The 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player betting odds are currently leaning towards Luka Doncic (+350) of the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks, with reigning MVP and three-time recipient of the award Nikola Jokic (+360) a close second.
Here's a look at all of the players currently in the running for next season's MVP, including five superstar talents with odds greater than 7.5-to-1.
2025 NBA Most Valuable Player Odds
| Player | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Luka Doncic | Dallas Mavericks | +350 |
| Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | +360 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | +550 |
| Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers | +650 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | +750 |
| Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves | +1300 |
| Jalen Brunson | New York Knicks | +1600 |
| Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | +1800 |
| Jayson Tatum | Boston Celtics | +2800 |
| Ja Morant | Memphis Grizzlies | +3400 |
| Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | +3800 |
| Kevin Durant | Phoenix Suns | +6000 |
| Tyrese Haliburton | Indiana Pacers | +7500 |
| Zion Williamson | New Orleans Pelicans | +7500 |
| Devin Booker | Phoenix Suns | +10000 |
| Donovan Mitchell | Cleveland Cavaliers | +10000 |
| Kawhi Leonard | Los Angeles Clippers | +15000 |
| Anthony Davis | Los Angeles Lakers | +15000 |
| LeBron James | Los Angeles Lakers | +20000 |
| Damian Lillard | Milwaukee Bucks | +20000 |
| De'Aaron Fox | Sacramento Kings | +20000 |
Odds as of September 1, 2024
NBA Most Valuable Player Betting Favorite: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
It's only a matter of time until Doncic is crowned as the league's MVP, having placed third overall in voting this past season behind Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. His performance in the playoffs, guiding the Mavericks to their first Finals berth since 2011 while clearly hobbled, further exemplified just how special and perhaps generational a talent the 25-year-old is.
He's been a preseason betting favorite for this hardware before, but hasn't quite gotten over the hump with Dallas being a middle-of-the-pack team in the loaded Western Conference. Some key offseason acquisitions have improved the Mavericks' stock, and should they finish near the top in the win-loss column, Doncic's case will only be strengthened and too difficult to pass over yet again.
Past 10 NBA Most Valuable Player Winners
| Year | Player | Team | Opening Odds (Pre-Season) | Closing Ends (End of Regular Season) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | +300 | -4000 |
| 2023 | Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers | +600 | -201 |
| 2022 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | +1600 | -285 |
| 2021 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | +2500 | -8500 |
| 2020 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | +210 | -950 |
| 2019 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | +475 | -1100 |
| 2018 | James Harden | Houston Rockets | +1100 | +175 |
| 2017 | Russell Westbrook | Oklahoma City Thunder | +200 | -700 |
| 2016 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | +650 | -400 |
| 2015 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | +1600 | -300 |
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?
| Player | # MVP Awards Won | Winning Team of MVP |
|---|---|---|
| Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar | 6 | Milwaukee Bucks (3), Los Angeles Lakers (3) |
| Bill Russell | 5 | Boston Celtics |
| Michael Jordan | 5 | Chicago Bulls |
| Wilt Chamberlain | 4 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| LeBron James | 4 | Cleveland Cavaliers (2), Miami Heat (2) |
| Moses Malone | 3 | Houston Rockets (2), Philadelphia 76ers (1) |
| Larry Bird | 3 | Boston Celtics |
| Magic Johnson | 3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Nikola Jokic | 3 | Denver Nuggets |
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
| Team | # MVP Awards Won | Most Recent Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 10 | Larry Bird (1986) |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 8 | Kobe Bryant (2008) |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 7 | Joel Embiid (2023) |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 | Derrick Rose (2011) |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 5 | Giannis Antetokounmpo (2020) |
| Houston Rockets | 4 | James Harden (2018) |
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
| Position | # MVP Awards Won |
|---|---|
| Center | 30 |
| Point Guard | 11 |
| Power Forward | 11 |
| Small Forward | 9 |
| Shooting Guard | 8 |
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:
- Nikola Jokic +350
- Luka Doncic +380
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander +550
- Giannis Antetokounmpo +550
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.
