The NBA MVP award is still a highly coveted award, and that’s confirmed by listening to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, talk about it in Season 2 of Starting 5 on Netflix. The current NBA MVP odds see SGA as a strong contender to repeat, but he’ll likely have to deal with Nikola Jokic, his main competition from the last few years, in this award again.
Before the 2025-26 NBA season begins, let’s look at the current NBA MVP odds and find out which players are a good bet to challenge SGA and Jokic.
2026 NBA MVP Award Player To Watch
| Player | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | +250 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | +275 |
| Luka Doncic | Los Angeles Lakers | +300 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | +1200 |
Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic (+250)
Denver’s Nikola Jokic has mastered the art of basketball so much that he realistically could have won 5 straight MVP awards since the 2020-21 season. Instead, he’s won 3, giving way to some voter fatigue as he had a strong case last year when he averaged a triple-double:
- 29.6 points (career high)
- 12.7 rebounds
- 10.2 assists (career high)
Jokic is always a good MVP bet as he keeps Denver competitive in the elite conference despite never having a teammate that’s made an All-Star or All-NBA team.
The Nuggets are on a short list of favorites to win the championship this year thanks to Jokic’s all-around talent, and his statistics should again be there. He’s led the league in PER (Player Efficiency Rating) the last 5 years.
Jokic is a fine MVP bet at these odds, but it may be wise to let things play out a little and hope for more competition at the top.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+275)
Two years ago, it was between Jokic and SGA for the MVP with the Thunder star finishing 2nd. But last year, the Thunder finished 68-14 to dominate the Western Conference, and SGA collected 71-of-100 first-place votes for MVP to edge out Jokic.
It could be the same 2-horse race in 2025-26, and we’ll see if the playoff series where Jokic’s underdog Nuggets nearly upset SGA’s favored Thunder changes any opinions.
The Thunder have built a potential dynasty while the Nuggets succeed largely through Jokic, something people corrected in 2024 when they voted him ahead of Joel Embiid. But the Thunder aren’t going anywhere and SGA has improved his game each year.
He’s a threat to win the NBA scoring title as a No. 1 seed again, which will always get you serious MVP consideration.
SGA isn’t our favorite bet at these odds, but he is a good one given he’s in his prime. You just have to wonder if voter fatigue is setting in and the voters will want to look elsewhere after 2 years of SGA vs. Jokic for this award.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic (+300)
There is a close 3rd option in the latest NBA MVP odds with the Lakers’ Luka Doncic, who is going to have to shoulder the load early with LeBron James sidelined by sciatica. That’s an injury that could linger beyond the 1st month of the season too, so Doncic is going to have to lead the team.
The Lakers are favored for the playoffs but not necessarily to finish at the top of a deep Western Conference. But with a full offseason under his belt in Los Angeles, we could easily see a better version of Luka than after the shocking trade from Dallas.
Doncic is a good bet at these odds if only because he’s never won MVP, and that could be an argument in his favor over a repeat winner.
He’s also one of the most talented players in history and plays for a huge market team. The MVP is one of the few things Doncic has yet to achieve after putting together such a strong early resume in his career.
Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (+1200)
We’d be remiss not to mention an MVP contender from the Eastern Conference, which has been shaken up by Achilles injuries to Jayson Tatum (Celtics) and Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers).
With those teams likely taking a step back, the Milwaukee Bucks could have a clearer path to the No. 1 seed, led by the best player in the conference in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Giannis is always a good MVP bet, but he’s especially solid at these +1200 odds.
He’s a 2-time MVP who has finished 3rd or 4th in voting in each of the last 5 seasons. It’s not crazy for him to have another stellar year statistically in a conference lacking elite competition.
Winning the tougher Western Conference will likely give a player the edge for MVP this year, but a healthy season approaching 60 wins could also garner major MVP credit.
The Road Ahead in the MVP Chase
With the 2025-26 NBA season starting on October 21, now is a great time to register for top-rated sportsbooks and get access to welcome offers and bonus bets to use on the NBA markets.
You can bet on players futures like the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, or you could always make parlays on the nightly NBA action.
Our favorite bet today among the NBA MVP betting odds is Nikola Jokic, but timing is everything in sports betting. With award bets, the odds can change drastically, so you’ll always want to be on the lookout for the best odds available.
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
