Who Will Win the Daytona 500?
- Denny Hamlin is the +700 favorite to win the 2021 Daytona 500
- Hamlin has won the race each of the past two years
- No driver has ever won three straight Daytona 500s
No one has been able to get to the finish line ahead of Denny Hamlin in either of the past two Daytona 500 races. Can Hamlin create a NASCAR first and open the season by getting to Victory Lane in Daytona three years in a row?
Are you ready? It's go time! It's #DAYTONA500 race week!#TeamToyota pic.twitter.com/v5G3ueTbiG
— Toyota Racing (@ToyotaRacing) February 8, 2021
There hasn't been a driver to ever win the race three years in succession. Oddsmakers are thinking that history could be made this year, though. Hamlin is being established as the +700 favorite in the Daytona 500 odds to win the 2021 edition of the race.
| Daytona 500 Odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +700 | +600 | +650 |
| Brad Keselowski | +900 | +1100 | +850 |
| Chase Elliott | +900 | +900 | +850 |
| Joey Logano | +900 | +1100 | +750 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1000 | +1000 | +900 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1200 | +1800 | +1100 |
| Kyle Busch | +1200 | +1200 | +1100 |
Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84) and Sterling Marlin (1994-95) join Hamlin in the elite class of drivers who've taken back-to-back Daytona 500 checkered flags.
The race is scheduled for Sunday, February 14th at 2:30 p.m. EST. Who will feel the Daytona 500 love on Valentine's Day? Read on to find out about the best Daytona 500 NASCAR picks.
Can Denny Do It Again?
The betting line may be on Hamlin's side in the Daytona 500 Vegas odds, but history clearly is not. Then again, how do you not take +700 odds on a two-time defending champion?
1️⃣1️⃣ days until the #DAYTONA500!
— Daytona International Speedway (@DAYTONA) February 3, 2021
With back-to-back wins in 2019 and 2020, @DennyHamlin is looking to become the first driver to win the DAYTONA 500 three straight times. pic.twitter.com/VTAIeEQ9RZ
It isn't only Daytona where Hamlin shines on NASCAR's superspeedways. He was first and fourth last year in two races at Talladega.
Is The Chase On?
Chase Elliott's father Bill won a pair of Daytona 500s, but thus far, the Elliotts haven't been able to add their names to the Pettys (Lee, Richard), Allisons (Bobby, Davey), and Earnhardts (Dale Sr. and Jr.) as father-son Daytona 500 winners.
Can’t wait for #NASCAR season to start. Be sure to check out the #Daytona500 this Sunday at 2:30 PM EST live at @NASCARONFOX 🤙🏼 pic.twitter.com/p5UueLosMd
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) February 9, 2021
The reigning NASCAR Cup champion, Chase has never cracked the top 10 in five Daytona 500 starts. But he's getting plenty of attention this year. BetUS lists him as their third betting choice at +850.
Pal Joey
According to the NASCAR driver ratings, the top performer on superspeedway tracks last year wasn't Hamlin. It was Joey Logano.
In 2015, @joeylogano & the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil @Team_Penske race team scored one of their biggest wins - the #Daytona500! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/s14uiGgguR
— Shell Racing US (@shellracingus) February 9, 2021
He was rated at 94.8, one tick ahead of Hamlin's 98.3 rating. Logano won the Daytona 500 in 2015. He was the fourth-place finisher in the 2018 and 2019 races.
Hard-Luck Harvick
They call Kevin Harvick "The Closer" because he tends to get the job done on the track. Truly one of NASCAR's most consistent performers, Harvick has cracked the top 10 finishers nine times in the Daytona 500.
⛽️🛑 for @KevinHarvick as he heads back out to track. pic.twitter.com/Gf4CnGgAL0
— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) February 10, 2021
However, he's won the race just once, in 2007. Last year, Harvick was fifth, ending a three-year stretch of finishes of 24th or worse. You can get Daytona 500 odds of +1800 on Harvick at BetOnline.
Blaney's Come Close
Ryan Blaney was second to Hamlin last year. He was second to Kyle Busch in the 2017 Daytona 500.
I’ve been close to winning the #Daytona500 twice. Hopefully this is the year!
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) February 9, 2021
Tune-in Sunday at 2:30 pm ET on FOX. #NASCAR | @MenardsRacing pic.twitter.com/rfhLwmZab9
The Team Penske Ford driver shows three top-10 finishes over the past four races. At 95.1, Blaney was the third-best performer in the NASCAR driver ratings on superspeedways during the 2020 season.
Buescher A Longshot Who Could Come In
Every so often, someone drives up Victory Lane at the Daytona 500 that no one expected to see there when the race got underway. Think of Ward Burton in 2002, Trevor Bayne in 2011 and Austin Dillon in 2018.
This moment never gets old.
— Chris Buescher (@Chris_Buescher) February 5, 2021
Haulers are loaded and will soon be off to @DAYTONA! @FastenalRacing | #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/sOCowLjM0w
If it's a longshot you seek, a bettor could do worse than to make a play on Chris Buescher. He finished third last year. In 2018, he was fifth. The Roush Fenway Fords tend to run well on superspeedways.
BABB Daytona 500 Pick: Joey Logano (+1100).
Where To Bet On Daytona 500
There are a number of leading online sports betting sites that will provide bettors the chance to place a wager on the Daytona 500. The best bet you can make is to shop around in advance and seek out the best deal before joining one of these sportsbooks. Check out BetUS and MyBookie as examples.
The signup bonus offers that are in place at all of these recommended sites will prove advantageous to the bettor. And since you'll get a good deal wherever you go, why not shop around and find the best fit for your needs?
That is not what you're supposed to do. @KurtBusch | #BuschClash pic.twitter.com/tvD1O1CTnm
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 10, 2021
Do you want a risk-free first bet as a signup bonus? Perhaps you find a no-deposit bonus to be enticing. Or maybe you simply like the feel of cold, hard cash in your account and you want to go for a matching first deposit bonus. Whatever option you choose, you're already a winner.
Remember that new players and returning customers are eligible for better bonuses when they deposit using Bitcoin. As well, take advantage of the betting advice offered at these sites to help newcomers acclimatize to sports betting.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
