NASCAR has a unique stature and place in American Sports. Among its special characteristics is that its “Super Bowl” starts rather than ends the season. The Daytona 500 will open the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday. Martin Truex Jr. is the defending Cup champion. Brad Keselowski opened as a 7/1 favorite with the Daytona 500 Odds to win “The Great American Race.” The Daytona 500 is a restrictor plate race. Plate racing makes for tight packs of cars inches apart racing at close to 200 miles per hour. It makes for a breathtaking day of betting action.
NASCAR Betting Daytona 500 Odds
Date and Time: Sunday, February 18, 2018, 2:30 p.m. Eastern
Location: Daytona International Speedway
NASCAR Betting Daytona 500 Odds: Brad Keselowski 7/1
Daytona 500 TV Coverage: FOX
Chase Elliott is the second choice with the Daytona 500 Odds at 8/1. Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch opened at 10/1. Denny Hamlin is a 12/1 choice. Joey Logano opened at 14/1. Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are 16/1 choices. The Field is at 15/1. Much like any other sport NASCAR has its name brand favorite choices. The most popular of all big name drivers, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has retired. Junior won The Great American Race two times and was highly respected for his restrictor plate racing skills. He was the 15 time winner as the most popular driver in NASCAR. His retirement leaves a huge void on the board. Earnhardt Jr. was a perennial betting favorite regardless of actual ability.
Seven time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson earns a strong online sports betting review. Johnson is a two time champion of the Daytona 500. He took the checkers in 2006 and 2013 at The Great American Race. Johnson is coming off a 10th place finish last season. That finish may have cost him some betting public support. That wagering dip only serves to potentially add to his overall betting value however. Johnson is as capable as any driver on the track. In 32 total starts at Daytona he has three wins. He owns 14 top ten Daytona finishes during his career. Johnson has an average finish of 17.84 at Daytona.
Brad Keselowski is an interesting choice to win the Daytona 500. The 2012 NASCAR Cup Champion has one career win at Daytona in 17 career starts. He is a three time winner as the Nationwide Series most popular driver. In his 17 starts at Daytona Keselowski has just four top ten finishes. His average finish at Daytona is 21.7. Last season Keselowski finished fourth in the overall Cup standings. He has finished seventh or better in five out of the last seven seasons.
Matchup to Watch
This race makes for a challenging handicap. A key to beating the Daytona 500 Odds is tracking which drivers handle plate racing best. Austin Dillon immediately comes to mind as a sleeper selection at 30/1. Dillon was an 11th place driver in the Cup standings last year. He ranks second on the career list with an average finish of 15.22 at Daytona. He has five top ten finishes in nine starts at Daytona. 2014 Cup Champion Kevin Harvick has two career wins at Daytona. Harvick has 15 top ten finishes in 33 starts there as well. At 10/1 Harvick brings plenty of credibility.
Daytona 500 Odds NASCAR Picks
Austin Dillon combines exceptional ability with superior value. Dillon is the value pick.
Daytona 500 Odds NASCAR Betting Pick: Austin Dillon 30/1
