The 2024-25 NBA season is well underway and we've already seen some movement at the top of the NBA MVP odds board with Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic supplanting Oklahoma City Thunder sensation Shai Gilgeous Alexander for the No. 1 spot.
Joker has somehow found a new gear in his tenth season in the league and is posting career-highs in rebounds (13.7) and assists (11.7) per game while averaging a robust 29.7 points. His six triple-doubles lead all players by a landslide and have the undermanned Nuggets off to an encouraging 7-5 start despite losses to key personnel.
Let's take a peek at the 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player odds as the new season continues to unfold.
2025 NBA MVP odds
| Player |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|
 Nikola Jokic |
+210 | +210 | +210 |
 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander |
+275 | +290 | +280 |
 Jayson Tatum |
+450 | +470 | +475 |
 Luka Doncic |
+1,000 | +900 | +900 |
 Anthony Edwards |
+1,000 | +900 | +1,000 |
 Anthony Davis |
+1,600 | +1,700 | +1,600 |
 Donovan Mitchell |
+3,000 | +3,000 | +3,000 |
 Giannis Antetokounmpo |
+3,000 | +3,000 | +2,800 |
 Stephen Curry |
+3,500 | +4,000 | +3,500 |
 Kevin Durant |
+6,000 | +6,000 | +6,000 |
Odds as of 11-19-2024
2024 NBA MVP favorites
Nikola Jokic (+210)
I mean, what more is there to say about Nikola Jokic at this point?
The man is an elite offense unto himself. He'll score about as efficiently as anyone in NBA history, and do so entirely within the flow of an attack he also coordinates, with passing few have ever had the vision for.
While the loss of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope further stretches a roster that may have already lacked for Bruce Brown last season, we can expect a supremely-efficient triple-double average from Jokic, and 50+ wins for the Denver Nuggets, which is a pretty iron-clad argument for MVP contention, at the very least.
The biggest reason to fade Jokic's MVP chase is, honestly, voter fatigue. The historical implications of a fourth MVP (which is how many LeBron James and Bill Russell each won) may also weigh on ballots come April.
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29.7 | 13.7 | 11.7 | 56.3 |
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+275 to +290)
As the Clippers bid adieu to Paul George this summer, one couldn't help but notice how well things are going for the Oklahoma City Thunder on the other side of that fateful 2019 PG trade.
Not only did the Thunder pocket a zillion draft picks in the deal, but a young Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished second in MVP voting last season and could very well win the damn thing in 2025. Meanwhile, OKC is looking to make a deep playoff run after precociously notching the West's No. 1 seed last season.
SGA is a beast on both sides of the ball; equally impossible to stay in front of and avoid. One of the NBA's best pure scorers, he operates more efficiently than just about any lead ball-handler in the league — all the more impressive given the unconventional nature of his game.
The Thunder have upside to spare, and might just make the kind of mini-leap that puts them in a class by themselves in the West, which will shine the MVP spotlight on Gilgeous-Alexander even brighter.
SGA was also the preseason target at BetMGM for lots of MVP bettors, leading both ticket count (14.5%) and handle (24.1%). His NBA odds bear watching as the season unfolds.
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28.5 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 50.5 |
Jayson Tatum (+450 to +475)
The NBA is a league of petty superstars, so there was little doubt how Jayson Tatum would start the season after being denied NBA Finals MVP honors and riding the pine at the Paris Olympics.
The five-time All-Star is averaging 29.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and a career-high 5.9 assists per game while shooting a blistering 46.1% from the field and 38.1% from deep.
Tatum is locked in to a degree we haven't seen this early in the season before and appears hellbent on reminding the world (or at least Steve Kerr) just how dominant he really is.
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29.7 | 7.9 | 5.9 | 46.1 |
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Luka Doncic (+900 to +1,000)
Luka Doncic dragged the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals on one good leg a few months ago, and now armed with the confidence of a deep playoff run, and even more support arriving in the offseason, 2025 may finally be the year for him to snag that elusive MVP.
A three-time preseason MVP odds favorite, Doncic had seen Dallas' overall body of work betray his individual brilliance, finishing well short of the Top-3 seed that's, unofficially, but quite consistently required to make a winning MVP case.
With the Mavs proving themselves legit title threats after last season's trade deadline, there's no reason, barring injury, why new arrivals Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall can't propel the Mavs to an elite regular-season run and give Luka's MVP chase some undeniable cred.
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28.2 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 42.5 |
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.
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 2024 season, so his odds were listed with a minus (-) sign ahead of the number.
- Nikola Jokic -1,000
The (-) meant that Jokic was an odds-on favorite, and a bettor needed to wager $1,000 to win $100. Other contenders in the MVP race had plus (+) odds to win.
- Luka Doncic +650
Here, a bettor stood to profit $650 for a $100 wager on Doncic 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 championship odds
- NBA Rookie of the Year odds
- NBA Most Improved Player odds
- NBA Defensive Player of the Year 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 four 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 | 30 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Nikola Jokic | Center | Denver Nuggets |
| 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 |
Best NBA 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.
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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.
Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets won the 2024 NBA MVP.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the all-time record with six NBA MVPs.
Jokic is once again the MVP favorite at +210.
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.
