Indy 500 Picks – 2011

Gambling911.com has your Indy 500 picks for the May 29, 2011 race. 

Scott Dixon at +350 odds was picked by four of the five ESPN experts.

The favorites are Dixon and Dario Franchitti, also at +350 for a $35 potential payout on a $10 bet.  Therefore expect most of the experts to pick either one of these drivers.

Franchitti and Helio Castroneves (9/1 odds) enjoy an edge at the 2011 Indy 500 being that they are multiple winners

But when it comes to Indy 500 picks, there are some important stats to consider.

68 percent of the Indy 500 winners have come from the first seven spots, Dixon and Will Power (+650 odds), among them.  

Graham Rahal, Alex Lloyd, Pippa Mann, Ana Beatriz and Ryan Hunter-Reay are least likely to win since the 29th through 33rd spots have never produced a winner in Indianapolis 500 history. 

Only three winners were produced from spots 22 through 28, and Danica Patrick at 22/1 is included among the bunch. 

What the professional sports handicappers are saying: 

Bill Potter of SB Nation: 

With that in mind, I see Dixon seizing control of the race from the start. Taking the green flag in the middle of Row 2, with two relatively inexperienced drivers at Indianapolis, I think Dixon can take the lead into Turn 1 and pace the field in the opening stint. While Tagliani and Oriol Servia may be more conservative at the start, Row 2 will be pressing them early, as Townsend Bell, Will Power and Dan Wheldon will all be looking to get to the front and try and stay ahead of the Target Chip Ganassi Racing cars.

From Doc Sports regarding Dario Franchitti, also at +350 odds: 

While I am not advising a play on Franchitti, it would be foolish not to consider Dario as a legitimate contender to repeat this year. Don’t let ninth on the starting grid fool you, Franchitti ran out of gas due to missed calculation and poor communication between his team – this you can bet will be sorted out by Sunday and expect Franchitti to be in with the lead pack if he can get through traffic. Will Power (7/1) is starting fifth while Dan Wheldon (10/1) will be next to him in sixth. Oriol Servia (12/1) provides an intriguing choice from outside of the first row.   

- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com