It's race week in Indianapolis! Sunday's 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 should be another thrilling show, as it appears that this race should be closer than years past in the sense that drivers can pass much easier for the lead.
That makes finding the best value for Indy 500 odds tougher than ever. So, who wins? Who to bet on?
Get the inside track for Indianapolis 500 betting as Covers Experts' Auto Racing Advisor gives his preview and picks for the Indianapolis 500, which gets underway at 12:45 p.m. ET on May 30.
Indy 500 favorites: Dixon impressive in recent Indy runs
Scott Dixon (+350)
He's on the pole, led 111 of 200 laps in a runner-up effort last year and was eighth, first, fifth, first and fifth, respectively, in practice this month. Dixon has two Top-3 finishes in his last three Indy 500 starts.
Pato O'Ward (+1,000)
He won a race at Texas earlier this season, has been stout in practice all week and starts 12th. O'Ward was also last year's rookie of the race here too.
Tony Kanaan (+1600)
He says this is the best car that he's had here in years. Kanaan has three Top 10s in his last five Indy tries and was 11th, fifth, first, third and fourth, respectively, in practice.
Rinus VeeKay (+1,800)
Indy is special to him: It's the spot where he got his first Top 5, his first podium, his first pole... and now his first win? VeeKay starts third, the place where fellow countrymate and mentor Arie Luyendyk started when he won his first '500 in 1990. Also, the last two times that both the GMR Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 were both held in the Month of May, the winner of the road course race also won the '500 and they both started on the front row in those victories too. The numbers are aligning for VeeKay — can he get an Indy 500 win on Sunday?
Indy 500 sleepers: Sato looks good in repeat bid
Marcus Ericsson (+2,000)
He joked before the season that an oval would be his first career win and Indy would be a heck of a place for that to happen. He's had a quietly strong month so far, being 10th, fourth, eighth, fourth, seventh, and second, respectively, on the speed charts. He qualified ninth.
Takuma Sato (+2,000)
He's the defending champion, looks good in practice, and has the aggression that it takes to win. Why not have a repeat?
Ed Carpenter (+2,500)
The hometown hero is always good here. He starts fourth and has two Top-6 results in his last three tries, including a runner-up in 2018.
Indy 500 long-shot picks: Daly's speed worth a sprinkle?
Helio Castroneves (+3,000)
He's a three-time winner and he's less than a second away from being a five-time winner. Castroneves is at his best at Indy, has a new team with Honda power, and starts eighth.
Conor Daly (+5,000)
This is the best car he's ever had. Daly has also been in the Top 5 of every race practice speed chart.
Indy 500 trendy picks: History on Andretti's side
Marco Andretti (+5,000)
One-off entries like Andretti don't often win here. The last time it happened was 2011 and before that was 2001 — it happens every 10 years it seems. Plus, the last time it happened, it was this same No. 98 Honda.
Then there's also this: Johnny Rutherford started on the pole for this race in 1973 and didn't lead a lap. The next year, he started 25th and won. Andretti started on the pole last year and didn't lead a lap... this year, he starts 25th. Does history repeat itself?
Santino Ferrucci (+6,000)
He finished seventh in 2019, fourth last year... first Sunday? The numbers say yes. His team owner says these are the best cars they've ever had and two of the three guys to beat him last year drove for the team that he's since joined.
Indy 500 fades: Be weary of the No. 2 favorite
Colton Herta (+650)
The second favorite on the odds board, Herta starts second but has been up-and-down this season. He also hasn't been better than 10th in any race day practice session and his best finish in two tries here is eighth.
Josef Newgarden (+1,400)
Coming into the month he was my pick, but Newgarden just hasn't looked great. He was 14th, 30th, fourth, 22nd, and 26th, respectively, in practice. He qualified midpack and has scored just two Top 5s in eight tries here.
Simon Pagenaud (+2,200)
Can he pull a rabbit out of his hat? Pagenaud is a past winner here but was only sixth, 28th, 23rd, 30th, and 28th, respectively, in practice. His race car is good but it was hard to pass last year and they're saying the same for 2021. I'd consider him if he had a better starting position.
Will Power (+2,500)
He has a good race car in traffic, but he starts 32nd. The worst starting spot to win in the previous 104 years of this race? That would be 28th.
Indy 500 matchup pick: Palou at plus money
Pato O'Ward (-137) vs. Alex Palou (+105)
Palou has been in the Top 10 all month and starts sixth. He has a good car with Ganassi and is getting plus money.
PICK: Palou (+105)
Indy 500 preview
Most of the drivers have said that once you're not in the Top 5, you're pretty much stuck and it's going to take strategy to gain your way ahead of those in front of you.
It goes with the recent theme in NTT IndyCar Series races in general. Eleven of the last 15 series races have seen the winner come from a Top-3 starting spot, including 13 of the last 18. Furthermore, 34 of the last 38 race winners have come from a Top-10 starting spot.
As far as the Indy 500 goes, the last three winners have all come from the front row. While there are some good cars on race trim coming from the back, the best cars all month are still starting up front, which means this could be Chip Ganassi Racing or Ed Carpenter Racing's race to lose.
The only issue with that — Ganassi hasn't won an Indy 500 since 2012 and ECR never has. Combined, Penske and Andretti have won six of the last seven Indy 500’s and have always been the favorites there.
This year, they're not.
Indy 500 key stat
Honda and Chevy is the key battle to watch. Chevy had the preferred power in this race in 2018 and again in 2019: They’ve swept the front row both years.
In 2018, they led nearly 150 of the 200 laps run. In 2019 they combined to lead 155 of the 200 laps.
Honda put eight cars in the Fast 9 at Indy last year, swept the Top-4 finishing spots, and led 180 of 200 laps. At Texas in 2020, they had two cars in the Top 4 and combined to lead 159 of 200 laps that night too.
They dominated Race 1 at Texas earlier this month and have 10 of the Top-13 starters on Sunday.
Where can I bet on the Indianapolis 500?
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