Betting on Basketball's Brightest Stars With NBA MVP Odds
Be Like Mike.
That was the tagline back in 1991 for the first Gatorade ad featuring Michael Jordan – arguably the biggest basketball star of all-time. But only the best can win the award that now bears Jordan’s name: the NBA Most Valuable Player award.
Is Nikola Jokic the new Jordan? In the 2023-24 regular season, the NBA odds at Bodog Sportsbook had Jokic heavily favoured to win his third Michael Jordan trophy. We’ll show you who’s left on Bodog’s NBA MVP odds board, and how you can grab yourself a piece of the action.
NBA MVP Favourite
The annual debate surrounding the Most Valuable Player race is always contentious. Since 1981, the winners have been decided by sports writers and broadcasters across Canada and the United States, with an online “fan” ballot added to the mix in 2010. It seems everyone’s got a different idea of what constitutes an MVP. As the season wears on and the top contenders emerge, the debate plays out in the media, until something of a consensus emerges and the votes are cast.
In the 2024 NBA playoffs, here are the last three names on Bodog’s NBA MVP odds board:
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
The two-time MVP is very close to regaining his status as the league’s top player, after losing last year’s award to Joel Embiid in a bitterly contested race – bitter among certain media members, that is. Now that the league requires players to put in 65 regular season games before winning any major awards, Embiid (just 37 games thus far because of injury) was ineligible, clearing the path for Jokic to retake the MVP.
He was definitely worthy of this honour. Jokic had posted 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game this year while playing elite-level defense, a remarkable accomplishment for the 6-foot-11 centre from Serbia. And after leading the Nuggets to their first NBA title last year, Jokic was the –4500 favourite at Bodog to win back those same voters who went with Embiid in 2023.
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Thanks in part to a late-season burst, Doncic (33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists per game) saw his name floated as a possible alternative for anyone who’s still not on the Jokic MVP train. Doncic finished in the top eight for MVP voting each of the last four seasons, and will almost certainly be one of this year’s three finalists.
Doncic was worth a flier as the +2000 second favourite at Bodog. He led the league in points per game, just like Embiid did previous year; at least some MVP voters overlooked Doncic’s relative weakness on defense compared to Jokic – although Doncic is indeed a quality two-way player in his own right.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Toronto’s own Gilgeous-Alexander (30.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists per game) was the last name on the Most Valuable Player odds board at +3000, and there’s every chance he’ll win this award at some point down the road. At the tender age of 25, Gilgeous-Alexander made the scene last year with his first All-Star campaign, finishing fifth in MVP voting. There’s still room for Canada’s top athlete to improve.
Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t the MVP this year, but he could improve his chances for next season by taking the Thunder on a deep run in the 2024 NBA playoffs. Technically, the MVP is a regular-season award, but if you want your name on the Michael Jordan Trophy, leave an impression on the voters by winning the games that matter most.
NBA Most Valuable Players History
Speaking of winners, here are the 10 most recent league MVPs in the NBA:
- 2022-23: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
- 2021-22: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- 2020-21: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- 2019-20: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- 2018-19: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- 2017-18: James Harden, Houston Rockets
- 2016-17: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
- 2015-16: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- 2014-15: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- 2013-14: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Bet on the NBA MVP Odds
Will Jokic rejoin this list? Will Doncic or Gilgeous-Alexander pull off the upset? You can bet on it right now at Bodog Sportsbook. Head to our NBA odds page and open the NBA Awards menu to see the latest lines for all the major trophies up for grabs, and may the best man win.