Enjoy Illinois 300 Predictions & Odds 2026: NASCAR Picks, Props, Best Bets at Gateway

We scored a major payday at Darlington, cashing slips for race winner Christopher Bell and Ryan Preece for a six-unit profit on just three units of action. Let's stay hot with my NASCAR predictions at Gateway for the 2026 Enjoy Illinois 300!

The action is scheduled for Sunday, September 13, at 3 p.m. ET (USA) from WWT Raceway. Practice and qualifying will get underway on Saturday, September 12, at 3:30 p.m. ET (truTV).

📈 NASCAR odds at Gateway: Enjoy Illinois 300

🏆 Best bet to win the Enjoy Illinois 300

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske (No. 12)

• Ryan Blaney to win: +500 via FanDuel (0.73u)
• Ryan Blaney vs. Kyle Larson: -135 via BetMGM (1.02u)

Team Penske runs the show on flat short tracks, especially in the playoffs. Blaney was fast at New Hampshire, winning the race after ranking second by average green-flag speed, and fast at Phoenix, also winning the race after ranking second by average green-flag speed. He should be the favorite. But the books prefer Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, so let’s profit off their mistake.

We’ll also target Blaney to finish ahead of Kyle Larson. The Chevrolets have lost a step this year, and Larson was just fourth by average green-flag speed at New Hampshire and 11th at Phoenix. Blaney costs us a pretty penny on this market, but backing him here makes for a sharper additional play than any other market, especially with other books charging -150 for the same bet.

🔥 More NASCAR picks & prop bets

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing (No. 23)

• Bubba Wallace to win: +2500 via DraftKings (0.25u)
• Bubba Wallace top 10: +120 via DraftKings (1.25u)

Wallace remains undervalued by the books. He was a threat to win here a year ago, and he was fast at both New Hampshire and Phoenix. The No. 23 Toyota ranked third by average green-flag speed at New Hampshire and ninth at Phoenix, and he converted that speed into a pair of top 10 finishes, including a runner-up result in the Granite State. With the Toyotas continuing to look like this year’s dominant manufacturer, I don’t understand why we can get him for such an affordable price.

Ryan Preece, RFK Racing (No. 60)

• Ryan Preece to win: +6500 via DraftKings (0.13u)
• Ryan Preece top 10: +300 via DraftKings (0.62u)

Preece delivered for us with a top 10 at New Hampshire and another at Darlington (he also won at Daytona in between those races, but we missed out on that payday). I expect him to keep the momentum rolling at Gateway, where he finished 13th a year ago. Preece was seventh by average green-flag speed at New Hampshire, a marked improvement from Phoenix, where he ranked just 18th but managed to finish 13th. As with Wallace, the books are undercharging us for Preece, so he is a must-play at his current price point.

Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing (No. 6)

• Brad Keselowski vs. Carson Hocevar: -115 via BetMGM (1u)

I would normally end with three featured drivers, but Brad Keselowski gets a mention here following the threat he levied in Carson Hocevar’s direction at Darlington. Keselowski promised that Hocevar’s “day [is] coming, and it's coming hard” following an on-track incident with the controversial driver that ended with Keselowski spinning out. I take the wily veteran at his word and expect some on-track retaliation, either here or at Bristol. Back Keselowski to finish ahead of Hocevar, whose day may come to an early, unfortunate, yet entirely deserved end this weekend.

💰 My NASCAR bets at Gateway

Here are the actual NASCAR bets I'm making for the Enjoy Illinois 300 with the best odds from our best sports betting sites for Sunday’s race at WWT Raceway.

Total wagered: 5 units | Max profit: 12.45 units (Preece win)

🏆 Past NASCAR winners at Gateway

Here is a list of every NASCAR race winner at WWT Raceway (Gateway) in the Next Gen era:

The car that led the most laps won this race in 2025 and 2023. The two exceptions were 2024, in which Christopher Bell (80 laps led) dominated early but fell off late, and 2022, in which Kyle Busch (66) couldn’t seal the deal and came home second.

📺 How to watch NASCAR at Gateway: 2026 Enjoy Illinois 300

• Date: Sunday, September 13
• Time: 3 p.m. ET
• Location: WWT Raceway (Madison, Ill.)
• TV: USA
• Track: 1.25-mile flat oval (240 laps, 300 miles)
• Stages: Stage 1 (45 laps), Stage 2 (95 laps), final stage (100 laps)