The NBA Finals are in the books as the Milwaukee Bucks won their first NBA championship since 1971 — and massive Finals MVP betting favorite Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered as the odds-on favorite heading into the series-clinching Game 6.
After trailing 2-0 in the series, Giannis took over and the Bucks won four straight games, with Antetokounmpo saving his best performance for last.
Here is a closing look at what was the odds to win NBA Finals MVP in 2021.
2021 NBA Finals MVP odds (prior to Game 6)
| Player | Odds to win |
|---|---|
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | -400 |
| Chris Paul | +650 |
| Devin Booker | +650 |
| Khris Middleton | +3,000 |
| Jrue Holiday | +7,000 |
| Deandre Ayton | +18,000 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook, as of July 18, 2021
Favorite to win NBA Finals MVP
Giannis was the leader at +130 prior to Game 5, but after dropping 32/9/6 in the 123-119 victory, he entered Game 6 as a massive Finals MVP favorite at -400. The Greek Freak averaged 39.8 minutes per game in the Finals — with 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.8 blocks — with three 40+ scoring games.
But he saved his best for last, putting on a masterful performance in the series clincher, scoring 50 points with 14 rebounds and five blocks. He became just the seventh player ever to drop 50 in a Finals game, the first player ever with 40+ points/10+ rebounds/5 blocks in a Finals game, and — most shockingly — after being the subject of much ridicule for his free-throw struggles this postseason, Giannis shot a remarkable 17 of 19 from the charity stripe in the win.
Had Phoenix somehow came back and won the series, veteran point guard Chris Paul, the previous favorite, would have likely been the choice for the Suns. CP3 averaged 21.8 points, 8.2 assists, and shot 48.7 percent from three in the Finals, including a 26-point effort in Game 6.
The Suns' other backcourt star, Devin Booker, was also in consideration with consecutive 40-point nights in Games 4 and 5, but a 10-point (3-for-14 shooting) dud in Game 3 and an 8 for 22 (0 for 7 from three) effort in Game 6 would not have helped his case.
Giannis' Milwaukee sidekicks, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, didn't have the greatest shooting nights in the series winner, but Middleton hit some massive shots down the stretch while Holiday played air-tight defense, which was his calling card all series.
Understanding NBA Finals MVP odds
Sportsbooks will post NBA Finals MVP odds as early as the beginning of the playoffs. These NBA futures are constantly adjusted throughout the postseason depending on how well players perform as well as their team success. Sportsbooks will also adjust the NBA Awards odds based on handle and liability to certain players.
NBA Finals MVP odds will usually look like this:
- Kevin Durant +410
This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to win $410 if Durant takes home the NBA Finals MVP Award. If it's close to the end of the NBA Finals and a player has stood out as the obvious MVP of the series they might have a minus sign (-) ahead of their odds like this:
- LeBron James -155
This means that if you bet on LeBron to win Finals MVP, you would have needed to bet $155 to profit $100.
All of the odds listed above are in American format, but if you prefer decimal or fractional odds, simply plug them into our odds converter tool.
Where can I bet on NBA Finals odds?
Most sportsbooks and casinos will offer NBA odds for the Finals MVP. Head over to our best basketball betting sites for NBA Finals MVP odds in your area.
