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Daytona 500 Picks: Hamlin Favored To Make Race History

Wed 10/02/2021 - 06:11 EST
Daytona 500 Picks: Hamlin Favored To Make Race History

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?

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 OddsBovadaBetOnlineBetUS
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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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:

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