Indianapolis 500 Betting Preview, Tips & Predictions (2025)

The Indianapolis 500, held on the weekend of American Memorial Day, is one of three Triple Crown events in motor racing. In 2025, it happens to fall on the same weekend as one of the biggest F1 betting events in the Monaco Grand Prix.

The 2025 Indy 500 will take place on Sunday, May 25. Qualifying was a two-day event across the prior weekend with Robert Shwartzman, who had never raced on an oval before qualification, taking a stunning pole for Prema Racing.

Josef Newgarden and Will Power were sent to the back of the grid after Penske Chevrolet were found to have made illegal modifications to Newgarden’s rear attenuator. The pair with initially starting 11th and 12th, respectively.

Shwartzman at 9s

Despite qualifying on pole, three drivers have shorter odds to win the Indy 500 than Shwartzman. His qualification was historic in several ways – it is Prema Racing’s first year in IndyCar and Shwartzman becomes the first rookie to claim pole since 1983.

In his first ever race on an oval, a lack of experience could cost Shwartzman a shot at victory. A total of 21 Indy 500 winners have come from pole, so he clearly has a fighting chance, but it will take another remarkable drive from the Tel Aviv native.

American Struggles

Since 1998, only five editions of the Indy 500 have been won by an American driver. Two of those five were Newgarden in 2024 and 2023, who is once again among the betting favourites for the 2025 race at 9/1.

The front three on the grid are non-Americans in Shwartzman, Takuma Sato, and Pato O’Ward.

Of the drivers with the eight shortest odds to win the race, Newgarden is the only American. While he’s enjoyed multiple successes in Indianapolis previously, he has his work cut out after the grid penalty.

Kiwi Scott Dixon holds the record for the most laps led in IndyCar history yet has only won the Indy 500 on one occasion. Having qualified fourth, he’s in a good position to take an early lead this Sunday and certainly represents some each-way value at 13/2.

How fast do cars go at the Indy 500?

Cars hit top speeds around 230 miles per hour at the Indy 500. Shwartman’s pole-winning lap in qualifying had a speed of 233 miles per hour.

Arie Luyendyk set the record for the fastest lap at 237.5 miles per hour in 1996.

How long is the Indy 500?

The Indy 500 is raced over 200 laps, which works out at roughly 500 miles. Most years, the race lasts around three hours, though this can vary considerably depending on weather conditions and crashes.

Indy 500 Odds

• Pato O’Ward – 5/1
• Alex Palou – 11/2
• Scott Dixon – 13/2
• Robert Shwartzman – 9/1
• Josef Newgarden – 9/1
• Scott McLaughlin – 10/1
• Felix Rosenqvist – 11/1
• Takuma Sato – 12/1
• Kyle Larson – 16/1
• Will Power – 20/1
• David Malukas – 20/1
• Christian Lundgaard – 20/1
• Alexander Rossi – 20/1
• Colton Herta – 25/1
• Marcus Ericsson – 25/1
• Santino Ferrucci – 28/1
• Helio Castroneves – 28/1
• Kyle Kirkwood – 28/1
• Conor Daly – 33/1
• Ed Carpenter – 60/1
• Graham Rahal – 80/1
• Ryan Hunter-Reay – 80/1
• Marcus Armstrong – 80/1
• Rinus Veekay – 80/1
• Louis Foster – 80/1
• Nolan Siegel – 100/1
• Sting Ray Robb – 100/1
• Christian Rasmussen – 100/1
• Marco Andretti – 125/1
• Callum Ilott – 125/1
• Kyffin Simpson – 125/1
• Jack Harvey – 150/1
• Devlin Defrancesco – 200/1

*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at time of writing*

2025 Indy 500 Grid

1. Robert Shwartzman (No. 83 Prema Racing)
2. Takuma Sato (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing)
3. Pato O’Ward (No. 5 McLaren)
4. Scott Dixon (No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing)
5. Felix Rosenqvist (Meyer Shank Racing)
6. Alex Palou (No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing)
7. David Malukas (No. 4 A. J. Foyt Racing)
8. Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 McLaren)
9. Marcus Ericsson (No. 28 Andretti Global)
10. Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Team Penske)
11. Conor Daly (No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing)
12. Alexander Rossi (No. 20 ECR)
13. Kyffin Simpson (No. 8 Chip Ganassi Racing)
14. Ed Carpenter (No. 33 ECR)
15. Santino Ferrucci (No. 14 A. J. Foyt Racing)
16. Devlin DeFrancesco (No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing)
17. Sting Ray Robb (No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing)
18. Christian Rasmussen (No. 21 ECR)
19. Kyle Larson (No. 17 McLaren)
20. Louis Foster (No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing)
21. Callum Ilott (No. 90 Prema Racing)
22. Helio Castroneves (No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing)
23. Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Andretti Global)
24. Nolan Siegel (No. 6 McLaren)
25. Ryan Hunter-Reay (No. 23 DRR-Cusick Motorsports)
26. Jack Harvey (No. 24 DRR-Cusick Motorsports)
27. Colton Herta (No. 26 Andretti Global)
28. Graham Rahal (No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing)
29. Marco Andretti (No. 98 Andretti Global)
30. Marcus Armstrong (Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian)
31. Rinus VeeKay (No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing)
32. Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Team Penske)
33. Will Power (No. 12 Team Penske)

Previous Indy 500 Winners

• 2024 – Josef Newgarden
• 2023 – Josef Newgarden
• 2022 – Marcus Ericsson
• 2021 – Helio Castroneves
• 2020 – Takuma Sato
• 2019 – Simon Pagenaud
• 2018 – Will Power
• 2017 – Takuma Sato
• 2016 – Alexander Rossi
• 2015 – Juan Pablo Montoya
• 2014 – Ryan Hunter-Reay
• 2013 – Tony Kanaan
• 2012 – Dario Franchitti
• 2011 – Dan Wheldon
• 2010 – Dario Franchitti
• 2009 – Helio Castroneves
• 2008 – Scott Dixon
• 2007 – Dario Franchitti
• 2006 – Sam Hornish Jr.
• 2005 – Dan Wheldon
• 2004 – Buddy Rice
• 2003 – Gil de Ferran
• 2002 – Helio Castroneves
• 2001 – Helio Castroneves
• 2000 – Juan Pablo Montoya

Most Successful Indy 500 Drivers

• Helio Castroneves – 4 wins
• Al Unser – 4 wins
• Rick Mears – 4 wins
• A.J. Foyt – 4 wins
• Louis Meyer – 3 wins
• Wilbur Shaw – 3 wins
• Mauri Rose – 3 wins
• Johnny Rutherford – 3 wins
• Bobby Unser – 3 wins
• Dario Franchitti – 3 wins

Wins by Nation

• USA – 78 wins
• United Kingdom – 8 wins
• Brazil – 8 wins
• France – 3 wins
• Sweden – 2 wins
• Colombia – 2 wins
• Japan – 2 wins
• Netherlands – 2 wins