The odds to win the Daytona 500 have continued to shift throughout the NASCAR Cup Series offseason, and the recent qualifying events at Daytona International Speedway have brought further adjustments. After Wednesday’s single-car qualifying session and the two America 250 Florida Duel races on Thursday, the leaderboard for bettors has changed notably.
Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing had been the frontrunner in the Daytona 500 odds heading into Speedweeks, surpassing Team Penske’s Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports had also risen to claim the second spot behind Hamlin during that period.
Historical Success and Potential Milestones for Top Drivers
Hamlin remains the most accomplished active driver in the history of the “Great American Race,” having secured three victories between 2016 and 2020. William Byron, on the other hand, aims to replicate an achievement not yet accomplished—winning the Daytona 500 three years consecutively. While only a handful of drivers have won the race back-to-back, the elusive three-peat remains unachieved.
A New Leader Surfaces as Hamlin’s Odds Slide
Hamlin’s reign atop the odds board was brief as Ryan Blaney has reclaimed co-favorite status at +1100 odds. Alongside Blaney, Kyle Busch of Richard Childress Racing has emerged as a new co-favorite following his performance in qualifying. Busch earned the pole position for the Daytona 500, marking his first career pole at this event in his 21st start. Despite leading the most laps of any driver in Daytona 500 history, Busch’s best finish remains a second place in 2019 as he chases his first victory at the race.
However, Busch faces a historical challenge—no driver who has started from the pole has won the Daytona 500 since Dale Jarrett’s win in 2000. Moreover, no polesitter has even finished better than fourth place in the last two decades, casting some uncertainty over Busch’s prospects despite his strong qualifying position.
Current Starting Positions and Updated Odds for Key Drivers
Hamlin is currently tied with Joey Logano at +1200 odds, with Hamlin set to start 22nd and Logano starting third after clinching victory in the first Duel race. Chase Elliott, the winner of the second Duel race and teammate of William Byron at Hendrick Motorsports, will begin fourth and holds odds of +1400, sharing that position with Kyle Larson.
William Byron’s situation worsened as he crashed in his Duel race, resulting in a starting position of 39th and a drop to +1600 odds. Chase Briscoe, also from Joe Gibbs Racing, is slated to start on the front row and has improved his odds to +2000 after achieving the best finish by a polesitter since 2000 last year when he placed fourth.
Upcoming Broadcast and Continued Odds Adjustments
The 68th running of the Daytona 500 will be broadcast live on Fox, beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15. Given the dynamic nature of race weekends, the odds set by DraftKings Sportsbook remain subject to change as further developments occur on and off the track.
