The engines will start soon.
The Indianapolis 500, a race that has been running for over 100 years, will once again take over the track this weekend. As noted by the Charlotte Observer, the stands will be empty for the first time ever. And the race will start about three months after its typical spot on Memorial Day weekend.
But the drivers will climb into their cars, speed around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for 500 miles and the show will go on. The tradition will survive.
And if that’s not enough, NASCAR is providing a double dose of Cup action, with races on both Saturday and Sunday at Dover International Speedway in Delaware. Let’s take a quick look at all the available wagers at our region’s Pennsylvania sportsbooks to get you ready for a jam-packed racing weekend.
DraftKings, Fox Bet boosting Indy 500 odds
The Indy 500 will be broadcast at 1 p.m. Sunday on NBC. Fox Bet has Scott Dixon as the favorite and has boosted his odds to +500. DraftKings has boosted the polesitter Marco Andretti to +875. The rest of the starting positions are available here. And the top 10 according to Bet Rivers Sportsbook/PlaySugarHouse are as follows:
- Scott Dixon: +400
- Marco Andretti: +800
- Alexander Rossi: +800
- Ryan Hunter-Reay: +1000
- Josef Newgarden: +1100
- Simon Pagenaud: +1100
- Will Power: +1300
- Takuma Sato: +1600
- Colton Herta: +2000
- Rinus VeeKay: +2000
Pricing is also available on the entire field if you’re interested in drivers who might bring bigger returns. There are also odds available on top three, top five and top 10 finishes, and a number of prop bets posted as well.
NASCAR’s Cup Series brings doubleheader to Dover
NASCAR’s Cup Series is also bringing plenty of action this weekend, with a race at 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. In Saturday’s Drydene 311 race at Dover International Speedway, Martin Truex Jr. is favored to capture the checkered flag.
Truex Jr. is +350 at BetRivers, PlaySugarHouse and DraftKings. Kevin Harvick follows him at +400. The rest of the top 10 for that race are as follows:
- Chase Elliott: +550
- Denny Hamlin: +600
- Kyle Busch: +1200
- Brad Keselowski: +1200
- Ryan Blaney: +1500
- Joey Logano: +1600
- Jimmie Johnson: +2000
- Aric Almirola/Alex Bowman: +2500
Bettors can get pricing on the entire field as well as top three and top five finishes for Saturday’s race, which will be broadcast on NBCSN. Sunday’s race is also called the Drydene 311, but will be identified by the sportsbooks as Race 2. Odds for that race should be available later Saturday evening.
DraftKings daily fantasy NASCAR awarding $100K to first
Daily fantasy players can find some big contests for both days of NASCAR action. On Saturday, the $15 entry NASCAR Engineer at DraftKings features a $300,000 prize pool and a top payout of $100,000. On Sunday, the $12 entry Front Row jumps to a $400,000 prize pool and another $100K first-place prize.
Over at FanDuel, Saturday’s featured contest is a $9.99 entry Intimidator with a top payout of $20,000. And for Sunday’s race, there’s a $7.77 Intimidator with a top prize of $25K.
Other contests are available at all price points to fit your budget.
Indy 500 tradition continues this Sunday
The engines are starting soon and will be rumbling all weekend. NASCAR is holding a Cup Series doubleheader just next door in Delaware.
And then on Sunday, the Indy Car circuit heads to the famous Brickyard for a race that first began in 1911.
The stands will be empty. But the sportsbook offerings are plenty full.
And the tradition continues.
“Gentlemen, start your engines!”
