The 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player betting odds still lean heavily in the favor of Denver Nuggets seems ready to once again make this a difficult choice for voters.
Here's a look at the updated odds with only Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic still left standing.
Sportsbook
2025 NBA Most Valuable Player Odds
| Player | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | -2500 |
| Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | +1000 |
Odds as of April 2, 2025 at BetMGM
NBA Most Valuable Player Betting Favorite: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (-2500)
We may have officially reached the point of no return as far as awarding Gilgeous-Alexander this year's MVP award, even with the latest surge from Jokic. SGA was the runner-up in 2024, but his time may be now.
His MVP credentials are seemingly endless. The Thunder have been on cruise control in the Western Conference from start to finish with a current 14.5-game lead over the rest of the pack, and the 26-year-old superstar leads all players in scoring at 32.8 points per game, which will soon make him seventh player to ever average 30 or more points in four different seasons. Simply put, he's the best player on the best team this season, and while that distinction doesn't make this win foolproof by any means (ask LeBron James), it could and should be enough for SGA to have his crowning moment.
NBA Most Valuable Player Sleeper: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (+1000)
Statistically, we may be witnessing the greatest offensive season by any one player in history. And yet, even with that being the case, Jokic achieving a fourth Most Valuable Player in five seasons is anything but a lock, which is a testament to how much success Gilgeous-Alexander is achieving in Oklahoma City. It still may be beyond his reach, but ing a 61-point, 10-rebound, and 10-assist triple-double on April Fools' Day, albeit in defeat, once again validated the belief of anyone who has Jokic as the greatest player walking god's green earth. It's the most points of any triple-double in history, and the most points scored by any player this season.
Playing in his 10th season while averaging career highs in points (29.7), rebounds (12.8), assists (10.2), steals (1.8), and 3-point efficiency (41.6 percent) is incredibly impressive for someone with the career accolades Jokic already has. Ranking in the top three in points, rebounds, and assists has never been achieved by a player in one season, and hasn't been accomplished by anyone in separate seasons. SGA is a lock in the win-loss column, but numbers to numbers, it's a no-contest favoring the Serbian juggernaut.
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 10 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 playoff performance or past season performances. The award is voted on by a 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 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.
