2014 Daytona 500 Free Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs

2014 Daytona 500 Free Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs: The 2014 Sprint Cup gets underway this weekend, and bettors won’t have to wait long for a golden opportunity to cash in. The Daytona 500 is not only the biggest race of the year, but it is also extremely kind to upset winners. The restrictor plates used to keep high speeds in check at Daytona also work as the ultimate equalizer, forcing big names and unknown drivers to race in a big pack at near-identical speeds. The pack racing almost always leads to big wrecks, and any driver lucky enough to survive the mayhem has a shot at getting to victory lane. As a result, there are several viable sleeper picks that bettors may want to take a chance on this weekend.

Considering he spends 32 of the 35 races in the announcer’s booth, it is easy to understand why Michael Waltrip is a 40/1 underdog to win the Daytona 500 this weekend. However, the semi-retired veteran can still get the job done. He has finished in the top 10 in two of his last three starts at Daytona, including a fifth-place run last July. For his career, Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500 and three-time winner at Daytona, and he might just have one more win at the track left in him.

The sample size is small, but Ricky Stenhouse Jr. showed a lot of promise as a rookie at the plate tracks last season. He finished in the top-15 in all four events, picking up a pair of top-12 finishes in two starts at Daytona. While there is no guarantee that he will build on his solid rookie campaign at the plate tracks, Stenhouse’s potential is definitely worth gambling on given his 40/1 odds.

He is never going to be a star in NASCAR, but Paul Menard has one very important factor working in his favor this weekend at Daytona. He drives for Richard Childress Racing, and the organization has one of the best plate track programs in the series. It is no coincidence that Menard has enjoyed some success at the track lately, finishing in the top 15 in five of his last eight starts and picking up three top-10s during the stretch. At his current 40/1 odds, he is worth considering.

While her performance as a rookie left a lot to be desired, Danica Patrick was actually competitive in both of her starts at Daytona last year. After sitting on the pole and finishing eighth in the Daytona 500, she managed a top-15 finish in the July event. The top-10 finish in the Daytona 500 ended up being her only top-10 of the year, and half of her four top-15s came at Daytona. At this point, it is safe to say that it is her best track, and her 40/1 odds make her a viable betting option.

Saddled with below average equipment, David Ragan is useless as far as bettors are concerned at just about every track on the schedule. However, Daytona is one of the few exceptions. For whatever reason, Ragan has always had a knack for restrictor plate racing. Both of his Cup Series wins have come at plate tracks, including a win in the July race at Daytona. He is a 66/1 longshot to win Sunday, and Ragan has already shown on multiple occasions that he can pull off an upset at Daytona.

Bettors looking for the ultimate longshot this weekend may want to consider Bobby Labonte. The veteran is running a limited schedule this year, but he is slated to start in the Daytona 500, and he has developed an effective strategy at the plate tracks. He hangs back until late in races and allows the big wrecks to unfold in front of him before trying to make his move. It has paid off to the tune of four top-15s in his last six starts at Daytona, including a fourth-place finish in the 2011 Daytona 500. Not to mention the fact that Labonte leads all drivers with nine lead-lap finishes in the last 10 races at the track. He has shown he knows how to stay out of trouble, and 75/1 odds are pretty favorable for a driver that is close to a lock to have a fighting chance in the closing laps.

Check the latest NASCAR Vegas Odds and Betting Lines from BOVADA below: