The most prominent race in stock car racing is only a few days away as we gear up for the 65th running of the Daytona 500, also known as The Great American Race.
As of this writing, Speedweeks are currently underway at Daytona. There are events and activities all week leading up to the running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 19th.
On the night of February 15th, the NASCAR Cup Series single-car qualifying session will take place. The following day, there are two qualifying duels1. You can bet on all of the action this week at the best Daytona 500 betting sites.
The single-car qualification stage will determine who starts on the front row of the Daytona 500. These two drivers will line up behind the pace car and bring the grid around to the green flag.
The Daytona 500 marks the first race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, which runs from February 19th to November 5th. The final race of the year will crown a new Cup Series champion at Phoenix Raceway2.
Joey Logano is coming off a NASCAR Cup Series title in 2022. He finished two places ahead of Championship 4 finalist, Ross Chastain, to capture his second Cup Series championship3.
Feels good to be back. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/gAGKq0k7OA
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 15, 2023
2023 Daytona 500 Odds
The following odds are courtesy of Bovada
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Chase Elliott | +1200 |
| Denny Hamlin | +1200 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1200 |
| Joey Logano | +1400 |
| Kyle Busch | +1400 |
| Kyle Larson | +1400 |
| Bubba Wallace | +1600 |
| Ross Chastain | +1600 |
| William Byron | +1600 |
| Brad Keselowski | +1800 |
| Alex Bowman | +2500 |
| Austin Cindric | +2500 |
| Austin Dillon | +2500 |
| Christopher Bell | +2500 |
| Erik Jones | +2500 |
| Kevin Harvick | +2500 |
| Michael McDowell | +2500 |
| Tyler Reddick | +2500 |
| Chase Briscoe | +2800 |
As is customary at superspeedways, the Daytona 500 odds are wide open this year. Whether it’s Daytona or Talladega, the oddsmakers always find it difficult to accurately set a favorite to win, which is why there’s always three or four drivers listed as the betting favorites.
That’s exactly the case for the 2023 Daytona 500 as there are three drivers listed as the odds on favorites. Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Blaney have +1200 odds to win the race. The 2022 Cup Series champion (Logano) is closely trailing at +1400.
We didn’t expect to see Kyle Larson this high up the odds at +1400. Despite being one of the most talented drivers on the grid, he has never run well at superspeedways. Is this finally the year that Larson figures out how to win at Daytona?
Kyle Busch comes in at +1400. The former Toyota mainstay left Joe Gibbs Racing and is now driving for Richard Childress in 2023. It’s going to take us all a minute to get used to seeing Busch in a Chevy.
Daytona 500 Start Time and Where To Watch
The 2023 Daytona 500 is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway.
NASCAR RaceDay will begin at 11 a.m. EST on FS1. Fox will take over the coverage with the pre-race festivities starting at 1 p.m. EST4 and the green flag dropping at 2:30 p.m. EST.
The 500-mile race typically takes 3.5 to 4 hours to complete depending on the number of crashes and caution laps.
Austin Cindric: Daytona 500 champion. pic.twitter.com/4tY7Ec8aSC
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 21, 2022
Daytona 500 Past Winners
Austin Cindric is the defending winner of the Daytona 500. Despite not being a prerace favorite to win, Cindric was able to avoid running into trouble at the end and take the checkered flag.
Typically, the driver that is able to avoid getting caught up in wrecks, and is at the right place at the right time in the final laps, is the one who wins. Like Cindric, Michael McDowell’s win in 2021 was another example of this.
The McDowell victory snapped a two-race winning streak for Denny Hamlin. Hamlin is looking to get back into the winner’s circle after winning the Daytona 500 in 2019 and 2020.
Richard Petty holds the record for most Daytona 500 wins with seven. He has a comfortable lead over Cale Yarborough and Hamlin’s three wins5. Let’s look over the most recent drivers to win the Daytona 5006.
Daytona 500 Prop Bets
| Driver | Year |
|---|---|
| Austin Cindric | 2022 |
| Michael McDowell | 2021 |
| Denny Hamlin | 2020 |
| Denny Hamlin | 2019 |
| Auston Dillon | 2018 |
| Kyle Busch | 2017 |
| Denny Hamlin | 2016 |
| Joey Logano | 2015 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 2014 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 2013 |
| Matt Kenseth | 2012 |
| Trevor Bayne | 2011 |
| Jamie McMurray | 2010 |
Betting on the Daytona 500 race winner is not the only option NASCAR bettors have this weekend. There are a variety of different Daytona props to potentially wager on. The following is a list of our best Daytona 500 prop bets to consider:
Top Toyota at Daytona 500 Odds and Pick
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +220 |
| Bubba Wallace | +350 |
| Tyler Reddick | +450 |
| Christopher Bell | +600 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +600 |
| Ty Gibbs | +800 |
| Travis Pastrana | +3300 |
It’s weird looking at the odds for this prop bet without Kyle Busch included. The fact that Travis Pastrana is on this list of Toyota drivers, and not Busch, is bizarre.
Pastrana has had success in a Subaru on a rally course, but we’ll see how it goes for this Toyota driver’s Daytona 500 debut. Spoiler: he won’t have a chance on Sunday.
Hamlin and Christopher Bell look like intriguing options for this bet, though. To win this wager, you must correctly select which Toyota driver finishes with the higher position at the end of the race.
Hamlin’s success has been well-documented at Daytona International Speedway. He’s made it to Victory Lane twice at Daytona since 2019. Look for him to be competitive again this year.
Bell has to be worth considering at +600. He was the most underrated driver in NASCAR last season. The 28-year-old steadily improved after a slow start and reached the playoffs.
Christopher Bell explains what worked well for him in 2022 that he would want to duplicate in 2023: pic.twitter.com/C0nw2xSE6w
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 8, 2023
However, his last two starts were not the best at Daytona. Bell finished 34th and 36th after having to exit the race due to accidents. Three of his last four starts at Daytona resulted in an accident designation7.
Bell was 5th, 16th, and 2nd in the previous three starts that he finished at this racetrack. Coming off his best season in the Cup Series, expect the confidence and momentum to continue in 2023.
At +600, we are playing this prop bet on Bell to finish as the top Toyota.
Top 10 Finish at Daytona 500 Odds and Pick
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | -115 |
| Ryan Blaney | -115 |
| Chase Elliott | -105 |
| Joey Logano | +115 |
| Kyle Larson | +115 |
| Kyle Busch | +130 |
| Ross Chastain | +130 |
| William Byron | +130 |
| Brad Keselowski | +140 |
| Bubba Wallace | +140 |
| Austin Cindric | +150 |
| Tyler Reddick | +160 |
| Kevin Harvick | +175 |
| Christopher Bell | +185 |
Bet on as many drivers as you would like or only one to finish in the Top 10 at the Daytona 500. There is good value to be had with this prop bet. While Christopher Bell is a good bet at +185, we are analyzing two other drivers for this wager.
The best value on the board has to be the No. 2 car driven by Austin Cindric; who has only raced three times as a Cup Series driver at Daytona. However, he has found plenty of success in those races.
An epic start to his rookie season. @AustinCindric delivered the No. 2 its first win in the DAYTONA 500 in just his eighth start in the NASCAR Cup Series.#PenskePast pic.twitter.com/rcrKBRIlG8
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) December 15, 2022
Going into Sunday, Cindric leads all Cup Series drivers with an average finish of 6.3 on this superspeedway. The 24-year-old native of Columbus, Ohio, has already won at Daytona along with two Top 5 performances8.
According to the odds at Bovada, Cindric is the 11 most likely driver to finish in the Top 10. That doesn’t look or feel correct. Expect Cindric to have a better than +150 chance of winning this prop bet in the Daytona 500.
The other driver to consider has to be Bubba Wallace at +140. Wallace is another driver that has fared well at this racetrack. He typically brings a fast car to superspeedways.
In six outings at Daytona, Wallace has an average finishing position of 8.7. He has three Top 5 finishes in what were a few close calls9.
Wallace wants this race badly. If he doesn’t win, it’s probably a sure bet that he will call a driver or two bozos following the Daytona 500. Whether you like Wallace’s short temper or not, he should run a good race on Sunday.
The No. 23 car finished behind Cindric in 2nd at last year’s Daytona 500. It was the second consecutive runner-up finish for Wallace at Daytona.
In his previous five attempts, Wallace has an average finishing position of 7.410. Also keep in mind that Wallace is coming off a pretty nice effort in the Clash at the Coliseum last weekend.
Bet on Cindric and Wallace to finish in the Top 10 at the 2023 Daytona 500.
Winning Team at Daytona 500 Odds and Pick
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Hendrick Motorsports | +400 |
| Any Other Team | +450 |
| Team Penske | +500 |
| Joe Gibbs Racing | +600 |
| Stewart-Haas Racing | +800 |
| 23XI Racing | +1000 |
| Richard Childress Racing | +1100 |
| Trackhouse Racing | +1100 |
| Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing | +1200 |
| Kaulig Racing | +1600 |
This Daytona 500 prop bet requires picking the winning team of the race. Hendrick Motorsports stands out as our top choice for this prop.
This wager also coincides with who we like to win the Daytona 500 in 2023. Hendrick brings four talented drivers to Daytona, Florida, this week:
- Chase Elliott #9
- Kyle Larson #5
- William Byron #24
- Alex Bowman #48
We have discussed how Larson hasn’t produced his best work at Daytona. However, his Daytona 500 odds suggest that there is some faith in him this season.
Show our drivers some ❤️. pic.twitter.com/bXfeWrtXQw
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) February 14, 2023
After dominating in 2021, Larson did not have as much success last season. This might be an added incentive for them to come out firing on all cylinders in 2023.
William Byron won at Daytona on August 29, 202011. He has not been able to match that success in six races since then. However, expect Byron to be a dark horse of sorts in this race.
The 2023 regular season champ is the biggest reason to like Hendrick Motorsports. Despite not winning the Cup Series title, Elliott was consistently the best in the regular season.
Consider backing Hendrick Motorsports to win the Daytona 500. Let’s dig deeper into Elliott’s chances below.
Daytona 500 Predictions: Who Takes The Checkered Flag?
Elliott is looking to follow up a memorable campaign with another successful year in 2023. There are several metrics that indicate Elliott was the best Cup Series driver last season.
While Elliott was unable to finish strong in the playoffs, he led all drivers in wins, laps led, and average finish on the year. Elliott finished the 2022 season as the only driver with five wins. He also led 857 laps and had an average finish of 12.4712.
Who will win The Great American Race? #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/9PV3f32Ae7
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 13, 2023
Since 2017, Elliott has recorded two wins at Daytona. Despite not winning here since 2018, there is reason to be excited about his most recent performances.
Elliott has finished in the Top 10 in six of his last seven races at this superspeedway. Four of those outings include Top 5 performances13.
Elliott did about everything right in the 2022 regular season except win at Daytona. He may not win the playoffs in 2023, but we are betting on Elliott to win at Daytona for the first time since 2018.
As a favorite to win the Daytona 500, there is still value on Elliott at +1200 to win. He should be considered on your Daytona 500 betting card to win.
Sources
1. 2023 NASCAR Daytona 500 Speedweeks scheduled released. Retrieved From https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/2023-nascar-daytona-500-speedweeks-schedule/10413315/
2. 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule | NASCAR.com. Retrieved From https://www.nascar.com/nascar-cup-series/2023/schedule/
3. Joey Logano wins second NASCAR Cup Series title. Retrieved From https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/joey-logano-wins-second-nascar-cup-series-title
4. NASCAR TV Schedule: Week of Feb. 13-19, 2023 | NASCAR. Retrieved From https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2023/02/12/nascar-tv-schedule-week-of-feb-13-19-2023/
5. Who has won the most Daytona 500s? Retrieved From https://www.q13fox.com/sports/who-has-won-the-most-daytona-500s
6. Complete Daytona 500 winner history. Retrieved From https://www.nascar.com/gallery/complete-daytona-500-winner-history/
7. NASCAR Statistics: Christopher Bell at Daytona. Retrieved From https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar/drivertrack.php?drv_id=3287&trk_id=6
8. NASCAR: Daytona Driver Averages. Retrieved From https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar/track_avg.php?trk_id=6
9. NASCAR: Daytona Driver Averages. Retrieved From https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar/track_avg.php?trk_id=6
10. Misc Stats – Racing-Reference. Retrieved From https://www.racing-reference.info/misc-stats/?id=wallada01&trk=029&series=W
11. NASCAR Statistics: William Byron at Daytona. Retrieved From https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar/drivertrack.php?drv_id=3440&trk_id=6
12. Plenty of high marks in Elliott’s 2022 season. Retrieved From https://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/news/articles/121961/chase-elliott-2022-season-review-five-wins-regular-season-title-championship-4
13. NASCAR Statistics: Chase Elliott at Daytona. Retrieved From https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar/drivertrack.php?drv_id=4070&trk_id=6
