The most iconic race in stock car racing, the Daytona 500, will be televised live on Sunday, February 15th, at 2:30 PM on FOX, and BetUS has an extensive menu of Daytona 500 odds for the avid auto racing fan and those who enjoy NASCAR betting.
Let’s delve into the past and present of the crown jewel of NASCAR and find out why it is called the “Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing”!
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Imagine the NFL scheduling the Super Bowl in the first month of the season. That wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense, but the most prestigious race on the NASCAR schedule is also one of the first events on the 2026 NASCAR season slate.
The prize purse is a record-breaking $30.3 million this year, with the winner set to collect nearly $3 million for their efforts. Many experts are expecting a three-peat from William Byron, who will be back in the saddle of his familiar No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports after taking the checkered flag in 2024 and 2025.
Naturally, BetUS is command central for NASCAR odds, which not only include all the races on the season schedule but also the odds to win the Daytona 500 this February. The oddsmakers are unconvinced that Byron will be able to add a third consecutive Harley J. Earl Trophy to his mantle, as his odds to win Daytona 500 currently sit at +1100, trailing co-favorites Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano at +1000 each.
The intriguing aspect of this particular race is that a first-place finish can cement an auto racing legacy and ensure an enormous paycheck.
Those who have researched the recent history of this celebrated race will discover that Denny Hamlin may hold value as one of their NASCAR picks, considering he is a three-time winner of this race at Daytona 500 odds of +1400.
A Brief History of the Great American Race
The Daytona 500 was first held in 1959, the year the Daytona International Speedway opened its doors and began showcasing the most talented drivers and the fastest stock cars on the planet.
Unsurprisingly, the patriarch of the famous Petty family of racing, Lee Petty, won the inaugural 500-mile race when he guided his Oldsmobile Super 88 around the 2½-mile oval in just over three hours and 41 minutes at an average speed slightly north of 135 miles per hour.
There have been 67 iterations of the Daytona 500, with Richard Petty winning a record seven times (1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981), while Cale Yarborough is second with four victories (1968, 1977, 1983, 1984). However, Denny Hamlin has an opportunity to join Yarborough in that rarified air with a fourth Daytona 500 win.
Daytona 500 Fun Facts
- The Daytona 500 is 200 laps, equaling 500 miles.
- Youngest Winner: Trevor Bayne in 2011 (he was 20 years and 1 day old).
- Oldest Winner: Bobby Allison in 1988 (he was 50 years and 73 days old).
- Nine of the 67 winners have come from pole position No. 1.
- Only five drivers have won the Daytona 500 two years in a row (including this year’s entrants, William Byron and Denny Hamlin), while no one has ever won it in three consecutive years.
- Hendrick Motorsports holds the record for team wins with 10, while a Chevrolet has won the race a record 27 times.
- Buddy Baker, winner of the 1980 Daytona 500, holds the record for the fastest average time of 177.602 MPH and finished the race in a record 2:48:55.
