NASCAR Daytona 500 Predictions, Odds & Race Preview — Daytona International Speedway

Fans will be packed into the "World Center of Racing" this Sunday, February 15 when the NASCAR Cup Series opens its 2026 season with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

William Byron is in pursuit of a three-peat, and he is among the favorites in the Daytona 500 odds.

This race is known for generating chaos, but our Daytona 500 predictions and free betting picks are here to help you get a sense of just who might be hoisting the Harley J. Earl Trophy in Victory Lane this year.

Odds to win 2026 Daytona 500

Driver
Denny Hamlin	+900
Ryan Blaney	+1000
William Byron	+1100
Kyle Larson	+1100
Kyle Busch	+1100
Joey Logano	+1200
Austin Cindric	+1800
Chase Elliott	+1800
Christopher Bell	+1800
Brad Keselowski	+2000
Chase Briscoe	+2000
Alex Bowman	+2000
Bubba Wallace	+2200
Chris Buescher	+2200
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	+2500
Ryan Preece	+2500
Carson Hocevar	+2800
Ross Chastain	+3000
Tyler Reddick	+3500
Connor Zilisch	+4000

Odds as of 2-12.

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Daytona 500 expert picks and predictions

Odds listed below courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of 2-12.

Daytona 500 pre-qualifying favorites

Denny Hamlin (+900)
Implied odds: 10%
Denny Hamlin isn't often the sentimental favorite, but after losing his father in a house fire less than two months ago, a fourth Daytona 500 victory would certainly qualify as a "feel good" story. 

Hamlin might have won his first championship last season with a little more luck. He's one of the great drafting track racers of all-time and is always a threat at Daytona.

Ryan Blaney (+1000)
Implied odds: 9.1%
The Penske Fords are a common sight at the front of the pack at Daytona, with Ryan Blaney among them. 

Although Blaney has never won the 500, he has taken the summer race over this course on two occasions. He's also a three-time winner at Talladega.

William Byron (+1100)
Implied odds: 8.3%
This price feels a bit disrespectful, as William Byron seeks a Daytona 500 three-peat. 

Byron has won here three times overall, and is first in average finish among current full-time drivers at drafting tracks over 18 races dating back to February 2023.

Daytona 500 sleeper

Carson Hocevar (+2800)
Implied odds: 3.4%
Carson Hocevar's aggression can be a blessing and a curse, but he's hit the Top 10 in four of his last five races on drafting tracks. There's no doubt he has the guts to make a decisive last-lap pass in the Daytona 500, which it always seems to come down to, and this is a nice price.

Daytona 500 fade

Kyle Larson (+1100)
Implied odds: 8.3%
Kyle Larson has never, ever won on a drafting track, yet he always gets bet like a good thing at Daytona and Talladega. Until he finally gets this monkey off his back, he is an automatic toss in races like the Daytona 500 for this handicapper.

Daytona International Speedway track analysis

Daytona International Speedway is a 2.5-mile superspeedway located in Daytona Beach, FL. It typically hosts two NASCAR Cup Series races per season, but chief among them is the "Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing," the Daytona 500. 

Daytona opened in 1959 and hosted the first Daytona 500 on February 22 of that year. The event has been renewed every year since. 

Expect tight pack racing at Daytona, which is known as a drafting track. This can lead to big wrecks and unpredictable outcomes.

Daytona International Speedway trend to know

William Byron, the reigning Daytona 500 champion, became the first back-to-back winner of the race since Denny Hamlin in 2019-20. 

How to watch the Daytona 500

Daytona 500 weather

Meteorologists are calling for significant cloud cover on a 77-degree Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. There is an elevated chance of rain beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET, with thunderstorms developing late at night, increasing the possibility that the Daytona 500 start time gets moved up.

Previous Daytona 500 winners

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