Expert Daytona 500 Longshot Picks – Get 80-1 Odds on Race Winner

• The Daytona 500 will roll Sunday, Feb. 16 for the 67th time, marking the start of the NASCAR Cup Series. The race has been pushed up to a 1:30 p.m. start because of the weather forecast

• As of Saturday morning, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch are co-favorites at +1200. Defending champion Kyle Larson is +1800

• Let’s swap some paint and give you insights on some longshot bets for the Daytona 500

The Daytona 500 brings its unique brand of mayhem to the world Sunday afternoon with a 1:30 p.m. ET start. The sights and sounds of the “Great American Race” are a sign that warm weather is on the way.

As usual, the race comes with plenty of intrigue and storylines. It’s a 41-car field that includes multiple rookies and one spot for a ‘world class driver’ filled by Helio Castraneves. Joey Logano is the defending Cup Series Champion.

We track the Cup title chase and weekly race odds here to bring you up to speed.

Now let’s talk Daytona and look at three potential longshots who could have you in victory lane on Sunday.

Daytona 500 Odds

Odds as of Feb. 15 at BetMGM Sportsbook. Be sure to check our best BetMGM promo code before making a bet on any big race.

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Daytona Longshot Pick: Austin Cindric +2000 ($10 pays $200)

These are amazing odds for a driver who has recently won the Daytona 500.

Cindric, just 26, made history back in 2022 when he won the Daytona 500 in his eighth start on the Cup Series. At the time, he was the second youngest driver ever to win at the tri-oval.

Unfortunately, Cindric’s career didn’t explode after that. He struggled in 2023 and finished 23rd at Daytona; last year he was one spot better. He has made the playoff two of his three seasons driving full-time on the Cup Series.

But a big reason to like Cindric was his performance in the qualifying Duels. Cindric will start on the front row Sunday, which gives him clean air and a chance to get out to the lead.

Daytona Longshot Pick: Ty Dillon +8000 ($10 pays $800)

Dillon is best known as the younger brother of NASCAR star Austin. He’s 32 and he’s also the grandson of NASCAR Owner Hall of Famer Richard Childress.

The 32-year-old has bounced around on various teams in his Cup career, and hasn’t won a race since 2014 on the Xfinity Series (NASCAR’s version of Triple-A). But now he’s latched on to Kaulig Racing, a team with deep pockets (read: money) and fast cars.

Dillon will be in the No. 10 car Sunday and starts seventh. He might have needed a fresh start to jumpstart his career.

Daytona Underdog Pick: Justin Allgaier +6000 ($10 pays $600)

Winning races is a special skill, and Allgaier has it. He won 25 races in the Xfinity Series and won the 2024 Xfinity Series title.

This will be his third time running at Daytona. He will be a huge crowd favorite for one big reason: Dale Jr. Allgaier is JR Motorsports first Cup Series driver in the No. 40 chevy. He’s been driving for Dale Jr. since 2016 and is now moving up to the big time. He is starting in Row 10. He’s been in a lot of races and may have some Earnhardt magic working for him.