An Early Look At 2022/23 NBA MVP Betting Favorites

Isn’t it lovely now that we have basketball back in our lives? While we may only be about 1/8th of our way through the year, I can’t help but think about who will win the MVP award this season. There is so much talent in the league nowadays that it could literally come from anywhere, but, obviously, only one player can be named the most valuable–so, who will it be?

Here I will break down the top favorites to win the NBA MVP this season, with odds provided by Bet365 sportsbook. If Bet365 is unavailable in your state, you can check out these other online sportsbooks. 

So, I’ll be breaking down this year’s MVP candidates into three different categories: The Favorites, the Middle of the Pack, and The Longshots. Be sure to stay tuned and check out OddsSeeker daily for more must-see picks and bets.

The Favorites:

Luka Doncic +400

This should come as a surprise to no one–if you’ve been watching the NBA so far this season, you already know just how well Doncic has been playing through these first seven games. Doncic has scored 30+ points in every game so far this season, with his season-high being 44 points against the Orlando Magic. Doncic already has two triple-doubles on the season and is getting to the foul line at an astronomical rate, averaging 11.5 shots from the charity stripe so far this season. It’s unlikely that Doncic will continue this high-scoring output–he has to be held to sub-thirty at least ONCE this season–but if he never slows down, then this will be the easiest MVP award decision of all time. 

 Giannis Antetokounmp +600

It’s only Giannis’ tenth season in the league, but he already has his eyes set on his third MVP award–and while he’s not the odds-on favorite, he sure is making a pretty strong case for himself so far. He’s averaging 33.6 points per game on the year and is grabbing 12.7 rebounds per game. He’s led the Bucks to seven straight wins to start off the season, and has recorded a double-double in six of those games. If you think a team’s performance has an impact on who the league names as MVP, then Giannis might be your guy–the Bucks are looking like a strong title contender early in the season.

Joel Embiid +650

Embiid has missed a few games already with a “non-COVID-related” illness, but in the games he has played in he’s surely made his presence known. He’s averaging 27.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and has already recorded three double-doubles. It’ll be interesting to see how James Harden’s injury will impact Embiid’s play, but operating under the assumption that Embiid will now just have the ball in his hands more, he might not be a bad shot to take home the award at the end of the year.

Middle of The Pack

Jayson Tatum +750

I’m a Knicks fan, and even I can admit–it’s been incredible watching Tatum evolve into the superstar he’s become. He’s averaging just over 30 points per game on the year and has sunk at least two threes in each of the Celtics games so far this season. While I do think Tatum is as good as they come, there’s a clear division between him and the three players mentioned earlier–so I’d hold off on betting on Tatum if I were you.

Ja Morant +750

Everyone knows how much I love Ja Morant–and I’m loving him even more now that he’s not making me eat crow. He’s averaging 31.4 points per game on the season and has four 34+ point performances on the year.  He’s an electric scorer that can hurt even the strongest of defenders, but I’m starting to realize that he may not be well-rounded enough (at least, yet) to win an MVP award.

The Long Shots

Kevin Durant +1200

I’m staying away from anything Nets related for the foreseeable future. From the firing of Nash to the incredibly horrendous remarks made by Kyrie Irving, this Nets team is a mess. So, I’m sorry Kevin, but you could be having the best season known to man and I’d still be reluctant to bet on you here. 

Nikola Jokic +1200

Jokic is looking to become the first player to three-peat the MVP award since Larry Bird did it in ‘84, ‘85, and ‘86. While Jokic is still looking like the triple-double machine he’s been in the last two seasons, his scoring numbers have taken a bit of a dip as compared to years prior. So far, he’s only averaging 21 points per game, which is six points less than last year's 27. While I’m never going to count Jokic out of an MVP conversation, I think he needs to get his scoring numbers up a bit if he wants to be considered seriously.