Nobody can say for sure who will win the Daytona 500, but we can talk about the most likely contenders and how people are predicting the race.

Who will win the Daytona 500?

The Daytona 500 is one of the most unpredictable races in motorsports, with pack racing, “big one” crashes, and late-race restarts regularly flipping the running order in the final laps. Even the betting favorites only have a relatively small implied chance to win compared with a typical sporting event, because the field is large and drafting keeps the pack tight.

That said, sportsbooks and analysts do highlight a handful of drivers as leading candidates based on recent performance at superspeedways, team strength, and past Daytona results.

Current favorites and top picks

Recent odds and expert previews for the 2026 Daytona 500 tend to circle around a few big names:

  • Ryan Blaney – A NASCAR Cup Series champion and consistent superspeedway ace, listed as one of the early favorites at major sportsbooks. He has multiple near-misses at the Daytona 500 and is widely seen as “due” for a win there.
  • Joey Logano – Former Daytona 500 winner (2015) and another Penske driver with strong plate-track credentials, also among the top betting choices.
  • William Byron – Back‑to‑back Daytona 500 winner in 2024 and 2025, with some outlets calling him the most compelling pick to three‑peat thanks to his drafting skill and Hendrick Motorsports’ strength. His odds are very short relative to the field, reflecting both recent wins and momentum.
  • Denny Hamlin – Multiple‑time Daytona 500 winner and one of the most accomplished superspeedway racers of his era, favored in at least one major odds board for 2026.
  • Kyle Larson / Kyle Busch / Chase Elliott / Austin Cindric – All frequently mentioned in odds tables as strong contenders with a history of running well at Daytona or other drafting tracks.

In fan and forum discussions, you’ll also see people taking longer‑shot swings on drivers like Erik Jones, Chris Buescher, Noah Gragson, and others, both out of fandom and because unknowns often shine in this race.

Simple “who’s most likely?” answer

If you’re looking for one name that many betting and preview pieces gravitate toward right now, William Byron and Ryan Blaney show up over and over:

  • Byron, because of his recent Daytona 500 wins and the possibility of a historic three‑peat.
  • Blaney, because he’s regularly at the front at superspeedways and remains one of the top favorites in 2026 odds despite never having won the 500 yet.

Between the two, some betting sites explicitly label Byron their preferred pick for the 2026 Daytona 500, while sportsbooks keep Blaney and Logano extremely short in the market.

What the odds and forums are saying

Here’s a quick look at how different sources frame “who will win the Daytona 500” right now:

  • Sportsbooks / odds grids : Highlight Hamlin, Byron, Blaney, Larson, and Logano in a tight pack at the top of the board, with Byron often close to the shortest price and Blaney/Logano leading some lists.
  • Betting previews : At least one major preview makes Byron the primary recommended pick to win, citing his mastery of pack racing and attempt at three in a row.
  • YouTube / analyst predictions : Individual NASCAR creators sometimes single out Ryan Blaney as their pick to finally break through at Daytona in 2026 based on his superspeedway form.
  • Reddit and fan forums : Discussion threads show a wide spread of picks, from big names (Byron, Blaney, Logano) to popular dark horses (Erik Jones, Chris Buescher, Noah Gragson), reflecting how chaotic the race can be.

So, if you’re trying to answer “who will win the Daytona 500,” the honest framing is:

The most commonly tipped names right now are William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, and Denny Hamlin, but the nature of the Daytona 500 means a mid‑pack or long‑shot driver can absolutely steal it on the last lap.

Quick HTML table of leading candidates

Since you asked in a structured “Quick Scoop” style and requested tables as HTML, here’s a compact view of some key names that keep coming up in odds, previews, and fan talk:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Driver</th>
      <th>Why they’re a top pick</th>
      <th>Notable Daytona 500 angle</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>William Byron</td>
      <td>Back‑to‑back Daytona 500 winner, strong Hendrick equipment, excellent pack racer. [web:1][web:7]</td>
      <td>Going for an unprecedented three straight Daytona 500 victories. [web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Ryan Blaney</td>
      <td>Elite superspeedway driver, Cup champion, near the top of 2026 odds. [web:3][web:6][web:9]</td>
      <td>Several close calls at Daytona, widely viewed as “due” for a 500 win. [web:3][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Joey Logano</td>
      <td>Consistently strong at drafting tracks, top‑tier Penske speed. [web:1][web:9]</td>
      <td>Daytona 500 winner in 2015, back among current favorites. [web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Denny Hamlin</td>
      <td>Multi‑time Daytona 500 winner, often near the top of preseason odds. [web:1]</td>
      <td>Chasing another 500 to add to his superspeedway legacy. [web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Kyle Larson</td>
      <td>Champion‑level talent with increasing superspeedway strength. [web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Frequently listed as a short‑odds contender despite no Daytona 500 win yet. [web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Fan dark horses (e.g., Erik Jones, Chris Buescher, Noah Gragson)</td>
      <td>Forum favorites and long‑shot bets that could capitalize on chaos. [web:5][web:6]</td>
      <td>Exactly the type of drivers who sometimes spring surprise Daytona 500 wins. [web:5][web:6]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Bottom line

If you want one “fun but grounded” prediction: a lot of smart money is leaning toward William Byron making history or Ryan Blaney finally cashing in his superspeedway speed. But with the Daytona 500, any answer to “who will win the Daytona 500” has to come with a big asterisk: the race is designed to be wild, and that’s exactly why it’s so popular.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.