Connor Zilisch opens with stunning odds to win NASCAR Cup Series debut at COTA

Connor Zilisch is set to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at COTA (Circuit of the Americas) on Sunday and is one of the favorites to win the race. Steven Taranto of CBS Sports listed Zilisch’s odds to win COTA from multiple sportsbooks. His current odds include +500 (BetMGM), +550 (DraftKings), +620 (Fanatics), +650 (Caesars) and +750 (FanDuel).

Zilisch is only 18 and won multiple races in the ARCA Menards Series last year. He also made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen in 2024 and won the race, making him the first driver in over three years to win their Xfinity Series debut.

Despite this weekend marking his Cup debut, sportsbooks have listed Connor Zilisch high among the favorites to win this week at COTA.

His current odds on some sportsbooks include:
+500 (BetMGM)
+550 (DraftKings)
+620 (Fanatics)
+650 (Caesars)
+750 (FanDuel) pic.twitter.com/uS4Z1qEG7Z

— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) February 25, 2025

In August, it was announced that Zilisch will drive the No. 88 car for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series full-time in 2025. For Sunday’s Cup Series race, Connor Zilisch will drive the No. 87 car for Trrackhouse Racing with a sponsorship with Red Bull.

“I was surprised when they presented me my Red Bull helmet and hat last summer and doubly surprised when they told me I would make my Cup debut in the No. 87 with a Red Bull paint scheme,” Zilisch said in a release in January, per NASCAR.com.

Denny Hamlin gives high praise to Connor Zilisch

Zilisch is not off to the best start to his 2025 Xfinity Series season, finishing 27th and 34th at Daytona and Atlanta, respectively. But with COTA being a road course, Zilisch has a chance to make some noise on Sunday. When he made his Truck Series debut last year with Spire Motorsports, Zilisch finished fourth at COTA.

In November, Denny Hamlin shared his thoughts on Zilisch. “I’d say it’s probably a sure-fire thing, just because he’s got enough experience on ovals,” Hamlin stated. “He still did quite a bit of oval racing as well, and certainly, if you look at the results in the competitive series that he’s run, he’s still, you know — he’s not as fast over the field when we go to ovals, but he’s still competitive, competing against veterans that have been doing it quite some time.

“So, will he go win 12 races next year in Xfinity? No, I don’t think so. But I mean, could he win four or five? Yeah, absolutely. I think that’s a very feasible goal considering, you know, the car he’s in and what he’s going to be capable of.”

On3’s Steve Samra contributed to this story.