2022 Daytona 500 Betting Preview/Prop Picks

NASCAR drivers make their way to arguably the most popular racing event of the season with the Daytona 500. Many of the usual favorites will be competing this time around, as well as newer faces compared to last year. 

The odds are also spread a little differently than you would expect. Below you will see who provides the best shot. 

Race Details

Date: Sun, Feb 20, 2:30 PM
Watch on: FOX

Betting Overview 

Last year’s Daytona 500 ended with Michael McDowell coming out of nowhere to win. His victory earned him respect the rest of the season, but not much transpired from that victory the rest of the season. 

This time around, many drivers will look to secure a victory without giving up any room for error. In addition, many favorites are expected to perform as they should. 

Head to Head Matchup to Watch 

Kyle Larson (157.463) and Denny Hamlin (155.649) are an excellent pair to watch compete. Larson was last year’s Cup Series champion, and Hamlin came in third. 

Hamlin is favored to win this 500 in every betting market, but Larson appears to still have an edge with leading in pole position from the get-go. Look for Hamlin to perform slightly better. 

Dunkel Index For This Event 

The Dunkel Index is showing these top 10 drivers that could win this event. The following ten are:

1    Denny Hamlin    155.649
2    Joey Logano    156.284
3    Kyle Larson    157.463
4    Chase Elliott    159.940
5    Ryan Blaney    162.039
6    Kurt Busch    162.614
7    Kyle Busch    165.760
8    Christopher Bell    166.103
9    Martin Truex Jr    166.196
10    William Byron    167.029

*index is subject to changes 

Drivers That Could Win 

Christopher Bell (166.103) offers the most interesting long shot to win the Daytona 500. He finished 12th last season here, and now he has arguably a better chance to win this year. 

With the use of “Next Gen” cars, the opportunities could be made with drivers that are outside the favorites. Bell is one of those names, especially with what he feels as a complete package of a car to perform in. 

If Kyle Larson (157.463) dominates like he did last season, then there is not much else any driver can do to stop him. The defending Cup Series champion will attempt to win on a superspeedway track, which should give him plenty of motivation. As the pole position leader, he has a good starting effort to make that happen. 

Potential Winning Pick 

Denny Hamlin (155.649) will be hard to pass up on with his history at Daytona. He has won here in 2016, 2019, and 2020. 

Looking at this race last year, he led with the most laps on the day but ended up at fifth place. After coming in third in the Cup Series, now is a perfect time to get a head start on the season.

Prop Picks

Matchup: Denny Hamlin (-110) Over Chase Elliott

Hamlin is trying to become just the third four-time winner of the Daytona 500 and just the second to win three in four years (Richard Petty is the other).

After winning the 2020 Cup Series championship, Elliott had a drop off last season, but still finished with a career-high matching 15 Top 5 finishes.

With Hamlin rated No. 1 in this week’s Dunkel Index and Elliott No. 4, these two should be battling for the checkered flag all afternoon long, but take the three-time Daytona champ (-110) to get the better of this matchup.

Matchup: Joey Logano (-110) Over Ryan Blaney

Logano crashed on the final lap of Duel 2, but showed he could be ready for a big season with a win in the Busch Light Clash two weeks ago. He won the Great American Race back in 2015 and has three Top 5 finishes and six Top 10s in his career.

Blaney came close to winning the 2020 Daytona 500, but lost out to Denny Hamlin in the second-closest finish in the race’s history. Overall, he has two runner-ups and three Top 10s in his seven starts.

With Logano rated No. 2 in this week’s Dunkel Index and Blaney No. 5, this should be another battle at the top, but take Logano (-110) to get the edge in this matchup.

Matchup: Bubba Wallace (-110) Over Aric Almirola

Wallace did pick up his first career NASCAR victory last year at Talladega and his 23XI racing team is hoping the addition of veteran Kurt Busch can continue to push him forward.

Almirola announced last month that this would his final season of racing. He comes into Sunday with three victories and 26 Top 5 finishes over 388 races.

With Wallace rated No. 18 in the Dunkel Index and Almirola No. 21, these two should be somewhere in the middle of the pack, but take Wallace (-110) to get the better of the retiring veteran.

Keep up with your latest NASCAR news coverage and betting pick previews at The Dunkel Index.