The NBA Finals are just a game or two away, and what a postseason it has been. There have been shocking sweeps, miraculous upsets and plenty of star players at the center of each narrative.
The NBA Finals MVP award identifies the hero of the postseason, and who wouldn't want such an honor?
Right now, Nikola Jokic (-270) is favored in the odds to win NBA Finals MVP, with Jimmy Butler (+450) and Bam Adebayo (+600) behind him.
2023 NBA Finals MVP Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | -270 |
| Jimmy Butler | +450 |
| Bam Adebayo | +600 |
| Jamal Murray | +2500 |
| Gabe Vincent | +3300 |
| Caleb Martin | +15000 |
| Kyle Lowry | +15000 |
| Michael Porter Jr. | +25000 |
Odds as of June 7
NBA Finals MVP Odds: The Favorites
Remember, any bet in the NBA Finals MVP odds is essentially a parlay, as the award is typically only given to a player from the championship team.
Nikola Jokic (-270)
What more can we say about Jokic at this point? The center has already crafted himself into one of the best Nuggets of all time; imagine what a championship and Finals MVP would do for his legacy.
If the Nuggets win, there's really no scenario where Jokic doesn't win the hardware. The Serbian put up a triple-double in Game 1 before dropping 41 points in Game 2.
Can Anyone Else Win?
Jimmy Butler sure looks like the next-best bet, as he's bound to carry the Heat through any prospective victory over the Nuggets. At +450, he's definitely the best bet on the board.
Jamal Murray is another sneaky candidate. He's played second fiddle to Jokic all playoffs, but he's been arguably just as important. His +2500 value is crazy, so I love a sprinkle on him to win NBA MVP.
Last 10 NBA Finals MVP Winners
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Steph Curry (GSW) |
| 2021 | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) |
| 2020 | LeBron James (LAL) |
| 2019 | Kawhi Leonard (TOR) |
| 2018 | Kevin Durant (GSW) |
| 2017 | Kevin Durant (GSW) |
| 2016 | LeBron James (CLE) |
| 2015 | Andre Iguodala (GSW) |
| 2014 | Kawhi Leonard (SAS) |
| 2013 | LeBron James (MIA) |
How To Read NBA Finals MVP Odds
When you visit your betting site of choice, you’ll notice the NBA Finals MVP odds laid out like this:
- LeBron James -115
- Anthony Davis +200
- Jimmy Butler +800
Similar to a moneyline bet where favorites are shown by the minus sign (-) and underdogs have a plus sign (+), the player with the lowest odds is the fave. In this scenario, it’s LeBron. For his odds, you’d need to bet $115 to make $100 in profit.
For other options like Jimmy Butler, his odds indicate what you’d get paid if you placed a $100 bet. If you made this bet and it hits, you’d win $900 – your $100 is returned along with $800 in profit.
If you were to bet on which player will be named MVP, you would be making a futures bet.
Our 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.
