Sports Betting Blog

Sam Hornish Jr. may be the defending Indianapolis 500 champion, but Dan Wheldon is clearly the favorite to win at Indy this year. Wheldon won the Indy 500 back in 2005 and likely would have repeated as champ last year if not for some bad luck late in the race. Wheldon led 148 of the 200 laps in last year’s race, but a tire puncture forced him out of the lead and he ended up finishing third. Oh, and Wheldon has already shown he’s a winner this season with two wins in four races. The Bodog.com oddsmakers definitely agree that Wheldon is the man to beat at Indy, after setting him as a 9/4 favorite.

Hornish Jr. can race, but if Wheldon’s tire had held up last year there’s no way he would have driven away with his first Indy 500 win. Hornish Jr. barely defeated rookie driver Marco Andretti last year, as he only defeated him by 0.0635 seconds. The oddsmakers must think Andretti had a little beginner’s luck last year after setting him at 16/1 to win this year’s Indy 500, while Hornish Jr. comes in at 5/1.

Also in at 5/1 is the always dangerous Helio Castroneves. The Brazilian knows how to win at the Brickyard having won back-to-back Indy 500s in 2001 and 2002. Castroneves will start on the pole this year after posting the fastest time in qualifying, and that could be the advantage he needs to drink from the milk jug a third time.

The fan favorites in the race likely don’t have much of a chance at seeing the checkered flag; I’m talking about are Danica Patrick (30/1) and Michael Andretti (16/1). Patrick is once again trying to become the first-ever female driver to win at the Brickyard. She came third in her Indy 500 debut two years ago, but couldn’t match that last year when she finished eighth. Patrick will be one of three women in this year’s Indy, as Sarah Fisher and Milka Duno will both be trying to steal her crown as racing’s best female driver.

Michael Andretti has had many disappointing days at Indianapolis over his long racing career. Andretti has raced in the Indy 500 15 times and has yet to win it. His best finish came in 1991 when he placed second. He came in third behind his son Marco in last year’s Indy 500.

Complete list of Bodog Indy 500 odds

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