Bettor cashes in on long-shot Daytona 500 victory
Michael McDowell’s long-shot victory in Sunday’s Daytona 500 paid off for one bettor in Nevada.
William Hill reported that a bettor wagered $100 on McDowell at 100-1 odds to win $10,000. McDowell prevailed in the premier race in the NASCAR Cup Series when leader Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski wrecked on the final lap.
👀 Michael McDowell (+10000) wins the #Daytona500!
Congrats to the #WHWinners who picked McDowell including a @WilliamHillNV bettor who turned $100 ➡️ $10,100! pic.twitter.com/lT1q0d3EAD
— William Hill US (@WilliamHillUS) February 15, 2021
McDowell was ahead when the caution flag came out, and he claimed his first Cup Series win.
McDowell was not a popular pick among bettors. The Westgate took only five bets on McDowell to win the race for a total of $59, sportsbook vice president of risk Ed Salmons said. McDowell was 80-1 at the Westgate.
Logano (12-1 at the Westgate) led the previous 25 laps before the wreck. Keselowski (14-1) missed out on the chance to win his first Daytona 500. Officially, Logano finished 12th and Keselowski was 13th.
Race favorite Denny Hamlin (8-1) ran with the leaders but couldn’t claim his third straight Daytona 500 victory and fourth overall, finishing fifth.
Road to the title
The Cup Series features a record seven road courses this season, and that should benefit defending champion Chase Elliott, NASCAR handicapper Micah Roberts said.
Elliott, who was second in the Daytona 500, has won the last four Cup Series races on road courses, and he should easily advance to the playoffs with these opportunities, Roberts (@MicahRoberts7, Sportsline.com) said.
Elliott “will probably win them all,” Roberts said. “He’ll go into the playoffs with seven or eight wins, and he’ll be the star that they wanted Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. to be.”
NASCAR expanded the number of road courses this season as part of a revamped schedule amid the coronavirus pandemic. For decades, the Cup Series had only two road races per year. A third was added in 2018.
The drivers are staying at Daytona this week for the first one of the season, the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at the Daytona Road Course on Sunday. Elliott is the +250 favorite for the race at the Westgate. Martin Truex Jr. is 3-1, and everyone else is 12-1 or worse.
With Elliott’s paved path to the playoffs, Roberts said he sees “a little value” on Elliott to win a second straight Cup Series title at 7-1 at BetMGM. He is the co-favorite with Kevin Harvick at the Westgate at 6-1. Kyle Busch, Hamlin, Logano and Truex are all next at 8-1.
Champions League
The knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League begins Tuesday with the round of 16, and Bayern Munich and Manchester City are the co-favorites at the Westgate to win the title at 3-1.
Liverpool is next at 8-1, followed by Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain at 12-1, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at 14-1, Real Madrid at 16-1 and Chelsea at 18-1.
FC Porto, Lazio and Borussia Monchengladbach are the long shots, all at 150-1.
Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.