The NASCAR Cup Series season officially kicks off this weekend as Daytona 500 is scheduled for Sunday, arguably the most popular race of the year. Ryan Blaney heads in as the favorite to win the event, while the likes of Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, and Kyle Busch aren't far behind him. This event totals 500 miles and 200 laps, with Austin Cindric sitting as the reigning champion after pulling off the unthinkable last year. While betting outright on the race is an option, there are also specific Dayton 500 best bets that are worth putting some money down on just based on certain drivers' history in this race. Below, we'll take a look at three drivers who could offer huge betting value in the Great American Race, where the green flag is set to drop at 2:30 PM ET.
Before we get into all of it, check out our how-to bet on NASCAR page.
Daytona 500 Best Bets
Ryan Blaney to finish Top-10 (-115)
At Bovada, Blaney has -115 odds to finish within the top-10 at Daytona. And if we look at history, it makes sense why this bet is worth it. Blaney led for 36 laps in last year's edition and ultimately finished in fourth place. He was also third in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at Daytona on Thursday. Blaney just proved once again that he can compete with the best of them on this track. A top-five finish could very well be in the cards for the Team Penske star, but resorting to top-10 isn't a bad choice either, especially at -115. You can easily make a nice amount of coin here.
Chase Elliott to finish top-10 (-105)
Another bet that must be considered. Chase Elliott led the regular season standings last year before struggling to produce in the playoffs. Regardless, he was the most consistent driver throughout the course of the campaign and I really don't expect anything different in 2023. Need evidence he can be a contender at Daytona? Well, Elliott finished in 10th place in 2022 and the year prior, the 27-year-old finished as a runner-up. He's got a track record of success at the Great American Race. And you can absolutely guarantee Elliott is going to bring his best for such an iconic event. Just like Blaney, Elliott may even crack the top five. But to play it safe, go top-10.
Denny Hamlin to finish top-3 (+350)
Alright, this final one of the Daytona 500 best bets is a little bit more specific and definitely has some risk to it. However, Denny Hamlin is the only active driver in the Cup Series with multiple wins at Daytona 500, winning in 2016, 2019, and 2020. That just screams success in itself. From 2024-2021, he compiled an average finish of 4.25 at Daytona. Incredibly impressive. While Hamlin did crash at the 2022 edition and ultimately ended up in 37th, he'll be motivated as ever to taste success here again. You could also go for Hamlin winning outright, but I like top three better. He's also yet to finish any better than ninth place through the first two races of the season and with this one actually counting for something, expect Hamlin to come through with a big result and grab some much-needed points.
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