2020 was not a great year to be a sports fan, especially for those who love to attend and wager on big events. We saw a lot of those big events cancelled during the height of the pandemic, with the Indianapolis 500 cancellation one of the biggest disappointments for fans of motor sports. We are slowly beginning to return to normal, which means that we can once again look forward to one of the most iconic races in the world. The 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 is set for this coming weekend and is as difficult to predict as always. Let’s take a moment to look at the potential favorites, as well as a driver or two who might just cause an upset so you can plan your bets against their IndyCar odds.
Indy 500 Betting Predictions: Upsets and Surprises
There is some new to report on the Indy 500 front, which is the qualifying for the race, which just happened to be the fastest in history. It was Scott Dixon who led the way in qualifying and who will have pole position this weekend. Dixon was already up among the favorites to win, but landing the pole position is sure to make him an even firmer favorite. Dixon leads the way in the driver standings at the moment, and while he has had the pole 3 times previously for this race, his lone win came in 2008. Still, definitely the man to beat.
When looking at playing the Indy 500, it is natural to look at previous winners as potential winners again this season. If that is the route you are taking, then there are some solid options to choose from. Simon Pagenaud won it in 2019, while Will Power won it the year previously. Neither of those drivers have picked up a win this season, but both are still close to the leaders in the driver standings, so they cannot be counted out. One driver that could be a dark horse when looking at previous winners is Alexander Rossi. He has not made a great start to the 2021 season, but he does seem to love this race, so he may be available at very nice odds.
As we have seen in the past, the Indy 500 can deliver some surprise winners, so it’s never a bad idea to put a few bucks on a real longshot. One driver that you may want to take a look at here is Rinus Veekay, who became the youngest person to land on the front row for the Indy 500 after a great run in qualifying. He already has a win this season and is sitting 6th in the driver standings, but he is probably still considered a longshot to win this weekend. I’d be willing to take that betting risk.
You still have some time before you need to get your wagers on for the 105th Indianapolis 500, so I would take that time to dig a little deeper into qualifying runs and past performances to land on the driver who you believe might deliver the goods this weekend. Besides the drivers already mentioned, Colton Herta, who finished 2nd in qualifying, and Josef Newgarden are also worth a look.
