Enjoy Illinois 300 Odds, Picks & Best Bets 2023
- NASCAR races into June with the Enjoy Illinois 300 set to run on Sunday, June 4th, 2023, in Madison, Il
- The contending favorites include William Byron, Martin Truex Jr., Christopher Bell, and Kyle Larson
- Below are the Enjoy Illinois 300 predictions, picks, and betting odds ahead of Sunday afternoon’s race
NASCAR rumbles its way into Madison, Illinois for the fifteenth race of the 2023 season. Gateway is a 1.25-mile oval with 11 degree banking in turns one and two then nine degrees in turns three and four. The race distance totals 300 miles (240 laps). What chaos may come on Sunday afternoon?
This weekend’s race is a week after the rain-delayed Coca-Cola 600 where Ryan Blaney finally won a race after what felt like 100 tries. Actually, it was 59 but who’s counting. Anyway, Blaney held off William Byron and Martin Truex Jr. Some thought Truex Jr. had a shot but he just never could get past Byron.
The table below lists the complete slate of NASCAR Cup Series odds for the Enjoy Illinois 300 from Gateway (win, podium finish, and top-five finish). Under the table, find the Illinois predictions and best bets for this weekend’s NASCAR action.
NASCAR Enjoy Illinois 300 Odds
| Driver | Odds to Win | Podium Finish Odds | Top Five Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +450 | +120 | -150 |
| William Byron | +650 | +170 | -125 |
| Denny Hamlin | +1000 | +300 | +150 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +1000 | +300 | +150 |
| Christopher Bell | +1000 | +300 | +150 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1100 | +320 | +160 |
| Kyle Busch | +1100 | +320 | +160 |
| Joey Logano | +1100 | +320 | +160 |
| Tyler Reddick | +1200 | +350 | +175 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1200 | +350 | +175 |
| Ross Chastain | +1200 | +350 | +175 |
| Bubba Wallace | +2800 | +700 | +350 |
| Chase Briscoe | +3000 | +800 | +400 |
| Brad Keselowski | +3000 | +800 | +40 |
| Alex Bowman | +3000 | +800 | +400 |
| Corey LaJoie | +3500 | +900 | +450 |
| Daniel Suarez | +4000 | +1000 | +500 |
| Chris Buescher | +4000 | +1000 | +500 |
| Aric Almirola | +4000 | +1000 | +500 |
| Ty Gibbs | +4000 | +1000 | +500 |
| Ryan Preece | +5500 | +1300 | +650 |
Kyle Larson enters this race yet again as a +450 favorite. However, 11 other drivers come in at +1200 or shorter. Last week’s race was a rain delayed mess. Expect this Sunday to be far more tranquil but very hot.
NASCAR drivers get around the track with a 45-95-100 stage lap setup when the flag drops for the Sunday afternoon race beginning again after 3:00 pm ET on FOX.
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Hendrick Versus the Toyotas But…
Naturally, the Hendrick Motorsports Racing looked great for quite awhile at Charlotte. Unfortunately for William Byron, the No. 24 car could not get around Ryan Blaney in the closing laps. After that, the Toyota cars went 3-4-5 led by Martin Truex Jr. Now, the problem for the rest of the Hendricks was the dreaded accident. Meanwhile, Ryan Blaney dominated the second half of the race, led 163 laps, and again snapped his drought.
So, Caesars Sportsbook drops some slightly different numbers. For one, Martin Truex Jr. is only +800, but Chris Buescher is a surprising +4500 while Aric Almirola is at +5000. Buescher and Almirola have enjoyed success on tracks like Gateway. Early speed favors Larson, Byron, and the Toyotas but late speed intervals may tell a different story.
Enjoy Illinois 300 Recent Winners
| Year | Race Winner | Pole Position | Most Laps Led |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Joey Logano – Team Penske | Chase Briscoe – Stewart-Haas Racing | Kyle Busch – Joe Gibbs Racing |
2022* – The debut race featured five laps of overtime where Joey Logano surged to victory.
Hendrick And Joe Gibbs Over and Over
While Hendrick is considered a favorite yet again, do they get too much championship love? What do we mean? NASCAR Cup Series odds still rides with Chevy (three of the top four drivers now). That is led by Kyle Larson and William Byron. Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell are right there along with Martin Truex Jr.
Correlation is more like a mishmash. Gateway reminds most experts of a mix of tracks. Turns 1 and 2 resemble New Hampshire Motor Speedway while Turns 3 and 4 look more like Phoenix. Now, the overall track is a blend of Darlington and Motegi in Japan. The one thing noted was Ford’s late speed while Hendrick and Joe Gibbs faded over the final laps.
Practice begins Saturday morning with a 45-minute session. Saturday qualifying begins at 10:45 am ET. Expect the heat to be prevalent this weekend.
Enjoy Illinois 300 from Gateway Predictions & Picks
So, Saturday and Sunday look hot but most importantly dry. That is the best news any NASCAR fan, bettor, and expert can hear.
Metrics are unlikely as Sunday temperatures will be in the lower 90’s. Expect some unusual wear and tear and maybe some dehydrated drivers too.
Can Kyle Larson and William Byron stay up front? Better yet, can the Toyota’s do the same? Or will one of those longer shots Ford cars crash the party?
Again, the weather is to our liking finally! Hopefully, it does not change. For head-to-head driver matchups, William Byron over Kyle Larson is not a bad choice at -105. Keep an eye for a few others too.
Here are our best bets:
- Top Pick: Ryan Blaney to Win (+1100)
- Other Contenders: Kyle Larson (+450), Martin Truex Jr. (+1000), Christopher Bell (+1000), William Byron (+650)
- Longshots: Aric Almirola (+5000), Chris Buescher (+4500) – Both from Caesar’s
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A journalist veteran for over two decades, Chris has taught the gamut of fantasy hockey sports online from injuries to news to prospects, and more. He has bet on several sports and written sports betting articles about the NBA, MLB, NCAA football, the NFL, and NHL for USA Today.
