A race that needs little introduction, the 2024 NASCAR 500 is a fantastic showcase that features the best in the sport of NASCAR. In this year’s race, a handful of racers have risen to the top of the early betting markets as the favorites. In this case, 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney has emerged as the overall top contender for the Daytona race, and while he had an excellent campaign last year, he has yet to win this iconic competition. Speaking of former champions, Denny Hamlin is another top contender in this year’s race and has won the competition three times in the past, most recently in 2020. Another excellent racer in this year’s lineup is the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular-season champion, Chase Elliott. Finally, Brad Keselowski rounds out the quartet of top betting favorite racers and is a former NASCAR Cup Series champion in his own right.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each of these racers along with a predicted Daytona 500 winner and more notes about NASCAR betting.
| Favorites to Win The 2024 NASCAR Daytona 500 Race |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Blaney | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| Denny Hamlin | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Chase Elliott | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Brad Keselowski | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
As noted above, Blaney had a sensational season last year, winning the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series and notching multiple victories last season (three total). However, he has yet to win at the Daytona 500 but he has come close in years past. This includes two second-place finishes, most recently coming in 2020. A consistent driver, during the last six races of the 2023 season, he scored two victories along with two second-place outings. A generational racer with bloodlines stretching back to his grandfather, Lou Blaney, the younger Blaney has scored 10 wins in his career, along with a stellar mark of 131 top-ten finishes. With his penchant for scoring high in races, Blaney has shown that he is a threat to be in the winner’s circle in each contest he enters.
A racer with perhaps the most style on the circuit thanks to his long-time partnership with Jordan Brand, Hamlin has won a total of 51 NASCAR Cup Series races. This includes winning the Coca-Cola 600 in 2022 and also the Daytona 500 in 2016, 2019, and 2020. Moreover, he is the fourth person to win the latter race in back-to-back seasons, alongside Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, and Sterling Martin. An interesting note that Hamlin is certainly aware of, he has the most wins in the NASCAR Cup Series without a championship. While he fell short of a title last season, he did notch three victories last year, including notching the checkered flag in Bristol. Of course, this would be a record-setting performance if he won a fifth time at Daytona and would certainly be a nice rebound from last year’s 17th-place outing.
The winner of the 2014 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, Elliott has been making history since making his NASCAR debut. In addition to notching this title, he is the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion and more recently, the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion. With 18 wins in the course of his young career, the native of Dawsonville, Georgia is a fantastic contender each time he steps on the race track. In addition to his 18 victories, he has also accrued an impressive 152 top-ten finishes throughout this career.
Our final racer spotlight, Keselowski, has been making waves since 2004. He is the second of only six drivers who have won a championship in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. A three-time winner of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver award (2008-10), Keselowski has accrued 35 wins in his strong career. However, a victory at Daytona has eluded him with the driver notching a career-best finish of third place back in 2014. Regardless, he has competed in the race for over 10 years so perhaps this is the year that he breaks through and scores the victory. Moreover, with his last win coming in 2021 at Talladega, perhaps the veteran is due for a victory at the iconic raceway.
Prediction: For the debut race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, take Blaney as the top pick to be crowned as champion on the victory road.
After you are all dialed in regarding the latest gaming news coming from the world of NASCAR, make sure to check out the wide variety of resources available to you only at SBS. Of course, for even more information coming to you from the auto racing giant, our NASCAR betting sites guide is a fantastic resource to tap into. Here you can find the latest betting markets on the sport and also more information on the most updated news as well. Moreover, for those on the go, the best betting apps rundown is a great resource to learn more about mobile betting and how you can stay on top of all the action going down. Finally, for those looking to diversify their deposit and withdrawal options, our payment methods breakdown is a great resource with options from traditional banking routes to other payment options like cryptocurrencies.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.
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