Betting Odds On Daytona 500
How do you read the 2021 Daytona 500 odds and turn a profit? But better yet – what is Daytona 500? Put simply, it’s the most important and widely-recognized race by far on the NASCAR circuit. It has the best history, it has all the top drivers, and it has the biggest purse.
Today, we have put together for your reading pleasure the ultimate Daytona 500 betting guide. Our team has gone the full distance, from providing you with an up-to-date list of odds to carefully examining the competition’s recent history. We offer you a chance to get the latest insight and turn them into actionable wagers.
2021 Daytona 500 odds to win As you can see below, Elliott (+900 to +1,000) is one of the favorites for Sunday’s race. So, too, is three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin (+700 to +800), who won the 200-lap, 500-mile race in both 2019 and 2020. Elliott is the defending Cup champion, but betting him at the Daytona 500 feels like a bit of a longshot. At this time last season, he had the 11th-best odds to win the Championship (he enters the year as the co-favorite for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series odds ), and he didn’t have a great regular season. Drivers that are given the least opportunity to win the race will be grouped into the “Field” odds and paid out accordingly if they win. Pennzoil 400 Odds to Win. 14 2021, the 2021 NASCAR season will head to Phoenix Raceway for the Instacart 500, which takes place from Avondale, Arizona. Elliott is 12th in the 2021 Daytona 500 starting lineup and listed at 10-1 in the 2021 Daytona 500 odds from William Hill Sportsbook. McClure then used the model to lock in a 10-1 bet on.
2021 Daytona 500 odds, drivers, predictions: Surprising NASCAR picks from same model that nailed Hamlin's win SportsLine simulated the 2021 Daytona 500 10,000 times and locked in surprising picks.
2021 Daytona 500 Betting Odds
Daytona 500 is a challenging race to all motorsports fans, drivers, and especially bettors. Yet, the oddsmakers always make sure to give us a fair estimate. The following table displays an updated list of odd to win Daytona 500:
The race is strategically placed early on the NASCAR Cup Series when drivers still haven’t had enough time to cut their teeth nor fans quite tell which driver is more likely to outrace another.
When and Where Is 2021 Daytona 500 Taking Place?
- Date: Sunday, February 14, 2021
- Time: 2:30pm ET
- Location: Daytona International Speedway, Florida
- Event:The Great American Race
2021 Daytona 500 will take place on February 14, 2021 at 2:30pm ET at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. The event features 32 drivers who come from all backgrounds to lay claim on one of the largest events in the NASCAR circuit. Daytona 500 is the first official race in the circuit which features 36 events in total for 2021.
Where to Watch 2021 Daytona 500?
- TV: FOX
- Radio: MRN
For those who prefer to watch from home, you will be thrilled to know that FOX is streaming the event at 1 PM. Radio coverage will be provided by the Motor Racing Network.
Who Are the Favorites?
Without a single race out yet, analyzing the 2021 NASCAR series is a bit of a mystery, and yet – we do have last year’s results to keep us fairly optimistic about our predictions. The Great American Race is back and with it so are a number of ambitious young and established drivers.
Today we will take a look at some of our personal favorites and see if we can make a bet on Daytona. The odds to win the event are likely to keep changing, but not the track record of the hand-picked favorites who the sportsbooks agree with us are poised to add yet another title to their name.
Joey Logano No. 22 Ford Mustang
Without any doubt, Joey Logano is one of the hottest picks this season and why wouldn’t he be? Team Penske’s driver is in a good shape and he has been at it for over a decade now. Besides, the 2019 season definitely paned out quite alright with two wins in Las Vegas Speedway and Michigan International Speedway. He also managed to finish top-five on five different occasions throughout the season, making him one of the best drivers still in the race.
Brad Keselowski No. 2 Ford
Team Penske will definitely have a strong lineup of drivers in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series, and not least of all in Daytona 500. Brad Keselowski may not have won a title in a while, but his performance has always rivaled those of the best. In 2019, he managed to conclude 13 top-five finishes and 19 top-tens. You might call him a bit of a wild card as is, but Keselowski is definitely one of the drivers to watch out for in February. He may yet surprise us all and push to the top.
Denny Hamlin Toyota No. 11
Team Penske won’t be taking the credit for Hamlin. Instead, we have Joe Gibbs Racing to thank for the talent of Hamlin. In fact, Denny is returning with one sole purpose – to defend his Daytona 500 title after winning in 2019. His feat was even more impressive given the fact that it had been his second win at Daytona in a three-year window. More importantly, he is the only driver after 2010 who has won the title twice, all the more reason to look forward a wacky return.
Chase Elliott No. 9
Chase Elliott is just as decent a driver as any of the contenders we have listed so far. His overall Cup Series standing last season was 10, but he did pull quite a few amazing drives. He finished top-five on 11 occasions and fell within the first ten finishers 15 times. True, Elliott has been susceptible to bad bouts here and there, but overall, he has done very well in keeping his career progressing. In fact, 2019 marked his best year to date. The big question is whether Elliott is going to build on that success or fall behind?
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick is one of the biggest names that fans are looking forward to when it comes to Daytona. Harvick is a definitely a legend, bringing four wins in 2019. Even more impressively, he managed to pull off 362 top 10 finishes in 26 years on the race track and by this criterion alone, he’s almost at the top, second only to Jimmie Johnson. He won top-ten finishes in 20 races in 2019. He sealed New Hampshire Motor Speedway win, a speedway that is historically one of his personal favorites.
Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch is another fan and oddsmakers’ favorite. To not consider Busch as a decent bet for Daytona is to not consider all your options at all. 2019 was particularly kind to him with Busch winning his second Cup Series title and he came very close to sealing Daytona 2019, coming second. Busch further won at Phoenix and Auto Club and managed to pull off 11 consecutive top 11 finishes, pointing to a driver who knows what he is doing. He blasted his way in the playoffs and kept steady at the top of the leaderboard throughout Round of 16, eventually pulling 15 points ahead of Denny Hamlin to seal the championship.
Ryan Blaney
For Ryan Blaney, an off-season just doesn’t seem an option. In 2019, the talented driver pulled off quite a few personal records and posted one of his strongest years in the Cup Series by far. Blaney quickly claimed 11 top fives and 18 top 10 finishers, with an average performance spread across the season at 13.7. He also managed to make it in the top 10 of each individual driver category, a recognition that truly highlights his talent.
He also started strongly early in the year, winning the Busch Pole Award, among other distinctions. During Round of 12 at Talladega, Blaney managed to outpace Ryan Newman by a hair-thin .007 seconds to the dismay of the audience. Just one of the many good performances of the year for sure. Blaney is without a doubt someone you will want to keep your eyes peeled for.
Alex Bowman
Alex Bowman is another name up high in the overall NASCAR standing, and there is a good reason for that. He finished 12th and added a career-best year. He managed 12 top tens and proved that he can be consistent year in and year out, continuing to improve his standing and performance. Furthermore, he sealed seven top fives placing him on our list of strong picks for the upcoming Daytona 500 and Cup Series in general.
How Difficult Is It to Win the Great American Race?
What Are The Vegas Odds For The Daytona 500
The format of the race is very grueling to experienced and new drivers together. A lot of factors come into play in determining who wins the 500-mile race and who even manages to cross the finishing line.
Drivers are expected to clock 200 laps and moderate their gas expenditure, keep car in a working condition all while trying to keep pace with other drivers equally decided to claim the $1.5 million prize purse for the first-place finisher. To put the challenges of the event in perspective, here are a few facts. Through 2015:
- Only 11 drivers have won 2 or more Daytona 500s
- Only 5 drivers have won 3 or more Daytona 500s
- Only 2 drivers have won 4 Daytona races
- Only 3 drivers have won 3 consecutive Daytona 500s
To put another way – Daytona 500 is pretty difficult to win because no matter how good the driver, there are technical hiccups to prepare for, and no matter how good the car, a driver could only go that far.
Daytona 500 Winners in the Last 10 Years
The most notable name in the past ten years is that of Denny Hamlin who has won twice and is by virtue of this feat and therefore perhaps capable of repeating his success for a third time. If he does, he will certainly make history. Here is a quick list of the last ten years’ winners:
About the Event
We have brushed a few strokes at the beginning explaining the magnitude of the event and further providing you with the data you would need to make an informed bet. Now, though, we are here to explain a little more, a little better.
Daytona 500 isn’t just another race on the circuit – it isn’t even treated as an inaugural race to get things started. It’s a ‘rude awakening’ to drivers and a challenge to anyone racing to shift into gear right away.
Compared to the Super Bowl, and rightly so, Daytona hold fascination upon fans. Some 170,000 fans flock to watch the event live over at Daytona Beach with tickets prices starting at $95. That is nothing, though, because viewership numbers see-saw between 9 and 12 million people.
For all intents and purposes, Daytona 500 has gravity, it has pull, it has a legacy. It’s also the perfect testing ground for newcomers. Will the sons of their fathers make old-timers proud? Chase Elliott has certainly done his father, Bill Elliot, justice and has carried the family name with dignity and an evident talent for racing.
The race is important, as mentioned before, for its curious approach towards the overall racing format. While most other sports give participants time to adapt, the NASCAR Cup Series puts an immediate importance on Daytona.
For all drivers out there still trying to make a name for themselves, the importance of shining in that third week of February is crucial.
Daytona’s Looking Good
Daytona 500 is indeed looking good this year. It’s true that viewership has slumped a little in recent years, but this is no reason for concern whatsoever. With Denny Hamlin looking at a third title since 2010, a lot of eyeballs will be fixed on him. NASCAR has undertaken some changes to the scheduling and tracks to make sure that fans feel more engaged. This year’s Daytona 500 is the beginning of what organization sees as a long-term transition.
Latest Racing Headlines
The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season gets underway on Sunday, February 14th with the 63rd running of the Daytona 500 also known as “The Great American Race.”
The Daytona 500 is NASCAR’s Super Bowl as it’s the most popular race for the circuit. It’s right up there with the Indy 500 as the most recognized race in America.
Chase Elliott capped off an impressive 2020 season by winning the Cup Series championship. He will look to defend his title by starting off the season with a big win. Furthermore, Denny Hamlin is trying to win this race for the 3rd straight year.
Team Penske is viewed by Daytona 500 betting sites as the top team this weekend with all three of their main drivers in the Top 5 odds on favorites.
Add Harvick, the Busch brothers, Joe Gibbs Racing, the return of Kyle Larson, and the big wreck at the end of the race, and we have a lot of excitement for the first race of the 2021 Cup season.
Race Profile
The first ever Daytona 500 was held in 1959 and won by Lee Petty. Since 1982, it has been the first race of the season for the Cup Series.
The track itself is an adaptable venue with multiple layouts for various types of race. For the Daytona 500, the layout is a traditional tri-oval with a lap length of 2.5 miles. Turns are at a banking of 31 degrees and the straightaways are at 18 degrees.
The following is a breakdown of this week’s race:
- Total Miles: 500 miles
- Total Laps: 200 laps
- Stage 1: First 65 laps
- Stage 2: Second 65 laps
- Final Stage: Final 70 laps
The Daytona 500 is set to begin at 2:30PM ET and will air live on FOX.
The beginning of it all starts now 😈 #DAYTONA500 @NASCARpic.twitter.com/BNE7HzSn2s
— Phoenix Raceway (@phoenixraceway) February 11, 2021
What to Watch for at Daytona
With all of the excitement heading into the first weekend of the 2021 season, the following storylines are worth keeping an eye on at Daytona:
- Can Denny Hamlin win a 3rd straight Daytona 500?
- Will Team Penske dominate as the odds indicate?
- How will Bubba Wallace do with a new team?
- How will Kyle Larson do in his return to NASCAR?
- Will Martin Truex Jr. get his first Daytona win?
- Remembering Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Previous Daytona 500 Winners
As mentioned, Lee Petty, father of Richard Petty, won the first ever Daytona 500 but it’s his son “The King” who holds the record for most Daytona 500 wins with seven. Cale Yarborough is second with four wins.
Denny Hamlin, who has won the last two Dayton 500 races, is looking to tie Yarborough with his 4th career win in this race.
The following is a list of the previous Daytona 500 winners dating back to 2005:
- Jeff Gordon in 2005
- Jimmie Johnson in 2006, 2013
- Kevin Harvick in 2007
- Ryan Newman in 2008
- Matt Kenseth in 2009, 2012
- Jamie McMurray in 2010
- Trevor Bayne in 2011
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2014
- Joey Logano in 2015
- Denny Hamlin in 2016, 2019, 2020
- Kurt Busch in 2017
- Austin Dillion in 2018
NASCAR Daytona 500 Betting Odds
The following odds are courtesy of Bovada:
- Denny Hamlin (+700)
- Chase Elliott (+900)
- Ryan Blaney (+1100)
- Brad Keselowski (+1100)
- Joey Logano (+1100)
- Kevin Harvick (+1300)
- Kyle Busch (+1400)
- William Byron (+1600)
- Kyle Larson (+1600)
- Aric Almirola (+1800)
- Alex Bowman (+1800)
- Martin Truex Jr (+1800)
- Kurt Busch (+2000)
- Bubba Wallace (+2000)
- Austin Dillon (+2500)
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr (+2500)
- Ross Chastain (+2800)
- Matt DiBenedetto (+3000)
- Christopher Bell (+3300)
- Ryan Newman (+4000)
- Chase Briscoe (+5000)
- Chris Buescher (+5000)
- Cole Custer (+5000)
- Erik Jones (+5000)
- Jamie McMurray (+6600)
- Daniel Suarez (+10000)
Daytona 500 Betting Favorites
According to most NASCAR betting sites, the following drivers are considered the odds on favorites to win the 63rd running of the Daytona 500:
Driver | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Avg Start | Avg Finish | DNF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Denny Hamlin | 3 | 10 | 11 | 16.4 | 16.3 | 3 |
Chase Elliott | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11.0 | 24.3 | 4 |
Ryan Blaney | 0 | 2 | 4 | 13.7 | 20.2 | 5 |
Brad Keselowski | 1 | 3 | 5 | 19.4 | 23.2 | 10 |
Joey Logano | 1 | 6 | 9 | 15.5 | 18.2 | 6 |
Denny Hamlin (+700)
- Top 5 (+155)
- Top 10 (-180)
Denny Hamlin is the man to beat at Daytona this weekend. Not only is he the clear betting favorite, but he has won the last two Daytona 500s and three overall in his career. However, that’s not all as Hamlin has been on a tear at this track over the last seven years.
Since the 2014 Daytona 500, Hamlin has seven Top 3s, eight Top 5s, nine Top 10s, and three wins. He’s also led laps in 11 of those 14 races.
As @dennyhamlin gets behind the wheel this weekend, he chases history in the 2021 #DAYTONA500.
Narrated by @Rodney_Harrisonpic.twitter.com/wInLaap2JJ
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 8, 2021
In addition to winning the Daytona 500 last year, he also finished 3rd in the second event at this track.
Of all the drivers for this race, Hamlin is the one that you can feel the most confident in. His ability to navigate the big wrecks at the end of the race and his consistency make him a solid bet to finish Top 10, Top 5 and challenge for another checkered flag.
Chase Elliott (+900)
- Top 5 (+190)
- Top 10 (-150)
Chase Elliott had a brilliant 2020 season. Not only did he dominate at the road courses, but he would go on to capture what might be the first of many more Cup Series championships to come.
Unfortunately, that success hasn’t translated over to the Daytona racetrack. In 10 starts at this track, Elliott has just one Top 5 and Top 10. That came last year in the second race at the Daytona International Speedway (DIS).
In his other nine races at this track, Elliott’s best finish has been 14th. He has four DNFs in 10 starts which spanned all four races in 2018 and 2019.
He also has the worst average finish among the favorites at 24.3, which really concerns me heading into this weekend.
I’m a fan of Elliott and believe he will contend for another title this year, but he will have to do that by digging himself out of an early hole.
Elliott’s ceiling is a Top 10 and I believe his odds for this race are overvalued. Avoid betting on Elliott this weekend.
Ryan Blaney (+1100)
- Top 5 (+225)
- Top 10 (-125)
Blaney enters the 2021 season having made the Playoffs each of those years and finishing in the Top 10. Last year, he finished 9th overall. Of the three Team Penske drivers, Blaney is the one who has yet to win at Daytona.
He has fared better than Elliott with two Top 5s and four Top 10s in 11 starts. But, he does have 5 DNFs including three in the last five races at DIS.
Last year, Blaney showed that he was able to overcome his early struggles at Daytona with a 2nd in this race and a 6th in the second race. These results have NASCAR betting sites believing that he could be a contender on Sunday.
I like Blaney to finish inside the Top 10 and challenge for a Top 5 spot. However, I don’t have a great deal of confidence in the #12 car winning this weekend.
Brad Keselowski (+1100)
- Top 5 (+225)
- Top 10 (-125)
Keselowski finished the 2020 season as the runner up to Elliott. He also had the 3rd most wins last year with four and was one of the most consistent drivers with 24 Top 10s.
At Daytona, Keselowski does have a victory which came in the 2016 summer race. However, since then, his best result was 10th in the second DIS race last year. His luck at this track since then has been atrocious with six DNFs in eight races.
For his career, Keselowski has three Top 5s, five Top 10s, and a 23.2 average finish which is the second worst among the favorites.
The biggest reason why I don’t believe Keselowski will win is the fact that he has 10 DNFs in 25 career starts. Six of those DNFs have come at the Daytona 500. The #2 car’s ceiling is a Top 10 result. I would also avoid wagering on him for the race win.
Joey Logano (+1100)
- Top 5 (+225)
- Top 10 (-125)
Finishing right behind his teammate in the standings last year, Logano was 3rd overall with three race wins and 21 Top 10s. It was a quietly successful season for the 2018 Cup Series champion who had similar numbers to his championship year.
Unfortunately, like his teammate Keselowski, Logano has a race win and a lot of bad luck since that victory.
Logano won the 2015 Daytona 500 and does have three Top 5s along with five Top 10s in the 10 races since then. However, he also has four DNFs in the last seven DIS races including crashing out of both events at this track last year.
I like his chances of finishing in the Top 10, possibly even a Top 5, but I have a hard time pegging Logano as a real threat to win this race.
The Best Daytona 500 Betting Value
The following NASCAR drivers offer betting value for the Daytona 500 due to their current betting odds and their past success at this track:
Driver | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Avg Start | Avg Finish | DNF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kevin Harvick | 2 | 10 | 15 | 14.3 | 17.6 | 8 |
Kyle Busch | 1 | 8 | 9 | 15.0 | 19.4 | 9 |
Kurt Busch | 1 | 13 | 18 | 19.0 | 18.5 | 6 |
Austin Dillon | 1 | 2 | 7 | 14.0 | 15.5 | 2 |
Kevin Harvick (+1300)
- Top 5 (+265)
- Top 10 (-110)
Harvick dominated the 2020 season and was the favorite to win the championship, but struggled in the round of 8 and ended up missing out on the Final 4 race. He finished 5th in the standings, but led all drivers with 9 wins, 20 Top 5s, and 27 Top 10s.
It was his best season in his 20 year career other than not winning the championship. At the Daytona International Speedway, Harvick has two wins, 10 Top 5s, and 15 Top 10s. But, he hasn’t had a great deal of success in recent years and he hasn’t won here since the summer of 2010.
In his last nine DIS starts, Harvick has five DNFs and three finishes outside of the Top 20. However, he did finish 5th in last year’s Daytona 500.
I think Harvick will start off strong again in 2021 and not only crack the Top 10, but also finish with another Top 5 result.
Kyle Busch (+1400)
- Top 5 (+275)
- Top 10 (+100)
One driver that I feel will have a strong 2021 season is Kyle Busch. The 2019 Cup champion had a pathetic 2020 season with just one win and his lowest stats since 2015. He finished 8th, which was the lowest finish since 2014.
The only thing that Busch accomplished last year was extending his streak of at least one win in a season to 16 straight years.
With that said, I believe we’re going to see Busch return to the top of the sport and that starts with a solid performance at Daytona. In 2019 when he went on to win the title, Busch finished 2nd in the Daytona 500.
Last year, he crashed out and finished 34th. In fact, he scored a DNF in both Daytona races last year, which perfectly summed up his season as a whole.
In 31 starts, Busch has one win, eight Top 5s, nine Top 10s, a 19.4 average finish, and nine DNFs.
In 2016, he finished 2nd in this race. In 2017, he was 38th. In 2018 he was 25th. I like Busch to be a Top 10 car that cracks the Top 5 as he survives the big wreck.
Kurt Busch (+2000)
- Top 5 (+350)
- Top 10 (+125)
The older Busch brother didn’t finish too far behind his sibling last year as he was 10th overall at the end of the season. He also had one win and almost as many Top 5s and Top 10s as his brother. Kurt has won a race in seven straight seasons including the 2017 Daytona 500.
At DIS, Busch leads all active drivers in Top 5s (13) and Top 10s (18). However, he has crashed out of five of the last seven Daytona races. His lone finishes were 25th in 2019’s Daytona 500 and 10th in the summer race that year.
When you’re racing in #SpeedweeksbyAdventHealth, you’ve gotta look the part. 🎨
Check out @KurtBusch’s ride for #TheClash and @jamiemcmurray’s ride for the #DAYTONA500! @adventhealth @SpireMotorsportpic.twitter.com/hMvY57sF0h
— Chip Ganassi Racing (@CGRTeams) February 8, 2021
The #1 car was 6th in 2013, 5th in 2015, 1st in 2017 and 10th in 2019 for this race. Do you see the trend here?
Since this is an odd year, I like Kurt Busch to have another Top 10 result and challenge for a Top 5 spot along with his brother.
Austin Dillon (+2500)
- Top 5 (+450)
- Top 10 (+140)
Dillon made the Playoffs last year for the 5th time in his career. However, he finished 11th overall and has yet to crack the Top 10 to finish a season.
Dillon is the 2018 Daytona 500 winner and has seven Top 10s in his 15 starts. His 15.5 average finish is the 2nd best among active drivers behind Bubba Wallace’s 14.9 average finish. That’s better than Denny Hamlin and all of the other betting favorites for this weekend.
In the Daytona 500, Dillon finished 9th in 2014, 14th in 2015, 9th in 2016, 19th in 2017, 1st in 2018, 16th in 2019, and 12th in 2020.
Other than his 31st place result in his first ever Daytona 500 back in 2013, Dillon has showed great consistency in this race.
I think there’s great value in Dillon’s Top 10 odds. Furthermore, I think he’s worth a flier to finish in the Top 5.
On a side note, it would be fantastic if the #3 car returned to victory lane this weekend on the 20th anniversary of the passing of Dale Earnhardt Sr. who made the #3 car an iconic symbol of the sport.
The Top Longshot to Win the Daytona 500
Erik Jones (+5000)
- Top 5 (+800)
- Top 10 (+250)
Erik Jones had a rough 2020 season as he didn’t win a race, failed to make the Playoffs, and lost his spot with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Now, Jones will look to rebound with a new team and a new mission – to win more than one race. It also happens to be that one of Jones’ two career race wins was at this track where he captured the checkered flag in the summer race of 2018.
In eight starts at DIS, he has one win, two Top 5s, and three Top 10s. He also has one DNF, which came in the second DIS race last year.
I think Jones is a longshot worthy of a very small flier. I would avoid his other wagers.
The Rest of the Field at Daytona
The following drivers are worth keep an eye on as they make their way through the field:
- William Byron (+1600) – Byron will start on the front row alongside his teammate Alex Bowman. He has one win, two Top 5s, and three Top 10s in six DIS races. He won last year’s second DIS race.
- Kyle Larson (+1600) – Larson only has four Top 10s in 13 starts, but he’s worth keeping an eye on this weekend after being reinstated by NASCAR and joining Hendrick Motorsports.
- Aric Almirola (+1800) – Almirola will start third on Sunday and won at this track in the summer of 2014.
- Alex Bowman (+1800) – Bowman only has two Top 10s in nine starts, but he will start on the pole this weekend.
- Martin Truex Jr. (+1800) – Of all the top drivers in the sport today, Truex has done the worst at Daytona. He has never won at this track and only has three Top 5s along with five Top 10s in 31 career starts.
- Bubba Wallace (+2000) – Wallace will drive for the new race team owned and operated by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin. Bubba’s 14.9 average finish is the best among active drivers.
Best Bet for a Top 5 Finish
Denny Hamlin is tied for the 3rd most Top 5s with 10. However, he’s done that in eight to nine less races than Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick. Furthermore, since 2014, he has three wins, eight Top 5s and nine Top 10s.
In the last four DIS races, he has two wins and three Top 5s. At +155 odds, I really like Hamlin to crack the Top 5 this weekend and contend for another checkered flag.
Best Bet for a Top 10 Finish
As mentioned, Kurt Busch leads all active drivers with 13 Top 5s. However, he also leads all active drivers with 18 Top 10s.
Busch has had some rough performances over the last few years at this track. But, he did finish 10th in the 2019 summer race and he won the 2017 Daytona 500. Prior to that win, he had a stretch of Top 10 finishes in four of five DIS events.
At +125 odds, I think there’s some value for Busch to finish in the Top 10 and I really like his chances this year.
Daytona 500 Checkered Flag
As most avid NASCAR fans know, races at Daytona and Talladega are filled with wrecks in the final laps. These crashes typically collect a dozen or more drivers and really impact who wins the race. They also make it hard to pick a winner.
My Top 5 drivers are Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney.
Hamlin is looking to become the first driver to ever win three straight Daytona 500 races, but I think he will come up short. Blaney has yet to win at Daytona and I don’t see that happening this weekend either.
In an exciting finish to the #BuschClash, it was @KyleBusch taking the win after @ChaseElliott and Ryan @Blaney collided in the final chicane. #SpeedweeksbyAdventHealth @NASCAR
📰: https://t.co/pE6oaDItXxpic.twitter.com/IKCE7zxoHh
— Daytona International Speedway (@DAYTONA) February 10, 2021
I believe the winner will be a driver who has won previously at this track. With that said, I believe the winner will come from Dillon, Harvick and Kyle Busch.
Dillon has the highest odds of the three and is worth a small flier. But, I really like Busch or Harvick to win. Both drivers are going to be extra motivated this year.
Harvick won this race in 2014, but wants to seek revenge on the field for not making the Final 4 race last year. Busch had a pathetic season in 2020 and would love to make a big statement to kick off 2021. Plus, he has never won a Daytona 500.
Betting Odds On Daytona 500 Rescheduled
I see that changing for the #18 car this weekend as I am betting at NASCAR betting sites on Kyle Busch to survive the big wreck, get some help from Hamlin and win his first ever Daytona 500.
My Top 5 Drivers
Betting Odds On Daytona 500
- Denny Hamlin
- Kevin Harvick
- Austin Dillon
- Kyle Busch
- Ryan Blaney
Daytona 500 Betting Recap
Betting Value:
- Kevin Harvick (+1400)
- Kyle Busch (+1400)
- Kurt Busch (+2200)
- Austin Dillon (+2800)
Longshot
- Eric Jones (+2500)
Winner
- Kyle Busch (+1400)