Written by: Joseph Falchetti, Editor-in-Chief, Pro Sports Bettor and Casino Expert
Last updated:
6 minute read

NBA MVP Betting

Betting on who will win the NBA MVP is also a lucrative betting market. However, the vast majority of sports bettors only bet on individual games or on which will win the NBA Championship.

The beauty of this bet is that the odds can change throughout the season as players make their case for the award. Usually, there are about five front runners when looking at the NBA MVP odds, but that doesn’t mean that a dark horse can’t also win the award.

Back to back wins can occur (however, these are rare), and those who have won it in the past tend to end up as a frontrunner in later seasons. 

Best NBA Betting Sites 2024

Rank
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    A
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  • 5
    A
    4.7/5.0
    50% Up To $1,000

How To Bet On The NBA MVP

When looking to place a bet on who will win the NBA MVP, there are a few steps we need to go over. 

  1. Finding A Safe Online Sportsbook – There are hundreds of sites out there that offer sports betting, but not all of them deserve your business. This is the internet, and scams are plenty when it comes to handling your money. It’s essential to find a sportsbook that has a history of paying out their customers quickly and reliably. We review in detail the most trusted NBA sportsbooks to make sure that you know which sites to use and which to avoid. 
  2. Make A Deposit – Once you’ve found the right sportsbook for you, it’s time to make a deposit. The best sites have NBA bonus offers for first-time customers, so be sure to take advantage of that. It’s basically free money, and there’s no reason to turn it down. Online sportsbooks also have many different deposit methods to make sure they cater to your needs. Nowadays, Bitcoin deposits and withdrawals are growing in popularity since they are quick and come with no fees for deposits and withdrawals.
  3. Finding The NBA MVP Odds – The MVP odds are NBA futures bet and will not be listed with the sides, totals, and moneylines of basketball games. Sportsbooks usually have the odds under props or futures. Once you find the full list of Basketball or NBA markets on the site – you will be able to see props and futures odds will usually be there. Sometimes, these odds may be missing since they are refreshed every week or taken down each night during the NBA games. If they are, then just come back in a few hours or the next day, and they will be there.
  4. Choose Your Winner – We’re here! The final step is to choose the player you think is most likely to win the NBA MVP. The player will have their odds to win next to their name based on who is the most favorite to win. Remember that these odds can change week to week, so if you see a price you like then lock it up for the season!

Odds To Win The NBA MVP 2024

PlayerMyBookie NBA MVP oddsBetOnline NBA MVP odds
Giannis Antetokounmpo-350-350
Lebron James+850+650
Luka Doncic+600+650
James Harden+800+700
Anthony Davis+2000+1800
Damian Lillard+2800+1800
Kawhi Leonard+4000+3300

Bet On The NBA MVP At These Top Sportsbooks

When wagering on the NBA’s most valuable player it’s important to choose a sportsbook that is reliable and pays you in a timely fashion. This is just as important as where you decide to bet.

Rank NBA Betting Site Deposit Bonus Highlights Get Started
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Don’t miss out our  Best NBA Betting Sites

Tips For Betting On The NBA MVP

Betting on the NBA MVP isn’t the same as betting on the outcome of a single game. Here you’re trying to predict the best player in the league from now until the end of the season, and that’s not always easy to do. 

Players tend to have ups and downs as the season goes on and 82 games is a long time. Winners tend to be on the best teams in the league, which means that it’s important to predict which teams will keep performing at the highest level as well.

Let’s go over some tips to help you choose the NBA MVP!

Betting Tip #1Odds Matter!

More than any other NBA bet, the MVP odds matter. That’s because they can change drastically week to week and from sportsbook to sportsbook.

For example, early on in the season, Luka Doncic was +4000 or more to win the NBA MVP. But nowadays, he’s closer to +363 and has a real shot at winning. This is just in a matter of months.

Locking in a price on a pick you believe in is important because you may be able to get a better price before people catch on. Dark horses can win, and there’s no reason to wait for the odds to get worse for you before placing a bet. 

Line Shopping It’s Essential

It’s also important to line shop. This means looking at multiple sportsbooks to find the best price for the pick you want.

One site might have Giannis Antetokounmpo at -100, while another site might have Antetokounmpo at -130. Every sportsbook does their odds calculations differently, so as a bettor it’s vital to find the best price.

Betting Tip #2Their Team’s Success Is Key

Nine of the last ten NBA MVP winners came from a team that was either 1st or 2nd in their conference. Needless to say, a team’s success plays a big role in who gets the MVP award.

The award goes to players who are able to carry their team to success and not just play for themselves. This isn’t to say that players on weaker teams can’t win, but it is significantly less likely. 

Betting Tip #3Durable Players Get the Gold

With load management being the headline for the season, this will affect who wins the NBA MVP. Since 2001, only two players have won the NBA MVP award and played less than 76 games

Weirdly, those two were Giannis and James Harden in the last two years. However, both of those players had such dominant seasons that even playing a little less didn’t affect their chances to win. 

It’s a good thing to keep in mind though that players like Kawhi Leonard who is not playing that many games during the regular season might have a lower chance of winning this award. 

The NBA wants to see players in the vast majority of the games and for them to show their dominance throughout the season. 

How Is The NBA MVP Decided?

A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters decides the NBA MVP throughout the United States and Canada. Each member of the panel ranks their top five players for the award.

Each first-place vote is worth 10 points; each second-place vote is worth seven; each third-place vote is worth five, fourth-place is worth three, and fifth-place is worth one. 

In addition, fans get to vote online, which will be taken into account using the same scoring process. The winner is announced on June 26th, after the NBA finals have concluded. 

Players With The Most NBA MVP Awards

NBA PlayerMVP Awards
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar6
Bill Russell5
Michael Jordan5
Wilt Chamberlain4
Lebron James4

Past NBA MVP Winners

NBA PlayerYear
Giannis Antetokounmpo2018
James Harden2017
Russell Westbrook2016
Stephen Curry2015
Stephen Curry2014
Kevin Durant2013
Lebron James2012
Lebron James2011

Don’t miss out on our Best NBA Betting Strategies guide.

About the Author

Joseph Falchetti

Joseph Falchetti

Editor-in-Chief, Pro Sports Bettor and Casino Expert

Joe is the author of the majority of sports betting pages on SBS and he serves as a gambling consultant to our content team. He's been mentioned on Forbes.com as a gaming analyst, and his articles have been linked by larger publications, such as the New York Times.

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