NASCAR is back with a bang with the Daytona 500, as the season opener takes place on February 19th 2023, with everyone looking to make the best possible start to the campaign.
This will be the first race of the 2023 Cup Series season, and last year's championship winner Joey Logano will look to kick off his title defense with a victory at the track where he has won once before.
We'll take a look at the race this weekend and provide you with our best free NASCAR picks while seeing if we can earn you some extra cash for the weekend.
| Daytona 500 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Blaney | +1000 | +1200 |
| Kyle Larson | +1200 | +1200 |
| Chase Elliott | +1200 | +1200 |
| Denny Hamlin | +1200 | +1200 |
| William Byron | +1400 | +1400 |
| Joey Logano | +1400 | +1200 |
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NASCAR Daytona 500 information
- February 19th 2023
- Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, California
- 200 laps, 500 miles
- 14:30 ET start time
NASCAR Daytona 500 Entry list
- Ryan Blaney
- Kyle Larson
- Chase Elliott
- Denny Hamlin
- William Byron
- Joey Logano
- Ross Chastain
- Kyle Busch
- Bubba Wallace Jr
- Brad Keselowski
- Tyler Reddick
- Austin Cindric
- Alex Bowman
- Christopher Bell
- Austin Dillon
- Erik Jones
- Martin Truex Jr
- Kevin Harvick
- Chase Briscoe
- Chris Buescher
- Michael McDowell
- Ryan Preece
- Daniel Suarez
- Aric Almirola
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr
- Justin Haley
- Ty Gibbs
- Noah Gragson
- AJ Allmendinger
- Jimmie Johnson
- Austin Hill
- Harrison Burton
- David Ragan
- Todd Gilliland
- Corey Lajoie
- Zane Smith
- Travis Pastrana
- Chandler Smith
- Ty Dillon
- Helio Castroneves
- Cody Ware
- BJ McLeod
NASCAR Picks: Daytona 500
Ryan Blaney - (+1200)
People are starting to catch on to Ryan Blaney and he is the favorite to come out on top in this race with the bookies.
The 29-year-old has got a habit of getting disqualified from races for crashing, but his super-aggressive style can also lead to surprising victories and that is what this would be.
He's been really performing in recent seasons, especially last season and you wouldn't be wrong to regard him as one of the most consistent drivers in NASCAR.
Given how well he's raced at Daytona in the past, and the fact that he pieced together three total podium finishes in 2020, we see the value in the bet. The fact it's the opening race of the year means anyone can win it.
Despite never winning a Daytona 500, Blaney is listed among the favorites. The No. 12 car did not win a race last season, yet still found his way to the playoffs on points, so back him to do well yet again.
Check out our review for BetUS sports betting here.
Denny Hamlin - (+1200)
Hamlin leads all active drivers with three Daytona 500 wins, and that is why he is right at the top of the betting once again.
Even by Nascar standards, Denny Hamlin is what we'd call a unique favorite. He's paying out 12-to-1, which is about twice the amount you would normally expect, but this is the start of the season after all.
You could also blame it on his fantastic record in the Daytona 500, having won the race in two of the last four years. Superstitious bettors will steer clear of him, assuming that he's overdue for a loss, but there is plenty to help you believe he can do it again.
His quality is sustainable. He's held leads for a total of 2,500-plus laps over the past four seasons and it would be far from a shock if he did it again for more of this race and claimed another win.
Chase Elliott - (+1200)
Elliott has already won a Cup Series championship in his young career, however he has yet to take home a checkered flag in seven attempts at the Daytona 500.
He logged a series-high five victories last season which accounts for his place as one of the co-favorites and Much like the other favorites in this race, his odds shouldn’t get much lower than they are now.
His record in the race has you looking away from him, but his racing ability is undoubtedly too good to overlook the value in this bet. It's definitely worth a little flutter.
Joey Logano - (+1400)
The 2022 series champion has one Daytona 500 victory to his name in his career, and will be hoping to do it again this year.
These odds should be in no danger of shifting as the public is likely to stay away from the No. 22 car for this race. Logano has an average finish of 19th in his last three Daytona 500 outings, including when he finished 21st in the 2022 edition of the race.
As the champion he can't be overlooked, however his previous performances on this track suggest he won't have the best start to his title defense so it's probably best to avoid him here.
Check out our review for BetOnline sports betting here.
Kyle Busch - (+1800)
Busch picked up just one season win in 2020, which marked arguably his worst season in the best part of half a decade.
Look more closely, though, and you'll find encouraging indicators. Busch has still rattled off 224 first-placed finishes. He also held leads for more than 550 laps.
With his move from Joe Gibbs Racing to the Richard Childress team, Busch has one of the widest odd margins on the slate.
Busch has never won a Daytona 500 in his storied career, but there is a first time for everything and he will be pushing for the best start possible for this season by finally getting a win here on his prestigious CV.
