NBA MVP 2024 Odds and Betting Favorites: Another Jokic-Embiid 1-2?

The opening night of the 2023-24 NBA regular season isn’t until October 24, but with the FIBA World Cup beginning next week, it is not at all too early to start looking ahead to the upcoming campaign.

Just a couple of short months ago, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets claimed their first NBA championship by taking out Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat in five games in the NBA Finals.

Jokic missed out on becoming only the fourth player in NBA history be named MVP three straight seasons, but he won the ultimate prize.

After finishing second to Jokic each of the previous two seasons, Philadelphai 76ers star Joel Embiid finally came out ahead last season, becoming the first Sixer to win MVP since Allen Iverson did in the 2000-01 season.

Will Jokic and Embiid finish 1-2 for a fourth straight year? Ahead of the new season, the two big men are among the leading favorites, along with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum.

2024 NBA MVP Odds

Odds are via BetUS as of Saturday, August 19, 2023.

• Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets +450
• Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks +550
• Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers +550
• Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks +600
• Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics +800
• Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns +1200
• Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors +1200
• Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns +1600
• LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers +1800
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder +1800
• Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers +2000
• Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers +2500
• De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings +2500
• Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers +3300
• Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans +3300
• Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers +4000
• Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves +4000
• Nine at +5000: Kyrie Irving, Brandon Ingram, James Harden, Trae Young, Jamal Murray, Julius Randle, Paul George, Domantas Sabonis, Pascal Siakam

2023 NBA MVP Favorites

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

2022-23 Season Stats (69 Games): 24.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 9.8 APG

After taking the Nuggets to the mountaintop in their first-ever NBA Finals appearance, what will Jokic do as an encore?

Will we see him defer even more of the scoring load to Jamal Murray? It wouldn’t be a surprise to see that occur.

That said, even if the other NBA MVP contenders average 30+ PPG and Jokic averages around 25, it won’t necessarily diminish his MVP candidacy, especially if he averages a triple-double or close to one.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

2022-23 Season Stats (63 Games): 31.1 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 5.7 APG

Giannis had a great season in leading the Bucks to the #1 seed in the East, but his season ended earlier than expected with a stunning first-round loss to the Miami Heat.

Will the early playoff exit be a motivator for Giannis? Will voter fatigue have an effect on where both he and Jokic fall in the NBA MVP race?

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

2022-23 Season Stats (66 Games): 33.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG

In consecutive seasons, Embiid played his way into being the NBA MVP favorite, only to be overtaken by Jokic down the stretch.

After finally landing the award, the next box to tick off for Embiid is playoff success.

Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

2022-23 Season Stats (66 Games): 32.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 8.0 APG

Will this be the season that Doncic and the Mavs take the next step together?

Doncic averaged a career high in points per game, but Dallas went 38-44 and missed the postseason.

Doncic’s NBA MVP candidacy will ultimately be defined by how much winning there can be with Kyrie Irving.

On February 10, the Mavs were 31-26 after winning their first two games with Irving. From there, they won only seven of their final 25 games to finish six games under .500.

When the other MVP favorites are all likely to be on 50+ win teams, Doncic isn’t going to sniff the award if the Mavs aren’t on that level as well.

Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

2022-23 Season Stats (74 Games): 30.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.6 APG

After averaging career highs in points, rebounds, and assists last season, Tatum finished fourth in NBA MVP voting behind Embiid, Jokic, and Giannis.

What will it take for him to finish ahead of them?

More taking over games like he is capable of and less going cold at bad times would help. Last season, he shot 46.6% from the field, but he shot under 40% in 22 regular season games and six playoff games.

Recent NBA MVP Winners

• 2023: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
• 2022: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
• 2021: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
• 2020: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
• 2019: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
• 2018: James Harden, Houston Rockets
• 2017: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
• 2016: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
• 2015: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
• 2014: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
• 2013: LeBron James, Miami Heat
• 2012: LeBron James, Miami Heat
• 2011: Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
• 2010: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
• 2009: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
• 2008: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
• 2007: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
• 2006: Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
• 2005: Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
• 2004: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves

Where to Bet on the NBA

The NBA MVP betting odds mentioned in this article came from BetUS, but they aren’t the only sports betting site out there offering NBA odds.

• BetOnline
• Bovada
• Bookmaker
• MyBookie
• Sportsbetting.ag

There are a number of online sportsbooks that are good for betting on the NBA, but the above books are some that we highly recommend.