AUTO Early Look at Indianapolis 500
Scott Morris | May 16, 2024
With Memorial Day right around the corner, it’s just about Indianapolis 500 time. Sunday, May, 26th, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway once again hosts the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Always among the top sporting events on the calendar, 33 of the world’s best drivers (and their cars) go after the checkered flag (and the milk).
There are a number of great ways to bet on the 108th Indy 500, trying to find the winner is just one of them. Odds are available, having been out there a while ago.
Do not discount the other wagering options on the table, either, and here’s an overview…
A ‘Dead-Heat’ Board
Board to win the race finds Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou both priced at 6-1 (+600), according to Indianapolis 500 odds. Those two drivers have already had success in 2024, combined with experience in this race.
There are tri-choices in third, with Scott Dixon, Kyle Larson and controversial defending champion Josef Newgarden (168.193 miles per hour) all at 8-1 (+800). Larson is interesting in that he’s made his presence felt in other motorsports as well. He has a busy day planned.
The quintet within a narrow ‘margin of error’ suggests this race ought to be tight.
Others with Support
Bettors won’t see much of a gap to find 2022 champ Marcus Ericsson at 10-1 (+1000), Scott McLaughlin at 12-1 (+1200), 2016 winner Alexander Rossi at (+1400) and ‘18 champ Will Power at (+1600).
Connect the dots to find drivers/cars with past Brickyard success getting much of the wagering.
Here are some of the others worthy of consideration…
- Kyle Kirkwood 20-1 (+2000)
- David Malukas 20-1 (+2000)
- Colton Herta 20-1 (+2200)
- Linus Lundqvist 25-1 (+2500)
- Felix Rosenqvist 25-1 (+2500)
- Takuma Sato 25-1 (+2500)
- Rinus Veekay 25-1 (+2500)
- Santino Ferrucci 28-1 (+2800)
These are the only drivers below 30-1 (+3000) on the board (Sato was the winner in 2020).
Propping the Bets
As was mentioned, there are also intriguing alternative wagers associated with the Indianapolis 500. Take the winning margin as an example…
- Less than 1 Second -115
- 1-5 Seconds 7-5 (+140)
- More than 5 Seconds 9-2 (+450)
Again, with a tight ‘who wins’ board in this race, it’s not surprising that the spread at the finish is tilted toward a miniscule margin.
Number of lead changes in this 500-mile (200-lap) event is another option. This is a standard over/under prop, with the number set at 35½ (-120 each way), as per Indianapolis 500 specials.
As these cars continue to get faster and faster, betting on the top speed/fastest lap finds 226.55 miles/hour (over/under -120 each way) as the number which has been established.
Practice began this past Tuesday (May 14th), with qualifying this Saturday/Sunday (May 18th and 19th). In the days ahead of the Indianapolis 500, there will be more betting options and a changing board to examine. Keep those eyes on the road, as it were, ensuring you find the best available options.
As a public service, here is a list of all Indianapolis 500 previous winners…
