It’s almost here. The Indianapolis 500, also known as “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, is set to take place for the 108th time on Sunday, May 26th at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is a prestigious event which captivates motor sports fans from all over the world and it won’t be any different on the weekend. Heading into the race, Alex Palou (+600) is the favorite, but there’s many others not far behind him. Pato O’Ward also sit at +600 odds, while Kyle Larson (+700), Josef Newgarden (+750), Scott Dixon (+900), and Scott McClaughlin are also expected to contend here. Continue reading for the Indianapolis 500 picks.
Before we get into the odds, preview, and prediction, make sure to check out our page on the Indy Racing Betting odds with the latest odds for the race on Sunday afternoon.
The Indy 500 consists of 500 miles of racing with non-stop adrenaline and fast corners. It’s a 2.5-mile oval-shaped track, so you can imagine how exciting things get. Josef Newgarden is the defending champion.
Alex Palou (+600)
Palou was a fourth-place finisher in last year’s Indianapolis 500 where he actually set a record for speed in the qualifiers for the race. The Chip Ganassi Racing star is off to a very nice start this season, finishing top five in all five events. He won the Indianapolis Grand Prix on May 11th and currently sits at the top of the standings with 152 points. You can see why the Spaniard is expected to perform here.
Pato O’Ward (+600)
O’Ward is one of the younger IndyCar drivers but he is making a name for himself. He has a track record of finishing within the top 10 and he’s already won once this season at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. His other three finishes were all 13th or worse and he was 24th in the 2023 edition of the Indy 500. He could be one to look past on Sunday, but you never know.
Kyle Larson (+700)
NASCAR fans will notice this name. Larson has decided to not only compete in the Cup Series on Sunday but also in the Indy 500 earlier in the day. Kurt Busch was the last NASCAR driver to do this in 2014. This will be Larson’s IndyCar debut but there is reports that his participation could be halted due to Donald Trump’s possible attendance in Charlotte, which may complicate his arrival time. Nonetheless, if Larson does pull off the double, it would be truly remarkable. He’ll start from the No. 5 spot in Indianapolis.
Josef Newgarden (+750)
It’s been a long time since anyone won back-to-back Indy 500s. In fact, Helio Castroneves was the last one in the early 2000s. That’s what Newgarden will be aiming to do when Sunday rolls around. He is not off to a good start this year, sitting 17th in the IndyCar standings with only 61 points. Last time out, he was 17th at the Indianapolis Grand Prix. That really doesn’t matter though because Newgarden is elite and has shown a deep understanding of this track. He cannot be counted out to contend.
Scott Dixon (+900)
Dixon has been around for a hot minute. We’re talking about a guy who won the 2008 Indy 500. He’s still the epitome of consistency however, sitting third in the table right now with one victory, two top fives, and three top 10s. Dixon won the Long Beach Grand Prix and was fourth at the Indianapolis Grand Prix a couple of weeks ago. As for the 23′ Indy 500, he ended up in sixth.
Marcus Ericsson (+1200)
Ericsson was the 2022 Indy 500 winner, but he’s way down in 15th right now with only one finish in the top-five. Every other has been 16th or worse. However, Ericsson was so close to repeating last year, just finishing behind Newgarden in second place. Even if it’s not an outright bet, it’s probably worth putting some money down on Ericsson.
Indianapolis 500 Picks
I think it’s best to put a couple of wagers down. I’m going to go with Marcus Ericsson and Scott Dixon for Sunday’s race. I expect them to both be in contention.
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Quinn Allen is a journalist who specializes in writing sports betting previews. He holds a senior editor position at ClutchPoints. He has been contributing to Vegas Betting as a writer since 2022.