2014 Indianapolis 500 Odds To Win: Castroneves & Andretti Favored
By Drew Sharper
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (TheSpread) – The 2014 Indianapolis 500 is set to take place in a little over a week. Here is a look at the odds to win this year’s annual classic.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Helio Castroneves and Marco Andretti are favored to win the race, as each has 6/1 odds. Other short odds to win are Juan Pablo Montoya (7/1) and Scott Dixon (8/1).
Castroneves won this race back in 2009 and in 2001 and 2002. He has finished outside the top 5 the last four years in the race.
Andretti has never won this race, but has finished in the top 5 four times, including fourth last year and second in 2006.
Montoya competed in this race back in 2000 and won in his only appearance. He is competing full-time in IndyCar this year, but has no wins and just one top 5 in four races.
Dixon won this race back in 2008. He has finished in the top 5 in five of his 11 appearances. He placed 14th last year.
The Indianapolis 500 will take place on Sunday, May 25 from Indianapolis Motor Speedway at Noon ET. For complete odds and track information on this year’s race, see below.
Odds to win the 2014 Indianapolis 500
Helio Castroneves 6/1
Marco Andretti 6/1
Juan Montoya 7/1
Scott Dixon 8/1
Ryan Briscoe 10/1
Tony Kanaan 10/1
Will Power 10/1
Ryan Hunter-Reay 12/1
Ed Carpenter 18/1
James Hinchcliffe 20/1
Carlos Munoz 25/1
Kurt Busch 25/1
Graham Rahal 25/1
Justin Wilson 30/1
Simon Pagenaud 30/1
Takuma Sato 30/1
Jacques Villeneuve 40/1
Townsend Bell 50/1
Oriol Servia 60/1
Sebastien Bourdais 60/1
JR Hildebrand 60/1
Alex Tagliani 60/1
Sebastian Saavedra 100/1
Josef Newgarden 100/1
Carlos Huertas 100/1
Jack Hawksworth 100/1
Mikhail Aleshin 100/1
Buddy Lazier 100/1
Charlie Kimball 100/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 25/1
2014 Indianapolis 500 Information
Race Date: Sunday, May 25
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Green Flag: Noon ET (ABC)
Track Type: Speedway (200 laps)
Indy 500 Odds and Picks
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
LAS VEGAS -- Marco Andretti has become the 5-to-1 favorite to win Sunday's Indianapolis 500. When the LVH opened its odds in late April, Andretti was a 6-to-1 co-favorite with Juan Pablo Montoya and Helio Castroneves, but the money has spoken.
As much as many of us want to see Montoya recreate that 2000 magic, fans aren't betting with their hearts, or at least until they see some speed from him. That was the last time Montoya participated in the race. He took the trophy and ran.
Another driver Las Vegas fans will be rooting for, but not necessarily betting on, is our home grown Kurt Busch, who is 30-to-1 to win the Indy 500 and 40-to-1 to win NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 a few hours later. He will become the fourth driver to compete in both events on the same day. We wish him all the best. He's like having a franchise in the city. We may not have a major pro team in Vegas, but we've got a home team racing every week. This week is just a little bigger than ever for him.
To help find the top candidates to win this week, we enlisted the help of Indiana grad Wes Reynolds, an intense follower of the IndyCar series. The Indiana native grew up around the Indy 500 and has been kind enough to share a few of his thoughts and offer a couple of selections.
Wes Reynolds' six storylines to keep an eye on:
1. Chevrolet vs. Honda. Honda took eight of the top-12 qualifying positions. Nevertheless, there seems to be parity between the two manufacturers with the switch to twin turbos this year. On Monday, Honda-powered cars went silent when an engine-based fuel leak was found on one of the Andretti Autosport cars. It was the second leak of its kind this month, and something Honda believes it has solved. Something to monitor though.
2. Hometown kid on the pole. Back-to-back poles for Ed Carpenter, stepson of former IndyCar and IMS head Tony George. Essentially a part-time driver. Only one top-five Indy 500 finish, but three top-five oval finishes last year and two wins in the last three seasons on ovals. Lower-budget than some of the power teams (Team Penske, Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Autosport).
3. Four for Helio? Has been trying for the last five Indy 500s to reach the exclusive four-time Indy winner club (Foyt, Mears, Unser Sr).
4. Montoya return. JPM's 2000 win at Indy is still one of the most dominant performances at the Brickyard to this day. Disappointing start to what was supposed to be a triumphant return.
5. Target Chip Ganassi. Where's the speed? Won three of last six Indys. Qualified 14th, 17th, 19th and 23rd, respectively. Only one podium finish on the team in first four races of the season vs. four podiums for Penske and five for Andretti Autosport. Scott Dixon's the smartest driver in the series and Tony Kanaan is the most daring and brave. Is that enough?
6. That darned Andretti luck. The Andretti heartbreak at Indianapolis is well documented. Only one win as a driver (Mario 1969), but two as an owner. Marco has a second, third (twice) and fourth. Also has a 24th (twice) and a 30th. If anyone is due at Indy, it's Marco.
Picks: Castroneves 6/1, Carpenter 8/1, Montoya 7/1.
Sleepers/value bets: Wilson 60/1 (always qualifies mid-pack, but is a smart driver and doesn't make mistakes. Has three top-seven finishes in last four years), Hildebrand 40/1, Newgarden 40/1.