The 68th edition of the Daytona 500 is the first official race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The Great American Race is the most anticipated and chaotic event in American motorsports. For the second consecutive year, 41 cars will be in the Daytona 500 with former winner Jimmie Johnson guaranteed a spot with the Open Exemption Provisional.
Two-time defending champ William Byron seeks to become the first three-peat winner in the long history of the Daytona 500.
Daytona 500 Race Overview
The prestigious NASCAR season opening Daytona 500 is held annually in February at the Daytona International Speedway. Located in Daytona Beach, FL the course hosts two NASCAR races a year, the other being the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Drivers will navigate the 2.5-mile tri-oval for 200 laps covering 500 miles. The 2026 race will be run on Sunday, February 15 with the green flag dropping at 2:30 p.m. ET. Television coverage is provided by FOX.
Why the Daytona 500 Is NASCAR’s Biggest Bet
- It’s called “The Great American Race” for a reason. The Daytona 500 offers the biggest prize purse on the NASCAR circuit and attracts the top drivers in the sport to open a new season.
- High-speed racing, drafting and frequent wrecks make the Daytona 500 difficult to handicap.
- Super speedways are adored by bettors due to the unpredictability of high speed pack racing, which often allows underdogs to win.
Daytona 500 NASCAR Race Basics
- The Daytona 500 NASCAR race has been the season-opener for the Cup Series since 1982.
- The likelihood of a multi-car wreck can level the playing field making the race more about survival and strategy rather than having the best team and car.
- Driving in tight packs and using the vacuum created by the car in front increases speed and often leads to major wrecks known as “the big one.”
Daytona 500 Lineup and Pre-Race Storylines
- Kyle Busch had the best Daytona 500 qualifying time of his career to claim the pole position for the first time at “The Great American Race.” Busch has never won the Daytona 500 in 20 previous starts. Joining Busch along the front row is 2025 pole-sitter Chase Briscoe, who was 0.064 mph off the pace.
How the Daytona 500 Lineup Shapes Betting
- Single lap qualifying can influence betting by highlighting how a driver and car navigate a track rather than season-long form.
- While the front row gets the best starting position it hasn’t always resulted in success. The pole-sitter has won the Daytona 500 just 9 times and not since 2001.
Drivers With Momentum Entering Daytona
The season is just getting started so it’s hard to pinpoint drivers with momentum. You can’t overlook 2-time defending champ Byron, however odds aren’t in his favor. In the long history of the race no driver has won three consecutive Daytona 500 races. Ryan Preece won the preseason, weather-impacted Cook Out Clash last week.
Daytona 500 Odds and Betting Markets
Odds for the outright champion, stage winners and even head to head driver matchups are on the table for the Daytona 500. Who would’ve known the NASCAR betting odds run so deep. Ryan Blaney opened as the outright favorite. Given the unpredictable nature of the race, favorites go from 4/1 or 5/1 to as high as 10/1 at Daytona.
Understanding Daytona 500 Odds
Odds to win 2026 Daytona 500:
- Ryan Blaney+950
- Kyle Busch+1000
- Denny Hamlin+1000
- William Byron+1100
- Joey Logano+1200
- Austin Cindric+1300
- Kyle Larson+1400
- Christopher Bell+1400
For reasons mentioned throughout this article longshots have had success at Daytona. Byron moved up the odds board last year after winning as a longshot in 2024. And the three winners before him Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2023), Austin Cindric (2022) and Michael McDowell (2021) all came out of nowhere to win.
Odds are wider in this race due to its unpredictable nature. Pack racing can cause frequent crashes wiping out favorites at any time.
Popular Daytona 500 Bet Types
- The most popular Daytona 500 wager is on the outright winner.
- Because of the chaos on the track with 41 cars and pack racing, throwing down on a top-5 or top-10 finish could be more profitable than trying to pick the winner.
- Backing a manufacturer is also a bet worth looking at. Chevrolet has won the last 3 races and 27 total.
Daytona 500 Betting Tips and Picks
The sentimental favorite is Kyle Busch, one of the best drivers in NASCAR with 63 Cup Series wins. However, none of his wins have been in the Daytona 500. The tide could be turning after Busch won the pole position.
Trends That Matter at Daytona
Past success at Daytona doesn’t always translate to future wins. But it sure doesn’t hurt. Denny Hamlin won 6 times last season and finished 2nd in the NASCAR Cup Series. He’s also a 3-time winner of the Daytona 500 and can join elite company as only the third driver to win at least 4 races.
Common Betting Mistakes at Daytona
The most common mistake bettors make is putting too much value on qualifying times. It’s easy to tear it up with no cars on the track, but battling 40 other cars for limited space during the race is quite different.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, simply due to the unpredictable nature of the race.
