NASCAR is back, bettors, and you know things get started with the iconic Daytona 500 race. Got your bets in yet? If not, we can help. We’ve analyzed the race field and are comfortably backing a few drivers for Daytona 500 betting. Keep reading to get our expert picks!
- What: Daytona 500
- When: Sunday, February 18
- Where: Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida
- How to watch: FOX
Daytona 500 Preview
The Great American Race will be running for the 66th time this year. It’s perhaps the most well-known race in all of NASCAR, which makes it a fun betting opportunity year in, year out. Let's quickly preview Daytona 500 on a macro-level.
Speaking of betting, odds are out for the race. Across the best betting sites for sports, these drivers are the current favorites to win the Daytona 500:
| Driver |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Blaney | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Denny Hamlin | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Brad Keselowski | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Kyle Larson | +1300 | +1300 | +1300 |
| Joey Logano | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Chase Elliott | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Chris Buescher | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
The odds-on favorite is Blaney, as he should be. He’s the 2023 Cup Series champion and the title defense begins at this iconic event. Blaney has finished second overall on two different occasions so he’s had some success in the past here.
It should be mentioned that last year’s winner was Stenhouse Jr. It was an upset performance, and that likely explains why he’s all the way down at +2000 to repeat. Hamlin went back-to-back at the Daytona 500 with wins in 2019 and 202 so it’s do-able.
The course is the usual self. The Daytona International Speedway covers 2 and a half miles on a tri-oval track. What makes this event famous is the top-end speed of the cars, which is afforded due to the layout. The Daytona track is banked 18 degrees, allowing drivers to really “gun it.”
Best Bets For Daytona 500 Race
With a sport as unpredictable as NASCAR, it’s never a bad idea to “spread the wealth” when wagering. By that, we mean making multiple Daytona 500 bets. That’s exactly how we’ve approached it so have a look-see at the three drivers we’re backing with money:
Outright Winner Bet
Our priority bet for Daytona is Elliott. Our confidence stems from Elliott’s prior superspeedway exploits. He owns wins at Talladega and Atlanta, plus a runner-up finish at the 2021 Daytona event. Simply put, Elliott excels on these speedy tracks.
Plus, unlike 2023, Elliott enters this season fully healthy. If you remember, a snowboarding accident derailed much of Elliot’s season a year ago. That injury robbed Elliott of potential success and we have a sneaking suspicion he’ll be extra hungry to start off 2024 on the right foot.
Moving on to our second choice, Hamlin. It’s easy to forget about the consistently consistent veteran driver, but it would be foolish to do so at Daytona. Why? Because Hamlin is the most successful active driver at this very event. Hamlin has not one, not two, but three Daytona 500 victories over his career. Only Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough have more all-time.
Ever since NASCAR changed its car style, Hamlin has been notorious for slow starts to the season. So that could play a factor here. However, his past success at Daytona is too undeniable for us to look past, hence this bet.
Finish Top 3 Bet
All right, this is a different bet. Rather than picking the outright winner of the race, this bet is concerned with picking if a driver will get anywhere on the top-3. First, second, third — any finish in that range pays out.
Larson gets our attention here. Here you have one of the most accomplished NASCAR drivers of the past few years. His accolades includes 23 Cup wins, the 2021 Cup Series championship, and runner-up in 2023. However, winning the Daytona 500 has eluded Larson even after 10 seasons in the circuit.
The event has actually been a house of horrors for Larson. In 2013, he was sent into a fiery crash with car parts flying into the stands. Larson was involved in another wreckage in 2023, which ended his race early.
It’s this history that we’re shying away from Larson as the outright winner. But to finish top-3? Well, take those odds for one of NASCAR’s very best. We expect a big 2024 season out of Larson and that starts with a podium finish in Daytona!
How To Bet On Daytona 500 Race?
Daytona 500 isn’t just one race, it’s an entire week-long celebration at the speedway. NASCAR calls it Speedweek, and there’s more betting opportunities besides the actual race. Qualifying and Daytona Duels can also be bet on earlier in the week. If you want a full list of Daytona 500 bets, we recommend one of the below sites. These are our top-rated bookies in our latest sportsbook reviews and part of that is because of their deep betting menus for NASCAR and other sports.
But here’s the real kicker: the lucrative sportsbook bonuses that can bankroll your NASCAR bets for free. See, these bonuses are worth hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play. That’s more than enough to cover your Daytona 500 betting. See the table below for a list of our favorite offers going on right now industry-wide.
