2011 Jeff Byrd 500 Betting Odds Breakdown – Who to Bet On and How to Win Money on NASCAR Betting this week: At a short track like Bristol, past results aren’t always great measures of how well a driver runs. The physical nature of short track racing leads to plenty of bumping and banging, and wrecks are a common occurrence. A driver’s good day can go bad in a heartbeat with the slightest tap, and since oddsmakers often base their predictions mainly on past performances, betters can take advantage.
Leading the way in the underrated category is Marcos Ambrose and his 100/1 odds. Odds like that are normally reserved for throw-away picks, but Ambrose has a legitimate chance to win Sunday’s race. He is one of the up and coming short track drivers in the series, and he has finished as high as third at Bristol. For a driver that has a previous top-three finish at Bristol, betters have to love his odds.
If you look at David Reutimann and his career numbers at Bristol, then his 30/1 don’t seem unreasonable. However, his second-place run at the track last August could have been the turning point for him. Battling food poisoning no less, Reutimann nearly held off Kyle Busch for the win. The surprise runner-up performance could have been a fluke, but given the favorable odds, bettors might want to gamble that he can contend for the win once again Sunday.
Juan Pablo Montoya is off to a strong start in 2011, but he continues to fly under the radar as a 30/1 longshot. Not to mention the fact that he had finished in the top-10 in two of his last four starts at Bristol, and nearly went to Victory Lane in August of 2009. Montoya was running second when he cut a tire with less than 20 laps to go. He is running like a top-five driver and has had success at Bristol in the past. Bettors should jump on him this weekend.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Denny Hamlin. Last year’s series leader in wins is getting 7/1 odds this weekend, but his performance at Bristol last season raises some serious red flags. Hamlin finished 19th and 34th in his two starts, and he flat out missed the setup in the March event. Before betting on a driver that is being considered a favorite, gamblers should make sure his 2010 struggles aren’t going to carry over.
Another driver living on his short track reputation is Kevin Harvick. He is getting 12/1 odds this weekend, and while he has had a lot of success at Bristol over the years, he hasn’t finished in the top-10 at the track in his last four starts. The changes to the track’s layout and the introduction of the Car of Tomorrow could have something to do with his struggles, but regardless, betters are getting somewhat of a longshot with unfavorable odds.
Bettors looking for deep sleeper this weekend should consider Brad Keselowski. Granted, he hasn’t been close to a victory since becoming a full-time driver, but he has been solid at the short tracks. Keselowski finished in the top-20 in five of the six short tracks races last season, finishing as high as 13th at Bristol. With 80/1 odds, he could be worth a speculative bet in case he has a surprising breakthrough Sunday.
Check out the opening Odds to Win the Jeff Byrd 500 from BoDog Sportsbook:
Driver/Odds
A.J. Allmendinger #43 75/1
Andy Lally #71 250/1
Bill Elliott #09 200/1
Bobby Labonte #47 125/1
Brad Keselowski #2 80/1
Brian Keselowski #192 250/1
Brian Vickers #83 65/1
Carl Edwards #99 6/1
Casey Mears #13 250/1
Clint Bowyer #33 16/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 22/1
Dave Blaney #36 250/1
David Gilliland #34 200/1
David Ragan #6 100/1
David Reutimann #00 30/1
Denny Hamlin #11 7/1
Greg Biffle #16 16/1
J.J. Yeley #46 250/1
Jamie McMurray #1 25/1
Jeff Burton #31 25/1
Jeff Gordon #24 12/1
Jimmie Johnson #48 7/1
Joe Nemechek #87 250/1
Joey Logano #20 28/1
Juan Pablo Montoya #42 30/1
Kasey Kahne #4 22/1
Ken Schrader #32 250/1
Kevin Harvick #29 12/1
Kurt Busch #22 12/1
Kyle Busch #18 7/2
Landon Cassill #60 250/1
Marcos Ambrose #9 100/1
Mark Martin #5 28/1
Martin Truex Jr. #56 40/1
Matt Kenseth #17 16/1
Michael McDowell #66 250/1
Paul Menard #27 100/1
Regan Smith #78 125/1
Robby Gordon #7 250/1
Ryan Newman #39 25/1
Tony Raines #37 250/1
Tony Stewart #14 10/1
Travis Kvapil #38 250/1
Trevor Bayne #21 100/1
Check out this week’s NASCAR Power Rankings from NSAwins.com!