It was a big deal when Danica Patrick showed up on the Indy-Car series in 2005 but never has her arrival been a bigger deal than it is now on the heels of the 2008 Indianapolis 500. When the green flag drops at 12:45 p.m. ET Sunday, Patrick will have a legitimate chance of winning according to oddsmakers at online sports betting giant Bodog (bodoglife.com) who have installed the 26 year old with 8/1 winning odds. And there is nothing the racing series needs more than a Danica Patrick win to put it back on the racing map. 

“A win by Danica would put her up there with the best and most marketable athletes in the world,” said Point-Spreads.com racing handicapper Reno Gold. “The anticipation has just exploded since getting her first win in Japan last month. If she pulls it off at Indy then watch out. She would be as marketable as Tiger Woods.”

This month at Indy, she has been fast in practice and was fifth fastest in qualifying. She will start Sunday’s Indy 500 from the middle of the second row. Combined with the fact that she has not finished worse than eighth at Indy, some are predicting she will become the first woman to win the prestigious race. 

Her first attempt at the Brickyard in 2005, Patrick finished fourth while driving for Rahal Letterman. She finished 10^th in 2006 racing for Andretti Green Racing. Then last year finished eighth. 

Bodog top odds for Indianapolis 500 

Dan Wheldon 4/1

Scott Dixon 11/4

Tony Kanaan 5/1

Helio Castroneves 5/1

Marco Andretti 8/1

Danica Patrick 8/1

Ryan Briscoe 10/1

Ed Carpenter 14/1

Ernesto Viso 22/1

Justin Wilson 25/1

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