NBA MVP Betting Odds 2026

Of all the yearly awards given in the NBA, the NBA MVP Award is the most prestigious honor a player can receive in the…

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Published:Aug 30, 2021
Updated:Feb 9, 2026
Brent BooherSenior Writer
Alex Ford
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Some of the greatest players in NBA history have won this award, and among those greats, some have won it multiple times.

However, the NBA MVP race is no longer something that only matters to players, agents, and coaches.

Now, regular, old-fashioned sports bettors have the opportunity to put down some cash and follow along throughout an 82-game regular season to see if they correctly predicted the outcome and secured a nice profit.

Here, we will cover everything you need to know about the race to become the 2025 NBA MVP and how you can get involved with just a few clicks of a button.

Note: Odds were correct at the time of writing.

How Is The NBA MVP Decided?

The NBA Most Valuable Player award is decided through a voting process conducted by a panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters from the United States and Canada.

Votes for MVP are weighted, with first-place votes earning 10 points, second-place votes earning 7 points, third-place votes earning 5 points, fourth-place votes earning 3 points, and fifth-place votes receiving 1 point.

The player with the most total points wins the MVP award, meaning a player could receive more first-place votes but still fall short if they do not accumulate the highest point total.

There have been minor tweaks to the voting process in recent years, the most recent coming in the 2023-24 NBA season, when a player became required to play in at least 65 games to be eligible for major individual awards, including MVP.

Additionally, a player must average 20 minutes per game in those 65 games, with the lone exception being a player who appears in 62 to 64 games but was injured in at least three games where they played 20 or more minutes before getting hurt.

In other words, Joel Embiid will probably never win NBA MVP ever again.

NBA MVP Betting Odds

Now that you have a better understanding of how the voting process works for the NBA MVP award, you’re probably eager to learn about the top candidates for the 2025 NBA MVP.

Here’s a look at the latest odds fresh off the midseason All-Star break.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-220) at FanDuel – The Favorite

SGA has been the focal point for a Thunder team that boasted one of the best records in basketball at the midseason All-Star break.

SGA has been sensational this seaso, averaging more than 33 points per game. The 27-year-old should be a dominating player for years to come.

Barring an injury that puts him under the 65-game minimum required for MVP eligibility, there is only one man who could potentially spoil his MVP coronation.

Nikola Jokić (+300) at DraftKings – The Contender

The one man who could spoil the fun? Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, who in any other season would likely be the overwhelming favorite to take home yet another MVP win.

Jokic is averaging just a but more than Gilgeous-Alexander, with 33.5 points per game this season.

Like Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic is the key piece for a Nuggets team that is very much a title contender.

If the Thunder stumble in the second half while the Nuggets surge up the Western Conference standings, this race could get very interesting down the stretch.

For now, Gilgeous-Alexander is the clear favorite to win the award, but if you’re looking to jump into the MVP betting market in mid-February, Jokic is by far your best bet.

The Longshots

In the world of sports, you never want to say something is a guarantee unless you’re talking about the Dallas Cowboys face-planting in the playoffs.

But it is all but certain that none of the longshots in this group have a realistic chance of gaining enough ground to give SGA and ‘The Joker’ a serious challenge in the NBA MVP race.

Of this list of five players, Giannis would appear to have the best chance to give MVP voters some pause before casting their final ballot, and that will require a historically good run by a Bucks team that has been mediocre at best for much of the season.

Crazy things happen, and with the added requirement that a player must appear in 65 games to be eligible for the award, you can never rule out an unfortunate injury derailing a favorite’s chances.

It just doesn’t seem very likely to be the case this season.

PlayerTeamBetting Odds
Anthony EdwardsMinnesota Timberwolves+15000
Jaylen BrownBoston Celtics+4000
Luka DoncicLos Angeles Lakers+2000
Cade CunninghamDetroit Pistons+2000

Recent NBA MVP Winners

YearPlayerTeam
2024-25Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderOklahoma City Thunder
2023-24Nikola JokićDenver Nuggets
2022-23Joel EmbiidPhiladelphia 76ers
2021-22Nikola JokićDenver Nuggets
2020-21Nikola JokićDenver Nuggets
2019-20Giannis AntetokounmpoMilwaukee Bucks
2018-19Giannis AntetokounmpoMilwaukee Bucks
2017-18James HardenHouston Rockets
2016-17Russell WestbrookOklahoma City Thunder
2015-16Stephen CurryGolden State Warriors
2014-15Stephen CurryGolden State Warriors

How to Bet on the NBA MVP Award

To bet on who will win the NBA MVP Award just follow this easy step-by-step guide:

  1. Go to your preferred sportsbook and log into your account.
  2. Select the ‘NBA Odds’ tab option in the betting menu.
  3. Go to the ‘Player Futures’ drop-down menu.
  4. Click on ‘NBA MVP’.
  5. Submit your bet in the bet-slip window.
About the Author: Brent Booher

Die-hard sports fan and overall lover of everything sports betting. Best bet ever placed was a $20 wager on Manchester United to win by the exact score of 3-1 in the 2019 Champions League at 80:1.

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