The Indy 500 is the biggest race in the US motorsports calendar. At Sportzino, we understand just how important it is to race fans. We’ve taken a close look at the top contenders and created our guide to finding the favorite to win the Indy 500.
Indy 500 Drivers 2024
There are multiple ways to decide who is favored to win the Indy 500. With the season underway, the driver standings are an excellent first impression. Although there’s plenty of time for things to change, the following table offers a solid outline of who’s in the best form:
| Position | Driver | Points |
| 1 | Josef Newgarden | 54 |
| 2 | Pato O’Ward | 40 |
| 3 | Scott McLaughlin | 35 |
| 4 | Will Power | 32 |
| 5 | Colton Hera | 31 |
Of course, it’s not just about current performance. Past winners of the Indy 500 are an excellent way to get a snapshot of who has experience winning on the big stage. You can gain some insight from our table of the last ten Indy 500 winners:
| Winner | Year |
| Will Power | 2018 |
| Simon Pagenaud | 2019 |
| Takuma Sato | 2020 |
| Helio Castroneves | 2021 |
| Marcus Ericsson | 2022 |
| Josef Newgarden | 2023 |
While this data won’t guarantee a correct prediction, it’s an excellent way to help pick a favorite to win the Indy 500.
Top 10 Indy 500 Favorites for 2024
We’ve collated our top ten drivers to help you choose your favorite to win the Indy 500!
1. Alex Palou +550
Palou sits at the top of our list for a multitude of reasons. He set the qualifying record in 2023, making him the fastest pole ever. While he isn’t the youngest driver on our list, he’s still in his early 20s and has the opportunity to become one of the youngest winners of the Indy 500. Last year’s inexperience stopped him from taking the gold, but 2024 is his time to shine.
2. Josef Newgarden +600
Newgarden is sitting pretty at the top of the IndyCar standings, which makes him one of the favored racers. He’s also a past race winner, meaning he has experience taking a podium place. He won the Indy 500 in 2023, so if he can grab the trophy this year, he’ll join an elite club of back-to-back Indy 500 winners.
3. Pato O’Ward +650
Many feel Pato O’Ward is a driver who hasn’t lived up to his potential. However, that’s a highly unfair outlook. O’Ward will be 25 by the time the Indy 500 rolls around and has already finished third in the driver’s standings. Despite his tender years, Pato is sitting as one of the top three favorites to win the Indy 500.
4. Scott Dixon +800
Although Scott Dixon is outside the top five in the driver’s standings, he’s still a favored driver for the Indy 500. In 2008, Dixon took his solitary winner’s trophy for the Indy 500. Despite being over 40, Dixon can roll back the years and claim his second title, notably as older drivers have won three times in the last seven years.
5. Scott McLaughlin +1,200
Although he’s not a rookie, McLaughlin has spent most of his racing career outside the IndyCar circuit. It’s taken him time to transition from Supercar to IndyCar, but after a third-place finish in the 2023 season, he is sitting in third again this year. He will want to push forward to grab his first Indy 500 to show he’s a serious racer.
6. Colton Herta +1,400
Herta is younger than Pato O’Ward and hopes to win the Indy 500 before his rival. With family ties to IndyCar, seeing him performing well on the circuit is no shock. He’s in fifth in the standings and will push hard to grab a win in the Indy 500.
7. Will Power +1,600
Power is a force of nature in the IndyCar world. At 43, he’s past his prime but still has enough in the tank to challenge the podium. He’s currently fourth in the standings, so he will want to top his impressive season with a win at the Indy 500.
8. Alexander Rossi +2,000
Rossi spent the early years of his career trying to make it in F1. However, it didn’t pan out for him, so he returned to his native USA and IndyCar in 2016. He’s eighth in the standings and will be hoping he can rise up the rankings with an Indy 500 win.
9. Helio Castroneves +2,500
The oldest driver in the top 10 who is favored to win the Indy 500, Castroneves has a chance to set a record this year. If he wins the race, he will become the racer with the most Indy 500 wins, something to put him in the record books.
10. Felix Rosenqvist +3,000
Perhaps the most surprising position on the list. Rosenqvist is seventh in the standings but is the tenth favorite. He’s not expected to win, but he certainly has the potential to compete!
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