Alex Palou favored to capture 4th career IndyCar Series Championship

Steve Starr
By , Updated on: Mar 17, 2025 12:00 AM
indycar Series Championship pIcks
  • What: 2025 IndyCar Series Championship
  • Who: 34 drivers compete in the IndyCar Series
  • When: The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, March 23 at 3pm

Alex Palou won the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix in early March, his 12th career Indy Car victory.

Heading into the second race of the year this Sunday, the 27-year old is the favorite to win his third-consecutive IndyCar championship. However, with 16 events left on the calendar, it's too early to crown the Spaniard with his fourth-career title.

Let's look at the latest betting futures for the IndyCar Series Championship. Odds are subject to change.

OutrightBetOnlineBovadaMyBookie
Alex Palou+180+180+180
Scott McLaughlin+340+340+340
Josef Newgarden+550+550+550
Scott Dixon+550+550+550
Colton Herta+850+850+850
Pato O'Ward+900+900+900
Will Power+900+900+900
Kyle Kirkwood+1600+1600+1600
Marcus Ericsson+2000+2000+2000
Alexander Rossi+2500+2500+2500
Christian Lundgaard+2800+2800+2800
Felix Rosenqvist+4000+4000+4000
Santino Ferrucci+5000+5000+5000
David Malukas+7500+7500+7500
Graham Rahal+8000+8000+8000
Marcus Armstrong+8000+8000+8000
Rinus Veekay+8000+8000+8000
Christian Rasmussen+20000+20000+20000
Devlin DeFrancesco+20000+20000+20000
Kyffin Simpson+25000+25000+25000
Callum Ilott+40000+40000+40000
Sting Ray Robb+40000+40000+40000
Jacob Abel+50000+50000+50000
Louis Foster+50000+50000+50000
Nolan Siegel+50000+50000+50000
Robert Shwartzman+50000+50000+50000

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Palou's dominant run

Alex Palou is a +180 favorite to capture his fourth IndyCar championship following his season-opening win in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Chip Ganassi driver overcame qualifying in 8th, passing Sting Ray Robb with just five laps to go.

Palou won the inaugural Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix last year - but keep in mind that this weekend's race is a non-championship exhibition event. The next points race is the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13.

Team Penske's top contenders

Scott McLaughlin (+340) finished third in the IndyCar Series standings in each of the past two years and placed fourth in the season's first race, the Firestone Grand Prix. The Team Penske driver is a three-time Australian V8 Supercars champion.

Josef Newgarden (+550) is currently tied with his teammate, McLaughlin, for third in the standings with 36 points. The American is a two-time series champion (2017, 2019) and a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.

Other drivers in the mix

Scott Dixon (+550) placed second at the Firestone Grand Prix. Palou's Chip Ganassi teammate is an IndyCar legend with six series championships and the 2nd-most wins (58) of any driver all-time. The New Zealander finished 7th in the drivers' standings in 2024.

Colton Herta (+850) had a slow start to the year, placing 16th in St. Petersburg. That makes the American a strong value moving forward. Reportedly under consideration for a seat with Cadillac's F1 team in 2026, Herta finished 2nd in the IndyCar Series championship standings last year.

2025 IndyCar Series Championship Longshot Pick

Pato O'Ward (+900) finished 11th at the Firestone Grand Prix, but context is key. The Mexican driver started the race from the 23rd position and suffered a tire puncture early in the race. So, battling back to advance 12 spots and claim 19 points was impressive.

O'Ward tied for the IndyCar series lead with three race wins and three second-place finishes in 2024. If the Chevy driver can avoid bad days (he finished 16th or lower in six races last year), he could race to his first career championship.

Pato O'Ward 2025 IndyCar Championship
Bovada
+900

Meet the author

Steve Starr

Accomplished Sports Betting Specialist with over two decades of experience in sports analytics, strategic betting formulation, and risk management, with a particular focus on professional sports such as the NFL, NBA, and NHL. Proven success in applying statistical mo...

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