Say goodbye to the NASCAR playoffs' Round of 16. It's now time for the Round of 12. And we'll be kicking off this segment of 2021 Nascar playoff picks with South Point 400 predictions.
As per usual, let's begin by taking a look at the latest Nascar betting odds, courtesy of the folks over at BetOnline:
| Race Winner |  |
|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +350 |
| Kyle Busch | +600 |
| Denny Hamlin | +700 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +750 |
| Chase Elliott | +800 |
| Joe Logano | +1000 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1000 |
| William Byron | +1200 |
| Brad Keselowski | +1400 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1400 |
| Alex Bowman | +1800 |
| Christopher Bell | +2000 |
| Kurt Busch | +2500 |
| Austin Dillon | +5000 |
| Matt DiBenedetto | +5000 |
| Tyler Reddick | +5000 |
| Aric Almirola | +6600 |
| Ross Chastain | +6600 |
| Chris Buescher | +10000 |
| Chase Briscoe | +10000 |
| Daniel Suarez | +15000 |
| Bubba Wallace | +15000 |
| Erik Jones | +15000 |
| Cole Custer | +20000 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | +20000 |
| Ryan Newman | +20000 |
| Michael McDowell | +20000 |
| Ryan Preece | +25000 |
| Corey Lajoie | +30000 |
| Anthony Alfredo | +30000 |
| Justin Haley | +30000 |
| Quin Houff | +50000 |
| Josh Bilicki | +50000 |
| Garrett Smithley | +50000 |
| Joey Gase | +50000 |
| Cody Ware | +50000 |
| Cody Ware | +50000 |
| BJ McLeod | +100000 |
| JJ Yeley | +100000 |
Always remember to double-check these Nascar odds before making your Nascar picks. Lines will move at BetOnline and other top online sportsbooks prior to the opening gun.
Nascar South Point 400 Picks
Three Nascar playoff races are now in the books, and each has turned in a different winner. Denny Hamlin won the Cook Out Southern 500. Martin Truex Jr. won the Federated Auto Parts 400. And Kyle Larson picked up the victory during the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, Nascar's most recent postseason event.
Who will secure the top spot in the podium at the South Point 400? That's what we're here to answer.
Should Kyle Larson be the Favorite?
This is a question we find ourselves asking each race, because Kyle Larson (+350) has been the odds-on favorite in nearly every event this season. And make no mistake, he's earned it.
While it looked like Martin Truex Jr. (+750) might have a chance to catch him in the standings after winning the Cook Out Southern 500, Larson extended his lead over the rest of the Nascar Cup Series field by nabbing first place in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race.
Though he has shown that he will take some time to regain momentum after being called or forced into the pit, he continues to do a nice job of closing out strong. He is adept at avoiding late-lap crashes and knows when to take advantage of other contenders' blown-out tires or mid-race mechanical issues.
Of course, this doesn't mean Larson is the only option at the South Point 400—or at any other event, for that matter. But given how well he's raced this season, racking up six overall wins and a Nascar-leading five pole finishes in qualifying lap runs, he certainly needs to be considered a viable option.
Better Bet: Joey Logano or Kevin Harvick?
Both Joey Logano (+1000) and Kevin Harvick (+1000) enter the Southern Point 400 laying the same odds. The former has just one win on the season, but he has picked up steam in recent weeks after tallying two top-10 victories over the last three races. And the one race in which he failed to grab a top-10 spot, he actually finished 11th.
All of this does make Logano an enticing bet. It likewise helps that Harvick doesn't have a single victory to his name and is slogging through a mostly down year.
Then again, Harvick is starting to show signs of life. Most recently, he nearly won it all at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. In fact, he probably would've edged out Kyle Larson had he not sputteredd into a late-race crash.
Combine that with three top-eight finishes over the past three races, including two inside the top five, and we're more intrigued by Harvick's renaissance.
Can Ryan Blaney Recapture His Groove?
Ryan Blaney (+1400) gained support as a dark horse Nascar Championship pick after he stole back-to-back first-place flags at the FireKeepers Casino 400 and Coke Zero Sugar 400 during the month of August. That buzz has since cooled off. But it still exists.
Blaney currently sits fourth in Nascar's overall standings, and despite not picking up a victory to open the playoffs, he hasn't completely faded either. He has two top-10 finishes under his belt through those three races, including a fourth-place close at his most recent running.
Limiting his mistakes down the stretch of races will be key, especially when he's on the inside. And we believe he has it in him.
Nascar Southern Point 400 Prediction
And our winner is...Denny Hamlin (+700)
Not enough people are talking about him in our opinion. He has climbed all the way to third in Nascar's overall standings, and although he still has just one victory on the year, he's come awfully close to reeling in another.
Car troubles hurt him down the stretch of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. But he still scraped together a ninth-place finish. Beyond that, he actually won the Cook Out Southern 500 and followed that up with a second-place finish in his next heat.
Few drivers have been as consistently near the front of the pack for the entirety of races over the past two months. Hamlin will have his work cut out for him on Saturday, but the way he's carried himself recently has us sold. He can handle it.
OSB Prediction: Denny Hamlin (+700)
Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which to use for all your Nascar betting:
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