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For many years, the Indianapolis 500 has stood as a cherished American tradition during Memorial Day weekend.
The upcoming Sunday will witness the 106th iteration of the Indy 500, which will unfold at the renowned Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
No matter if you are an experienced bettor who has followed the Indy 500 for years or a newcomer to the sport, we have everything you need for this Sunday’s race.
How to watch the 2022 Indianapolis 500
- What: 2022 Indianapolis 500
- When: Sunday, May 29
- Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Track Type: Oval
- Race Distance: 500 miles
- Start Time: 12:45 p.m.
- The TV broadcast on NBC will commence at 11 a.m. Eastern Time (ET).
- The radio program is called INDYCAR Radio, airing on SiriusXM.
- Online viewing: Peacock
- The weather forecast predicts a sunny day with a high temperature of 81 degrees, and there is a very low probability of rain.
Dixon, Palou among the Indy 500 favorites
The oddsmakers’ favorites to win the 2022 Indy 500 include several well-known names.
Scott Dixon and Alex Palou, who were favored in the 2021 season, are widely regarded as the frontrunners in the current year as well.
Here is an overview of the top 5 consensus contenders and their odds at different operators, although oddsmakers may differ in their assessments.
| Indy 500 Odds | Scott Dixon | Alex Palou | Patricio O’Ward | Josef Newgarden | Rinus Veekay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | +550 | +600 | +900 | +1200 | +1100 |
| FanDuel | +650 | +850 | +1200 | +1000 | +1500 |
| BetMGM | +500 | +700 | +800 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Caesars | +400 | +450 | +850 | +1000 | +1200 |
| BetRivers | +550 | +700 | +1100 | +1200 | +1100 |
Dixon owns pole position at Indy 500
Scott Dixon will start from the pole position for the Indy 500 for the second year in a row.
Dixon is starting up front for the fifth time, but it didn’t bring him much success last year when he finished 17th in the race.
This Sunday, Dixon is gearing up for his 20th participation in the Indy 500. Despite numerous attempts, he has only secured a single victory, achieved in 2008 when he claimed the pole position.
Dixon currently holds the fifth position in the IndyCar point standings for the year 2022. Throughout the course of five races, he has consistently finished no higher than fifth place.
Castroneves seeks Indy 500 history
On Sunday, Helio Castroneves, the victorious racer of 2021, possesses a chance to establish a groundbreaking milestone in the annals of Indy 500.
The four-time victor of this race aims to make history by becoming the first to secure a fifth Indianapolis 500 win.
After a 12-year gap, Castroneves achieved his fourth Indy 500 victory. However, he is not favored to repeat as the champion, with both DraftKings Sportsbook MI and BetMGM Michigan listing him at +2800 odds to win.
Winning back-to-back as the Indy 500 champion is a well-known feat for this Brazilian. He achieved this remarkable milestone by emerging victorious in both 2001 and 2002.
Jimmie Johnson makes Indy 500 debut
Even if you’re not well-versed in IndyCar Racing, you should still be familiar with the name Jimmie Johnson.
On Sunday, the first-ever Indianapolis 500 race for the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will commence.
Last year, he participated in a total of 12 IndyCar races, which also included the two races held at Belle Isle in 2021. In the current year, Johnson has taken part in all five races of the series.
The NASCAR veteran has been unable to achieve positive outcomes. Out of the five races, he has finished 20th or lower in four instances and has never managed to secure a position within the top 5 throughout his 17 appearances in IndyCar.
However, in most cases, oddsmakers are assigning Johnson odds of +1600 to emerge victorious in the race.
Johnson’s achievement deserves recognition as he emerged victorious in the Brickyard 400, NASCAR’s annual race held at the prestigious Indianapolis Motor Speedway, not once, but an impressive four times.
Local blackout of Indy 500?
Although sports bettors in Michigan will face no problems watching live coverage of the Indianapolis 500, the same cannot be said for other locations.
Residents in central Indiana may experience a lack of live race coverage this year as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) is unlikely to sell out its approximately 240,000 reserve grandstand seats for Sunday’s race. Consequently, the local blackout of the race is expected.
The blackout is a rare occurrence, having been broadcast live for only five out of 105 races in central Indiana. It’s worth noting that the past two years were an exception due to the pandemic.
Despite an expected attendance of over 300,000, the race may still be subject to a blackout.
How to bet on the Indy 500?
Although NASCAR, Formula 1, and IndyCar differ in various aspects, the betting options available for these motorsports are quite similar.
These are the various types of bets you can anticipate when it comes to the Indy 500 or IndyCar racing as a whole.
- Outrights: Place a bet on a driver to emerge victorious in the race. Lock in the bet at the current moneyline odds provided. IndyCar outrights consistently present favorable odds, as there are no clear favorites to win. The numerical value denotes the potential winnings for every $100 wagered.
- In driver matchups or groups, you can place bets on one driver against another or a group of drivers. Simply book the bet at the existing moneyline odds. In this case, you don’t have to select the winner, but rather predict who will finish ahead in a head-to-head situation or among a group of drivers.
- If you have doubts about a driver’s ability to win, you can frequently discover odds for them to secure a podium or a top-five finish at more favorable odds.
- As the race draws near, additional betting options become accessible. These may include predicting whether a driver will finish above or below a certain position, betting on the fastest lap, or participating in live bets. Prop odds related to the race itself, such as the number of caution flags or the brand of the winning car, will also be available.
