NBA MVP Odds: Embiid Pulling Away

As we inch closer to the end of the 2022-23 season, the NBA MVP odds reflect a tight race. Sixers center Joel Embiid is the favorite at -200 as he pulls ahead of Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (+240) and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (+600).

NBA MVP Odds For 2022-23

Odds as of April 3

NBA MVP Odds: Why is embiid (-200) The Favorite?

Man, what happened? Just a few weeks ago, Jokic was -250 in the odds for NBA MVP, but, quite suddenly, the odds have shifted. Why is Embiid deserving of chalk status? 

As a player, “The Process” is just as jaw-dropping as Jokic. Embiid doesn’t pass the ball the way the Joker does, but he scores at a much higher clip (33 PPG). That’s a career-high number for Embiid, and there’s a strong chance he finishes the season as the NBA’s leading scorer. If you’re wagering on Embiid, you’ll have to pray the MVP voters see the Cameroonian’s knack for getting buckets as the most important quality.

As far as team success goes (which is important in the MVP vote), Philadelphia isn’t far behind Denver in its record. The Sixers have ascended near the top teams in the East, where they’ll remain for the final games of the season. 

NBA MVP Odds: Best Best

Our NBA MVP odds tracker has followed the movement all season, and Jokic’s jump was significant. However, there’s still value on the board. Let’s pick out our best bet beyond the chalk. 

Nikola Jokic (+240)

Jokic still has legs as the NBA MVP.

Firstly, Denver has been fantastic this year, dominating the Western Conference by a wide margin. The squad is second in the NBA in assists per game (29) and holds the sixth-best average scoring margin (+3.7) in the West. Jokic is essential to the way Denver operates. “Joker” is a do-it-all big man, scoring at an elite rate (24.9 PPG), gobbling rebounds (11.9 RPG) and dropping dimes at a career-high mark (9.9 APG).

The assists are crazy. A center who can pass and defend like Jokic opens up the floor. He’s such a rare talent, and his team is playing flawless basketball right now. That sounds like an MVP to me.

There’s still a tiny window of games left, and given the way the NBA MVP odds have fluctuated this year, I like a bet on Jokic at his current value. He’s been the chalk for most of the second half, and a few epic games could return him to that position. This is Hail Mary time, but a bet on Jokic is the only path to real money.

How To Read NBA MVP Odds

When you visit your NBA betting site of choice, you’ll notice 2022-23 NBA MVP odds laid out like this:

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, Luka Doncic is favored. If you were to bet $100 on Doncic in the NBA MVP betting odds and it hits, you would win $550 – your $100 is returned and you would get $450 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 futures bet you would first use the handicapping info on this page to make your decision. 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.

For example, Jokic, last year’s MVP, is at +1200, giving him a 7.69 percent implied chance of winning the award. A $100 bet on Joker would pay out $1,300.