The NBA Most Valuable Player odds were shaken up violently when Joel Embiid went down for months, leaving just Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic as serious threats to Nikola Jokic's months-long status as the favorite.
NBA odds for this award are a hot topic again this season, with narratives evolving and debates continuing to rage in the media as we creep toward April's balloting. But for now, Joker continues to stretch his lead further than ever before.
Has Jokic put the NBA MVP odds out of reach for this season? Let's check out the favorites in this popular NBA futures market, as the contenders continue to narrow.
NBA MVP odds
Player | Team | Position | |||
Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | C | -4,000 | OTB* | -5,000 |
Luka Doncic | Dallas Mavericks | PG | +2,000 | OTB | +1,200 |
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | PG | +3,000 | OTB | +3,000 |
*Off the board — selection not available
Odds as of April 9, 2024.
2024 NBA MVP favorites
Nikola Jokic (-4,000 to -5,000)
While the Nuggets have hit a couple of bumps in the road — some injury-related, some complacency-related — to another title, Nikola Jokic has generally been his usual stellar self, putting up exactly the kind of comic-book stats (26/12/9 on .646 true shooting) we've come to expect.
Jokic has seemingly saved his best for a late-season rally that's seen Denver fighting an inches-close battle for the West's No. 1 seed. He's had monster efforts in the biggest games — including last month's possible finals preview vs. Boston — and Denver's 12-3 in its last 15.
As a result, the MVP odds may have swung permanently in his favor, despite a ridiculous late run by Luka Doncic. Joker's moved from -700 to -4,000 as voters begin to leak their picks and leans in the media, making the MVP picture far less speculative.
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2023-24 NBA MVP odds over time
How to read NBA MVP odds
Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. Nikola Jokic had all but locked up the award by the end of the 2022 season, so his odds were listed with a minus (-) sign ahead of the number.
- Nikola Jokic -700
The (-) meant that Jokic was an odds-on favorite, and a bettor needed to wager $700 to win $100. Other contenders in the MVP race had plus (+) odds to win.
- Joel Embiid +650
Here, a bettor stood to profit $650 for a $100 wager on Embiid if he had won the award.
If American odds aren't your thing, simply use a tool like our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.
Popular NBA futures odds
NBA MVP betting trends
Here are some trends you may want to consider before placing a bet on the NBA MVP:
- Repeat winners are somewhat common. Jokic's 2022 win marked the 13th different player to have won the award two (or more) years in a row.
- The MVP usually comes from an elite team. Since 1985, only five MVP winners have come from a team that didn't finish first or second in its conference.
- The award is usually given to a player with a few years of experience. A rookie hasn't won MVP since Wes Unseld in 1969, and only four MVPs have been younger than 23 years old.
- Centers have historically dominated the MVP award. While they went on a two-decade drought between Shaquille O'Neal (2000) and Nikola Jokic (2021), centers have now won the last three MVPs.
NBA MVP voting criteria
The NBA's Most Valuable Player award is voted on by a panel of 100 media members, comprised of both national and local analysts.
Only regular-season games are taken into account (ballots are due shortly after the schedule concludes), and the league has intentionally not included specific criteria to guide voters, leading to a more open interpretation of "value", and the type of debate that now dominates media cycles and podcasts every March-April.
Despite the absence of a rubric, voters have generally trended towards awarding an MVP who leads a dominant team campaign (the "best player on the best team" is a popular contender argument).
Statistics are also a crucial factor to consider. However, with the rise of analytic models, traditional stats like points, rebounds, and assists have begun to carry less raw weight, despite still being part of the equation. Advanced stats like win shares, plus-minus, and VORP (value over replacement player) are leaned upon heavily in most discussions.
A player who has MVP moments throughout the season will resonate with voters too: monster stat lines in big games, outperforming rivals in head-to-head matchups, clutch performances — anything to add extra appeal to their MVP case.
In today's age of load management, how much an MVP plays is of increasing importance. The league's newly-imposed 65-game minimum for award contenders will help curb the debate here, but a player who suits up every night is inherently more valuable.
And, while it's unfortunate to admit, voter fatigue absolutely governs this process when a player wins several awards and the media perform mental gymnastics to vote for another player, whether out of boredom or contrarianism. It happened to Michael Jordan. It happened to LeBron James. It possibly just happened to Nikola Jokic. It will happen again.
Past NBA MVP awards by position
Position | NBA MVP wins |
---|---|
Point guard | 11 |
Shooting guard | 8 |
Small forward | 9 |
Power forward | 10 |
Center | 29 |
Centers owned the NBA MVP award in the early days of the Association, winning the trophy in 21 of the first 25 years it was presented.
NBA MVP history
A quick look at recent NBA MVPs and the position they played.
Season | Player | Position | Team |
---|---|---|---|
2022-23 | Joel Embiid | Center | Philadelphia 76ers |
2021-22 | Nikola Jokic | Center | Denver Nuggets |
2020-21 | Nikola Jokic | Center | Denver Nuggets |
2019-20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Power forward | Milwaukee Bucks |
2018-19 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Power forward | Milwaukee Bucks |
2017-18 | James Harden | Shooting guard | Houston Rockets |
2016-17 | Russell Westbrook | Point guard | Oklahoma City Thunder |
2015-16 | Stephen Curry | Point guard | Golden State Warriors |
2014-15 | Stephen Curry | Point guard | Golden State Warriors |
2013-14 | Kevin Durant | Small forward | Oklahoma City Thunder |
2012-13 | LeBron James | Small forward | Miami Heat |
2011-12 | LeBron James | Small forward | Miami Heat |
2010-11 | Derrick Rose | Point guard | Chicago Bulls |
2009-10 | LeBron James | Small forward | Cleveland Cavaliers |
2008-09 | LeBron James | Small forward | Cleveland Cavaliers |
2007-08 | Kobe Bryant | Shooting guard | Los Angeles Lakers |
2006-07 | Dirk Nowitzki | Power forward | Dallas Mavericks |
2005-06 | Steve Nash | Point guard | Phoenix Suns |
2004-05 | Steve Nash | Point guard | Phoenix Suns |
2003-04 | Kevin Garnett | Power forward | Minnesota Timberwolves |
Best NBA MVP betting sites
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Best NBA MVP betting promos
Betting boosts are special promotions offered by legal sports betting sites that increase the odds for a specific game, event, or prop, designed to give you better value on your bets or encourage you to sign up for a new sportsbook with unique rewards and offerings.
They can be a great way for bettors to get better value for their wagers, as the odds are temporarily increased, thereby increasing a potential payout. The promotions are usually limited to a specific period and are subject to terms and conditions, so it's always important to read the fine print for more details.
Types of odds boosts
There are a number of different types of betting boosts available, with some targeting specific games, some aimed at specific leagues, and some just enticing users to try a new sportsbook. Here are the most common types of betting boosts:
- Odds boost: When a sportsbook enhances the value of a specifically chosen player prop or a curated parlay/SGP, offering better odds than if you normally bet or created the wager yourself.
- Profit boosts: When you are given a token that increases the value of any bet you want (such as a 25% boost on one Super Bowl bet). Sometimes these tokens are for all bets, while sometimes they have specific criteria (such parlays/SGPs only or bets above a certain price).
- Sign-up offers: Operators offer benefits such as free bonus bets after your first wager, bonus bets offered as insurance if your first bet loses, an initial account deposit match, or even giving you discounts on other services for signing up with a sportsbook.
Take advantage of our best NBA betting promos — from our best NBA betting sites — to see if any other promotions appear that you can place a wager on!
NBA MVP odds FAQ
The NBA intentionally leaves "value" open to the interpretation of voters, who typically look for a dominant player on an elite team.
NBA voters submit MVP ballots shortly after the regular season concludes, and playoff games are not considered.
Joel Embiid of the 76ers won the 2023 NBA MVP.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the all-time record with six NBA MVPs.
Joel Embiid has been ruled inelgible for the 2024 MVP due to too many games missed.
The NBA MVP award is voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from the United States and Canada. This panel consists of approximately 100 members who cover the NBA regularly throughout the season. They vote for the player they believe has been the most valuable to their team based on their performance throughout the regular season.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for winning the most NBA MVP awards in league history. He won the MVP award six times during his legendary career with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers.