With qualifying, the Duels and all practice sessions officially complete, Daytona 500 odds are back open ahead of the 68th running of NASCAR's Great American Race (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX).
Updated Daytona 500 odds at bet365 show Kyle Busch at the race favorite at +1000, followed by Ryan Blaney (+1200), Joey Logano (+1200), Chase Elliott (+1200) and Denny Hamlin (+1400).
My strategy is to take a conservative approach with my Daytona 500 best bet picks to ensure I don't risk too much bankroll on such an unpredictable race — one that's could be dodging the rain according to the updated Daytona 500 weather report as well.
Still, there are some very nice values available right now based on the latest Daytona 500 odds, including an 80-1 long shot that had a chance to win both NASCAR Cup Series races at this track last season.
So without further ado, here are my Daytona 500 best bets for Sunday's race.
Daytona 500 Odds, 4 Best Bet Picks
*Odds as of Sunday morning
Joey Logano (12-1) to Win — bet365
The NASCAR Cup Series has run 16 races, combined, at Daytona and Talladega since the Next Gen car debuted in 2022.
Joey Logano has the best driver rating and has led the most laps over that span of races, while posting the top average running position among active drivers as well.
And it's not like Logano padded his stats years ago and has fallen off at the superspeedways.
Last year the driver of the No. 22 Ford once again posted the top driver rating and average running position and led the most laps across four total races at Daytona and Talladega.
Logano also won his Duel race on Thursday night, showing he once again has plenty of speed in the car.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (40-1) to Win — DraftKings
Blaney, Cindric, William Byron and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are all tied with two wins at Daytona and Talladega in the Next Gen car, which is the most of all drivers over that span.
Here are their odds to win today's Daytona from from bet365:
- Blaney: 12-1
- Cindric: 14-1
- Byron: 18-1
- Stenhouse Jr.: 35-1
Stenhouse Jr., the 2023 Daytona 500 winner, is very much a checkers-or-wreckers-type driver, but when we're betting outright winners that's not necessarily a bad thing.
With a price of 40-1 (via DraftKings), Stenhouse Jr. is a live long shot for the Daytona 500.
Action Network expert Nick Giffen is also betting Stenhouse Jr., which can't be a bad thing either, right?
Cole Custer (80-1) to Win — BetMGM
If you're looking for a deep sleeper for Daytona, Custer is your driver.
Custer was third on the final lap of the 2025 Daytona 500 before getting caught up in a wreck that relegated him to a 21st-place finish.
He then backed up that performance with finishes of 13th and fifth at Talladega and fourth at Daytona in August last season.
Add in the fact that Custer's team, Haas Factory Team, switched to a technical alliance with powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports during the offseason and we have all the makings of a driver who could steal a Daytona 500 victory.
When it comes to both value and upside, this 80-1 sleeper is my favorite bet for the 2026 Daytona 500.
Chris Buescher (+190) Over Kyle Busch — bet365
Yes, Busch won the pole and yes Busch has been good at this style of racing lately, but Buescher has been no slouch, either.
In 16 races at Daytona and Talladega in the Next Gen, here is how the two stack up in some meaningful statistical categories:
| Driver | Average Finish | Wins | Top 10s | Top 20s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Busch | 16.6 | 1 | 6 | 11 |
| Buescher | 17.9 | 1 | 6 | 10 |
Pretty even, right?
Yes, Buescher does start last in a backup car after wrecking in his Duel race on Thursday, but that's no a big disadvantage at a track like Daytona.
In fact, Byron won this race just two years starting at the rear in a backup car, so good drivers in top equipment, like Buescher, can easily get to the front over the course of 500 miles.
Should Busch be favored over Buescher? Yes.
But at -250? Absolutely not.
I'll gladly buy low on the RFK driver and his +190 price tag to finish ahead of Busch.
