- What: Daytona 500
- When: Sunday, February 18th, 2:30 PM ET
- Where: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
While we've already had a race at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, Sunday marks the official beginning of the 2024 Cup Series season with the 66th edition of the always iconic Daytona 500. The race will get going at 2:30 PM ET at Daytona International Speedway in Florida. This event is the first race of the campaign every single year and typically serves as one of the most exciting races of the entire year. Heading into the weekend, 2015 winner and 2022 Cup Series champ Joey Logano is one of the favorites at +1000 odds, followed by Ryan Blaney (+1100), Brad Keselowski (+1200), Denny Hamlin (+1200), and Kyle Busch (+1200). Below, we'll dive into the Daytona 500 picks and discuss some history around the race.
Before we get into the analysis, odds, and predictions, check out our how-to bet on NASCAR page.
Daytona 500 Odds
| Driver |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +1000 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Kyle Busch | +1000 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Brad Keselowski | +1100 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Kyle Larson | +1200 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1200 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Joey Logano | +1200 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Chase Elliott | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Chris Buescher | +1600 | +1800 | +1800 |
| William Byron | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| Bubba Wallace | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
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Daytona 500 first began in 1959. It's a 500-mile long race with 200 laps in total. 65 in one and two and 70 in the third. NASCAR legend Richard Petty has the most titles in Daytona history with seven. When it comes to current drivers, Denny Hamlin's three wins at Daytona are a Cup Series best. He took home first place in 2016, 2019, and 2020.
Joey Logano (+1000)
Logano won the Daytona 500 pole on Wednesday, putting him in a prime position to be in contention come Sunday. The veteran had a bit of a down year in 2023 after winning the Cup Series the year prior. Logano finished 12th in the standings with just one win in 36 starts including 11 top-5s and 17 top-10 finishes as well. That being said, Logano has been one of the most consistent drivers on the Cup Series circuit over the years, making the final four of the playoffs in every single even year. He also won two championships between 2018 and 2022. Logano didn't participate in Daytona 500 in 23' but finished in 21st in 22'.
Denny Hamlin (+1000)
You can understand why Hamlin is one of the frontrunners here. As previously mentioned, he is a three-time champion at Daytona and had a really nice 23' campaign, finishing in fifth place. He notched three victories, 14 top-5s, and 19 top-10s. Hamlin is undoubtedly one of the best NASCAR drivers around and has finished in the top five at Daytona in eight of the last eight races on this track. He also has the fifth-most laps led in Daytona 500 history. Hamlin is one to keep a close eye on in the Daytona 500 picks.
Brad Keselowski (+1200)
Keselowski might not be a household name in the Cup Series, but he's had his fair share of success at Daytona. While he's yet to win it, Keselowski has led the most laps at this race in the last two years and tends to perform well on drafting tracks, finishing in the top-10 in four of the last five races. Keselowski was eighth in the standings last season, failing to win a single race. But, he found points elsewhere with numerous top-5s and top-10s.
Kyle Busch (+1200)
Busch has been around for a hot minute but he's still failed to win Daytona 500. In fact, this will be his 19th start at Daytona where he's led a total of 330 laps. Busch only has one top-10 finish in his last four appearances at Daytona and that was a sixth-place finish two years ago. In 23', Busch was 14th in the Cup Series standings, which is well below his standards. Hopefully, Sunday can be the start of a bounce-back season for him.
Kyle Larson (+1200)
Larson was a beast last season, just missing out on the Cup Series title. He ended up in second spot a mere one point behind Ryan Blaney, grabbing four wins, 15 top-5s, and 18 top-1os. Larson also led the most laps of any driver with 1,127. Daytona 500 in 2023 saw him finish in 18th place.
Ryan Blaney (+1200)
We can't ignore the reigning Cup Series champion. Blaney finished last year on absolute fire en route to the title, finishing in either first or second in four of his final six races. He's also a very strong superspeedway driver and won Daytona 500 back in 2021. Blaney will have all the confidence in the world as he looks to repeat as the king of the Cup Series. Don't be surprised to see him towards the top on Sunday afternoon.
Daytona 500 Picks
Definitely worth making a couple of picks here. I like Hamlin given his track record at Daytona and also Blaney because he is riding a high after last season and I think that'll play a part in him making a run at a title on Sunday.
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