The Indy 500 has arrived and with it so too has the anticipation, the nerves, the fanfare and of course the massive purse on offer. Indeed, many feared for the survival of the sport during and following the pandemic – this was the case with many other sports as well – but given that the purse has reached record levels this year, it would be safe to say that motorsports in America has successfully bounced back from the effects of the global pandemic.
Yet, just how much is the purse and what percentage of it does the winner get?
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How much does the Indy 500 winner receive?
While the Indianapolis 500 might be one of the giants of the racing world in terms of prestige, as a single event, it still remains a few places behind the astronomical levels set by Formula One.
That being said, the total purse to be divided by the field is expected to be in the region of $17 million for 2024, a new record.
To be clear, the purse is allocated using a complicated set of formulas, including the final placement, the number of laps completed, the number of laps led, and sponsorship income, so there is no guarantee that the top finishers will take the lion’s share of the pot, but rest assured somebody is going home with a fat paycheck. How much you ask?
Pre-pandemic, the winner’s share stood at approximately $2.4 million, which means things have definitely improved since. In this year’s race, not only have ticket sales been spiked, but the estimated winner’s take is now about $3.6 million, which is in keeping with recent years, with the number floating around the same mark since coming out of the pandemic. However, the money has been increasing and some reports suggest the winner could even take home something closer to the $4 million mark. Not bad for a day’s work.
