Only four drivers remain in the latest 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff odds. Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, and William Byron have battled through three rounds of the Playoffs. Now, they will face off to determine the winner of this year’s Cup Series Championship.
The top NASCAR betting sites have odds for all of the Championship 4 drivers. You can wager on the winner of the championship race this Sunday at Pheonix Raceway.
Keep reading to see the latest betting odds for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series. I will break down the odds for the remaining four drivers and tell you who I think claims the cup this Sunday in Phoenix.
Previous NASCAR Cup Series Champions
- 2022—Joey Logano
- 2021—Kyle Larson
- 2020—Chase Elliott
- 2019—Kyle Busch
- 2018—Joey Logano
- 2017—Martin Truex, Jr.
- 2016—Jimmie Johnson
There is one familiar name that has been missing from the 2023 NASCAR Championship odds boards at the top online betting sites. And, no, I don’t mean retired Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson.
Chase Elliott did not participate in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The No. 9 car had seven fewer starts because Elliott missed more than a month of the season after a snowboarding accident resulted in a fractured tibia.
Elliott tried desperately to pick up a win for an automatic berth to the Playoffs. He came close in the final regular season race of the season, but settled for fourth at Daytona. If Elliott raced all 26 races, he would have made the Playoffs easily.
2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds
The following NASCAR Cup Series Championship betting odds are courtesy of Bovada:
DRIVER | ODDS | DRIVER | ODDS |
---|---|---|---|
Martin Truex Jr. | +170 | Ryan Blaney | +250 |
William Byron | +275 | Christopher Bell | +400 |
Kyle Larson has competed in 35 races this season, finishing in the top 10 in 17 of them. He is currently listed at +170 to win this Sunday, making him the 2023 NASCAR Championship favorite. Larson will enter the race as the third-ranked driver left in the Cup Series.
William Byron (+275) and Ryan Blaney (+250) are close behind latest Kyle Larson in the latest NASCAR odds.
Rounding out the drivers for the final race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season is Christopher Bell. Despite having 19 Top-10 finishes this season, Bell has the longest odds to win this weekend. He is currently listed at +400 to claim victory in Phoenix.
Kyle Larson (+170)
Kyle Larson #5 | 2023 Stats |
---|---|
Team | Hendrick Motorsports |
Crew Chief | Cliff Daniels |
Ranking | 3rd |
Wins | 4 |
Top 5’s | 14 |
Top 10’s | 17 |
Poles | 2 |
Laps Led | 1,127 |
The oldest driver in this Sunday’s Cup Series finale is also the favorite. 31-year-old Kyle Larson (+170) has the shortest odds of the Championship 4.
It is easy to see why Larson is the betting favorite entering Sunday’s showdown in Phoenix. He, by far, has led the most laps (1,127) of any of the final four drivers this season. The next closest is William Byron at 921 laps led.
Larson has also won four races so far this season, claiming victory at:
- Richmond Raceway
- Martinsville Speedway
- Darlington Raceway
- Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Additionally, he won the All-Star Race this year for the third time in his career. The veteran racer has 17 top-10 finishes and 14 top-5 finishes this season. Larson and the No. 5 team have also won on this track before. He claimed victory at this track in 2021, and is no stranger to Playoff racing.
It is not surprising that Larson is still in the hunt through three rounds of the postseason. Bovada Sportsbook had Larson listed at +650 to win the Cup Series, the fourth-best odds entering Playoffs. Bettors who placed futures wagers early on Larson were able to lock in a ton of value on the current betting favorite.
Ryan Blaney (+250)
Ryan Blaney #12 | 2023 Stats |
---|---|
Team | Team Penske |
Crew Chief | Jonathan Hassler |
Ranking | 1st |
Wins | 3 |
Top 5’s | 7 |
Top 10’s | 17 |
Poles | 0 |
Laps Led | 560 |
Ryan Blaney enters Sunday’s championship race as the top-ranked racer this season and second in the Cup Series odds (+250).
Like many of the other competitors, Blaney’s road to the Championship 4 was not an easy one. An issue with his left-front damper caused him to be disqualified at the playoff race in Las Vegas. However, the issue was resolved, and Blaney’s points were restored.
Blaney won the race last Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, securing his spot in the Final 4. The win should give Blaney plenty of momentum heading into the championship race.
Despite being the top-ranked driver this season, Blaney has the fewest laps led of any of the Championship 4 competitors. He has just 560 laps led this season.
Blaney’s seven Top-5 finishes are also the fewest among the remaining drivers. None of that will matter if Blaney can build on his last performance and get another win this weekend.
William Byron (+275)
William Byron #24 | 2023 Stats |
---|---|
Team | Hendrick Motorsports |
Crew Chief | Rudy Fugle |
Ranking | 4th |
Wins | 6 |
Top 5’s | 14 |
Top 10’s | 20 |
Poles | 3 |
Laps Led | 921 |
William Byron had the third-best 2023 NASCAR Cup Series odds when the Playoffs started. That’s where we find him for this weekend’s Championship race as he’s slightly behind Blaney with +275 odds.
Byron has performed better than his Hendrick Motorsports’ teammate Larson this season. He has six wins to Larson’s four and has more Top-10 finishes (20) and poles (3) as well. The duo is tied with 14 Top-5 finishes this year.
Despite his great season, Byron almost did not make the Championship 4. He just barely earned the fourth and final playoff spot this past weekend. Byron finished 13th at Martinsville Speedway in the Xfinity 500, giving him just enough points to beat out Denny Hamlin.
A tough final test could help Byron prepare for the championship race this weekend. Qualifying for the Championship 4 had to be a bit of redemption for Byron. He was eliminated in the Round of 8 last season and earned a career-best sixth place in the point standings.
The #24 car has been even better this year. Byron’s six wins are the most in the Cup Series this season. He is the youngest driver in the championship race, as he will not turn 26 until the end of November.
Christopher Bell (+400)
Christopher Bell #20 | 2023 Stats |
---|---|
Team | Joe Gibbs Racing |
Crew Chief | Adam Stevens |
Ranking | 2nd |
Wins | 2 |
Top 5’s | 10 |
Top 10’s | 19 |
Poles | 6 |
Laps Led | 599 |
Rounding out the odds for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series is Christopher Bell. He is currently listed at +400, giving him the longest odds to win the championship in Phoenix. Bell earned his spot in the Championship 4 by winning the 2023 4EVER 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Despite having double-digit Top-5 (10) and Top-10 finishes (19), Bell only has two wins this season. He will need to step up his game if he wants to pull off the upset this weekend.
Bell already had his spot in the finale locked up prior to last Sunday’s race at Martinsville. Hopefully, that has given Bell extra time to prepare for the championship. He finished 10th at this track in last year’s final race, earning a career-best third-place finish in the points standings.
A win this weekend would be Bell’s first NASCAR Cup Series Championship. If he can handle the pressure, Bell could be a good underdog pick as he offers the largest payout. Bell’s biggest strength this season has been his ability to be clutch down the stretch. He has been able to overcome slow starts, which could give him the edge in Phoenix this Sunday.
2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Prediction
Only four drivers remain in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Oddsmakers have Kyle Larson (+170) as the favorite to claim victory this Sunday, November 5th, in Phoenix.
Ryan Blaney (+250), William Byron (+275), and Christopher Bell (+400) are the other drivers in the Championship 4. All are talented young drivers, and I think the oddsmakers have it right with their handicapping this time around.
Larson is the only one of the four remaining drivers to have won a Cup Series Championship. He has been having a great season and is the safest bet. You can also still get Larson at plus-money odds, which is an added bonus.
If I had to pick against the favorite, then I would go with Bell. He is the only other driver with Championship 4 experience. Plus, Blaney and Byron could be emotionally drained after having to fight for their spots in the Championship 4 this past weekend.
Sources
https://www.cbssports.com/nascar/news/chase-elliott-to-miss-las-vegas-cup-race-undergo-surgery-after-suffering-leg-injury-in-snowboarding-accident/
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/kyle-larson
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/william-byron
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/ryan-blaney
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/christopher-bell
https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2023/10/29/cup-series-playoffs-2023-william-byron-denny-hamlin-martinsville/