2026 NTT IndyCar Series Betting Online
In 2025, the NTT IndyCar Series saw sharp increases in betting handle and TV viewership, which were encouraging for a car racing body struggling to grow beyond a niche on the side. The 27% increase in viewership included strong gains among younger viewers and females. The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race continues to carry the organization.
Although its 2024 TV ratings were not good, IndyCar did exceptionally well for its Memorial Day Crown Jewel event. The Indy 500 TV ratings were up significantly and trounced the once-more-popular NASCAR prime-time offering, the Coca-Cola 600.
Once upon a time, IndyCar style open wheel racing was the king of motorsports in the United States. In those days, NASCAR was considered a regional backwoods sport of moonshiners. The open-wheel circuit had the crown jewel of the Indianapolis 500, the biggest race of its time and arguably still the self-described “Biggest Spectacle in Racing.”
IndyCar dominated the United States until 1996, when some disgruntled teams formed a new circuit, CART. To this day, open-wheel racing has never recovered.
Despite the end of this open-wheel racing civil war in 2008, a full recovery has never come close to developing. IndyCar remains confused about what it wants to be, alternating between road and Grand Prix races with some traditional oval tracks.
Although the IndyCar Series is second fiddle to NASCAR in American motor racing, it is a niche sport with some diehard fans. They will be happy to have fans in the stands again, especially for the famous Indianapolis 500. The Indy 500 is the one thing that open-wheel racing can truly brag about. Fans who don’t watch racing or know of any drivers watch and bet on the Indy 500.
Motor Racing Betting Lines
2026 IndyCar Series Schedule
| DATE |
RACE |
| MAR 1 |
Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg |
| MAR 7 |
Good Ranchers 250 |
| MAR 15 |
Java House Grand Prix of Arlington |
| MAR 29 |
Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix |
| APR 19 |
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach |
| MAY 9 |
Sonsio Grand Prix |
| MAY 24 |
110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 |
| MAY 31 |
Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix |
| JUN 7 |
Bommarito Automotive Group 500 |
| JUN 21 |
XPEL Grand Prix at Road America |
| JUL 5 |
Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio |
| JUL 19 |
Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix |
| AUG 9 |
BITNILE.com Grand Prix of Portland |
| AUG 16 |
Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham |
| AUG 29 |
Milwaukee Mile Race 1 |
| AUG 30 |
Milwaukee Mile Race 2 |
| SEP 6 |
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca |
In 2025, Alex Palou wrapped up his fourth IndyCar championship in the last five seasons on Sunday at Portland International Raceway when title contender Pato O'Ward lost power early in the race.
O'Ward started from the pole and was the only driver mathematically eligible to beat Palou for the championship. Palou went into Sunday with a cozy 121-point lead over O'Ward in the standings, and so long as he left Portland up by 108 points, he'd clinch the championship in the first race of three consecutive weekends to close the season.
The Astor Cup became his just 22 laps into the race on the Portland road course when O'Ward had an electronic issue on his Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and had to make an unplanned pit stop. He returned to the track down nine laps from the leaders.
Palou finished third, O'Ward finished 25th, and Palou has the title cemented with two races remaining in the IndyCar season and an insurmountable 151-point lead.
Palou was feisty in the closing portion of the race and raced unnecessarily aggressive at times -- even driving off course with four laps remaining and drag-racing Christian Lundgaard for position.
The 2024 IndyCar season champion was Álex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, thanks to an early-season incident in which series owner Roger Penske's team was caught using illegal extra horsepower.
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