Is Brad Keselowski Worth a Wager on 2019 Daytona 500 Odds?

Despite never winning the Daytona 500, Brad Keselowski is the small betting favorite at +700.

Betting the favorite can be a risky proposition, especially when it comes to NASCAR and golf, two individual sports where there is so much competition near the top.

The Super Bowl of NASCAR will happen this Sunday in Florida with the Daytona 500, and Brad Keselowski is playing the role of the New England Patriots as the small betting favorite on the 2019 Daytona 500 odds at +700 (wager $100 to win $700) at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

The big difference between Keselowski and the Patriots obviously is that he has never won the Daytona 500 while the latter has taken home a record six Super Bowl titles. That and a few other things of course, but the point here is the favorite in the Daytona 500 is far from a proven winner, so it is better to look at some other possibilities instead.

For example, Austin Dillon won last year's Daytona 500 from the 14th spot on the grid, and five of the last six winners have started from eighth or higher, including two-time champions Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who each began ninth. Only the top two spots have been decided as of Wednesday, so you can take pole sitter William Byron (+2000) and second-place qualifier Alex Bowman (+2000) out of the mix as well.

Pay close attention to the Gander RV Duels on Thursday that determine positions No. 3 through No. 32 and look for some value on veteran drivers who have come close recently in the Daytona 500 without winning. Kyle Busch saw his brother Kurt win two years ago, but he offers more value with a higher payout than Keselowski at +1200 on the NASCAR odds. 

Kyle placed third there three years ago as well before turning in disappointing finishes each of the past two. He along with Clint Bowyer (+1000) are this year's best bets to win the race.

Bowyer fits the bill as another driver who is consistently among the favorites near the top of the board at online betting sites and still seeking his first Daytona 500 victory. He has not had a Top 10 finish in the Daytona 500 since 2015 when he placed seventh. However, the 39-year-old Kansas native has enjoyed past success there with four Top 10 finishes overall.