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Denny Hamlin had odds of winning the 2016 Daytona 500 that promised a payout of $750 on every $100 wagered. That payout came to fruition for many.
For Hamlin this was his first Daytona 500 win. His teammate Matt Kenseth was leading on the last lap, but Hamlin got a run on the outside lane, eventually squeezing by and winning by about four feet – .011 seconds, the closest finish in the race's history.
"This was a team victory. My teammates did an amazing job all day working together, all the Toyotas," said Hamlin, who won the exhibition race last Saturday. "I don't know where that came from. I can't even figure out what I did. It just all came together, and I got a great push from Kevin Harvick. This wouldn't have happened without all the Toyotas sticking together. I'm so happy to get this victory for Joe Gibbs Racing."
Dale Earnhardt Jr was favored to win Sunday’s Daytona 500 but crashed with 30 more laps to go.
“I just got loose,” said Earnhardt, who won the 500 with Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2004 and Hendrick Motorsports in 2014. "I've been really working on the balance of the car. I've been pushing real bad all day, especially off of Turn 4. We just got it really free. We took two tires there and just didn't have overall grip I was hoping for.
"I was aggressive trying to side draft guys and move forward. We were making some ground on the leaders a little bit so that was looking pretty good because the outside line really hadn't been doing anything all day. Just busted my butt there. Driver mistake."
The Daytona 500 tends to attract modest wagering action as NASCAR betting has gained in popularity over the years.
- Dan Shapiro, Gambling911.com
