2025 Indy 500 Odds, Race Time, Starting Grid & Schedule

• Robert Shwartzman becomes first rookie polesitter since 1983 with 232.790 mph qualifying run
• Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou are still the current favorites to win the race
• Read below for complete 2025 Indy 500 betting odds, race start time, schedule, and starting grid analysis

Robert Shwartzman shocked the racing world by snagging pole position for Sunday’s 109th Indianapolis 500, becoming the first rookie to start P1 since Teo Fabi pulled it off in 1983.

The Prema Racing driver clocked a blistering 232.790 mph four-lap average, but the smart money’s still on the usual suspects when the green flag drops Sunday on FOX.

Here is our guide to the 2025 Indy 500, including odds, start time, schedule and starting grid.

Jump To: Odds | Start Time | Schedule | Starting Grid |

Current Indy 500 Betting Odds

Race Winner

O’Ward and Palou lead BetMGM’s board at +500, translating to a 16.7% implied probability for each driver. Newgarden sits third at +600 (14.3% implied), while Dixon’s +700 price gives him a 12.5% chance.

The books clearly respect the rookie polesitter Shwartzman at +1800 (5.3% implied), same odds as two-time champ Will Power.

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Top 3 Finish

BetMGM’s top-3 market shows heavy favoritism toward O’Ward and Palou at +140 (41.7% implied probability).

Even starting 32nd, Newgarden gets respect at +190 (34.5% implied) – the books know he’s dangerous in traffic. Dixon’s +210 price (32.3% implied) reflects his consistency at The Brickyard.

Top 5 Finish

The top-5 finish market at BetMGM gets juicy with O’Ward and Palou both at -135 (57.4% implied probability). That’s solid value considering their recent form.

Newgarden’s -110 (52.4% implied) suggests the books expect him to slice through traffic, while Dixon at even money (+100) offers a 50% implied shot at a top-5.

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Breaking Down the Indy 500 Favorites

Pato O’Ward (+500) – The Arrow McLaren driver’s been snake-bitten at Indy. Three runner-up finishes in recent years (including 2022 and 2024), with last year’s loss especially brutal. Newgarden passed him on the final lap – one of only four last-lap passes for the lead in race history. O’Ward’s already nabbed two second-place finishes this season and starts third. The 25-year-old’s hungry for milk.

Alex Palou (+500) – Four wins in five races this season. Let that sink in. The Chip Ganassi Racing star dominates the IndyCar championship standings but hasn’t cracked the Indy 500 code yet. Starting sixth gives him clean air to work with, and his team knows how to win here.

Josef Newgarden (+600) – Nobody’s ever won three straight Indy 500s, and starting 32nd makes history even tougher. But write off the Team Penske driver at your own risk. He’s pulled off back-to-back wins, including that heart-stopper over O’Ward last year. Technical infractions or not, Newgarden knows how to navigate traffic.

Scott Dixon (+700) – The Iceman starts fourth with 2008 winner’s experience in his back pocket. Dixon’s got six championships for a reason – consistency and racecraft. At these odds, he’s solid value for a top finish.

Scott McLaughlin (+900) – Team Penske’s third gun starts tenth. The Kiwi’s oval game keeps improving, and his aggressive style fits Indy’s chess match at 220 mph.

Indianapolis 500 Longshot Specials

Don’t sleep on Kyle Larson (+2500) attempting “The Double” again – running both Indy and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 the same day. The NASCAR points leader finished 18th in his 2024 debut but brings serious racing chops.

Conor Daly (+4000) logged three straight top-10s at Indy, while Colton Herta (+3000) finished second in last year’s IndyCar championship.

Eight past winners combine for 13 victories in this field, including four-time champ Helio Castroneves making his 25th start. Add the series’ first hybrid energy recovery systems at Indianapolis, and Sunday’s race promises fireworks from green to checkered.

When Does the 2025 Indy 500 Start?

The 109th Indianapolis 500 starts at 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 25, 2025. That’s 11:45 a.m. CT, 10:45 a.m. MT, and 9:45 a.m. PT for those watching across the country. International fans can tune in at 5:45 p.m. UK time or 2:45 a.m. Monday (May 26) in Australia.

FOX’s pre-race coverage begins at 10 a.m. ET, giving you nearly three hours of buildup before the green flag. The national anthem is scheduled for 12:20 p.m. ET.

Race Weekend Schedule

The action kicks off Friday, May 23 with Carb Day (final practice) at 11 a.m. ET on FS1. This marks FOX’s first year broadcasting the race after NBC’s six-year run. The Pit Stop Challenge also takes place Friday, followed by Saturday’s public drivers’ meeting and the massive Indy 500 Festival Parade downtown.

Starting Grid Highlights

Shwartzman leads the field from pole, flanked by two-time winner Takuma Sato and Mexico’s Pato O’Ward on the front row. Six-time series champ Scott Dixon starts fourth, with Felix Rosenqvist and points leader Alex Palou rounding out the second row. Scott McLaughlin rolls off tenth for Team Penske.

Here’s the kicker: two-time defending winner Josef Newgarden starts way back in 32nd after technical infractions during qualifying. Team Penske got caught with illegal car modifications, pushing Newgarden and teammate Will Power to the back. The fallout? Three team executives got the boot, including president Tim Cindric.