Qualifying for this year’s Daytona 500 went down on Wednesday, ending with 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson earning the Busch Light Pole. The veteran racer came out on top in race qualifying with a lap of 181.159 miles per hour.
Now that qualifying is out of the way, NASCAR fans will turn their attention to the actual Daytona 500 itself.
This year’s event is shaping up to be another exciting day, with BetMGM’s latest betting odds sharing some light as to who’s likely to have a good showing at the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.
Here’s a look at some of the top Daytona 500 contenders and where their odds stand ahead of the race.
2022 Daytona 500 Event Details
- When is the race? Sunday, February 20, 2022
- What time is the race? 2:30 p.m. ET
- Where is the race? Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Florida)
- Where can I watch the race on TV? FOX
2022 Daytona 500 Odds (As of Sunday, February 20)
NASCAR betting odds are via BetMGM.
- Denny Hamlin +800
- Kyle Larson +900
- Chase Elliott +1000
- Ryan Blaney +1200
- Joey Logano +1200
- William Byron +1400
- Kyle Busch +1600
- Brad Keselowski +1600
- Kurt Busch +1600
- Bubba Wallace +1600
- Alex Bowman +1800
- Kevin Harvick +2000
- Aric Almirola +2200
- Austin Dillon +2500
- Martin Truex Jr. +2500
- Chris Buescher +2500
- Harrison Burton +3000
- Austin Cindric +3300
- Christopher Bell +3300
- Tyler Reddick +3300
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +3300
- Ross Chastain +4000
- Justin Haley +4000
- Michael McDowell +4000
- Chase Briscoe +5000
- Erik Jones +5000
- Daniel Suarez +6600
- Daniel Hemric +6600
- Greg Biffle +6600
- Cole Custer +6600
- Ty Dillon +8000
- Corey Lajoie +10000
- Noah Gragson +10000
- Kaz Grala +12500
- Landon Cassill +12500
- Todd Gilliland +15000
- David Ragan +15000
- Jacques Villeneuve +25000
- Cody Ware +25000
- B.J. McLeod +25000
2022 Daytona 500 Favorites and Best Bets
Denny Hamlin (+800)
It’s hard to find someone who’s had more recent success at the Daytona 500 than Denny Hamlin. The 41-year-old veteran racer has won the iconic race three times since 2016, while also placing third and fifth during that time span.
While Hamlin’s odds are certainly the most favorable, it’s important to point out that sometimes the chance to make history is enough to propel a driver to victory.
Cale Yarborough (four) and Richard Petty (seven) are the only two drivers in NASCAR history to have won the Daytona 500 more times than Hamlin. He placed eighth in the qualifying round at 179.723 mph, which should give him a shot at joining Yarborough and Petty in the history books.
Kyle Larson (+900)
The Daytona 500 is one of the most unpredictable races of the year. While Kyle Larson hasn’t won the event in the past, BetMGM clearly has confidence in his ability to win judging by his +900 odds — especially after winning pole position for the race.
Larson’s past performances at the Daytona International Speedway have been a mixed bag, with him finishing as worse as 38th place but never higher than seventh. Keeping that in mind, he’s shown consistency in his last handful of outings, finishing 10th or better in each of his last three Daytona 500 appearances.
Another thing that Larson has going for him is that he’s the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion. He finished in first place in 10 races last season — by far the best showing of his career — and will look to start off 2022 on the right foot if he can continue that success.
Value Pick: Alex Bowman (+1800)
Alex Bowman has had a rather curious history at the Daytona 500. While he’s started in the No. 1 position on two occasions, he’s never finished better than 11th place. Last year, he placed 35th — the worst outing of his career at the race — and will be looking to make up for it come Sunday.
The 29-year-old showed a lot of promise in the qualifying round, placing second at 181.046 mph. This will mark the third time in the last four five years that he’ll be starting at the No. 2 position, so this isn’t anything new for Bowman. He won a total of four races during the 2021 season, so the Daytona 500 will be the big test to see if he can build on that moment.
At +1800 odds, bettors can get some great underdog value by going with Bowman. Yes, he’s never won at the Daytona International Speedway, but stranger things have happened. If Bowman can finally take his qualifying success and turn it to actual results on Sunday, some fans could be making some solid cash by going with him as the winner.
Daytona 500 History
When was the first Daytona 500?
The first Daytona 500 took place on February 22, 1959. Lee Petty won the first race, beating out Johnny Beauchamp in a photo finish. Beauchamp was originally declared the winner, but Petty’s victory was confirmed three days later.
Has the Daytona 500 always been held in February?
Every edition of the Daytona 500 has been held in February. The latest Daytona 500 race date was in 2012. The race was originally scheduled for February 26, but it was rescheduled for February 27 due to weather.
Who has won the Daytona 500 the most times?
Richard Petty (1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981) holds the record with seven Daytona 500 wins. Cale Yarborough (1968, 1977, 1983, 1984) is second with four wins. Bobby Allison, Dale Jarrett, Jeff Gordon, and Denny Hamlin are next with three.
Which drivers have won the race in consecutive years?
Four drivers have won the Daytona 500 in consecutive years:
- Richard Petty: 1973 & 1974
- Cale Yarborough: 1983 & 1984
- Sterling Marlin: 1994 & 1995
- Denny Hamlin: 2019 & 2020
Recent Daytona 500 Winners
- 2021: Michael McDowell
- 2020: Denny Hamlin
- 2019: Denny Hamlin
- 2018: Austin Dillon
- 2017: Kurt Busch
- 2016: Denny Hamlin
- 2015: Joey Logano
- 2014: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- 2013: Jimmie Johnson
- 2012: Matt Kenseth
- 2011: Trevor Bayne
- 2010: Jamie McMurray
- 2009: Matt Kenseth
- 2008: Ryan Newman
- 2007: Kevin Harvick