Indy 500 Predictions, Picks to Win for Sunday, May 24

May 23, 2026

4 min read

AP Photo/Michael Conroy
IndyCar

The 110th running of the Indy 500 gets started on Sunday, May 24, at 12:30 p.m. ET at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis.

Sunday’s race totals 500 miles, spanning 200 laps, as Alex Palou captured the pole after producing when it counted in the Firestone Fast Six.

First, there is the running order for the race. Then, we dive into our Indy 500 predictions and picks for Sunday’s race, including top driver picks for PrizePicks.

Make your Indy 500 picks on PrizePicks — where you can earn real money if you're right, available in Indiana!

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IndyCar Running Order for Indy 500: Palou Earns Pole Position

The Indy 500 qualifying took place last Sunday after Saturday’s qualifying was rained out at Indianapolis. 

Alex Palou, the 2025 Indy 500 winner, sits on the pole for Sunday’s race much like he did last year.  

Here is the running order from the first eight rows for Sunday’s Indy 500, airing just after 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

2026 Indy 500 Running Order

Row 1: Alex Palou / Alexander Rossi / David Malukas

Row 2: Felix Rosenqvist / Santino Ferucci / Pato O’Ward

Row 3: Kyffin Simpson / Connor Daly / Scott McLaughlin

Row 4: Scott Dixon / Rinus Veekay / Takuma Sato

Row 5: Ed Carpenter / Helio Castroneves / Christian Rasmussen

Row 6: Marcus Armstrong / Marcus Ericsson / Christian Lundgaard

Row 7: Will Power / Nolan Siegel / Louis Foster

Row 8: Ryan Hunter-Reay / Josef Newgarden / Romain Grosjean


Indy 500 Winner, Podium Predictions for Sunday, May 24

Josef Newgarden (Penske) has experienced success at Indy. Newgarden won twice (2023, 2024) and has the luxury of starting 23rd. His 2023 win saw him start back in 17th. He can overtake other drivers quickly.

Scott Dixon could be one to watch and starts 10th. The 2008 winner has five straight Top 10 results heading into the Indy 500. Then, there is Santino Ferrucci. He has never finished outside the Top 10 and has one podium result (2023).

The favorite to win the Indy 500 remains Alex Palou, entering Sunday's race at 12:30 p.m. ET, according to PrizePicks Team Picks.

Palou currently has a 3.7x payout ($100 pays out $370) if he wins, while several other drivers, including Newgarden, are behind him at a 7.69x payout to win at Indy, according to PrizePicks.


Payout multipliers listed below (like 2x) indicate real-money earnings if your IndyCar predictions are correct; for example, 2x on a $100 entry pays $200 if correct on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 35 states, including Indiana. “Yes” payouts represent a specific outcome occurring, whereas "No" payouts indicate the opposite.


IndyCar Indy 500 Winner Payouts on PrizePicks 

Here are the popular payouts for drivers to win the Indy 500 race from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on PrizePicks. 

Make that Indy 500 pick: 'Yes' or 'No' on whether a driver will win and earn real money if you're right.

  • Alex Palou – Yes 3.7x | No 1.25x
  • Pato O'Ward– Yes 6.66x | No 1.08x
  • David Malukas – Yes 7.14x | No 1.07x
  • Josef Newgarden – Yes 7.69x | No 1.06x
  • Scott McLaughlin – Yes 10x | No 1.03x
  • Conor Daly – Yes 10x | No 1.03x
  • Santino Ferrucci – Yes 10x | No 1.03x
Make your Indy 500 predictions on PrizePicks for Sunday's IndyCar event — available in Indiana!

Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.


IndyCar Indy 500 Predictions, Driver Picks for Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Here are several of the top Indy 500 picks to target in the IndyCar race from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Top PrizePicks IndyCar picks are headlined by two drivers: Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou.

Pato O’Ward – 4.5 Finishing Position

Pato O’Ward to Win the Indy 500: Yes 6.66x | No 1.08x

  • O’Ward finished runner-up at the 2024 Indy 500 behind Josef Newgarden and third in 2025.
  • The Arrow-McLaren driver has five Top 5 results in the last six Indy 500 appearances.
  • O’Ward believes any sliding or understeer can be corrected. It was an issue McLaren encountered often in 2025 and in practice this year.
  • He excels on the tow, and track temperatures are forecast not to be excessively hot on Sunday, which favors O’Ward.
Add Pato O'Ward to your PrizePicks Indy 500 Picks.

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Alex Palou – 2.5 Finishing Position

Alex Palou to Win the Indy 500: Yes 3.7x | No 1.25x

  • Palou has won three of the last four races at Indy and four straight poles.
  • He is eager to bounce back after battling for a Top 5 in Indy just two weeks ago.
  • Palou can gain time late in the 32-35 lap window due to superior tire and hybrid management.
Add Alex Palou to your PrizePicks Indy 500 Picks.

Santino Ferrucci – 8.5 Finishing Position

Santino Ferrucci to Win the Indy 500: Yes 11.11x | No 1.03x

  • Ferrucci has podium speed for a Top 3 finish (Yes: 3.12x | No: 1.29x). He placed on the podium in 2023.
  • He is likely eager to make amends for being on the wrong pit strategy last year.
  • Ferrucci has improved his starting-to-finish position in all but one Indy 500 race. 
Add Santino Ferruci to your PrizePicks Indy 500 Picks.

Make Indy 500 Predictions & Claim $50 on PrizePicks

New users on PrizePicks get $50 instantly in Lineups as a signup bonus after they play $5 when they sign up with promo code PLAYBOOK.

Now, to make your real-money predictions for the Indy 500, here is how to get started:

  1. Download the PrizePicks app and create your account
  2. Enter promo code PLAYBOOK to unlock $50 instantly in Lineups — or click here to claim your new user offer
  3. Verify your identity — required to play, usually takes less than 60 seconds
  4. Make your first deposit
  5. Navigate to the Indy board and choose your Player Picks, or tap the dropdown to go to Team Picks (if available in your state)

Don’t wait until lock on Sunday — make your Indy 500 predictions on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

With Player Picks and Team Picks available for every single IndyCar race, there are always different ways to take on the race to get paid if you're right, from winners to fastest lap, to finishing positions, and much more.

Stay locked on Playbook for IndyCar predictions, news, and picks every week — including more picks after Sunday’s Indy 500 as we head to the Detroit street course.

Team Picks and Culture Picks are event contracts offered by Performance Predictions II, LLC d/b/a PrizePicks Predict, a CFTC-registered FCM and NFA Member. All event contract customers must be U.S. residents and 18+. Some event contracts may not be available in every state.Event contract trading carries significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. No guarantee against loss is offered. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results.Void where prohibited by law. Restrictions apply. For full terms of service see prizepicks.com/predict-regulatory. Team and Culture Pick Early Payouts subject to market liquidity. The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, or a recommendation to trade any commodity interest.