The 107th running of the Indianapolis 500, known colloquially as the Indy 500, is set for Sunday, May 28 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This Memorial Day weekend staple is the most famous race in the IndyCar Series, and you get bet on it at the best sports betting sites. Betting on racing is a fun activity while watching the greatest racecar drivers in the world vie for the checkered flag.
Just like athletes in other professional sports, the world's top drivers are quite superstitious. Let's take a closer look at some of the rituals and superstitions that have come to be associated with the Indy 500.
Singing "Back Home Again In Indiana"
Immediately preceding the command for drivers to start their engines is a pre-race tradition paying homage to the Indianapolis 500's home state. A rendition of the song "Back Home Again in Indiana" has been performed before every edition of the Indy 500 since 1946. The song's most famous performer is Jim Nabors, who sang it every year from 1972 to 2014. However, that torch has since been passed on to Chicago Blackhawks anthem singer Jim Cornelison.
The Andretti Curse
The Andretti family still hasn't figured out what ritual is needed to shed the Andretti curse, which has plagued the family of superstar drivers since 1970. Mario Andretti won the 1969 Indy 500 in an IndyCar co-owned by Andy Granatelli and Clint Brawner. When those owners split the next year, Andretti opted to side with Granatelli, prompting Brawner's wife Kay to allegedly proclaim that no other Andretti would win the Indy 500 again. Four Andrettis have tried and failed since then.
Marco Andretti will return for his 18th attempt to capture an elusive Indy 500 victory, but while he was among the favorites in his prime, Andretti drives a part-time schedule at this stage of his career and will be a longshot wager on sports betting apps.
Signs And Omens
An eclectic mix of signs are said to indicate either good or bad luck. The color green, the number 13, and peanuts are considered unlucky at the Indy 500, while seeing a rabbit shortly before the race is said to bring good luck, so numerous drivers probably spend a considerable portion of their free time in search of rabbits.
Peanuts were banned from the track until 2009, while the No. 13 was disallowed between 1926 and 2002. Danica Patrick showed she wasn't superstitious by racing in a green No. 13 car at the 2018 Indy 500, but perhaps she should have shown greater respect for the supernatural, as she placed 30th out of 33 drivers.
Additional Indy 500 rituals include entering and exiting the cockpit on a particular side, not allowing photographs prior to entering the track, and keeping women and children away from your car prior to the race. These traditions aren't as widely followed as they once were, likely in part due to how hard they are to maintain. Good luck avoiding photographs in 2023.
Winners Drink Milk
Capping things off is the Indy 500's most iconic ritual -- the celebratory milk chug. The tradition of the winner drinking milk originated when Louis Meyer did it to quench his thirst on a hot day in 1936. Milk shortages during World War 2 saw water briefly take over as the post-victory beverage of choice, but milk came roaring back in the 1950s, as dairy companies began to sponsor the Indianapolis 500.
The post-race "Winners Drink Milk" tradition also has a pre-race element, as all Indy 500 participants are asked to indicate their choice of fat free, 2% or whole milk before starting their engines.
Maybe a new tradition will be sports bettors drinking milk after place a winning bet on the Indy 500 on the top credit card betting sites in the country.
