Last year’s Indy 500 race had a whopping 5.581 million viewers worldwide. If you want to be one of the viewers this year, we will show you how to watch the Indy 500 online — including how to watch it for free — from anywhere in the world.

Key Takeaways:

• The Indy 500 is broadcast on NBC, so you can watch it on the NBC Sports app or the NBCSports.com website — but you will need a satellite or cable subscription.
• You can also watch NBC on certain streaming services, such as fuboTV, which offers a free seven-day trial.
• If you’re outside the U.S., you’ll need to use a VPN. We recommend ExpressVPN for its fast speeds and ability to bypass regional blocks.

This year, one of the Indy 500’s most successful drivers, Helio Castroneves, is looking to make history at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by lifting the trophy for the fifth time in 20 years, making him an all-time winner. 

Some of the drivers who are trying to stop him are Colton Herta, Pato O`Ward and reigning series winner Alex Palou. You’ll also see former F1 drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Takuma Sato, who have both won here before, as well as Romain Grosjean, who is making his Indy 500 debut. Jimmie Johnson will also take on the famous oval, bringing up the rear.

You can watch history being made on Memorial Day weekend, as we’re going to show you how to watch the Indy 500 online from anywhere — including how to do it for free.

How to Watch the Indy 500 Online

This year’s race, which takes place on Memorial Day weekend, Sunday, May 29, marks the 106th Indy 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Practice sessions and qualifying take place May 21-22, the weekend before the race, with Scott Dixon defending his hold on pole position.

On race day, pre-race coverage starts at 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. PT) on NBC, with the race running through 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT). 

You can also watch the events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway online via the NBC Sports app and the NBC Sports website. However, you will need a valid cable or satellite subscription to access it. Universo will also provide coverage in Spanish for the Mexican audience.

If you don’t have a valid TV provider login, you can sign up for a live streaming service that includes NBC, such as YouTube TV or fuboTV. You can also watch the Indianapolis 500 on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock Premium, which costs from $4.99 per month. Peacock Premium does not offer a free trial, though. 

If you’re outside the U.S., you will need to use a VPN to use these streaming services, which we will show you how to do later in the article.

How to Watch the Indy 500 for Free

To watch the Indy 500 for free, you’ll need to use a live streaming services free trial. Although many platforms include the NBC channel, not all offer a free trial. Your best bet is to sign up for fuboTV’s free seven-day trial.

How to Watch the Indy 500 on Roku

You can watch the Indy 500 on Roku by installing the fuboTV app or the YouTube TV app on your Roku streaming device. 

Keep in mind if you sign up through your Roku account, you will need to manage your subscription there, too. Remember to cancel your subscription if you use a free trial or you will be charged when it ends.

How to Watch the Indy 500 Live Stream for Free With a VPN

By using a virtual private network, you can change your IP location and trick a service into thinking you’re located somewhere else. A good VPN will be able to bypass the geoblocks most streaming sites have in place to stop you from watching content in certain regions. We recommend downloading ExpressVPN to get started.

1. Install a Virtual Private Network

   Choose a suitable VPN service and install it on your device. ExpressVPN is the top option, so we’ll use it for these step-by-step instructions.

   

2. Connect to a U.S. Server

   Open ExpressVPN’s server list and find a server within the United States. Click on it to connect.

   

3. Sign Up to a Streaming Service That Includes NBC

   Choose which streaming service you want to use and sign up to it. For this how-to, we’ve used fuboTV. Click “start free trial” on the fuboTV website.

   

4. Enter Your Details

   Before you can do anything, you need to create a fuboTV account. To do this, you need to provide your email, password and zip code and click “continue.”

   

5. Select the Plan You Want

   You can choose between three plans: Pro, Elite and Latino. However, there’s no free trial with the Latino plan. Once you’re done, simply click “continue.”

   

6. Decide How Often You Want to Pay

   Choose to pay monthly or quarterly. Pick which is best for you by selecting either “continue with monthly” or “switch to quarterly.”

   

7. Complete Your Purchase

   Enter your credit card information and click “submit.” If you do not cancel before the end of your free trial period, your account will automatically be charged the monthly or quarterly subscription fee.

   

8. Include Add-Ons With Your Trial

   FuboTV offers add-ons.  You can choose to add more DVR space or more simultaneous screens. All will be included with the free trial anyway, so you can just click “skip, I’ll do this later.”

   

9. Personalize Your Profile

   FuboTV lets you add channel favorites and other personalized options to your profile. To do this, click on “my profile,” set it up and click “continue.”

   

10. Search for NBC & Don’t Forget to Cancel

    When you’re finished, you can watch anything you want on fuboTV. To watch the Indy 500, use the search bar at the top to find NBC and then click on NBC. If you want to use the VPN for free, too, make sure to take advantage of ExpressVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee and request a refund before the month is over.

    

Best VPNs to Watch the Indy 500 from Anywhere

To watch the Indy 500 from anywhere in the world, you will need to use a VPN. The VPN should be quick enough to stream online and have plenty of U.S. servers. The following VPNs have the features you need to get past regional restrictions, and they all have 30-day money-back guarantees that you can use as a free trial.

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN can easily bypass geoblocks, including NBC’s — it’s also our best VPN for streaming. Additionally, its fast speeds and easy-to-use interface — which even first-time users will understand — make ExpressVPN a great choice for streaming the Indy 500.

ExpressVPN is an expensive choice when it comes to VPNs, but it’s the best hassle-free option, and its monthly cost lowers over longer subscriptions. You can read more about it in our ExpressVPN review, but you’re also covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee if you decide it’s not for you. 

ExpressVPN Plans

• Unlimited GB
• 8
• Yes

30-days money-back guarantee

1-month plan, 6-months plan

1-month plan

$12.95/month

6-months plan

$9.99/month

$59.94 billed every 6 month

Save 22%

15-months plan

$6.66/month

$99.95 billed first 15 months and 12 months thereafter

Save 48%

2. NordVPN

NordVPN is another great VPN that gets past streaming services’ regional blocks. With its fast speeds and NordLynx protocol, which is set up to optimize streaming, you won’t get a buffering screen when watching the Indy 500. NordVPN also provides a map-style interface for easily choosing a server location, as well as a more traditional list at the side.

NordVPN is a cheaper option than our first pick. While its monthly plan is pretty much the same, NordVPN’s affordability shines in its two-year plan. Plus, its 30-day refund period gives you peace of mind. If you want to know more, check out our NordVPN review. 

30-days money-back guarantee

Basic

• *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
• Unlimited GB
• 6
• Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$12.99/month

1-year plan

$5.74/month

$68.85 billed every year

Save 55%

2-year plan

$3.48/month

$83.43 billed every 2 years

Save 73%

Plus

• *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
• Unlimited GB
• 6
• Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$13.99/month

1-year plan

$6.86/month

$82.35 billed every year

Save 50%

2-year plan + 3 months

$3.99/month

$107.73 billed every 2 years

Save 71%

Complete

• *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
• Unlimited GB
• 6
• Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$15.99/month

1-year plan

$9.36/month

$112.35 billed every year

Save 41%

2-year plan + 3 months

$5.99/month

$161.73 billed every 2 years

Save 62%

3. Surfshark

Surfshark is the cheapest option on the list, especially the two-year plan, but it has a lot under the hood. You’ll be able to bypass regional restrictions easily, especially since it has a large server network with enough U.S. locations to choose from. It also benefits from fast speeds, just not as quick as our top choices.

One of the extra features that’s super handy for bypassing streaming services blocks is its Camouflage mode. By using that, your connection won’t have any trace of VPN usage, meaning you should get in without a hitch.

Surfshark also lets you have an unlimited number of devices connected at once, so it’s a great choice for families who stream on multiple devices together. To get the best price, you’ll need to choose Surfshark’s two-year plan. You can read our Surfshark review or try the 30-day money-back guarantee.

30-days money-back guarantee

Surfshark Starter

• Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $185.40 for one year, $370.80 for two years
• Unlimited GB
• Unlimited
• Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$15.45/month

1-year plan

$3.49/month

$41.88 billed every year

Save 77%

2-year plan

$2.49/month

$59.76 billed every 2 years

Save 83%

Surfshark One

• Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Plans renew: $191.40 for one year, $380.80 for two years.
• Unlimited GB
• Unlimited

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$15.95/month

1-year plan

$4.09/month

$49.08 billed every year

Save 74%

2-year plan

$3.19/month

$76.56 billed every 2 years

Save 80%

Surfshark One+

• Everything in One, plus Data removal Plans renew: $215.40 for one year, $430.80 for two years
• Unlimited GB
• Unlimited

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$17.95/month

1-year plan

$6.49/month

$77.88 billed every year

Save 63%

2-year plan

$4.97/month

$119.28 billed every 2 years

Save 72%

Final Thoughts

NBC has the streaming rights to the Indy 500, so you can watch it on TV or stream it online through the NBC Sports app or NBCSports.com. However, you will need a satellite or cable subscription. Otherwise, you can use a streaming service, such as fuboTV, where you can find tons of other shows like ‘Ghostbusters‘, and which has a free seven-day trial.

If you’re outside the U.S. and want to watch the Indy 500 on NBC, you’re going to need to use a VPN to connect to a server in the U.S. We recommend using ExpressVPN because it has fast speeds and offers a great streaming experience. Plus, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

How are you going to watch the Indy 500? Have you ever used a VPN to stream online? If so, which was it? Have your say in the comments below and, as always, thanks for reading.

FAQ

• How Can I Watch the Indy 500 Live?

  If you’re a cable or satellite subscription holder, you can watch the Indy 500 on NBC at NBCSports.com or on the NBCSports app. If you don’t have a cable or satellite subscription, you can sign up for a streaming service that includes the channel, such as fuboTV.

• Can I Watch the Indy 500 Online Free?

  The best way to watch the Indy 500 online for free is by using fuboTV’s seven-day free trial, which you can sign up for to watch NBC online.