NASCAR is the only sport that starts their season with their biggest race, the Daytona 500. There are some favorable bets that can be an easy lock for this year's Great American Race. As the season begins every team wants to start the season strong, but there are some teams that have the resume to back up their odds of winning the Daytona 500. This article looks at who has the best chance to win the Daytona 500, with 1 with odds that win the track record should be favorable, and 4 being odds that aren't favorable considering the driver's track record.
Denny Hamlin (10-1)
Two time Daytona 500 champion, and reigning Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin makes a great bet for the first time NASCAR gamblers going into the Daytona 500.
Throughout Daytona Speedweeks, Joe Gibbs Racing, the team Hamlin races for, has had consistent speed, and Hamlin's teammate, Erik Jones, won the Busch Clash on Sunday and was pushed to the win by Hamlin.
Hamlin also was pushing eventual runner-up Ryan Newman to a second-place finish in the fall Talladega Cup Series race.
In his second year with Chris Gabehart, that chemistry can help bolster the confidence going into season two together.
Chase Elliott (10-1)
The fan proclaimed face of NASCAR, and son of 1985 Daytona 500 champion Bill Elliott, Chase Elliott is a fast superspeedway racer.
If there is any blemish on Elliott's resume is he only competitively finished one superspeedway race in 2019, now that one finish was a win at the spring Talladega race.
Elliott, who qualified third for the Daytona 500, has proven that his car has the speed to compete to win the Daytona 500.
With a new 2020 Chevy Camaro body looks to be better than the 2019 Camaro body, which had a noticeable point which made it difficult to push draft, looks to help Elliott to become the favorite.
Austin Dillon (40-1)
In Sunday's Busch Clash, there was only one car that finished the race without any noticeable damage, no it wasn't race winner Erik Jones, it was Austin Dillon, who ultimately finished 2nd in the race.
Dillon who is a previous Daytona 500 champion, has proved he has fast speed on the superspeedways.
Rumors going around the NASCAR garage is Richard Childress Racing, the team in which Dillon races for has brought some extra speed for Dillon, as well as Dillon's rookie teammate Tyler Reddick.
Even though it may be risky to put some money on Austin Dillon, Dillon was a +4000 favorite to win the Daytona 500 and was able to capture the trophy.
Kyle Busch (10-1)
The reigning NASCAR champion, and the winningest driver of the 2010s, may not be a favorite to win the Daytona 500.
Busch finished 2nd in last year's race, but besides that, he has not had the success that leans towards being the clear cut favorite. In 2018, Busch's race ended when he, in 2017, Busch blew a tire and took out a couple of other drivers.
In Sunday's Busch Clash, Busch had a fast car, but an aggressive push draft took himself, Joey Logano, and Brad Keselowski out of contention of the race. Busch was only able to finish in one superspeedway race in 2019, which was his aforementioned runner up in the Daytona 500.
Kyle Busch does have a win at Daytona, but it did come 12 years ago in the summer Daytona race.
Busch has said publicly that winning the Daytona 500 is the only real box he has yet to "check" when it comes to his NASCAR career.
