- What: NASCAR Cup Series Championship Playoffs
- Who: The top 16 drivers from the regular season standings
- When: Ten races from September 8 through November 10
And then there were 16 drivers left in the hunt for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. The NASCAR playoffs get underway with the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 8, as the remaining 16 drivers set out on the chase for the elusive season title.
It's Kyle Larson, the 2021 series champion, who oddsmakers at MyBookie are setting as the +325 chalk to win his second career title. Denny Hamlin (+410) and Christopher Bell (+420) are next in the NASCAR odds, with regular-season champion Tyler Reddick (+540) the fourth choice in the betting line.
| NASCAR Cp Series Winner Odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +400 | +400 | +350 |
| Christopher Bell | +400 | +400 | +420 |
| Denny Hamlin | +400 | +450 | +410 |
| Tyler Reddick | +650 | +600 | +540 |
| William Byron | +700 | +600 | +660 |
| Ryan Blaney | +700 | +700 | +750 |
| Chase Elliott | +1200 | +1200 | +1125 |
| Joey Logano | +1600 | +1600 | +1575 |
| Brad Keselowski | +2200 | +1800 | +2000 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +1800 | +1800 | +1700 |
| Ty Gibbs | +3300 | +3300 | +3200 |
| Alex Bowman | +3300 | +3300 | +3700 |
| Daniel Suarez | +12500 | +10000 | +15000 |
| Chase Briscoe | +10000 | +10000 | +9500 |
| Austin Cindric | +10000 | +10000 | +13000 |
| Harrison Burton | +30000 | +10000 | +20000 |
The Skinny On NASCAR Playoffs Format
After the first three races are complete, the playoff field is cut from 16 to 12 drivers. Any driver who wins one of the three races automatically advances to the next round.
Following a further three races, four more drivers will be dropping out of the title hunt. Again, win one of these three races and your spot in the next round is secure.
Finally, prior to the final race of the season, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship on November 10 at Phoenix International Speedway, only the top four drivers in the standings remain eligible for the title.
Before betting on the NASCAR Cup Series outcome, take advantage of the top mobile betting apps to place a wager wherever you might be at in the course of your day. And check out the best Georgia sports betting sites where you can put a bet down on both the Quaker State 400 and the NASCAR Cup futures.
NASCAR Cup Series Betting Picks
Larson is one of six former champions in the 16-driver field. Joey Logano (2018, 2022), Ryan Blaney (2023), Chase Elliott (2020), Martin Truex Jr. (2017) and Brad Keselowski (2012) are the other past champions seeking another title. Nine of the 16 drivers also qualified for the 2023 NASCAR playoffs.
Before we take a look at the top contenders and get into the analysis and predictions for this race, check out our how-to bet on NASCAR page.
Kyle Larson (+325)
He missed out on the NASCAR regular-season title by a scant point. Larson won four races this season to lead all drivers.
Those victories are sending him into the playoffs with 40 points and the series lead. It's never a good idea to give the most talented driver a leg up on the competition.
Denny Hamlin (+410)
Another chance for the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver to win his first-ever NASCAR Cup title. It's about the only prize missing from Hamlin's sure-fire Hall of Fame resume.
Hamlin starts with just 15 playoff points, though. He's already 25 points behind Larson.
Christopher Bell (+420)
Bell has made it to the NASCAR final four two years in a row. Hard luck, though, cost him a title shot.
A crew member caught a finger in a wheel during a pit stop in 2022. In last year's season finale, a brake rotor failed on Bell's car.
Tyler Reddick (+540)
Consistent performances over the summer leading into the playoffs were enabling Reddick to claim the NASCAR regular-season crown. Along with a win at Michigan, he was also second twice and third twice among 10 top-10 finishes over a 12-race span. But he's won just twice all season long.
Were he to win the playoff title it would be ironic, because Hamlin is co-owner of Reddick's team with NBA legend Michael Jordan. That would mean Hamlin would have one more title as an owner than he'd have as a driver.
William Byron (+660)
It's been a difficult run up to the playoffs for the Henrick Motorsports driver. Byron was 30th at Darlington on the heels of a 27th-place finish at Daytona. He ran 38th at Indianapolis. In fact, Byron has just one top-10 finish over his past five races.
He does tend to start near the front each week, though. Bryon has begun the race in the top-1o of the grid 11 times in the past 15 races. He shows three wins this season but none in the past 19 races. Bryon is seeking to become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson (2013) to win the Daytona 500 and NASCAR Cup Series Championship in the same year.
Best NASCAR Cup Series Prop Bets
Even though were into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, the fact of the matter is that every driver on the circuit is still eligible to run every race. They can win any of the races. It's just that they aren't eligible for the season title.
That being the case, many run free and clear in these races, knowing they can go all-out to win. That cane make the non-playoff drivers good bets to win races during the postseason.
On top of that, you can still bet all of the regular NASCAR props that are available for every race. These include which manufacturer will win, drivers to finish in the top three, top five, and top 10, pole position and segment winners.
NASCAR Cup Series Championship Pick
Larson has been the best driver all season long. Were it not for travel issues trying to get from the rain-delayed Indianapolis 500 to the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, Larson would've been NASCAR regular-season champ.
He'll make up for that disappointment by driving to his second career NASCAR Cup Series Championship.
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