NBA MVP Odds & Betting Favorites For 2024-25

NBA odds are one of the most popular betting options available at the BetMGM online sportsbook. But even among those who don’t bet very often, the NBA Most Valuable Player debate is a popular and deeply accessible topic of conversation. 

Even casual observers of American professional basketball usually have opinions. Who’s overrated? Who’s up-and-coming? Who’s won too many, or too few?

The NBA MVP odds market offers a way to formalize your opinions and – with a little bit of luck – maybe even profit from them.

Here, I break down the full market, including many of the most popular names and candidates for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

NBA MVP Odds 2024-25

NBA MVP Prediction: Who Will Be Named NBA MVP For 2024-25?

Based on the current futures market, Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić each have an implied 21.1% chance to win NBA MVP in 2025.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+550, 15.4%) is the next most likely MVP, followed by Joel Embiid (+650, 13.3%). 

Luka Dončić NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024

Luka Dončić, the Mavericks superstar, is currently +375 to win NBA MVP.

Over the last three seasons, Dončić has led the Mavericks to one Western Conference finals and one NBA Finals. He’s one of the most cold-blooded scorers in the league, and his team signed Klay Thompson to aid with floor spacing this offseason.

It’s no wonder that Dončić is a popular offering in the MVP market. The 2024-25 cycle is young, but so far he’s attracted about 15% of all tickets at BetMGM. His ticket count and overall market handle trail only one other player.

Nikola Jokić NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets center, is currently +375 to win NBA MVP.

There’s a reason bettors are paying top dollar for a Jokić ticket. Jokić is the reigning MVP who has now won the award three times in the last four seasons. 

That said, there are real reasons to be concerned about where Jokić’s MVP stock goes from here. Voter fatigue seems likely to set in soon, and the Nuggets got worse this offseason while several other key contenders in the West stayed the same or got better. 

Perhaps Jokić will win a fourth MVP in 2025. Regardless of whether he does or doesn’t, though, it seems like the market will eventually prompt longer odds on him in the coming months. So far, only 6.5% of tickets are interested in the reigning MVP, which suggests a coming adjustment for a co-favorite.  

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder point guard, is currently +550 to win NBA MVP.

SGA was one of the big winners of the 2024 NBA playoffs. His team may have been eliminated in the second round by Dallas, but the largely untested point guard got to prove that his game still has real legs when the calendar flips to April and May.

That marked SGA as a potential MVP candidate for years to come, which is why he’s the most popular ticket at the BetMGM online sportsbook this offseason. So far, 18.5% of all MVP tickets are on Gilgeous-Alexander, representing more than 30% of all money bet in the market.

SGA may not be the favorite as far as odds are concerned, but he’s clearly the most popular choice among bettors. He’s also the No. 1 market liability for BetMGM in the early going. 

Joel Embiid NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

Joel Embiid, the 76ers center, is currently +650 to win NBA MVP.

The best case for a second Embiid MVP might be Philadelphia’s offseason. Let’s think about the 2024-25 regular season for a moment. The Celtics, who are the reigning NBA champions, just played into June. Kristaps Porziņģis needs surgery and won’t be available for the opening portion of the season.

With the 76ers lining up a true Big Three in Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia is one of two teams (alongside New York) that could push hard for the No. 1 seed in the East. 

If the 76ers’ new roster construction works, and they’re competing for top playoff seeds, there’s little doubt a Philadelphia player would receive MVP buzz. But would it be Embiid? Or could it be Maxey or Paul? The Sixers MVP theory is strong, but it’s not clear which specific player would benefit. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks superstar, is currently +700 to win NBA MVP.

Besides Embiid and Jokić, Giannis is the only other player to have won an NBA MVP in the last seven years. But for many bettors, the Bucks feel like they may be past their contention expiration date with this current Giannis run. 

Since 2018-21, when Giannis won one title and two MVPs, Milwaukee has fired two different coaches. They’ve shipped out most of their top defensive players and rebuilt the roster around Giannis and Damian Lillard. The latter is 34. Khris Middleton, the other major remaining contributor, will be 33 for this upcoming season.

Giannis will turn 30 this year, so he’s still got plenty of good basketball left in him. But the Bucks star may also be slightly more injury-prone than he was five years ago, which explains Milwaukee’s first-round playoff exits of the last two seasons. 

If Giannis has his foot off the gas this regular season for health reasons – which could be wise in the greater championship playoff picture – it’s difficult to imagine him emerging victorious in a crowded MVP race. Even if he’s guaranteed his health, +700 is a short price for a commodity trending in the wrong direction.

Anthony Edwards NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves guard, is currently +1200 to win NBA MVP.

Edwards, one of the most exciting young faces in the NBA right now, is understandably a popular MVP choice among bettors. The heir to Michael Jordan’s killer two-guard throne is responsible for 11.3% of all MVP tickets at BetMGM. That’s the fourth most among all players. 

It’s clear that Edwards has the talent, swagger, and momentum to be the next NBA MVP. Bettors must ask themselves this question: Will a new season with added scrutiny carry Edwards over the top? 

Or, like the 2024 Western Conference finals, will he and the Timberwolves stumble just as everyone has started to believe in them?

Jalen Brunson NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

Jalen Brunson, the Knicks guard, is currently +1800 to win NBA MVP.

Brunson is the best player on one of the most popular teams in the NBA, playing in the biggest media market in the world, with his home games set in one of the most famous arenas in the world. If this is an award shaped by media and perception, handicappers could do a lot worse than Brunson.

He’s also an All-NBA talent who just gave back tens of millions of dollars to help the Knicks build a more complete team. The Knicks should compete near the top of the East this season, which will put Brunson clearly in the spotlight for NBA MVP. 

So far, his immense popularity hasn’t translated to MVP betting buzz, with less than 1% of all tickets backing Brunson. I expect that to change over the coming months.

Victor Wembanyama NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs center, is currently +2000 to win NBA MVP.

The 2024-25 season may be just the second NBA campaign for Wembanyama, but the rookie results for the 7’4” Frenchman made it clear he’s a top-level threat on the basketball court. 

Wembanyama is already the odds-on favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year in 2025, and many bettors are willing to take a chance he makes a run at MVP, too. At +2000, he’s the No. 3 most popular bet on the NBA odds board at BetMGM. 

Jayson Tatum NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

Jayson Tatum, the Celtics forward, is currently +2500 to win NBA MVP.

For years, Tatum has been seen as the best, most consistent player on the Celtics team that finally broke through for a championship in 2024. But on the road to the championship, there was a small wrinkle. 

His teammate, Jaylen Brown, was MVP of both the ECF and the NBA Finals.

Brown’s awards make the 2024-25 awards betting market a very interesting place for Tatum. Has the market reconsidered who the top Celtic is? If so, Tatum could be overpriced.

Is Tatum satisfied now that he’s a champion? If so, Tatum could be overpriced.

But there’s a third option. What if Tatum is annoyed so much of the attention has swung away from him and toward Brown? What if NBA media runs with Tatum-or-Brown content throughout the upcoming season, further shoving Tatum’s revenge season into the spotlight? 

There’s a world where Tatum is highly motivated to post his greatest regular season possible, which would make him a deeply compelling MVP candidate at +2500.

Ja Morant NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

Ja Morant, the Grizzlies guard, is currently +4000 to win NBA MVP.

If MVP is a narrative-influenced award, Morant has quite the comeback story to tell. The explosive dunker and playmaker missed time in 2023 because of poor personal decision, then suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Jan. 2024. 

Morant is now cleared to play and will return to the NBA in a big way for the 2024-25 season. If he can jump Memphis back into the playoff mix and remain focused on the basketball court, Morant could be a decent value play at +5000. 

More than 6% of early MVP bettors agree and are chasing the return with Morant. 

Steph Curry NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

Steph Curry, the Warriors superstar, is currently +5000 to win NBA MVP.

The Warriors’ run as a title contender seems over, which makes Curry an unlikely title contender.

Still, as long as Steph is launching 3-pointers in the NBA, there will be fans who want to bet on him. The long odds will only attract more bettors. 

LeBron James NBA MVP Odds To Win, 2024-25

LeBron James, the Lakers superstar, is currently +20000 to win NBA MVP.

James will turn 40 this season, which puts him in a historically unprecedented position as a major contributor. But from an awards perspective, the energy he would have to exert – and health he would have to maintain – make an MVP season very unlikely in 2025.

Like Curry, LeBron will attract some MVP tickets from fans who want to support the superstar with an elite potential return on the line, even if the fundamentals in play make the outcome virtually impossible. 

More than 3% of tickets at BetMGM are backing a LeBron MVP season.

List of NBA MVP Winners