2021 NBA MVP odds: Jokic closing on Embiid
We break down the current odds for the 2021-22 NBA MVP, with Joel Embiid currently leading Nikola Jokic in the betting.
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Who is favorite to win NBA MVP?
Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers is the -125 favorite in the NBA odds to win the 2021-22 MVP award.
Embiid has been dominant in March, averaging 30.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game for Philly, which sits fourth in the East.
His lead at the top of the betting has been reduced in recent weeks by defending MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, who is -105 to win back-to-back awards.
Jokic is averaging 29.4 points, 12.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game in March, with the Nuggets currently sixth in the Western Conference standings.
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is third in the betting, but has a lot of ground to make up at +900.
NBA MVP odds
The MVP for the 2021-22 NBA season looks to be a three-horse race at this point in the season, with fourth favorite Devin Booker currently priced at +2500 in the betting.
There is then another big jump to Luka Doncic, who is fifth in the market at +8000.
Joel Embiid -125
Nikola Jokic -105
Giannis Antetokounmpo +900
Devin Booker +2500
Luka Doncic +8000
Ja Morant +10000
Jayson Tatum +25000
DeMar DeRozan +25000
Kevin Durant +25000
NBA MVP best bets
Joel Embiid -125
Embiid has been on a tear since the 76ers acquired James Harden, and if he keeps up this kind of form then he will be tough to catch at the head of the market.
Nikola Jokic -105
If anyone is to catch Embiid, it's Jokic. The Nuggets big man is performing at a higher level than his MVP season last year, and a straw poll of NBA media suggests he would receive a lot of their votes at this stage.
NBA MVP trends
There are several things to consider when placing a bet on NBA MVP. Trends from past winners can help inform your wager.
Firstly, the MVP tends to come from a team that finishes towards the top of its conference.
Secondly, scoring is king. Just one of the last 10 MVP winners has averaged fewer than 25 points per game across the season.
It’s also important to consider position. While a center or power forward has won MVP the last three years, smaller guys at point guard, shooting guard or small forward won the award in the 11 seasons prior to that.
NBA teams with the most MVP winners
The NBA franchise with the most MVPs is the Boston Celtics, who have produced 10 MVP-winning seasons in their history. However, a Celtics player has not won the award since Larry Bird in 1985-86.
Los Angeles Lakers players have won eight MVP awards, while the Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls have produced six MVP winners each.
Michael Jordan won five of the six MVPs won by Chicago players.
Players with multiple NBA MVP awards
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won the most MVP awards in NBA history, with six in total. He won three with the Milwaukee Bucks and three with the Lakers.
Jordan and Bill Russell both won five MVPs, while Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James have both won four.
Three-time winners include Moses Malone, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
Bob Pettit, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the other multiple-time MVPs with two each.
How to bet on NBA MVP
To bet on NBA MVP, simply navigate to the Betway sportsbook, go to the NBA page, and click on Futures. There you will find the full list of NBA MVP odds and be able to bet on your pick for the 2021-22 award.
You can also find other NBA futures betting, including Coach of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Sixth Man of the Year.
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[February 21]
Who is favorite to win NBA MVP?
Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers is now the +140 favorite in the NBA odds to win the 2021-22 MVP award.
Embiid has been absolutely dominant for Philly in recent weeks, averaging 31.8 points, 13.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in February as the Sixers sit third in the East at the All-Star break.
Second in the betting is another big man, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets. The reigning MVP has been similarly dominant, averaging 25.8 points, 14.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game in February for the sixth-place Nuggets.
Jokic is currently priced at +290 to win a second successive MVP award, while Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is just behind him at +375.
NBA MVP odds
Steph Curry was favorite to win a third MVP award of his career this season, but a drop off in form has seen him drift to fourth in the betting at +850.
Ja Morant is moving in the opposite direction thanks to his incredible play for the surging Memphis Grizzlies. Morant is currently priced at +1100 to win his first MVP.
Joel Embiid +140
Nikola Jokic +290
Giannis Antetokounmpo +375
Stephen Curry +850
Ja Morant +1100
Devin Booker +1800
DeMar DeRozan +2300
Luka Doncic +3000
Chris Paul +3000
NBA MVP best bets
Joel Embiid +140
It's a bit boring to back the favorite but there's a reason why Embiid is pulling clear from the rest of the field. Should he stay healthy and maintain anything close to this level of production, he should win the first MVP award of his career.
Stephen Curry +850
Curry has fallen a long way in the betting in recent weeks, but remains very much in the hunt for a third MVP award of his career. If he picks up his scoring again and takes the Warriors to the top of the tough Western Conference, Curry will be right in the mix, so it could be worth jumping in while he offers this kind of value.
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[January 26]
Who is favorite to win NBA MVP?
There are currently two players who are joint-favorites in the NBA odds to win the 2021-22 MVP award - Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Embiid missed a chunk of the early season through injury but has been on an absolute tear of late. The center is averaging 28.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season, and has scored at least 30 points in 15 of his last 17 games.
Two-time MVP Antetokounmpo is having a season worthy of a third award, averaging 28.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. His defending champion Bucks are currently fourth in the East with a 30-19 record.
Both players are currently +300 to win MVP for 2021-22.
NBA MVP odds
Steph Curry was previously the clear favorite to win a third MVP award, but a recent slump has seen him drop to third in the betting at +350.
Last season's MVP, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, is moving towards the top of the market, currently sitting fourth at +400.
There is then a significant gap to the rest of the contenders, led by Ja Morant at +1300.
Joel Embiid +300
Giannis Antetokounmpo +300
Stephen Curry +350
Nikola Jokic +400
Ja Morant +1300
Kevin Durant +3000
Luka Doncic +3500
DeMar DeRozan +4000
Devin Booker +4000
LeBron James +4500
Chris Paul +5000
James Harden +7500
NBA MVP best bets
Joel Embiid +300
It's quite simple - if Embiid stays healthy and keeps up this level of production, he should win the first MVP award of his career. There are obviously questions surrounding his fitness, but he looks unstoppable right now, so it could be worth jumping on while his odds are still decent.
Nikola Jokic +400
There are only four players who currently look to have a realistic chance of winning MVP, and Jokic has the longest odds of the four. His consistency means he could be worth a look at this point in the season.
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[December 29]
Who is favorite to win NBA MVP?
Steph Curry still leads the race as favorite in the NBA odds for the 2021-22 MVP award, with the record-breaking Golden State Warriors guard currently +130 with Betway.
Curry has been instrumental in taking the Warriors to an NBA-best 27-7 record as they sit top of the Western Conference heading into 2022.
Curry is averaging 27.7 points, 5.9 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game for Golden State, which is +550 to win a fourth NBA championship in eight seasons.
NBA MVP odds
Curry was previously the clear favorite to win the third MVP award of his career, but a former teammate of his is closing in at the top of the betting.
Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets is now just +250 to win his second MVP award, having come in from +500 over the last month.
Two-time winner Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, is priced at +900, while reigning MVP, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is out at +1100.
Stephen Curry +130
Kevin Durant +250
Giannis Antetokounmpo +900
Nikola Jokic +1100
Joel Embiid +3500
Luka Doncic +4500
Paul George +5000
LeBron James +6000
Trae Young +6000
Chris Paul +6500
Zach LaVine +6500
DeMar DeRozan +6500
Ja Morant +7000
James Harden +7000
Donovan Mitchell +7500
Jimmy Butler +7500
Jayson Tatum +8000
Damian Lillard +10000
Devin Booker +10000
LaMelo Ball +10000
NBA MVP best bets
Stephen Curry +130
Backing the favorite is nothing novel, but Curry remains the most likely player to win the 2021 NBA MVP. In the midst of a season which has seen him break the NBA record for three-pointers made, Curry could be on the way to a third MVP and fourth ring.
Giannis Antetokounmpo +900
The Bucks are up to third in the East after a slow start to the season, and Antetokounmpo is heating up. He is averaging 27.4 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, and has helped defending champions Milwaukee to a 23-13 record.
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[November 23]
Who is favorite to win NBA MVP?
Steph Curry is running away as favorite in the NBA odds for the 2021-22 MVP award, with the Golden State Warriors guard currently +200 with Betway to win the award.
Curry has been back to his best in recent weeks, spearheading the Warriors charge to the top of the Western Conference with a 15-2 record.
Curry is averaging 28.4 points, 6.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game for Golden State, which is +700 to win a fourth Championship in eight seasons.
NBA MVP odds
Sitting behind Curry in the NBA MVP odds are Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets (+500), who won the award in 2013-14, and two-time winner Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks (+700).
The reigning MVP, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, is fourth in the NBA betting (+850).
Other players in the running include Luka Doncic (+1500), Joel Embiid (+2200) and Jimmy Butler (+2300).
Stephen Curry + 200
Kevin Durant +500
Giannis Antetokounmpo +700
Nikola Jokic +850
Luka Doncic +1500
Joel Embiid +2200
Jimmy Butler +2300
Paul George +3000
DeMar DeRozan +4000
Ja Morant +4000
James Harden +4000
Anthony Davis +4000
Donovan Mitchell +4000
Jayson Tatum +5000
LeBron James +5000
Devin Booker +5000
Damian Lillard +5000
Trae Young +6000
Zach LaVine +6500
Julius Randle +7500
NBA MVP trends
There are several things to consider when placing a bet on NBA MVP. Trends from past winners can help inform your wager.
Firstly, the MVP tends to come from a team that finishes towards the top of its conference.
Secondly, scoring is king. Just one of the last 10 MVP winners has averaged fewer than 25 points per game across the season.
It’s also important to consider position. While a center or power forward has won MVP the last three years, smaller guys at point guard, shooting guard or small forward won the award in the 11 seasons prior to that.
NBA teams with the most MVP winners
The NBA franchise with the most MVPs is the Boston Celtics, who have produced 10 MVP-winning seasons in their history. However, a Celtics player has not won the award since Larry Bird in 1985-86.
Los Angeles Lakers players have won eight MVP awards, while the Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls have produced six MVP winners each.
Michael Jordan won five of the six MVPs won by Chicago players.
Players with multiple NBA MVP awards
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won the most MVP awards in NBA history, with six in total. He won three with the Milwaukee Bucks and three with the Lakers.
Jordan and Bill Russell both won five MVPs, while Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James have both won four.
Three-time winners include Moses Malone, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
Bob Pettit, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the other multiple-time MVPs with two each.
How to bet on NBA MVP
To bet on NBA MVP, simply navigate to the Betway sportsbook, go to the NBA page, and click on Futures. There you will find the full list of NBA MVP odds and be able to bet on your pick for the 2021-22 award.
You can also find other NBA futures betting, including Coach of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Sixth Man of the Year.
NBA MVP best bets
Stephen Curry +200
It may seem boring backing the favorite, but there is a reason that Curry is clear of everyone in the odds. Curry is performing at a career level and is the best player on the best team in the NBA at the moment, so it’s hard to look past him for a third MVP title.
Giannis Antetokounmpo +700
After a slow start to the season, the Bucks are heating up behind two-time winner Antetokounmpo. He is averaging 26.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, and has led the Bucks to four straight wins since mid-November.