The Daytona 500, NASCAR’s biggest event, takes place this Sunday afternoon in the Sunshine State. This will be the 64^th edition of the sport’s Crown Jewel, which has been held annually since 1959.

Last year’s race saw a surprise winner in Michael McDowell, which was the speedster’s first Cup Series victory. Can he repeat in 2022?

He’ll have his hands full dealing with both newbies and seasoned vets. This race is the season opener for the Cup Series Championship. Who will pick up an early win in the standings?

Let’s take a look at the latest NASCAR Daytona 500 odds to evaluate the favorites, the biggest contenders, and a few longshots for Sunday’s race. Check out BetMaker for a preview and prediction before placing your NASCAR bets.

All odds courtesy of SugarHouse online sportsbook.

NASCAR Daytona 500
Date and Time: Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 2:30 PM ET
Location: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, FL
NASCAR Odds: Denny Hamlin is the favorite at +900
TV Coverage: FOX

The Favorite

Denny Hamlin (+900)

Hamlin enters the race as the favorite according to the latest NASCAR betting odds, and for good reason.

Hamlin has won the event three times throughout his career, including two of the last three seasons. Last year, he finished fifth after leading a race-high 98 laps, snapping a two-win streak at Daytona.

Now, he has his eyes set on a return to the winner’s circle. With Hamlin’s success at this specific track, it’s hard to pick against him.

The Contenders

Chase Elliott (+1100)

Elliott finished runner-up in last year’s race, and he boasts the second-best odds of all remaining participants. He’s considered one of the sport’s top racers and will look to prove that standing on Sunday.

That second-place finish was the closest Elliott has come to winning at Daytona. Maybe this is the year he finally holds the crown.

Joey Logano (+1200)

Logano won the Daytona 500 back in 2015 and will look to repeat as champion in the 2022 edition. At +1200, he holds the third-best odds in the race.

Last year, Logano missed out on a top 10 finish, landing at 12^th when all was said and done. Still, he did lead 26 laps, the third-most of any racer.

The Longshots

Christopher Bell (+3000)

Bell led 32 laps last year, the second-most behind betting favorite Denny Hamlin. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to land him a victory, or even a top 10 finish.

Bell ended the race at 16^th, but he could be a sneaky pick to land a win this time around. He’s shown he can move to the front of the pack, he just needs to prove he can sustain it.

Erik Jones (+5000)

Jones finished 39^th out of 40 finishing racers in last year’s event, so his longshot status has been earned. Still, the youngster has seen previous success at Daytona.

In 2019, Jones finished third, narrowly missing out on a huge win. If he can find a way to the top of the group, a $100 bet would net $5,000 in profits.

The Reigning Champ

Michael McDowell (+5000)

Despite winning last year’s race, bookmakers aren’t too high on McDowell’s chances. At +5000, he holds some of the worst odds in the field.

Denny Hamlin repeated in 2019 and 2020. Maybe McDowell will see the same fate. If so, a $100 bet could yield $5,000 for McDowell backers. It’s worth noting that he posted the top speed of any racer in this week’s opening practice round.

NASCAR Prediction

Betting on the Daytona 500 is a bit of a crapshoot. With more than 40 racers in the field, and a high chance of multicar pileups, you’ll need a little luck.

Still, based on past performance, you can make an educated guess to best improve your chances.

It’s wise to go with racers that have fared well in the past. Take this year’s favorite, Denny Hamlin, for example. He’s won two of the last three Daytona 500s and seems to be a lock for a top five finish.

That train of thought doesn’t always work out, considering last year’s winner Michael McDowell surprised everyone as a 60/1 longshot, but history is typically the best indicator.

It’s hard to bet against Hamlin, but we’re going to go with the racer that finished second in laps led, Christopher Bell. Bell provides the best value on the board at +3000, and if he can find a way to sustain success, he could walk away with his first Daytona victory.

NASCAR Pick: Christopher Bell (+3000)