Photo: 123RF
Formula One's inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix continues to serve as a lightning rod for criticism among skeptics who question everything from the circuit's layout to the 10pm start time.
That hasn't tempered the excitement from sportsbooks, with the race through Sin City expected to set records for wagering on a Formula 1 event in the United States.
"We are forecasting that this race weekend in Las Vegas is easily going to shatter every company record for the sport," BetMGM chief revenue officer Matt Prevost said.
"While popularity for automotive sports in the U.S. continues to grow, we believe the activity we are seeing so far around this Las Vegas race is going to take it to a whole new level."
The Red Bull of Max Verstappen Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who has been an outspoken skeptic of the event, is the heavy pre-race favourite.
He has already clinched his third world championship, and Red Bull has secured the constructors championship with two races remaining.
McLaren's Lando Norris, who has climbed to fifth in the drivers standings with five podiums in his past six races, has the second shortest odds.
Norris is the book's second biggest liability as of Monday, drawing the most total bets on the grid and the second most money.
The most money has naturally backed Verstappen at 58.6 percent.
The Dutch superstar has won 17 of the first 20 races this season, including each of the past five entering Vegas.
- Field Level Media