2025 NBA Most Valuable Player Betting Odds: Jokic Favorite For 4th MVP Win

Courtesy of our friends at BetMGM, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is currently the betting favorite to capture his fourth NBA Most Valuable Player award at +200 odds, with only two other players currently having greater than 10-to-1 odds.

Here's a look at where Jokic and all other contenders currently sit on the odds leaderboard for the Michael Jordan trophy.

2025 NBA Most Valuable Player Odds 

Odds as of November 19, 2024 at BetMGM

NBA Most Valuable Player Betting Favorite: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (+200)

The makeup of the Nuggets' roster is designed to cater to Jokic, so the moment he sits or isn't available, the team essentially caves in on itself and becomes a shell of what it could be. In the last two games with Jokic away for personal reasons, Denver has suffered consecutive defeats by an average of 11 points after winning five in a row and seven of eight with him in the lineup.

It felt out of the realm of possibility to think Jokic would once again be a contender for this hardware, having just won last year's award and three of the last four. Perhaps voter fatigue will settle in or a new challenger to the throne will emerge in the coming months, preventing the 7-footer from joining an exclusive club of four-time winners which includes the likes of Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

For now, though, no one in the Association deserves to have shorter odds than Jokic. The word "valuable" rings ever so true for him, and considering he's putting up career-high numbers across the board, denying him simply because a fresh face would be welcome seems foolish.

NBA Most Valuable Player Sleeper: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers (+1400)

The Los Angeles Lakers are getting the absolute best version of Anthony Davis, thanks in large part to shifting philosophies from new head coach JJ Redick which makes Davis the center of the team's universe as opposed to that being a shared role.

He's one of two players currently averaging more than 30 points per game, attempting his most shots per game since his second-to-last year with the New Orleans Pelicans, with a usage rate that's the second highest of his entire career. The Lakers are holding onto the third seed in the Western Conference, and it's going to take a finish of the team possessing home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs for Davis to secure the votes.

If this pace keeps up, even with Jokic producing to the degree he is, it may be difficult to ignore Davis, making him the fresh face those aforementioned voters may be searching for.

Past 10 NBA Most Valuable Player Winners  

As we get further into the season, it’s natural for MVP odds to dip. Over the past ten years, Jokic’s 2021 win represents the largest drop in odds, while Kevin Durant in 2014 represents the smallest -- James Harden is the only player on this list with odds higher than 2:1 by the end of the regular season. MVP odds remain an attractive payoff if you're willing to take a chance and bet early into the NBA season.

Keep in mind that the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award is given to the player who is considered the best player in the league during the regular season – it does not take into account playoff performance or past season performances. The award is voted on by a panel of basketball writers after the season concludes.

Who has won the most NBA Most Valuable Player Awards?

It’s no surprise seeing Abdul-Jabbar’s name at the top of this list –one of the best players of all time, he dominated the league six times between two different squads, earning his rightful place as the most decorated MVP winner in the NBA. Tailing him, Jordan and Bill Russell contributed five MVP wins within ten years each.

NBA Teams with the Most Most Valuable Player Winners

Although Boston tops our list with 10 MVP winners throughout their history, they haven’t had a player earn the honor in over 30 years – Russell contributes half of these honors alone. The Lakers are just behind their rivals with a star-studded cast of MVPs including Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Magic Johnson.

NBA Most Valuable Player Winners by Position

Centers are a favorite candidate for MVP, and it’s not hard to see why – inherent size and athleticism help them create defensive shutdowns, secure rebounds, and power through defenders on offense.
 
In a role that allows excellence at all levels of the game, a star center can stump the opponent’s offense and rack up points for their side of the board; this gives them heightened attention in the NBA media and promotes their case for MVP candidacy throughout the season.

NBA Teams With Zero Most Valuable Player Winners

The following eight teams have never had a player be named MVP throughout their history: Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and the Brooklyn Nets.

How To Read NBA MVP Odds

When you visit your NBA betting site of choice, you’ll notice 2024-25 NBA MVP odds laid out like this:

Unlike a moneyline bet where favorites are shown by the minus sign (-) and underdogs have a plus sign (+), the player with the lowest odds with the plus sign (+) is the fave. In this scenario, Nikola Jokic is favored. If you were to bet $100 on Jokic in the NBA MVP betting odds and it hits, you would win $350 – your $100 is returned and you would get $350 in profit.

If you were to bet on which player will be named MVP, you would make a futures bet.

What Is A Futures Bet?

This is a bet made on events that will happen in time. In this case, it’s MVP. To make a futures bet, you would first use the handicapping info on this page to make your decision. Our Odds Calculator can give you an idea of how much you’d win based on the MVP odds and the amount of money you bet.

2024-25 NBA Awards Betting Odds