Denny Hamlin leads NASCAR drivers with the top-14 odds to win the 2024 Daytona 500

After its typical short offseason, the NASCAR Cup Series is officially back this weekend with the 2024 season-opening Daytona 500 on Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, Fox) at Daytona International Speedway.

And while most of the 40 drivers in the field are racing for their first “Great American Race” win, there are a handful of previous Daytona 500 winners, including Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and defending champ Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

It’s the biggest race of the year, and drivers would do just about anything to win. But winning the Daytona 500 is about more than just speed and talent. Teams employ detailed strategies to help them advance through the 40-car field and, hopefully, avoid the massive wrecks the 2.5-mile track is famous for and becoming collateral damage. They also need a little luck to get to the finish line first.

RELATED: Starting lineup for 2024 Daytona 500 and paint schemes for all 40 cars

Ahead of the 2024 Daytona 500, here’s a look at the drivers with the best odds to win NASCAR’s biggest race, according to BetMGM as of Saturday evening.

1. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota +1000
   Hamlin won the 2016, 2019 and 2020 Daytona 500s, so it’s hardly a surprise he’s commonly the favorite for the season opener.
2. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford +1200
   Logano won the 2015 Daytona 500 and will start on the pole for the 2024 race.
3. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford +1200
   Although Blaney has never won the Daytona 500, he won the summer 2021 Daytona race and is definitely a solid bet.
4. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet +1200
   Busch won the 2008 summer Daytona race but never the 500.
5. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford +1300
   Keselowski won the summer 2016 Daytona race and, although he’s never won the Daytona 500, he has strong experience on NASCAR’s superspeedway tracks.
6. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet +1500
7. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet +1600
8. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota +1600
9. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota +1600
10. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota +1700
11. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota +1800
    Also a skilled superspeedway racer, Wallace has come close but never won at Daytona.
12. Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford +2000
    Though no Daytona 500 wins, Buescher won the 2023 Daytona summer race.
13. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet +2000
    Byron won the 2020 Daytona summer race but not the season opener.
14. Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford +2000
    With a history of strong superspeedway performances, McDowell won the 2021 Daytona 500. He’ll start the 2024 race on the front row with Logano.

Though not among drivers with the top odds to win, here are a few other notable NASCAR names and their odds to take the checkered flag on Sunday:

• Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford +3500
  As a rookie, Cindric won the 2022 Daytona 500.
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet +3500
  A skilled superspeedway racer, all three of Stenhouse’s career wins were on superspeedways and two at Daytona, including the 2023 Daytona 500.
• Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet +3500
  Dillon won the 2018 Daytona 500, along with a second Daytona race win in August 2022.
• Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota +6000
  Retired from full-time NASCAR racing, Johnson plans to compete in nine Cup Series races this season, including the Daytona 500, a race he won in 2006 and 2013.