Matt Kenseth Pays Top Dollar With Daytona 500 Win
A $100 bet on Matt Kenseth to win the 2009 Daytona 500 would have paid out $2000 at online sportsbooks the likes of SBG Global.
"Another reason why sports like racing and golf offer such great value to gamblers," said Don Shapiro of Gambling911.com.
There were nine other drivers with shorter odds than Kenseth coming into Sunday's race, among them Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 5/1 odds; Kyle Busch at 4/1 odds and Jeff Gordon at 6/1 odds.
Kenseth currently drives the #17 DeWalt Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing.
Kenseth drove from the back of the field to take the Daytona 500 lead rain shortened the race. It was the former series champion first Daytona 500 win.
Kenseth, who came off one of his worst seasons, used a huge push from Kevin Harvick to pass Elliott Sadler with 54 laps to go. Caution came out moments later for an accident started by Paul Menard, and the rain that had been threatening all day finally arrived.
NASCAR stopped the race two laps later, and the cars were called to pit road. Some drivers climbed from their cars to await NASCAR's decision on whether to restart the race, but Kenseth sat patiently inside his parked Ford on pit road.
When NASCAR declared it over, the 2003 Cup champion tearfully climbed from his car to celebrate his victory, which snapped a 36-race winless streak. It was also the first Daytona 500 win for team owner Jack Roush.
"It's going to be really wet if I cry like a baby," the usually cool Kenseth said as he choked back tears. "I tell you what, after last year, winning a race means a lot to me."
Kevin Harvick came in second. AJ Allmendinger finished third. Clint Bowyer was in 4th place. Harvick was favored slightly more to win over Kenseth at 13/1 odds. Bowyer would have paid $2800 for every $100 bet with a win while Allmendinger was listed among the "field" options that promised a $1300 payout on every $100 bet at SBG Global.
Mary Montgomery, Gambling911.com
