2024-25 NBA MVP Odds and Favorites: SGA Comfortably Ahead of Jokic in Two-Horse Race

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in the pole position to win his first NBA MVP trophy with the 2024-25 season rapidly winding down.

Ryan Murphy - Managing Editor at Covers.com
Ryan Murphy • Managing Editor
Apr 2, 2025 • 13:01 ET • 3 min read
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15).
Photo By - Imagn Images. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15).

The 2024-25 NBA season will one day be remembered as the year Shai Gilgeous-Alexander blossomed into a true superstar.

The Oklahoma City Thunder sensation has somehow found a new gear in the new year, as evidenced by a quartet of 50-point performances against the Jazz, Warriors, Suns, and Rockets. His highlight-worthy play has catapulted OKC to the top of the Western Conference standings, where they sit 14.5 games ahead of the second-place Houston Rockets.

Let's take a peek at the 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player odds to see where the rest of the competition stacks up.

2025 NBA MVP odds

Player bet365
Celtics Shai Gilgeous-Alexander -1400
Nuggets Nikola Jokic +750

Odds as of 4-2.

2025 NBA MVP favorites

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-1400)

Just how low can he go? Shai Gilgeous Alexander's NBA MVP odds have dropped from +400 on Opening Night to -1400 today as he continues to keep the Oklahoma City Thunder comfortably atop the Western Conference standings.

SGA's offense gets most of the attention - and deservedly so - but it's his defense that has progressed the most during his epic seventh season. The three-time All-Star is averaging 1.7 steals and a career-high 1.0 blocks per game and has made a habit of shutting down opposing guards on a nightly basis. His ball hawking has helped the Thunder achieve the best defensive rating in the NBA and has the team's faithful daydreaming about a championship run.

Gilgeous-Alexander was also the preseason target at BetMGM for many MVP bettors, leading both ticket count (14.5%) and handle (24.1%). He presently has the highest handle percentage (30.1%) at the sportsbook.

PTS REB AST FG%
32.8 5.0 6.4 52.2

Nikola Jokic (+750)

Nikola Jokic is an elite offense unto himself. He scores about as efficiently as anyone in NBA history, and does so entirely within the flow of an attack he also coordinates, with passing few have ever had the vision for.

The seven-time All-Star is posting a higher scoring average and is dishing more dimes than in any of his three previous three MVP campaigns and is on pace to become just the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double over the course of an entire season. 

Jokic was characteristically humble when asked about his MVP odds earlier in March. "I will say I think I’m playing the best basketball of my life so if that’s enough it’s enough," he said. "If not, [Gilgeous-Alexander] deserves it. He’s really amazing."

Jokic presently has the highest ticket percentage (23.4%) and second highest handle percentage (24.5%) at BetMGM.

PTS REB AST FG%
29.7 12.8 10.2 57.5

Shai Gilgeous Alexander vs Nikola Jokic head-to-head stats in 2024-25

Player PTS REB AST
Celtics Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 30.3 5.0 6.5
Nuggets Nikola Jokic 24.5 15.8 11.5

The Thunder and Nuggets have split their four-game set this year, but Joker has been far more impactful in their head-to-head clashes, averaging a massive triple-double.

Jokic was especially dominant in Denver's 140-127 win over OKC on March 10, erupting for 35 points, 18 rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and one block.

Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout

Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!

Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

NBA MVP odds over time

This year's MVP chase is sure to be a heavyweight melee. Follow along all season as we update this graphic with contenders rising and falling. 

2025 NBA MVP opening odds

  • Luka Doncic +350
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander +400
  • Nikola Jokic +475
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo +850
  • Jayson Tatum +1000
  • Anthony Edwards +1200
  • Jalen Brunson +1400
  • Victor Wembanyama +2000
  • Ja Morant +3500
  • Joel Embiid +5000

Popular NBA futures odds


NBA MVP betting history

A quick look at recent NBA MVPs and their opening odds.

Season Player Opening Odds Team
2023-24 Nikola Jokic +450 Browns Denver Nuggets
2022-23 Joel Embiid +600 76ers Philadelphia 76ers
2021-22 Nikola Jokic +1600 Browns Denver Nuggets
2020-21 Nikola Jokic +2500 Browns Denver Nuggets
2019-20 Giannis Antetokounmpo +210 Browns Milwaukee Bucks
2018-19 Giannis Antetokounmpo +475 Browns Milwaukee Bucks
2017-18 James Harden +1100 Rockets Houston Rockets
2016-17 Russell Westbrook +200 Thunder Oklahoma City Thunder
2015-16 Stephen Curry +650 Browns Golden State Warriors
2014-15 Stephen Curry +1600 Browns Golden State Warriors

    NBA MVP odds FAQ

    Pages related to this topic

    Ryan Murphy Managing Editor at Covers
    Managing Editor

    Ryan Murphy began his love affair with sports journalism at the age of nine when he wrote his first article about his little league baseball team. He has since authored his own weekly column for Fox Sports and AskMen and has created successful campaigns for some of the biggest and most trusted brands in the world including Walt Disney, HBO, the WWE, the NHL, and the NFL.

    “Murph,” as he’s known to friends, began his journey in sports betting in 2017, and enjoyed a highly rewarding tenure at Churchill Downs, where he oversaw the creation of the TwinSpires Edge and served as the publication’s first editor-in-chief. His nose for news and ability to find and nurture talent helped turn the site into a major player within the online gambling industry.

    Although Ryan loves examining odds movement and breaking down matchups, he’s also a prolific creative writer whose critically acclaimed stories have been published in 21 books and have been featured on more than 170 radio stations and 40 newspapers. His latest book, My Life’s a Joke, is a laugh-out-loud memoir about the epic fails that thickened his skin and paved the way for a successful 15-year career as a touring stand-up comedian.

    Ryan’s top piece of advice to sports bettors: “Bet with your head, not your heart. It pains me to be pragmatic, but blind loyalty has no place in sports wagering.”

    Popular Content

    Covers is verified safe by: Evalon Logo GPWA Logo GDPR Logo GeoTrust Logo Evalon Logo