START YOUR OWN WINNING STREAK

Player Image
SportsBookLogo
Chevrons Texture
NASCAR

NASCAR Betting Picks: Xfinity 500

Jim Sannes
Jim Sannes@JimSannes

Subscribe to our newsletter

NASCAR Betting Picks: Xfinity 500

Desperation is about to be through the roof in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Sunday's Xfinity 500 in Martinsville is the final chance drivers have to lock in a spot in next week's championship race. Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick have already advanced, but superstars Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, and Chase Elliott are all on the outside looking in. Blaney and Elliott, specifically, will likely need a win to advance.

Those four drivers, though, have combined for nine career wins here, and the two guys above the cut line -- William Byron and Christopher Bell -- are past winners, as well. It's going to be a slugfest.

Lucky for us, we don't have to dip outside that pool to find betting value on FanDuel. I've got three of the six drivers not currently locked in as values relative to FanDuel Sportsbook's NASCAR betting odds, and I'd like to start my betslip with two of them to win outright.

Let's start there, and then we can circle back and add non-outrights as the weekend progresses.

Best Bets for NASCAR in Martinsville

Ryan Blaney to Win (+750)

(UPDATE: Blaney has since shortened to +550 to win, which is 15.4% implied odds. Thus, the value here has dried up.)

Blaney won this race last year to advance to the championship race, where he went on to claim his first title.

The latter half of that statement may still be difficult. But I wouldn't be shocked if he goes back-to-back in Martinsville.

Even before that win, Martinsville was a great track for Blaney. He has led 140-plus laps here three times, and he has four top-fives in five Next-Gen races here. This spring, Blaney finished fifth despite not having a great car.

Add that track history with decent speed on short, flat tracks this year, and my model has Blaney at 13.4% to win, up from his 11.8% implied odds. Considering he's as short as +500 at other sportsbooks, +750 is super attractive to me.

Christopher Bell to Win (+1300)

In 2023, it was Blaney who won Martsinville to advance to the championship.

In 2022, that was Bell. And while he doesn't need a win Sunday, I think +1300 is way too long for how good he has been on this track type.

Bell already has wins at both Phoenix and New Hampshire on his resume this season. He was also fourth in Iowa and had a fourth-place average running position in Gateway. He has been the guy to beat on short, flat tracks.

Outside of that 2022 win, Bell has struggled in Martinsville. He has just two other top-10s and nine other laps led across eight races. It's definitely not his best track. But that race proved he has upside, and his form on other flat tracks is elite.

That's why my model has Bell at 9.0% to win, up from 7.1% implied. I feel better about backing Blaney, but +1300 is long enough where I'd prefer to have both on my card.

Mid-Week Addition: Daniel Suarez to Finish Top 10 (+490)

I was on Daniel Suarez back in the spring at this track. He thanked me by getting caught speeding on pit road and finishing 22nd.

Let's give it a crack again.

Suarez has generally been solid on short, flat tracks this year. He finished 10th in the fall Richmond race with a 9th-place average running position, and he was 13th in Phoenix and 9th in Iowa.

This isn't a huge surprise, given Suarez has generally been fine on this track type in the Next-Gen era. In 20 races, he has 4 top-10s, a 20.0% rate. His implied odds here are 17.0%.

I'm a bit above his past rate as my model has Suarez at 26.0% due to underrated pace in Martinsville. He has a pair of top-10 average running positions here in five Next-Gen races with no quality finishes to show for it. That leads to his being underrated in the market, and I'm comfortable adding him as a result.


New to FanDuel Sportsbook? You’ll receive $150 in Bonus Bets if your first bet of $5+ wins! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Which drivers stand out to you at Martinsville? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest NASCAR betting odds to see the full menu of options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!


The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Want more stories like this?

Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest news.

Newsletter Signup
Newsletter Signup