Denny Hamlin has been a machine in 2020.
Kevin Harvick‘s win total at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) is big. Those two drivers are the favorites for the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 at Indiana sportsbooks.
Independence Day weekend is an opportunity for either of those drivers to add to their streaks. For that reason, IN bettors might want to consider some other plays.
Big Machine 400 odds on IN sports betting apps
Indiana offers bettors one of the most diverse wagering markets for the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400.
Here’s what the markets for an outright win at some IN online sportsbooks look like as of Thursday morning:
| Driver | To win at BetMGM | To win at BetRivers | To win at DraftKings | To win at FanDuel | To win at PointsBet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Harvick | +400 | +400 | +400 | +450 | +425 |
| Denny Hamlin | +500 | +500 | +500 | +450 | +475 |
| Kyle Busch | +500 | +550 | +550 | +600 | +525 |
| Brad Keselowski | +800 | +750 | +750 | +750 | +725 |
| Joey Logano | +800 | +750 | +750 | +750 | +775 |
| Chase Elliott | +1200 | +1000 | +1000 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +1200 | +1000 | +1000 | +1300 | +1000 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 | +1100 | +1200 |
| Erik Jones | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 | +2600 | +2500 |
| Jimmie Johnson | +2500 | +3000 | +3000 | +3100 | N/A |
Most of those sportsbooks also have many other wagering options other than just the race’s winner.
BetMGM has props on the number of the winning car, for example. A wager on the number being odd would pay out +190.
BetRivers has several head-to-head moneylines.
The odds of Kyle Busch finishing ahead of Harvick currently sit at +105. The lines are even at -115 on both sides of a Busch versus Hamlin matchup.
DraftKings offers markets for the top finisher by the car’s manufacturer.
Chase Elliott leads the Chevrolet field at +165, and Harvick is the Ford favorite at +170. Hamlin is tops for Toyota at +140.
PointsBet also has futures for finishing in the top three and top 10 positions.
Alex Bowman has the shortest odds in both of those markets, currently +850 for the top three and +125 in the top 10 spots.
IN bettors should check all their options, like the revamped BetAmerica, before placing wagers.
Because Hamlin and Harvick are such favorites, the decision comes down to whether to go the safe route or a high-risk, high-reward path. It’s possible to make a sound argument for either choice.
Handicapping Hamlin and Harvick
Harvick has history on his side while Hamlin comes into Sunday’s race hot. Deciding between them is a matter of which aspect a bettor prizes more.
Harvick has two wins on the bricks at IMS, one of which came just last year. While he has three wins, so far, this year, and in similar conditions to that which he will face on Sunday, Hamlin’s recent form is smoking.
So far, Hamlin has four checkered flags and nine top-five finishes in 2020. What he boasts in recent form, he can’t present at the Brickyard, though.
In 14 career races, Hamlin’s average finishing position at the IMS is just 12th. In nine of those 14 appearances, Hamlin finished outside of the top five. Perhaps, most importantly, if Hamlin does kiss the bricks on Sunday, it would be his first time doing so.
The obvious contrarian play to these two racers is Busch. Busch has two wins on this track but is three years removed from his most recent. Speaking of winning droughts, he has yet to record a W this season.
There might be a more tempting choice to differentiate your wagers, however. This driver has great recent form and even better, much longer odds.
Advice on Aric Almirola
Sitting at +4,200 to win at FanDuel, Aric Almirola could be quite undervalued for Sunday. He comes in with four consecutive top-five finishes and he led 61 laps at Pocono Raceway last weekend.
If taking him to win is too much of a reach for you, you might find some other wagers more palatable. For example, DraftKings has Almirola +265 to win his group and BetRivers has him +550 to make it five consecutive top-five finishes.
Independence Day weekend wouldn’t be complete without the option to bet on the Big Machine 400. At IN sportsbooks, the choices are Hamlin, Harvick, or the field.
