2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Picks and Predictions: Best Round of 12 Championship Value Bets

2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Picks and Predictions – Best Round of 12 Championship Value Bets: The first round of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs is in the books, and the field of title contenders has been chopped from 16 down to 12. It was no surprise to see Austin Dillon knocked out, but it was a bit of a shock to see Erik Jones, Denny Hamlin and seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson also bow out early.

2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Picks and Predictions: Best Round of 12 Championship Value Bets

Of course, the Big 3 of Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. remain the heavy betting favorites to win the title, and if you simply want to play it safe, placing some money on all three of them is your smartest move. If you want to try to hit it big with a sleeper bet, this is the time to do it.

With 12 drivers and seven races still remaining, you can still get some solid odds on the drivers outside of the Big 3, but the chaos of the first round is now out of the way, and the path to the championship race becomes a little easier to predict.

I’ve highlighted a few of my favorite value bets to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship heading into the Round of 12 of the playoffs.

Top Bets

Kyle Larson (10/1)

He was given a second life in the championship fight when he was one of two drivers to advance to the Round of 12 after there was a three-way tie for the final transfer spot. Now in this round, Larson gets a shot at Dover track where he led more than 100 laps in both races a year ago and a Kansas track where he led more than 100 laps earlier this year. Not to mention the fact that if he is able to reach the title race at Homestead, he is probably the best in the business at that track today. Larson gives you a little more room for profit than the Big 3 while still having exposure to a driver who can go out and dominate at almost any type of track.

Chase Elliott (20/1)

Elliott has gotten better as the season goes on, and the schedule really works in his favor going forward. The Round of 12 opens at Dover, and Elliott led the most laps in that race last year before being passed in the final laps. If he can advance to the Round of 8, he has two of his best tracks, Martinsville and Phoenix, waiting for him. Elliott could easily point his way out of the Round of 12 and win his way into the title race at Homestead. That’s a decent path to a shot at a title for someone with 20/1 odds.

Clint Bowyer (20/1)

It wasn’t pretty, but Bowyer was able to advance on to the Round of 12. With the field shortened, his playoff points from his two victories become even more valuable, and some of the remaining tracks have been kind to him. He was the runner-up at Dover back in May, and he won the spring race at Martinsville, a track they will see again in the Round of 8. With more playoff points than several drivers who have better odds to win the title, Bowyer could be a nice sleeper at 20/1.

Ryan Blaney (28/1)

The honor of best value on the board has to go to Blaney. He is coming off a win at the Roval last weekend, and he ranks in the Top 10 in just about every scoring loop category this season, ranking fifth in laps led and sixth in average running position. Granted, he has a bad habit of ending up with mediocre finishes at tracks where he should finish in the Top 5, but if he puts together three clean races, he will could easily advance on points. More importantly, he runs near the front enough to make another victory very possible. I’ll take a driver with weekly top-five potential at 28/1 any day of the week.

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