The 2026 Indianapolis 500 brings one of motorsports’ biggest betting events back to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, with the official IMS race-day schedule listing the green flag for 12:45 p.m. ET after pre-race ceremonies throughout the morning.
For anyone betting on the IndyCar this weekend, the market is built around 33 drivers, 200 laps, and 500 miles on one of the most famous ovals in the world. This year’s board is led by Alex Palou at +275, followed by Pato O’Ward, David Malukas, Alexander Rossi, and Josef Newgarden. The field also includes several past Indianapolis 500 winners, including Helio Castroneves, Takuma Sato, Scott Dixon, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alexander Rossi, Will Power, Marcus Ericsson, and Newgarden.
| Driver | Odds | Driver | Odds | Driver | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Palou | +275 | Pato O’Ward | +700 | David Malukas | +900 |
| Alexander Rossi | +1000 | Josef Newgarden | +1000 | Conor Daly | +1200 |
| Scott McLaughlin | +1200 | Felix Rosenqvist | +1400 | Santino Ferrucci | +1600 |
| Scott Dixon | +2000 | Kyle Kirkwood | +2500 | Christian Rasmussen | +3300 |
| Takuma Sato | +3300 | Helio Castroneves | +3500 | Will Power | +3500 |
| Christian Lundgaard | +4000 | Kyffin Simpson | +4000 | Marcus Ericsson | +4000 |
| Caio Collet | +4500 | Ed Carpenter | +4500 | Rinus Veekay | +5000 |
| Marcus Armstrong | +6600 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | +6600 | Graham Rahal | +8000 |
| Louis Foster | +8000 | Romain Grosjean | +8000 | Mick Schumacher | +10000 |
| Nolan Siegel | +12500 | Dennis Hauger | +15000 | Jack Harvey | +15000 |
| Jacob Abel | +30000 | Katherine Legge | +35000 | Sting Ray Robb | +35000 |
Betting the Potential Winners
Palou is the clear betting favorite at +275, and that price reflects both his current form and the confidence oddsmakers have in his ability to control a 500-mile race. At a short number, bettors are paying a premium, but Palou’s combination of speed, consistency, and race management makes him the obvious driver to beat.
O’Ward at +700 is another logical contender. He has been close at Indianapolis before and often attracts betting interest because of his aggressive style, especially late in races. Malukas at +900 is priced like a true front-line threat, while Rossi and Newgarden at +1000 both offer proven Indy 500 upside at slightly longer odds than the top three.
McLaughlin and Daly at +1200 are also notable. McLaughlin offers the profile of a driver who can win if his team nails strategy and track position, while Daly is the type of Indiana-linked name who can draw local betting attention during Indy 500 week.
Former Winners to Watch
The former-winner group gives this market real depth. Newgarden is the shortest-priced past winner at +1000, and his back-to-back Indy 500 wins in 2023 and 2024 make him one of the most dangerous drivers on the board. IndyCar’s entry-list preview identifies Newgarden as a two-time winner, alongside Sato, with Castroneves listed as a four-time winner.
Rossi at +1000 is another former champion with an attractive price. He won the race in 2016 and is close enough to the top of the board to be viewed as a serious contender rather than a nostalgia play. Dixon at +2000 may appeal to bettors who value experience and race craft, while Sato at +3300 and Castroneves at +3500 are longer-shot former winners with strong Indianapolis resumes.
Ericsson at +4000, Power at +3500, and Hunter-Reay at +6600 also deserve mention. They are not priced as favorites, but each has already proven he can finish the job at IMS, which matters in a race where patience, pit timing, and late restarts can completely reshape the result.
Sleeper Picks and Long Shots
The unanimous SportsBetting.Legal sleeper pick for Sunday is Santino Ferrucci at +1600. His odds stand out because his price sits just outside the top tier while still suggesting real win potential. Kirkwood at +2500 is another mid-board option for bettors looking beyond the favorites without going all the way into long-shot territory.
Further down, Rasmussen and Sato at +3300, Lundgaard and Simpson at +4000, and Collet at +4500 create an interesting range for bettors who want bigger payouts. Carpenter at +4500 and VeeKay at +5000 also fit the sleeper profile because both are priced long enough to offer value but not so long that they feel like pure lottery tickets.
Among the deep long shots, Grosjean, Rahal, and Foster at +8000 are the more recognizable names before the odds stretch into triple digits. Mick Schumacher at +10000 will draw attention because of his name value, while Hauger, Harvey, Abel, Legge, and Robb are true long-shot plays. At Indianapolis, chaos can open the door, but bettors should be selective with those prices and look for drivers who can combine speed, clean pit stops, and survival through the final 50 laps.
