World Series tickets in 2015, but they must be hoping they could turn back time with how much the game is looking to cost in 2025.

In the last 10 years, tickets have gone up in price by 150%, with this year’s finals estimated to have an average cost of $2,000. If this rate continues, then fans can expect to pay $5,000 by 2035.

4. Major UFC Events

Dozens of UFC events are scheduled every year, and the price of a ticket can vary depending on the demand from fans for a particular card. For the biggest cards on the calendar, though, you can expect to have to shell out more than $1,000.

The average major UFC fight in 2015 would set you back around $500 for a ticket. Over the last decade, this has risen to a massive $1,200, having increased by 140% in 10 years. While one ticket typically gets you a seat for multiple fights, which is more than can be said for other expensive events, it’s tough to justify such high costs for many fans.

5. WrestleMania – WWE

We’ve already mentioned the absurd price of a WrestleMania ticket this year, but what makes the costs even more frustrating for attendees is how much more expensive the tickets are becoming with each installment.

In 2015, a ticket for WrestleMania 31 was worth an average of $500. In that time, the event has changed from one night of wrestling to a whole weekend, with two separate nights and two main events. While WWE has used this to boast an even higher attendance for the event, most of the available tickets are bundles that cover both nights of action. This means that the average seat for WrestleMania 41 was priced at $1,200, leading to a 140% increase in cost over the last decade.

6. Copa América Finals – Soccer

The Copa América is contested every four years to find the best national soccer team in South America. The tournaments draw in huge crowds, with the most recent finals having more than 65,000 in attendance, but it seems that fans are having to pay more for their seat with each edition of the cup.

Compared to an average price of $120 a decade ago, a typical ticket to the finals now costs $283. That means its cost has shot up by 136% over 10 years. While tickets aren’t as expensive as other international soccer tournaments, like the World Cup and Euros, the price hike makes it the most inflated soccer event on our list.

7. Stanley Cup Finals – NHL

Even before the price rise in recent years, the finals of the biggest hockey tournament in America was already a huge investment. If your team made it to the last NHL game of the postseason in 2015, you’d have to pay an average of $1,000 for a seat to cheer them on.

10 years later and the inflation rate shows no signs of stopping. This year, tickets are estimated to cost an average of $2,324, which means you’re paying 132% more than a decade ago.

8. US Open – Tennis

As one of the four Grand Slam tournaments in tennis, a ticket to the US Open is a valuable commodity. The high stakes mean there’s always a high demand for seats every year, with smaller tennis events like the Miami Open typically having a much lower asking price for tickets.

If you attended the tournament ten years ago, you likely paid around $300 on average, compared to a typical price of $631 per ticket in 2025. That means prices have risen by 110% over the course of just a decade.

9. Super Fights – Boxing

When two championship holders clash in a boxing ring, it can prove to be one of the biggest money matches in the sport. With so much on the line, it’s no surprise that promoters try to earn as much as they can from seats, but modern-day tickets have doubled in price over a decade.

This time ten years ago, an average ticket to such a major fight would cost roughly $1,000. Nowadays, the same seats are likely to sell for $2,000 on average. The same inflation rate applies to major events like the MLB All-Star Game and the March Madness Final Four, but the high cost of super fights earns them a spot rounding out our list of the most inflated events in America.

10. All-Star Game – MLB

Every MLB regular season is split up by the All-Star Game in July – an event pitting the best players from the American League and National League against each other for a one-off game. With so many of the most popular athletes in America on one field, it’s no wonder tickets are expensive, but the rate at which the price has shot up in recent years might surprise you.

In 2015, an All-Star ticket would have cost around $500 on average, which is already much more than a regular season game. In the past decade though, that price has risen by 100%, with 2025 tickets fetching around $1000. This earns it a place on our list, rounding out the top 10 most inflated events in the USA.

The most expensive events in 2025

So, looking past the price hikes, which events will burn the biggest hole in your wallet for a ticket today? It probably won’t come as a surprise that the Super Bowl ranks as the most expensive major event in America, with the average ticket to this year’s Eagles win costing a massive $6,304. The Summer Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles in 2028, takes second place, but still costs under half as much with an average asking price of $2,500.

The Stanley Cup finals are the third most expensive event on average, with tickets typically setting fans back $2,324, while you can expect to pay roughly $2,000 each for both a World Series ticket and a seat at a boxing super fight. Some of these tickets give their holders access to multiple events in one package, though, such as the undercard for a boxing match or the multiple games in a baseball series, which could explain why they’ve become so expensive.

How have ticket prices changed since their inaugural events?

When you look back at the first ever editions of some of the biggest events in the world today, you start to realize just how inflated their prices have become. While tickets in the early 1900s could cost anywhere from $1 to $12, the same events now cost hundreds or thousands. Why has this changed?

Inflation is the most obvious answer, as a dollar used to be worth more than it is today, but there are other factors too. Now that travel is more readily available, it’s more common for people to take huge detours across the country, or even across borders, to get the chance to attend their favorite events. Plus, athletes and event organizers will always want the best salary possible, meaning companies can use high profits to build better teams or pay their players more.

The World Series has seen the highest hike in price since its inception – where the inaugural event cost just $1 for an average ticket in 1903, a seat is now worth around $2000. That means prices have risen by a staggering 199,990%. Stanley Cup tickets are now worth 116,100% more than their original price, while Super Bowl tickets have inflated by 52,433%.

Luckily, some events remain affordable. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, for example, began life as a race with free admission, but still costs $100 for a ticket after almost 100 years.

On the flipside, the Wimbledon finals are surprisingly getting cheaper – while tickets cost $150 in 2015, they now cost $77.33, marking a -48% drop in price. Although Wimbledon takes place in London rather than the USA, many of its top stars are American, and it’s part of the Grand Slam series that the US Open also belongs to.

The most expensive tickets per minute

With how expensive it is to buy tickets at the moment, you want to be sure you’re getting your money’s worth. Some events charge high prices because of their long runtimes, but if you’re spending huge amounts of money on just a short amount of time, each passing minute becomes expensive in its own right.

With bouts lasting just 60 minutes, a boxing super fight is the most expensive event you could attend when comparing cost to duration. When you take into account the $2,000 average ticket cost, every 60 seconds is worth roughly $33.33. If the fight is cut short, this could be even higher.

The Super Bowl is the second most expensive ticket in America by the minute, with a price of $26.27/min, while the Stanley Cup ranks third with each of its 150 minutes costing $15.49.

If you’re looking to save on a sporting trip, there are much more cost-effective ways to spend your time. The MotoAmerica Superbike race costs just 10 cents per minute, with tickets to the 480-minute event setting you back an average of $50. This makes it the best value for money per minute on our list. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally finishes a close second, with each of its 720 minutes costing just 14 cents from its $100 average ticket price.

For other cost-cutting ways to enjoy yourself, why not try some other non-sporting events? The New Orleans Jazz Fest costs 14 cents per minute of its duration, making it a perfect way for music lovers to unwind, while San Diego Comic Con costs 35 cents every minute.

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Methodology

This study ranks the 47 most popular events in the U.S. based on how inflated their ticket prices have been in the last 10 years. To do so, three price points were collected:

• First edition ticket price (Estimated) – the average ticket price for each event during their inaugural year based on a mix of secondary sources. Due to being an estimated number, this data point was not included in the final ranking.
• 2015 ticket price – the average ticket price for each event in 2015 according to a mix of secondary sources and the official website for each event. All prices are based on available data, adjusted for inflation and market trends.
• 2025 ticket price – the average ticket price for each event in 2015 according to a mix of secondary sources and the official website for each event. All prices are based on available data, adjusted for inflation and market trends.

Using these three values, we were able to calculate both the 10-year increase, and all time increase percentages. The events were then ranked from highest to lowest percentage increase.

The study also ranked the events based on their cost per minute. To do so, the average duration (in minutes) of each event based on typical event lengths was taken into account and divided by the average ticket price to give a cost per minute. For multi-day events, the duration and cost per minute were calculated on a per-day basis. The events were then ranked from most to least expensive.

The data was sourced from a variety of secondary sources including but not limited to: Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, Yahoo Sports and official event websites.

Data is accurate as of 05/05/2025.