Scott Dixon opened as a tepid 3/1 favorite but Indianapolis 500 betting fans will have plenty of other viable wagering options when the 94th running of the "Greatest Spectacle on Earth" gets its annual 200-lap run around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in front of ABC-TV's cameras, Sunday, May 30.
Dixon, who is part of the powerful Chip Ganassi racing team, always is a threat in this race, having won it in 2008, finished second in 2007 and sixth last year and in 2006. What's more, the New Zealand product is in good form, coming off a victory in Kansas City while currently residing in second place in the 2010 IndyCar Racing League (IRL) standings.
Penske Racing teammates Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves each are held at odds of 4/1 to win the 2010 Indianapolis 500. Briscoe never has won this race but the Aussie is seen as a real comer after notching three wins and eight runner-up finishes on the 2009 IndyCar Series circuit.
While Briscoe will be looking for his first trip to Victory Lane here, Castroneves is no stranger to the Indy 500 traditional post-race milk cocktail. The Brazilian won in his first two attempts, in 2001 and 2002, then added a third Indianapolis 500 win to his resume last year. Castroneves also has posted three other top five finishers in the race so he knows his way around the race track.
Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan are two more who could win it all. Franchitti, who is married to the actress, Ashley Judd and is a teammate of Dixon on the Ganassi racing team, is offered at odds of 9/2. The Scotsman won a rain-shortened Indy 500 in 2007 and finished seventh last year.
Many Indy 500 betting enthusiasts will find Kanaan attractive at odds of 10/1. The Brazilian, a member of the Andretti Autosport team, has not won the Indianapolis 500 but is a tough and fearless competitor who needs only a little racing luck to pull off the upset. In a remarkable show of consistency, Kanaan won the IndyCar Series championship in 2004, becoming the first driver to complete every lap of every race for an entire season.
Will Power, Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick are three other drivers who have aspirations for the checkered flag. The aptly named Power, a member of the Penske team, currently leads the IRL points standings with two wins and four top five finishes in just five starts. In just his third full year on the top open-wheel circuit, Power is offered at odds of 12/1, though many believe the Australian is better on road courses than ovals.
Andretti and Patrick, each at odds of 15/1, join Kanaan on the Andretti Autosport roster. Andretti finished second in the 2006 Indianapolis 500 and certainly has the DNA to win the race. Patrick finished fourth in the 2005 Indy 500 and was third last year and could spring a surprise if her team develops a good pit strategy for her.
Depending on qualifying, Andretti Autosport could have a fourth driver in 40/1 longshot Ryan Hunter-Reay, who recently captured the Long Beach Grand Prix but is better known for his prowess in road races.
Dan Weldon, who won the Indy 500 in 2009 and was the runner-up last year, is another interesting longshot at odds of 25/1, while Paul Tracy, who was the runner-up in 2002 to Castroneves, will attract some action at generous odds of 50/1,
As we get closer to the event, many sportsbooks will offer a series of propositions on the Indy 500, including which team and which automaker win the race.
Historically, some books also have posted an over/under proposition on how cars finish the race. Recently, however, this bet has come into disfavor because it could prompt the distasteful sight of "under" bettors rooting for a potentially life-threatening crash on the final lap.
Because prices are likely to be adjusted after cars qualify for the race, early odds such as those referenced here carry both risk and reward for both sports bettor and sportsbooks. But a well-timed bet now, like a carefully managed pit stop, can result in sports betting fans enjoying their own celebration (milk optional) after this year's Indianapolis 500.
