Here are the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Betting Odds
Kyle Larson is favored to go back-to-back as NASCAR Cup Series champion, according to odds released after NASCAR unveiled the championship format for 2026.
Larson and second-place points finisher Denny Hamlin are the favorites. Christopher Bell and William Byron are not far behind and neither are past NASCAR Cup Series champions Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott.
One shock favorite is Connor Zilisch, who came up short of winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in a very dominant 2025 season. Zilisch has the 10th-best chance at the championship, oddsmakers project.
NASCAR unveiled the championship format Jan. 12. The NASCAR Cup Series will go back to a Chase format in 2026 with some different rules than the past.
MORE: NASCAR unveils overhauled championship format for 2026 ‘and beyond’
Here are the betting odds for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship:
2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Betting Odds
- Kyle Larson +450
- Denny Hamlin +475
- Christopher Bell +500
- William Byron +550
- Ryan Blaney +625
- Chase Elliott +950
- Chase Briscoe +1100
- Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano +1800
- Connor Zilisch +2200
- Ross Chastain +3300
- Ty Gibbs +4500
- Chris Buescher, Carson Hocevar, Bubba Wallace, Alex Bowman +5000
- Kyle Busch, Josh Berry +6000
- Brad Keselowski, Austin Cindric +6500
- Ryan Preece +8000
- Shane van Gisbergen +10000
- Austin Dillon, Erik Jones, John Hunter Nemechek +12500
- AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Suarez, Michael McDowell +25000
- Zane Smith, Noah Gragson +35000
- Cole Custer, Todd Gilliland, Riley Herbst, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +50000
- Ty Dillon +75000
- Cody Ware +100000
Here were the odds after the season ended, in comparison:
- Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin +500
- Christopher Bell, William Byron, Ryan Blaney +600
- Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Connor Zilisch +1000
- Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick +1600
- Ross Chastain +2500
- Bubba Wallace, Josh Berry, Carson Hocevar +3000
- Ty Gibbs, Chris Buescher, Alex Bowman +4000
- Austin Cindric, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Ryan Preece +5000
- Shane van Gisbergen +20000
- Noah Gragson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., AJ Allmendinger, Austin Dillon, Daniel Suarez, Cole Custer, Erik Jones, Michael McDowell, Todd Gilliland, John Hunter Nemechek, Ty Dillon, Zane Smith, Riley Herbst +25000
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com