Currently, the odds to win Daytona 500 are wide — and we mean wide — open. Below you'll find up-to-date lines on several NASCAR drivers. While every driver in the field has a line to win (in total, 40 are racing), we've featured only the very top contenders underneath. Here's who the top online sportsbooks are favoring to win:
| Driver |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +800 | +800 |
| Kyle Larson | +900 | +900 |
| Chase Elliott | +900 | +900 |
| Joey Logano | +1000 | +1000 |
| William Byron | +1400 | +1400 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1400 | +1400 |
| Kyle Busch | +1600 | +1600 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1600 | +1600 |
2022 Daytona 500 Preview
Technically speaking, the Daytona 500 is not the first NASCAR event of the year. It will be the first with Cup Series points on the line, but there was an exhibition a week ago — the Clash at the Colosseum (as in the famed LA Colosseum). Recapping what happened there might be a good prelude to previewing the 2022 Daytona 500 race.
In the Los Angeles race, Joey Logano edged Kyle Busch to take the checkered flag. It was a see-saw race between the two (as well as Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon) that didn’t lack fireworks despite not being a Cup Series event. However, the bigger storyline for bettors was the debut of the new NextGen car. It's been in the works since 2019, but this is the first time a competition featured the new-and-improved racing cars.
Of course, as with anything that's new, "bugs" exist. One such bug cost Denny Hamlin the race. He had an issue with power steering that forced him out of the competition early on. Issues also existed for Tyler Reddick, who actually led toward the start of the race. Reddick broke his transaxle but did say he thought the problem was self-inflicted, not necessarily because of the NextGen vehicle.
The fast-paced Daytona International Speedway will be an entirely new test for the NextGen car. But don't be surprised if some betting favorites have car issues that unravel their chances of winning in Daytona. At this stage in the season, each driver is a "guinea pig" and helping NASCAR work out the kinks in the NextGen car.
2022 Daytona 500 Picks
As we mentioned before, there's still uncertainty with the NextGen car — and that's going to be a thing, at least in the first half of the season. Drivers and teams are still adjusting to the changes. Therefore, it would be smart of you to "spread the wealth" when making 2022 Daytona 500 picks. You don't want to go "all in" on one driver only for them to have an untimely malfunction that costs them the race. With that said, here's which driver's we're most confident in right now:
Denny Hamlin
Alright, this should come as zero surprises to anyone that's followed the sport in the last three years. Hamlin won the Daytona 500 back-to-back in 2019 and 2020. He also took the checkered flag in 2016. His three all-time wins at the competition have him in a dead-lock for third-most of all time. No other active driver has won this twice, a little less three times like Hamlin.
Of course, we did mention Hamlin had power steering troubles a week ago. You would think his team would identify what went wrong and have it fixed by Daytona time, but you just never know with this NextGen car. But if you're betting on two drivers like we are, it's worth the risk given Hamlin's history of success at the Daytona 500.
William Byron
Byron is the ultimate boom-or-bust betting pick. Boom because he's won at Daytona before (not the Daytona 500, but the second annual event here in 2020) and another runner-up finish (2019). But he's also bust potential because he's crashed out on four different occasions. If he can avoid a wreck, then Byron is someone to look out for, hence why we're throwing money in his direction.
How To Watch 2022 Daytona 500
Now that you know who to bet on at Daytona, you'll probably want to watch the action unfold live come race time — and keep tabs on your bets. There's only one place to watch the 2022 Daytona 500 race and that's FOX. The network will televise the race on Sunday, February 5. It will also have a stream available in its FOX Sports app. The event is slated to begin at 2:30 pm EST.
How To Bet 2022 Daytona 500
The best place to bet the 2022 Daytona 500 race — or any other in the NASCAR calendar, for that matter — is one of the sports betting sites for NASCAR listed below. They have all the NASCAR odds you can think of, from moneylines to props and everything in between.
Furthermore, these same betting sites offer sportsbook bonuses for free play. The most lucrative of those bonuses is the sign-up, which is for first-time players only. These deals can reach as much as $2500 in free play. Current sign-up bonuses available are featured in the below table. Pick one bonus you like and hit the "play now" button next to it to redeem right away!
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