- The new NBA season begins with exciting matchups.
- Dive into NBA MVP Futures with top candidates.
- Top pick: Nikola Jokic at +450 odds with DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Giannis and Luka remain strong contenders.
- Uncertainty surrounds Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum.
The new NBA season tips off on Tuesday, October 24, with a mouth-watering doubleheader as the reigning champions Denver Nuggets receive their rings just before the home game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals replay from last season.
Chris Paul and Bradley Beal will make their official debuts for the new teams in the other game on the opening day as the Golden State Warriors play host to the Phoenix Suns in another huge Western Conference matchup.
It is thus an ideal time to take a look at the entertaining plethora of NBA Futures betting options across all the most popular American sportsbooks. The most entertaining of them all is the NBA MVP Award.
We will check the odds from all major US sports betting operators and give you the best price for each legitimate candidate for the prestigious award. We’ll also give you our honest evaluation of the value of each listed superstar.
Learn More: Basketball Betting: The Ultimate Guide
| Player | Team | MVP Odds | Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | +450 | Place Bet at DraftKings » |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | +600 | Place Bet at BetMGM » |
| Luka Doncic | Dallas Mavericks | +600 | Place Bet at BetMGM » |
| Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers | +850 | Place Bet at BetMGM » |
| Jason Tatum | Boston Celtics | +900 | Place Bet at DraftKings » |
The Best Pick — Nikola Jokic (+450) with DraftKings
The Serbian center enters the season on the back of an amazing playoff run that saw him taking the Denver Nuggets to the franchise’s first NBA Championship. Last season’s voter fatigue prevented Nikola Jokic from completing a three-peat of the regular season MVP awards, as Joel Embiid’s impressive statistical numbers earned him his first MVP trophy.
However, voter fatigue will not be an issue for Jokic this time. Most experts and analysts say he is now a champion and the best player alive. While he has not touched a basketball during the summer, skipping the FIBA World Cup silver-medal run for the Serbian national team, make no mistake that Jokic indeed has to be considered the top favorite for the award. The Nuggets will bring most of their last season’s roster back for a title defense quest, and they should be among the top seeds in the West by all relevant predictions. Nikola is our favorite bet for this market by quite a distance at the moment.
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Perennial Candidates
Giannis Antetokounmpo (+600) with BetMGM
FanDuel offers the best odds for Giannis Antetokounmpo, pricing the Greek superstar at +600 to win the MVP award. The Greek Freak earned the prize in successive seasons in 2018/19 and 2019/20. He is always a contender, and his Milwaukee Bucks will be even greater favorites for the title following the acquisition of Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers.
While Lillard’s arrival will no doubt make the Bucks stronger, it will also decrease Giannis’ appeal for the MVP award. We expect Dame to take a lot of Antetokounmpo’s burden, and the 28-year-old Greek may not post as impressive numbers as he did in the past. We’d skip him even at the +600 odds.
Luka Doncic (+600) with BetMGM
Luka Doncic has constantly been among the top three candidates for this prize over the last three seasons; this year is no exception. Mark Cuban brought him Kyrie Irving to strengthen the team, but the Mavericks went on a horrific run of results late in the regular season to eventually miss out on the playoff action altogether.
Make no mistake, the Slovenian walking triple-double machine will still produce his MVP-worthy numbers, but will the Dallas Mavericks even make it to the postseason? We are not confident knowing how strong the West is this year, so we don’t recommend Luka this time.
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Joel Embiid (+850) with BetMGM
If we were to conduct a revote for last year’s MVP award, many analysts would shift their votes from Joel Embiid to Nikola Jokic. Nevertheless, it was Embiid who got his maiden NBA MVP award last season. We sincerely doubt he has what it takes to defend his crown, especially now when we have two super teams in the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics in the East. The 76ers are a mess ahead of the new season, and we’d not put our money on Embiid to win the prestigious prize in successive seasons.
Jayson Tatum (+900) with DraftKings
The Boston Celtics were surprisingly active in the offseason, forming a super team by adding Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to a double-headed monster of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. While they may not possess enough depth anymore, they will be serious contenders for the Championship. Tatum will still be the key guy, but will he post good enough numbers to be considered an MVP in such a strong competition? We’re not quite sure.
Learn More: 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Betting Odds: Favorites to Underdogs
Notable Mentions
The following players might also get into the MVP contention if their teams start performing above expectations:
| Notable Mentions | MVP Odds | Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Curry | +1500 | Place Bet at DraftKings » |
| Kevin Durant | +1600 | Place Bet at BetMGM » |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | +1800 | Place Bet at BetMGM » |
| Devin Booker | +2200 | Place Bet at BetRivers » |
