NBA Finals MVP Odds 2026: Wembanyama Shortens Odds as Spurs Take Lead on Wolves

Jared Hochman - Content Operations Manager at Covers.com
Jared Hochman • Content Manager 16+ years betting experience
Updated: May 9, 2026 , 08:47 AM ET • 3 min read

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is fully in the driver's seat in the NBA Finals MVP odds market, but Victor Wembanyama is making his case.

NBA Finals MVP odds Victor Wembanyama
Photo By - Reuters Connect. San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27)

The NBA Finals MVP odds continue to swing in Victor Wembanyama's favor.

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still favored at -145, Wembanyama shortens with every Spurs win. He went from +425 to +350 after taking a 2-1 series lead on the Timberwolves.

The movement makes sense, as San Antonio is also closing in on the Thunder in the NBA Championship odds

Here's a look at the latest odds to win 2026 Finals MVP.

🏆 NBA Finals MVP odds 2026

These are the latest NBA odds for the NBA Finals MVP race, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the pack to go for it once again.

Player bet365
Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander -145
Spurs Victor Wembanyama +350
Knicks Jalen Brunson +900
Pistons Cade Cunningham +1600
Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns  +3500
Thunder Chet Holmgren +6000
Thunder Jalen Williams +7500
Cavaliers Donovan Mitchell +7500

Odds updated as of 5-9. Odds from bet365, one of our best betting sites. Sign up with our bet365 promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.

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⭐ NBA Finals MVP favorites

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-145)

It would have been easy if the league's reigning MVP and Finals MVP had taken his foot off the gas during the 2025-26 season. Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander, however, has done anything but: He unlocked a new gear this year, averaging 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and a career-high 6.6 assists while guiding the Thunder to the best record in the league.

After capping off a Round-1 sweep with a 31-point performance, SGA opened the second-round series against the Lakers with an 18-point, six-assist showing that he himself characterized as subpar. The Thunder still won, and one dip in production/efficiency (he coughed up seven turnovers) isn't hurting his chances here.

Victor Wembanyama (+350)

Victor Wembanyama opened the playoffs around +500 to win Finals MVP and No. 2 on the board, and rightfully so, considering no team has given OKC more fits than the Spurs. Wemby set playoff history with 12 blocks in a triple-double in Game 1 against the Timberwolves, but the Spurs dropped the series opener.

However, Wemby & Co. bounced back in Game 2. He had an extremely efficient showing, grabbing 19 points and 15 rebounds in just 26 minutes in an easy win. Game 3 was even better, as he posted a playoff-high 39 points.

Jalen Brunson (+900)

Jalen Brunson's odds continue to improve as the Knicks appear to be making short work of the 76ers, leading 3-0 in the series.

👑 NBA Finals MVP prediction

Bet Odds Bet Date Units
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander +130 April 10 1.0

Gilgeous-Alexander is poised to repeat as Finals MVP because he is the definitive engine of an Oklahoma City dynasty in the making. Fresh off a dominant 2025 title run where he averaged over 30 points per game, SGA has elevated his game to an even more efficient level in 2026.

As the league's leading MVP candidate, he boasts the highest usage rate on the NBA’s winningest team. His unmatched ability to manipulate defenses and deliver in clutch moments makes him the clear favorite to secure back-to-back Bill Russell trophies this June. 

📈 NBA Finals MVP opening odds

Here are what the NBA Finals MVP opening odds looked like, just before the postseason.

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander +130
  • Victor Wembanyama +550
  • Nikola Jokic +1000
  • Jaylen Brown +1200
  • Jayson Tatum +1200
  • Donovan Mitchell +1600
  • Cade Cunningham +2200
  • Jalen Williams +5000
  • James Harden +6000
  • Anthony Edwards +7000
  • Kevin Durant +8000
  • Chet Holmgren +10000
  • Karl-Anthony Towns +10000
  • Derrick White +12500
  • Evan Mobley +12500
  • Joel Embiid +12500
  • Jamal Murray +15000

⚙️ Covers NBA betting tools


🏀 Previous NBA Finals MVP award winners

Year Player Team
2025 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Thunder Oklahoma City Thunder
2024  Jaylen Brown Celtics Boston Celtics
2023 Nikola Jokic Browns Denver Nuggets
2022 Stephen Curry Browns Golden State Warriors
2021 Giannis Antetokounmpo Browns Milwaukee Bucks
2020 LeBron James Browns Los Angeles Lakers
2019 Kawhi Leonard Browns Toronto Raptors
2018 Kevin Durant Browns Golden State Warriors
2017 Kevin Durant Browns Golden State Warriors
2016 LeBron James Browns Cleveland Cavaliers
2015 Andre Iguodala Browns Golden State Warriors

Here are some trends you'll want to keep in mind when placing a bet on NBA Finals MVP:

  • Only one player (Jerry West, 1969) has ever won Finals MVP on the losing team.
  • Nikola Jokic's 2023 Finals MVP win was the first by a center since Shaquille O'Neal in 2002.
  • Forwards have won 10 of the past 12 NBA Finals MVPs.
  • LeBron James is the only player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP with three different franchises (Heat, Cavaliers, Lakers).
  • Magic Johnson remains the only rookie to ever win the Finals MVP. He is also the youngest winner in history at 20 years and 276 days old.
  • Three of the last five winners have been international players: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Nikola Jokic (Serbia), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada).
  • Over the last decade, nine of the 10 Finals MVPs were also the leaders on their team in usage rate during the playoffs.

✅ Best NBA Finals MVP betting sites

Scouting basketball betting websites should be a breeze, but new bettors often feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available. Here are the must-have basketball betting site features you should target before placing your wagers.

Best odds: Not all sportsbooks are created equally, especially when it comes to odds. Finding the best price for your basketball bets is key to a successful betting strategy. 

Live betting: Watching betting lines move in real-time and comparing statistics allows you to jump into the action at just the right moment.

Fast payouts: Accessing your hard-earned funds shouldn't feel like breaking a full-court press. It's important to choose a sportsbook that offers fast and reliable money withdrawals post-game.

Safe money transactions: The days of placing bets with bookies in shadowy back rooms are long over. Major online sportsbooks boast state-of-the-art security measures like SSL data encryption, and each holds a legal operating license from registered authorities.

NBA Finals MVP Odds FAQs

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Jared Hochman Content Operations Manager at Covers.com
Content Manager

Before Jared Hochman joined the Covers team in 2020, he worked for newspaper outlets such as the Chronicle Herald and The Coast, worked in marketing for SkipTheDishes and Vivid Seats, and previously ran a magazine. A journalism graduate from the University of King's College in, Halifax, N.S., "Hoch" brings more than a decade of experience in sports betting, having worked as a freelance handicapper, making appearances on Monumental Sports Network and the Sharp 600 podcast, and now also filling in occasionally as host of Covers' NHL Puck Props. 

Awarded Covers' company MVP for 2023, Jared is an avid bettor of MLB, NFL, NHL, and NBA, while also wagering on some soccer and WNBA. His best advice for sports bettors? Price shop, which is something he does daily across 10 different sportsbook apps.

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