MOORESVILLE, N.C. —
The 68th running of the Daytona 500 — NASCAR’s Great American Race — is fast approaching, and the early odds board has begun to take shape as oddsmakers price the sport’s most prestigious event. Held annually at Daytona International Speedway, the 500-mile, 200-lap season opener has been the cornerstone of NASCAR since its inaugural running in 1959, when Lee Petty was awarded the win after a photo-review of a three-wide finish in a field that included Johnny Beauchamp and Joe Weatherly. Thousands have since followed his lead into Victory Lane, chasing the iconic Harley J. Earl Trophy and that first taste of Speedweeks glory.
The Daytona 500 isn’t just a race. It’s a rite of passage, a test of precision drafting, split-second decisions and endurance on the 2.5-mile high-banked oval. Its rich history includes record fields, dramatic finishes and the kind of moments that turn drivers into legends and fans into believers.
Traditionally, the Daytona 500 kicks off a stretch of plate-track racing, and for 2026 that trend continues. The NASCAR Cup Series opens the season with back-to-back superspeedway events, including the 500 and its companion Duels on the Thursday and Friday of Speedweeks. That means every full-time driver enters the year with three straight plate races to showcase drafting prowess, strategic alliances and track position mastery — all before the series shifts into its diverse, season-long grind of short tracks, road courses and intermediates.
Early Daytona 500 Odds
As of mid-January, DraftKings Sportsbook and other reporting list the early favorites and longshots for the 2026 Daytona 500. These numbers, from multiple sportsbooks, give a snapshot of how handicappers view the contenders with nearly a month to go:
Top 10 Favorites (Odds to Win)
- Ryan Blaney +1000 — A perennial superspeedway threat and 2023 Cup Series champion.
- Joey Logano +1000 — 2015 Daytona 500 winner with proven drafting skills.
- William Byron +1100 — Two-time defending Daytona 500 winner, bidding for a historic threepeat.
Austin Cindric +1400 — A former 500 winner and strong plate racer.
Kyle Larson +1400 — One of the sport’s most versatile stars.
Denny Hamlin +1400 — Three-time Daytona 500 winner.
Chase Elliott +1400 — Elite superspeedway performer.
Brad Keselowski +1600 — Expected back from injury and always a factor.
Kyle Busch +1600 — One of the sport’s all-time greats chasing his first Daytona 500 win.
Christopher Bell +1600 — A dynamic racer with big-track upside.Longshots to Watch
Bubba Wallace +2500, Tyler Reddick +2200, Connor Zilisch +2200 — fresh talent with upside — and Carson Hocevar +3000, Ross Chastain +2200 rounding out intriguing value plays on the board.
There’s a layered story here beyond numbers. Team Penske’s lineup — led by Blaney and Logano — boasts a deep history of success on drafting tracks, and their early co-favorite status reflects both pedigree and recent performance on similar circuits. Those two never fear pack racing, and their combined aggressiveness and technical strength make them natural pole and win contenders at Daytona.
Then there’s William Byron, who has already etched his name atop NASCAR’s biggest race twice — in 2024 and 2025. A third consecutive win would put him in rarified company. Only four drivers in history have won back-to-back Daytona 500s, including Richard Petty and Denny Hamlin, and none have won three straight. Byron’s +1100 odds reflect confidence that he could rewrite another chapter of speedway lore.
Kyle Busch remains a compelling value pick. Despite his immense résumé and status as one of the sport’s all-time winners, a Daytona 500 trophy has eluded him. That quest adds narrative tension to his +1600 odds — a longshot on paper with the talent to shock the board.
Plate racing is inherently unpredictable. The big track demands timing, cooperation and split-second instincts, and the Duels set the tone for Sunday’s finale. But as the Daytona bettors and analysts will tell you, super speed thrives on variance — and plenty of drivers outside the chalk have won one of NASCAR’s crown jewels over the years.
From Lee Petty winning the very first 500 after a photo review to modern champions threading through massive wrecks, the Daytona 500 always brings drama. With an early odds board led by Penske stars and highlighted by the possibility of a Byron three-peat, the 2026 Great American Race is shaping up to be must-watch television and essential strategy for fans and bettors alike.
As Speedweeks draws closer and qualifying and Duels provide more data, those odds are sure to shift. But for now, the storylines are rich — a blend of history, strategy and the unpredictable theater that has defined Daytona for more than six decades.
Stay tuned to EasySportz for updates, insights and deeper analysis as the countdown to February 15 continues.
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