NASCAR Championship Odds Shift After Phoenix Race

Denny Hamlin remains the betting favorite, but Ryan Blaney's win shakes up the top 10

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season kicked into high gear with Sunday's race at Phoenix Raceway, where Ryan Blaney overcame pit road issues to claim the checkered flag. Blaney's victory has pushed him up the latest championship odds list on BetMGM, while other top drivers like Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson saw their odds change as well. Denny Hamlin continues to lead the odds as the championship favorite, but the top 10 has seen some interesting shakeup following the Phoenix race.

Why it matters

The Phoenix race was the first traditional oval on the 2026 NASCAR schedule, providing an early test for the championship contenders. The changes in the odds reflect how drivers and teams are performing in the early part of the season, and will continue to evolve as the year goes on. This data is closely watched by both fans and bettors as they try to predict who will ultimately hoist the Cup Series trophy.

The details

Ryan Blaney's victory at Phoenix pushed him up the championship odds list, with his odds improving to +500 and tying him for third-best with Christopher Bell. Denny Hamlin remains the favorite at +400, while Kyle Larson is second at +450. Bell led a race-high 176 laps at Phoenix before finishing second, and his odds also improved to +500. Meanwhile, Chase Briscoe has fallen down the list to +1400 after a disastrous start to the season that includes two DNFs and a 36th-place finish.

  • The Phoenix race took place on Sunday, March 10, 2026.
  • The next race on the schedule is at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this coming Sunday.

The players

Denny Hamlin

The current championship favorite, Hamlin has finished 13th or better in three of the first four races despite leading just 18 laps so far this season.

Kyle Larson

Larson has compiled back-to-back top 10 finishes at COTA and Phoenix, though he says the team "just needs to be a lot better" to be a true contender at Phoenix.

Christopher Bell

Bell led a race-high 176 laps at Phoenix but was unable to close out the victory, finishing second. His odds have improved to +500 and he sits sixth in the points standings.

Ryan Blaney

Blaney's victory at Phoenix has pushed him up the championship odds list, tying him for third-best at +500. He sits second in the points standings, 60 points behind leader Tyler Reddick.

Chase Briscoe

Briscoe has had a disastrous start to the season, with two DNFs and a 36th-place finish, leaving him 33rd in the points standings. His championship odds have fallen to +1400.

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What’s next

The next race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is this Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where drivers will look to join Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney as winners in the 2026 season.

The takeaway

The early shakeup in the NASCAR championship odds highlights the unpredictability of the 2026 season so far. While Denny Hamlin remains the betting favorite, the performances of drivers like Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, and the struggles of Chase Briscoe show that the title race is wide open heading into the next stretch of races.