NASCAR

NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 Odds, Predictions & Best Bets At Daytona International Speedway

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By
Jeff Hawkins
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Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  

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Published11 Feb 2025

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cup drivers at cook out clash 2025 (1)

Consistency proved to be the key to driver Tyler Reddick earning the NASCAR Cup Series championship. 

And a bit of intuition, too. 

Among the top four drivers, Reddick enters Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500 showcase with eight combined wins, plus at least 10 top-five finishes over the past three seasons. Only Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson have accomplished that level of consistency since 2022. 

“He just has the ability to get speed out of a car that others can’t,” Hamlin told the Orlando Sentinel. “He’s also got very good race craft … being able to keep himself in the game, even when he doesn’t have the best car.” 

Reddick, 29, displayed his superspeedway skills last season by claiming a Duel race at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway and the spring race at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway. 

BetOnline Sportsbook appeared lukewarm on Reddick’s earning the checkered flag during the 67th edition of the “Great American Race.” Linked with Bell, Josh Berry, Ross Chastain and Ryan Preece with the fifth-best odds (+2000). Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson were favored at +1100.

Below, we’ll preview the top storylines heading into Sunday’s Daytona 500, go over the odds, and give our best bets for the Cup Series’ season-opening race.

Daytona 500 Storylines  

  •  Denny Hamlin remains critical of the Cup Series’ new Open Exemption Provisional (OEP), telling Fox Sports it’s an act of “desperation.” For Sunday, Trackhouse Racing’s Helio Castroneves earned the 41st starting spot.
  • Despite retiring from full-time Cup competition, Martin Truex Jr. Will attempt to win his first race at Daytona. A 34-race winner, Truex went 0-for-39 at the iconic track. 
  • Actor Anthony Mackie, the star of the upcoming movie, “Captain America: Brave New World,” will serve as Sunday’s Grand Marshal.  

Daytona 500 Driver Odds  

Here is an early look at the drivers’ odds for Sunday’s Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, according to BetOnline Sportsbook:

Driver NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 Title Odds
Kyle Busch +1100
Kyle Larson +1100
Ryan Blaney +1200
Denny Hamlin +1200
Joey Logano +1400
Brad Keselowski +1400
Chase Elliott +1600
William Byron +1600
Tyler Reddick +2000
Ross Chastain +2000
Christopher Bell  +2000
Ryan Preece +2000
Josh Berry  +2000
Chris Buescher +2200
Bubba Wallace +2200
Austin Cindric  +2200
Daniel Suarez +2800
Ty Gibbs +2800
Todd Gilliland +2800
Alex Bowman +2800
Michael McDowell +2800
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +3300
Noah Gragson +3300
Chase Briscoe +3300
Austin Dillon +4000
Helio Castroneves +4000
Ty Dillon +5000
Erik Jones +5000
AJ Allmendinger +5000
John Hunter Nemechek +5000
Justin Haley +5000
Cole Custer +5000
Shane van Gisbergen +5000
Carson Hocevar +5000

*-Odds current at time of publication  

Daytona 500 Predictions and Picks  

Here are our best NASCAR Cup Series bets for Sunday’s Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway: 

Kyle Larson (+1100) 

A co-favorite to win Sunday, Larson enters the new season with an old concern: superspeedway racing. In 21 starts at Daytona, the 2021 circuit champion has yet to record a top-five finish. Could he finally break through?

Denny Hamlin (+1200) 

A three-time Daytona 500 champion, including back-to-back trips to Victory Lane in 2019 and ‘20, Hamlin has struggled recently on the beach. During his past six outings, he recorded a P38, P19, P26, P17, P25 and P37. Can he rebound Sunday?

William Byron (+1600) 

Last season’s event champion, Byron edged Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman to secure the No. 24 team’s first Daytona 500 title since Jeff Gordon helmed a win in 2005.