• What: Indianapolis 500
  • When: Sunday, May 24, 2026, 12:45 p.m. ET
  • Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Watch: FOX

Pato O'Ward has done everything but win the Indianapolis 500. Experts at the top betting sites are of the opinion that next year will be Pato's year.

Oddsmakers at the leading online sportsbooks are setting O'Ward as the +500 favorite to be the winner of the 2026 Indianapolis 500.

Let's look at the latest IndyCar betting lines on this race. Remember, odds are always subject to change.

2026 Indianapolis 500 OddsBovadaBetUSMyBookie
Pato O'Ward+500+500+500
Joesef Newgarden+550+550+550
Alex Palou+600+600+600
Scott Dixon+700+700+700
Marcus Ericsson+1000+1000+1000
David Malukas+1200+1200+1200
Scott McLaughlin+1200+1200+1200
Takuma Sato+1200+1200+1200
Will Power+1600+1600+1600
Alexander Rossi+1600+1600+1600
Santino Ferrucci+1600+1500+1500
Christian Rasmussen+1600+1600+1600
Helio Castroneves+2000+2000+2000
Conor Daly+2500+2500+2500
Felix Rosenqvist+2500+2500+2500
Kyle Kirkwood+2500+1600+1600

Josef Newgarden, a two-time winner of the race, is the +550 second betting choice. Reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Alex Palou (+600) and Indy racing veteran Scott Dixon (+700) are also given IndyCar betting lines that are shorter than +1000.

While the race is still months away from taking the green flag, you don't have to wait that long to place your IndyCar wagers. Take advantage of the top mobile betting apps to make a bet wherever you might be in the course of your day.

When Is the 2026 Indianapolis 500?

Like NASCAR's Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500 isn't so much a race as it is a celebration of racing. There's activity at The Brickyard, as Indianapolis Motor Speedway is known, for almost a month leading up to race day.

The race itself is slated to go on Sunday, May 24, 2026. The green flag is scheduled to wave at 12:45 p.m.

Best Indianapolis 500 Betting Picks

If O'Ward were to live up to the faith shown in him by oddsmakers and win the race, he'd be the fourth first-time winner over the past five Indianapolis 500 races.

Before we take a look at the top contenders and get into the analysis and predictions for this race, check out our how-to bet on IndyCar page.

Pato O'Ward (+500)

He was third in last year's Indianapolis 500. Ward ran second in the race in 2024 and also in 2022.

He was fourth in 2021 and sixth in 2020. Really, other than a 24th-place run in 2023, the Mexican driver has been right there every time he's raced at The Brickyard.

Josef Newgarden (+550)

Newgarden will never forget the 2023 and 2024 Indy 500s. He won his first title in 2023 and was the first driver to win back-to-back titles since Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2022.

However, last year's race was one to forget for Newgarden. He endured mechanical issues that led to him dropping out of the race on Lap 135. Newgarden finished 22nd.

Alex Palou (+600)

The 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025 IndyCar Series champion, Spaniard Palou added his first Indy 500 title last year.

He's the first Spaniard to win the race. Palou was also the first driver since Dario Franchitti in 2010 to win the IndyCar Series title and Indianapolis 500 in the same year.

Scott Dixon (+700)

Dixon has done just about everything in North American open-wheel racing. That includes winning the Indy 500.

Dixon won the race in 2008. The New Zealander has recorded 14 top-10 finishes in the Indianapolis 500, including a trio of second-place performances. He's a six-time IndyCar Series champ.

Marcus Ericsson (+1000)

Ericsson won the Indy 500 in 2022. He and Kenny Brack (1999) are the only Swedes to win the race.

Ericsson was second in the 2023 race. However, he's run 31st and 33rd in the past two Indianapolis 500 races.

David Malukas (+1200)

American Malukas ran second in last year's race while driving for AJ Foyt Racing. In the offseason, he signed a multi-year deal with Team Penske, replacing veteran Will Power on the powerhouse squad.

Scott McLaughlin (+1200)

The New Zealander was a three-time SuperCars champion. He signed to race for Team Penske in 2021.

McLaughlin started on the pole in the 2024 Indy 500, finishing the race in sixth place. That's the only time he's cracked the top 10 in five starts at The Brickyard.

Takuma Sato (+1200)

A two-time winner of the race, Sato won for Andretti Autosport in 2017 and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2020.

In last year's race, the veteran Japanese driver started second on the grid. Sato led a race-high 51 laps before ultimately finishing ninth.

Indy 500 Longshots To Consider

Several past winners at The Brickyard are showing in the IndyCar betting lines just outside of the top contenders. Certainly, based on their resumes, each is worth a look.

A pair of former Indy 500 champions can be had for betting odds of +1600. Both Alexander Rossi, the 2016 winner, and Will Power, the champ in 2018, are available at that betting line.

Helio Castroneves, among a quartet of four-time winners in the history of the race, is at +2000. He was the Indy 500 champion in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021.

Available in this betting market at +3500 is Ryan Hunter-Reay. He was the winner of the 2014 Indianapolis 500.

Indianapolis 500 Best Bet

If there's a driver who looks due to win the Indy 500, it's certainly O'Ward. He's finished second twice, also with a third and a fourth over the past five races.

Pato O'Ward To win 2026 Indianapolis 500
Bovada
+500
Bet Now!

You can't get much closer to taking the checkered flag and drinking the milk in Victory Lane than that. It's Pato's time. Go with O'Ward to win in the 2026 Indianapolis 500 picks.