We are two races into the NASCAR Cup Series’ 76th season. Since 1949, there have been 36 different Cup champions, with Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney aiming to become the first repeat champ since Jimmie Johnson in 2009/10.
Two Hendrick Motorsports standouts, however, may prevent Team Penske from winning a third consecutive title. Hendrick drivers have won the most all-time championships, with 14.
Get the best sportsbook promos in the industry at The Game Day, and wager on Blaney to pull off an elusive feat over the past decade, or for one of the top drivers recommended here to win the Bill France Cup. Blaney had the best odds to take the title again before the season started, but his odds are now longer and he just misses the cut among my favorites here.
NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds
Lines to win the 2024 Nascar Cup Series are current as of Feb. 28 and found at
- Kyle Larson (+550)
- William Byron (+600)
- Denny Hamlin (+700)
- Chase Elliott (+900)
- Christopher Bell (+1100)
- Ryan Blaney (+1100)
- Joey Logano (+1100)
- Martin Truex Jr. (+1200)
- Kyle Busch (+1400)
- Brad Keselowski (+1400)
- Tyler Reddick (+1600)
- Ross Chastain (+1800)
- Alex Bowman (+2000)
- Chris Beuscher (+2200)
- Ty Gibbs (+2200)
NASCAR Cup Series Championship Winner Prediction
William Byron (+600)
In 2023, Byron continued to ascend into Cup Series stardom, and he signaled the start of another big year by winning the 2024 Daytona 500. Last season, he made the final championship four for the first time in his career while leading the series with six wins and tying for the most top 5 finishes with 15.
Last year, Byron led for a total of 1,017 laps, which was second to only teammate Kyle Larson, and he led in stage wins, with nine. He has improved in every season, and I expect Byron to display championship form throughout the 2024 season after opening with a win in the most prestigious event on the schedule.
North Carolina residents: Beginning in March, you will be able to wager on NASCAR Cup Series futures and events, and all of your other favorite sports. You can get ready for the Food City 500 on March 17 and learn more about North Carolina sports betting here.
Take advantage of the best DraftKings North Carolina promos for NASCAR Cup Series wagering.
NASCAR Cup Series Championship Winner Contenders
Kyle Larson (+550)
The 2021 Cup series champion must be considered a strong choice to win his second title in four years. He won four races last season and found his way to the championship finale again before finishing second.
Larson tied Byron for the most top-15 finishes last year, and ultimately came close to winning his second championship. Not finishing in the top 10 in the first two events of the year should not deter you from wagering on Larson, as restrictor plate events have never been a good indicator of his overall outlook as a top contender.
Christopher Bell (+1100)
Bell has longer odds than some of my other top picks to win the 2024 Cup championship, and that positions him as a tempting wagering option. He finished third in the Daytona 500 and will be in the mix when it counts, as The Joe Gibbs Racing standout has made it to the final four in two consecutive seasons.
Last season, Bell won at Homestead and finished second at Las Vegas during the Round Of Eight in the playoffs.. He has five total wins over the past two seasons and has a floor of contending for the championship finale again with a ceiling of winning the title.
Denny Hamlin (+700)
The Cup title remains elusive for Hamlin, who is very capable of ending his quest to no longer be viewed as the Philip Rivers of NASCAR. He did not qualify for the final four last year, likely fueling his determination more for the 2024 campaign.
Winning the Busch Light Clash put to rest any concerns about Hamlin dealing with lingering effects of offseason shoulder surgery. Only Kyle Busch has more career wins than Hamlin’s 51 among regular active drivers and he will soon surge after not being able to finish in the top 15 in the first two races of the season.
Joey Logano (+1100)
Logano has opened the new season demonstrating his highs while dealing with frustrating lows. He qualified on the front row in both of the first two races of the season and led for a total of 72 laps, yet he was not able to finish in either event.
The two-time Cip Series champion is only two years removed from his last title, and he looked to be in top form in the first two races before running into bad luck. Logano won only once last season and became the first Cup champion to be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, motivating him to rebound with a stronger season in 2024.
NASCAR Cup Series Championship Winner Sleepers
Kyle Busch (+1400)
The two-time Cup series champion, who placed “third” at Atlanta in one of the tightest finishes in Cup history, is not a pure sleeper in the authentic sense of the word, but his longer odds put him in that bracket. Busch won three times in his first year with Richard Childress Racing, bringing his career total to 63, and if he can perform more consistently during the playoffs, a third championship will be within reach.
Chris Buescher (+2200)
Buescher transformed from a consistent deeper pick to win at any track into a bonafide breakthrough performer in 2023, as he notched a career-high three victories. If he can make the final round of four this season, Buescher could put you in position for a payoff on this intriguing wager.
