The green flag is set to drop on the much-anticipated 67th Daytona 500 today. FOX has live coverage from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Racing fans from around the globe are banking on Daytona International Speedway to play host to a spectacle of grit, speed, and unpredictability. It's something that made loads of people fall in love with the sport when it was first aired nationwide from "flag-to-flag" on CBS in 1979 and keeps 'em coming back to this day.
Seven former champions are hungry for another taste of victory, including defending champ William Byron. But can they navigate the chaos, or will NASCAR’s poster boy driver Kyle Larson add winning the Daytona 500 to his illustrious resume?
Here are my best free betting picks for the Daytona 500, featuring a play on Tyler Reddick.
Daytona 500 prop picks
- Top Chevrolet: Kyle Larson (+550 at DraftKings)
- Winning Manufacturer: Chevrolet (+140 at DraftKings)
- Top Toyota: Tyler Reddick (+700 at DraftKings)
Daytona 500 props and best bets
Top Chevrolet: Kyle Larson (+550 at DraftKings)
Kyle Larson has had an up-and-down week. His NextGen car looked pretty good in qualifying, finishing with a time of 49.522. That bested almost all of his Hendrick Motorsports counterparts and put Larson in a decent spot going into Thursday's Duel.
However, the Duel didn't turn out the way Larson's team envisioned. Although he had some visually appealing laps, he got caught up in the infamous Daytona draft and was stuck behind a bunch of tightened-up cars for most of the 80-lap race, leading him to a 10th-place finish.
When the command is given for the drivers to start their engines on Sunday, Larson will find himself starting in the middle of the pack in 22nd. Of course, this isn't ideal, but his bad pole position shouldn't scare people away from Larson. After all, his resume speaks for itself: a NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2021, along with 29 Cup Series victories.
Larson knows what he's doing.
Add in the fact that he has arguably one of NASCAR's best pit crews and is one of the most skillful drivers in the field, and there's a lot like. Not to mention, the price of +550 just to beat the other Chevrolets is enticing.
Fellow Chevy drivers Kyle Busch and William Byron know how to throw their weight around in some of NASCAR's biggest races. Larson's Henrick Motorsport teammate Chase Elliott seems to be getting back into his grove, too, winning the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium two weeks ago.
Nevertheless, when the lights shine the brightest, Larson knows how to show up in a big way. As long as Larson doesn't get too aggressive and stays out of "the big one," he'll finish the highest out of the Chevy drivers.
Winning Manufacturer: Chevrolet (+140 at DraftKings)
At first glance, NASCAR diehards might say this is a chalky pick because everyone likes Chevy. Hendrick Motorsports, a team whose drivers all sport Chevy cars, have looked visually "meh" most of the week, with the team's pole positions telling a less than favorable tale for the 500.
On the other, drivers like Denny Hamlin (Toyota), Christopher Bell (Toyota), and Joey Logano (Ford) all boast winning pedigrees at Daytona International Speedway. Not to mention, they're starting in decent spots and their cars are racing well.
However, lots can happen in a 200-lap race. Pole sitters only have won the race 13.64% of the time, with the last being Dale Jarrett at the start of the millennium.
Since then, the sport has changed big time, with many of those said changes made to encourage closer competition. What this means from a betting perspective is it's anyone's race. If these Chevy cars can stay out of accidents, there's a good chance that three of the Top 5 cars going into the final laps will be Chevys. After that, it's all racing luck.
This isn't to disrespect Chase Briscoe or the rest of the Toyota and Ford drivers, but Chevrolet plays a strong hand this weekend, led by Larson. At plus money, it's hard to pass up this bet.
Top Toyota: Tyler Reddick (+700 at DraftKings)
Tyler Reddick has been flying under the radar all week leading up to "The Great American Race." Instead, the spotlight has been on fellow Toyota car Bubba Wallace.
Despite that, getting +700 Daytona 500 odds on Reddick, who starts in the 11th position, is very enticing. Reddick is that perfect mix of aggressive but patient. It doesn't always lead to him winning races, but it has helped him become one of the more dominant Toyota drivers over the last few years.
Truth be told, this is more of a play on the price than anything else. However, with some luck, Reddick could be a sleeper to win the whole darn thing.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
