Will Power Early Betting Favorite in 2019 Indy 500 Odds

By Thom Cunningham Mar 14th, 2024 7:22 AM EDT

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Early odds are out for this year’s Indianapolis 500 event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. To no surprise, last year’s winner Will Power enters with the best odds to win the May 26 event at +650 (13/2).

Some sports betting fans may be hesitant on taking Power though, as winning at “The Brickyard” in back-to-back years is an exceedingly rare feat.

Early Favorites for the 2019 Indy 500

Will Power

There is some logic to see his name atop the early odds list, but his season has not been stellar to say the least.

Power currently sits sixth in the IndyCar Series standings this season.

He finished seventh in his last race (Long Beach) but has not seen a top-three finish since the season began in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Since his third-place finish to begin the 2019 campaign, Power has finished 24th, 11th and seventh.

Perhaps competing on a track he won at a year ago – both in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis road course race and in the 500 – will see his momentum change?

History says no. The last driver to win the Indy 500 in back-to-back years was Helio Castroneves in 2001-2002.

Castroneves, the three-time Indy 500 winner, has odds to win set at +1100 (11/1).

Josef Newgarden

Newgarden leads the IndyCar Series standings, recording three top-two finishes this season. In fact, Newgarden has yet to finish outside of the top four in any of the four races this season

He is the only driver currently over 139 total points, with 166.

Of the top four drivers currently favored, Newgarden is the only one who has yet to win the Indy 500.

His odds are currently +750 (15/2), which is tied with Alexander Rossi.

Alexander Rossi

Rossi is looking for his second Indy 500 victory, having won the race in 2016.

He is second in points and is having an impressive 2019 campaign so far. Rossi won the last IndyCar race in Long Beach, marking his first victory of the season.

He also has three top five finishes this season and has yet to finish a race outside the top 10. Of the four races this season, Rossi has led a lap in three – something Newgarden has not done.

Rossi earned the pole at Long Beach and went on to victory, marking the second straight race this season in which the pole winner also won the grand prix.

Will Power won the first two poles of the season but finished third and 24th in those races.

Scott Dixon

Dixon enters the Indy 500 with odds to win at +900 (9/1).

He won the race in 2008 from the pole. Dixon has sat on the Indy 500 pole three times since 2008 but has only won the race one time.

In 2015, Dixon finished fourth after winning the pole and in 2017 was 32nd after starting first thanks to an epic wreck. No pole winner has claimed the Indy 500 since Castroneves in 2009.

Dixon, the five-time and defending IndyCar champion, has impressed so far this season. Dixon has seen three top three finishes which includes two second-place finishes.

He is third in the series standings, only trailing Rossi by five points.

About the Author

Thom Cunningham

More About Thom

Thom Cunningham, a former statistician for STATS, Insights and digital producer for Spectrum SportsNet, has 11 years of sports coverage experience.