Betting Odds On Daytona 500

It’s time to make my predictions for the 2021 Daytona 500, which will hopefully help you make money on NASCAR’s classic race.

• Betting Odds On Daytona 500 Ryan Newman
• Betting Odds On Daytona 500 All-time
• Who's Favored To Win Daytona 500
• What Are The Vegas Odds For The Daytona 500
• Betting Odds On The Daytona 500

Whether you’re looking to bet on race winners, driver matchups, or props, FOX Bet is the place to be for betting on NASCAR's premier race, the Daytona 500. The Daytona 500 is the most famous race in NASCAR. The 500-mile race takes place each year in February at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 4:18 p.m. The Cup Series is scheduled to kick off its 2021 season Sunday for the Great American Race, the Daytona 500. However, we’ll have to keep a close eye on the sky. NASCAR betting flies the green flag on the 2020 Cup Series with the Daytona 500 on Sunday. We not only run down the odds to win the 2020 Daytona 500 but give our picks and predictions for driver. 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. The NASCAR Cup Series will head to Daytona International Speedway on Sunday February 14 for the opening race of the 2021 season from Daytona Beach, Florida and VegasInsider.com expert Micah Roberts previews the races, plus he provides Top 5 NASCAR Picks and Predictions for for the 2021 NASCAR Daytona 500.

I’ll be looking at the odds for the Daytona 500, which goes down this Sunday, February 14, to see where the value is. Then, I’ll be looking at the likely winners before making my final 2021 Daytona 500 pick.

I already provided some early tips for betting on the 2021 Daytona 500, but there’s more information available now and I’m ready to predict the winner of the race.

let’s start by looking at the latest odds.

There are some crazy odds for the Daytona 500 in the list above.

Denny Hamlin is the favorite for the race, coming in at +800. Hamlin is aiming to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win three consecutive ‘500s at this world-famous superspeedway.

Chase Elliott is tied with Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and Ryan Blaney at +1000. Although the reigning Cup Series champion picked up a win at the Daytona Road Course in 2020, he had a patchy record at the superspeedway until finishing 2nd at last year’s Coke Zero Sugar 400.

Both Hamlin and Elliott are seeing a lot of action with the best betting sites for NASCAR. They are quite rightly among the top Daytona 500 odds, sure. But is there anyone else on this list that also deserves to be considered a favorite for the race?

Let’s find out.

If you’re looking to bet on the Daytona 500 for real money, familiarize yourself with the following trio.

These are the guys most likely to enter Victory Lane this Sunday.

Any NASCAR fan with knowledge of the biggest shocks over the years will know that making Daytona 500 predictions is difficult.

With that said, I believe that these are the best candidates for the job. One of these guys might be responsible for a lot of broken hearts this Valentine’s Day.

• Odds to Win: +800 (Favorite)
• Previous Daytona 500 Wins: 3
• Last Win at Daytona: 2020

You might think Hamlin’s odds to win the Daytona 500 are a little slim.

But given the fact that he’s chasing his third victory here in a row means that the bookies are hot on him. Winning this race is hard enough. Winning the “Great American Race” three times in a row seems highly unlikely.

In a race regarded for its inconsistency, Hamlin is looking to change the way we approach gambling on the Daytona 500.

Will Hamlin win for the third year in a row? I’ll answer that question a little later.

• Odds to Win: +1000
• Previous Daytona 500 Wins: 0
• Last Win at Daytona: 2020 (Road Course)

The reigning, defending NASCAR Cup Series champion comes in with Daytona 500 odds of +1000.

He might have no wins in this race, but he has a 2nd place finish in the last event held on the main track.

And while it is not super relevant, Elliott winning the first race at the Daytona Road Course in 2020 is worth another mention.

Elliott’s average finish on this track is 16.11. If you are betting on NASCAR reguarly or religiously follow a NASCAR betting strategy, you’ll know how important it is to take form into the equation. But Chase Elliott’s odds for the 2021 Daytona 500 are spot on here. He has a big chance of winning this race.

• Odds to Win +1500
• Previous Daytona 500 Wins: 0
• Last Win at Daytona: 2021 (The Clash)

Betting Odds On Daytona 500 Ryan Newman

Busch’s sole points win at the Daytona superspeedway circuit came in the Coke Zero 400. But don’t rule him out when making your 2021 Daytona 500 betting picks.

He will be licking his lips at the chance to cause an upset at the first Cup Series race on the calendar.

The 2019 NASCAR Cup Series champion had a poor year, making a meek defense of his title in 2020. But he has started this year off by winning The Clash at Daytona. That’s a great sign for a driver that is super keen to impress this season.

Busch has never won the Daytona 500. He did, however, finish 2nd in 2019.

Other Drivers to Watch at the 2021 Daytona 500

The winner of the 2021 Daytona 500 is most likely to come from the top contenders I mentioned above.

But the following drivers could also be worth watching,

Larson makes his comeback to NASCAR in the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports.

Can “Yung Money” make you money on your Daytona 500 picks?

Byron, the winner of the 2020 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, is worth a couple of George Washingtons.

At odds of +1800, he is a little underpriced.

Wallace is racing for Michael Jordan’s new NASCAR team.

Denny Hamlin is a minority owner and will be mentoring Wallace. With the right equipment, as well as the advice of Hamlin, he could be up there with the best bets for the Daytona 500.

Who Wins the 2021 Daytona 500

• Denny Hamlin

It might not be the most profound advice to gamble on the Daytona 500 in 2021, but I would suggest backing Hamlin.

He has shown he is one of the best Daytona 500 drivers in history and is aiming for his fourth win in the illustrious race.

Not many drivers can boast the sublime skills of the man behind the wheel of the 11 Toyota Camry. He is arguably the greatest NASCAR driver in history never to win a title. He’s in the conversation, at the very least.

My prediction for the Daytona 500 is Hamlin fighting his way to the front late on and taking the win in a super exciting fashion.

If odds of +800 don’t do it for you, you should check out my Daytona 500 sleepers, which feature value bets and longshots for Sunday’s NASCAR classic.

You can find more Daytona 500 betting content on the NASCAR blog section of this site. I’ll leave you with some of our popular content for the race!

NASCAR Cup Betting Resources
Daytona 500 Picks

• Date: Sunday, February 14, 2021
• TV-Time: FOX, 2:30 p.m. ET
• Venue: Daytona International Speedway
• Location: Daytona Beach, Florida

Handicapping NASCAR at Daytona

In the previous 62 Daytona 500s, no driver has won three straight of NASCAR’s most prestigious race and we haven’t seen anyone get the opportunity since Sterling Marlin tried in the 1996 event. But 2021 gives us a chance to watch history as Denny Hamlin will try to win his third straight Daytona 500 on Sunday and he’s fully aware of what is at stake.

'I hope that I'm around (don't wreck early), that I give myself a chance to make history because ultimately, that's what I'm here for,' Hamlin said. 'Making history, doing something that no one else has ever done, that's what motivates me to want to get this one.'

He also will be shooting for his fourth Daytona 500 which would tie him with Cale Yarborough for second-most behind Richard Petty’s seven wins. He has a chance to make history and that’s the main theme coming into the 63rd running of the race.

There are only five active drivers other than Hamlin to win a Daytona 500 and all of them have one win each. Some of the best superspeedway drivers, or those from the restrictor-plate era, have retired and taken their secrets of manipulating the air in the draft. But the 40-year-old Hamlin learned in his younger years by watching the greats and finally won a superspeedway race in his ninth season racing on them at Talladega in 2014.

Now he’s got five superspeedway wins, winning two of four last season -- top-four in all four -- closing out with a Talladega win. He led laps in all four superspeedway races last season and used different strategies in all. He’d either get upfront and lead to keep the ‘Big One’ behind him or fall behind to keep an eye in front of him with enough room to avoid the inevitable pile up that always happens on superspeedways. He’s been successful at both.

He’s also got Joe Gibbs Racing equipment which has worked hard to be competitive in the opener at Daytona. Matt Kenseth led a bunch of laps on superspeedways for JGR, Erik Jones got a summer Daytona win in 2018, and Kyle Busch has the top Daytona rating (91.1) among all drivers since NASCAR's Loop Data started keeping track in 2005. Hamlin is rated No. 2 (88.7) over that span.

In Wednesday morning’s first practice before qualifying, JGR equipment posted the top-five speeds with the new 2021 entry, Bubba Wallace, fastest with his Michael Jordan-Hamlin-owned No. 23.

The point is that it hasn’t all been Hamlin, but he’s been the one to use his skills the best and get out front lately. He uses the side-draft better than anyone and he blocks while leading better than anyone which is why we’re talking about him possibly winning for the third straight season. The car rules and race packages are the same as 2020, although Hamlin’s winning Daytona 500 car from last season is on display at Daytona USA.

NASCAR Cup Odds - Daytona

Betting Odds On Daytona 500 All-time

• Denny Hamlin +800
• Chase Elliott +1000
• Joey Logano +1000
• Ryan Blaney +1000
• Brad Keselowski +1400
• William Byron +1400
• (Odds Subject to Change)

Who's Favored To Win Daytona 500

William Hill sportsbooks have him listed as the 8-to-1 favorite while Circa Sports updated numbers Wednesday have him favored at 11-to-1 odds, the best number in the world.

I’ve been saying for years to be careful and be smart wagering every time there’s a superspeedway race. It’s repetitive but I feel it’s important to remind you all that the volatility of these two tracks changes the true driver rating for each driver because they’re more susceptible to being caught up in a wreck at no fault of their than other tracks.

That’s why I say ditch the props and driver match-ups, but spend some more than usual on odds to win mixing in weighted amounts on a couple of favorites like Hamlin or Ryan Blaney (14/1), middle of the board drivers like Kyle Busch (19/1), Wallace (28/1), Chris Buescher (51/1), and a long shot like Jones (60/1) or Ryan Newman (60/1).

The sportsbooks know this as well which is why they don’t offer any huge odds on the long shots but offer big odds on the favorites. It’s the randomness, the crapshoot of it all where any driver can win. As the wrecks start happening, you start throwing bet tickets away, but for the final five laps, you may have three of the 10 drivers in the lead pack and have just as good of a shot as any.

Last season I had tickets on Hamlin and Newman in that situation and I got lucky, but I believed in Newman and the Roush equipment for superspeedways. I still do to an extent with Newman and Buescher, who finished third in the Daytona 500.

Let’s talk about some contenders to derail Hamlin’s quest for history beginning with his new employee Wallace who William Hill is offering at 28-to-1 odds.

Daytona 500 Contenders

The Toyota’s have the least amount of friends and the drivers always choose manufacturers of their own to draft with which is all the more reason to be astounded by Hamlin’s success. The Fords and Chevrolets all have more cars on the track than Toyota. But Hamlin just got a new wingman with Wallace in case Martin Truex, Jr., Busch, or Christopher Bell aren’t around to push him.

Wallace had three top-fives in his three seasons with Richard Petty Motorsports and two of them came at Daytona, including a runner-up as a rookie in 2018. It’s the only type of racing he had success with continuously where he could find his way to the front. But now he has basically a JGR car with Michael Jordan money attached and crew chief Mike Wheeler who was chief for Hamlin in the 2016 Daytona 500 win. This car is going to be fast and contending for the win while also pushing or being pushed by Hamlin.

I instantly thought of the 2001 Daytona 500 when Dale Earnhardt, just before he passed, was blocking for his two DEI cars driven by Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and gave up his chance to win -- he had a fast RCR No. 3 that day -- to let his two cars battle it out. He had never given anybody anything like that in his career.

That scenario won’t play out here because Hamlin is going for three straight, but I’m sure at some point we’ll see Hamlin have a hand at helping Wallace gets his first career Cup win, and if I could bet where it’ll happen I would say on one of the four superspeedway races.

Team Penske has a great superspeedway package but only Joey Logano has a Daytona 500 win (2015). Brad Keselowski has a 2016 win at Daytona in the summer race and five other wins at Talladega.

Ryan Blaney has won at Talladega in each of the last two seasons and was runner-up in the Daytona 500 last season. They all have fast cars and all are also very good at understanding how the draft works. They also have friends from Roush, Front Row Motorsports, Wood Brothers, and Stewart-Haas Racing that drives Fords and can help in the draft.

The Chevy camp comes loaded with speed and young talent. Chevrolet has won the Daytona 500 pole the last eight seasons, and a Hendrick engine has won the last six, five of which were by a Hendrick driver.

William Byron (16/1) won last summer at Daytona for his first career Cup win. He’s a nice pick to take his next logical step into NASCAR stardom in a year that just saw Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson,, and Clint Bowyer retire.

Chase Elliott (14/1) comes off his first championship season and NASCAR is hoping for more to come -- see seven road courses on the 2021 schedule. But he’s never won at Daytona in a points-paying race. This would be a great place for the champ to bust out and gain an even bigger audience of young fans. Chase just has a quiet coolness about him and is hard not to like.

Back to only five active drivers that have Daytona 500 wins other than Hamlin. Earnhardt went almost an entire career racing and dominating all races at Daytona until finally winning the Daytona 500 in 1998. Tony Stewart never won one. Kyle Busch starts his 17th Daytona 500 searching for his first win. Keselowski is also still searching for his trophy, so is Truex, and so is Elliott -- all Cup champions.

As always, I’ll go for the historical moment to happen and I supported Hamlin through the betting window, along with a few other guys I mentioned in this piece. Here are my top-5 selections using odds from Circa Sports Las Vegas:

Daytona 500
Top-5 Finish Prediction

What Are The Vegas Odds For The Daytona 500

• 1) #11 Denny Hamlin (11/1)
• 2) #12 Ryan Blaney (14/1)
• 3) #10 Aric Almirola (24/1)
• 4) #47 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (26/1)
• 5) #24 William Byron (16/1)

Betting Odds On The Daytona 500

NASCAR Cup Series
Weekly Predictions