Daytona 500 Betting Odds: Blaney, Hamlin lead the way for season opener

It’s here. It’s the one race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season that every driver wants to win. The Daytona 500 kicks off the 2024 season Sunday in Daytona Beach, Florida. Five of the last six Dayton 500 events went into overtime, and 2024 could see another thrilling finish. Here’s a look at the Daytona 500 betting odds.

Daytona 500 betting odds: Favorites for a Daytona 500 win

• Ryan Blaney (+800)

Blaney leads the odds as the reigning Cup Series champion. He raced well in the Clash at the Coliseum by working his way up from 23rd on the starting grid to third by the chequered flag. He’s showing no signs of slowing down since winning his first Cup Series title.

Blaney’s won in Daytona before with a victory in the 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400. He’s been boom-or-bust with his NASCAR results besides that win. His last eight races in Daytona featured five top-10 finishes (including that win) and two DNFs. Before that win in 2021, he crashed out in the Daytona 500. He crashed out of his most recent race at Daytona. Could another win be coming?

• Denny Hamlin (+900)

Hamlin had the best start on the grid with his performance in the Clash at the Coliseum. He won from pole position to start the 2024 NASCAR schedule off with a bang.

Hamlin’s three wins at Daytona are more than any other active driver. His last win came in the 2020 Daytona 500, but he’s struggled there recently. He’s finished no higher than 13th in his last five events there, including two crashes. He’ll need to buck that recent trend to continue his hot start to 2024.

• Joey Logano (+1050)

Logano’s jumped up near the top two following a fourth-place finish at the Clash. He won this race in 2015 but has just two top-five finishes after that through 2022. After a few years of crashes and poor results, Logano improved in 2023 with second in this event and fifth in the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

The two-time Cup Series champion has more experience at Daytona than all but Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. Last season was a down year for the defending champion. He can build on a solid start in Los Angeles with a good showing in Daytona.

• Brad Keselowski (+1150)

One of the most experienced drivers on the Cup Series grid this season, Keselowski’s never won the Daytona 500. He’s won in Daytona with a fall race victory in 2016. Since then, he’s failed to finish 10 of the 14 events he entered at the track. When he finishes, he does fairly well with three top-10 results, but it’s very risky to back him, given his track record.

• William Byron (+1200)

Byron’s track record in Daytona is far from his best. Before last year’s fall Daytona race, Byron had crashed out of four races in a row. He hasn’t done very well in qualifying, either. He’s started 17th or lower in his last four Daytona races. He went from fifth to 10th in the Clash, giving little reason to think there will be momentum on his side. Byron would be a surprise win in Daytona this weekend.

• Chase Elliott (+1200)

Elliott’s started on pole in Daytona three times in his career but has yet to convert that to a win. He wrecked out of last year’s race after starting eighth. In the fall race last season, he went from 23rd up to fourth by the chequered flag and led two laps in the process. He didn’t start 2024 well in finishing 22nd at the Clash but he’s in the top five of the NASCAR championship odds for good reason. He could pull a surprise in Daytona.

Daytona 500 betting odds: Longer odds worth considering

• Bubba Wallace (+1800)

Wallace has never won in Daytona but no one can match his average finish of 13th in 13 races at the track. He’s made the top five three times in those races, including second in the 2022 Daytona 500. Wallace shines brightest at speedways like Daytona, as one of his two career wins came at Talladega. His track record gives him a better leg up than many of the favorites.

• Austin Dillon (+2500)

Dillon won this race in 2018 and won the fall Daytona race in 2022. He crashed out of both Daytona events last year but has been consistent when he does finish. Third at this race in 2021 and 12th in 2020 is a good run. It’s a longer shot for a reason, as Dillon didn’t come close to the playoffs last year, but he’s shown what it takes to win in Daytona before.

• Alex Bowman (+3500)

Only Wallace has a better average finish among active Cup Series drivers in Daytona than Bowman. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has two pole positions at the track but so far has failed to convert them into wins. But he’s managed four top-eight results in his last seven NASCAR races in Daytona, a stretch few can compare to. It’s a very long shot, but betting on his track record is a good call.

Daytona 500 betting odds: Picks for victory

The Daytona 500 is unpredictable, to say the least. Last year’s winner, Michael McDowell, had one career win before taking the checkered flag and hasn’t won since. But of the favorites, Hamlin has both the track record and momentum already for a win.

It’s hard to feel more confident about another driver heading into this race. Of the sleepers, go with Wallace. You can’t find a better average finish on the grid at this track than his.

For NASCAR betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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