Super Bowl 60 MVP Odds and Best Bets: Avoid the Quarterbacks
Written by: Danny Burke
Last Update: Sun Feb 08, 2026, 11:12 am ET
Read Time: 11 minutes
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With the biggest game of the NFL season comes some of the most exciting betting opportunities – and few markets draw more attention than the Super Bowl MVP. Is the Super Bowl 60 MVP winner as straightforward as it coming down to one of the two quarterbacks, or is there an argument to be made for a skill-position player, or even a defensive standout, to take home the award?
Below, I'll tell you the Super Bowl 60 MVP odds, followed by my breakdown and best bets.
For additional information on the Super Bowl, check out our Super Bowl 60 Betting Hub with picks, props, moneylines, and more.
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Super Bowl 60 MVP Odds and Best Bets
Should you bet Sam Darnold to win Super Bowl MVP?
Super Bowl 60 MVP Odds
Odds via Lucky Rebel. Odds are from January 30, 2026.
- Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks +130
- Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots +230
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks +500
- Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks +700
- Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots +3000
- Rashid Shaheed, WR/KR/PR, Seattle Seahawks +4000
- Stefon Diggs, WR, New England Patriots +5000
- Jason Myers, K, Seattle Seahawks +8000
- Christian Gonzalez, CB, New England Patriots +10000
- Cooper Kupp, WR, Seattle Seahawks +10000
- Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots +10000
- Leonard Williams, DT, Seattle Seahawks +10000
- Mack Hollins, WR, New England Patriots +10000
- Nick Emmanwori, S, Seattle Seahawks +10000
- Byron Murphy II, NT, Seattle Seahawks +12500
- Coby Bryant, S, Seattle Seahawks +12500
- DeMarcus Lawrence, LB, Seattle Seahawks +12500
- Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks +12500
- Kayshon Boutte, WR, New England Patriots +12500
- Marcus Jones, CB/PR, New England Patriots +12500
- TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots +15000
A Parallel with a Past Super Bowl?
Through the first 59 Super Bowls, there have been 34 quarterbacks, eight wide receivers, seven running backs, four linebackers, two defensive ends, two safeties, and one cornerback, defensive tackle, and returner to win Super Bowl MVP.
Historically speaking, that makes quarterback the safest position to back in this market. Statistically it checks out, but every Super Bowl is different – and this is one where I believe players outside the quarterback position offer more value than usual.
I shared that same sentiment in Super Bowl 56, when I wagered on both Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald to win MVP as members of the Los Angeles Rams. Kupp ultimately won the award and cashed a solid 6/1 ticket, but we barely missed an 18/1 payout with Donald.
Donald arguably should have won MVP if not for the voting process itself. Voters are required to submit their ballots before the game officially concludes, which often excludes some of the most critical moments. In Super Bowl 56, that meant Donald's biggest impacts – which came late – weren't fully accounted for. It's a flawed system that can prevent the most deserving player from winning the award in the most important moments of the game.
I digress – my point being that this award isn't always as simple as backing both quarterbacks. First, you need a strong feel for which team you believe will win the game. Naturally, that narrows your handicapping process and helps determine which team to focus on.
From there, you want to assess how you expect the game to play out. Will it be high- or low-scoring? How do each team's offensive strengths match up against the opposing defense, and vice versa? Answering those questions helps identify which player is most likely to have the biggest impact and catch the attention of MVP voters.
Once you've painted a clear picture, the next step is shopping for the best odds and deciding whether the juice is worth the squeeze.
Quarterbacks for MVP?
Before I divulge my Super Bowl 60 MVP bets, let's discuss the quarterbacks.
On our show, Any Given Wager, we had a lengthy discussion about the Super Bowl MVP market, and it brought up the age-old approach when it comes to the favored team. Instead of laying points or playing a chalky moneyline, why not take a better price, which is often plus money, on that team's quarterback to win MVP?
That strategy has been tried and true in the past, whether it's been Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs, or Tom Brady with the New England Patriots. But this year, I don't think that approach holds as much weight.
On the Seahawks side, as great of a story as it would be for Sam Darnold to win the Super Bowl and MVP, I'm not buying it – at least not at the measly price of +130. The Seahawks are a complete team on both sides of the ball, and they didn't reach this point solely because of Darnold. It's been a true collective effort.
That's not a knock on Darnold, who's been solid for much of the season, but on a team built like Seattle's, it's easier for a quarterback to be outshined. Players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Kenneth Walker III are more than capable of flipping a game on its head. JSN is coming off a 10-catch, 153-yard, one-touchdown performance in the NFC Championship, while Walker rushed for three scores the week prior. If either delivers a similar performance on the Super Bowl stage, they're likely walking away with the award.
Super Bowl 60 Starting Quarterback Stats Comparison: Sam Darnold (Seahawks) vs. Drake Maye (Patriots)
| Category | Darnold (Reg. Season) | Darnold (Postseason) | Maye (Reg. Season) | Maye (Postseason) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing Comp/Att | 323/477 | 37/53 | 354/493 | 43/77 |
| Completion % | 67.7% | 69.8% | 72.0% | 55.8% |
| Passing Yards | 4,048 | 470 | 4,394 | 533 |
| Passing TDs | 25 | 4 | 31 | 4 |
| Interceptions | 14 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| Rushing Attempts | 35 | 3 | 103 | 24 |
| Rushing Yards | 95 | 9 | 450 | 141 |
| Yards per Carry | 2.7 | 3.0 | 4.4 | 5.9 |
| Rushing TDs | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
On the flip side, if the Patriots win Super Bowl 60, the likelihood of Drake Maye winning Super Bowl MVP is higher than Darnold's chances in a Seahawks victory. New England doesn't feature many star skill players, and Maye has been the clear engine of the offense. Add in the narrative – being in the regular-season MVP conversation but likely falling short to Matthew Stafford, only to deliver on the sport's biggest stage – and his case becomes much stronger.
With that being said, I don't have strong conviction in the Patriots winning this game, which holds me back from backing Drake Maye for Super Bowl MVP. However, if you do like the Maye angle, I'd suggest taking the Patriots +4.5 on the spread instead.
For Maye to win this award, the Patriots have to win the game – and if they win, they're obviously covering +4.5. That means if your Super Bowl 60 MVP ticket cashes, the spread would cash as well. The difference is that you can still win a Patriots +4.5 bet without New England winning outright, making it a much safer option. It also removes the need to sweat the MVP voting process late in the game.
Super Bowl 60 MVP Best Bets
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks (+600)
As I've alluded to, I favor the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl, but at +130, there's no value in backing Sam Darnold for Super Bowl 60 MVP – especially with a true game-breaker like Smith-Njigba capable of stealing the spotlight.
It's impossible to discuss Darnold and the Seahawks' success this season without mentioning Jaxon Smith-Njigba. JSN hauled in 119 receptions for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns during the regular season. He's found the end zone in both playoff games and is well-positioned to add another – and perhaps more – on the Super Bowl stage. If Darnold is going to excel and do enough to win a championship, more often than not it's going to come through his top playmaker.
Playoff Stats for Jaxon Smith-Njigba
- vs. San Francisco 49ers (Divisional Round): 4 targets, 3 catches, 19 yards, TD
- vs. Los Angeles Rams (NFC Championship Game): 12 targets, 10 catches, 153 yards, TD
The Patriots' secondary, and their defense as a whole, has shown noticeable improvement this postseason. But the real question is whether that growth is legitimate, or simply a product of the offenses they've faced.
The Los Angeles Chargers came in with one of the worst offensive lines in football. Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud followed that up by playing some of the worst football we've seen on a postseason stage, struggling in back-to-back playoff games. Then, in the AFC Championship, New England drew a Denver Broncos offense that was already overrated – and led by a backup quarterback in Jarrett Stidham.
I think it's a combination of both, but largely the latter.
Zooming out to the full-season data, the Patriots ranked 10th in dropback EPA and 15th in dropback success rate. Those numbers look respectable in isolation, but context is everything. New England benefited from the easiest schedule in the NFL and still graded out as an average defense.
A player like JSN has the skill set to consistently create separation, stress coverage at every level and turn a handful of high-leverage plays into Super Bowl 60 MVP-worthy production. Against this Patriots secondary, he should be in a prime position to do exactly that on the biggest stage.
Kenneth Walker III, Running Back, Seattle Seahawks (+850)
My next Super Bowl 60 MVP selection is the player with the most star power just behind JSN, and that's starting running back Kenneth Walker III.
Full disclosure: if Zach Charbonnet were healthy and playing, I wouldn't be making this bet. But Walker has consistently shown that he thrives when given true bell-cow volume. When he's stuck in a back-and-forth timeshare, his production can stagnate. When he's the clear feature, the ceiling rises significantly.
After Charbonnet went down in the Divisional Round against the 49ers, Walker carried the ball 19 times for 116 yards and three rushing touchdowns. He also added three receptions for 29 yards. In the NFC Championship Game, Walker again logged 19 carries – this time for 62 yards – while still finding the end zone. He was even more involved as a receiver, hauling in four catches for 49 yards.
Walker's ability to impact the game both on the ground and through the air makes him especially dangerous in this setup. Based on what we've seen over the past two games with him operating as the lone, featured back, it's clear he'll be leaned on heavily in the red zone and in high-leverage moments. With that type of workload and role, Walker will have no shortage of opportunities to make a Super Bowl MVP-worthy statement.
Christian Gonzalez, Cornerback, New England Patriots (+20500)
Alright, here's my ultra-longshot Super Bowl 60 MVP play. This isn't a spot where I'd recommend more than a quarter unit, if that. But it's the Super Bowl, so we might as well have a little fun.
If the Patriots are going to win this game, it's likely going to be driven by their defense – specifically their ability to disrupt Sam Darnold, pressure him into uncomfortable throws and force turnover-worthy plays. If New England succeeds in that area, a standout defender like Christian Gonzalez could have a major impact.
Gonzalez is arguably the Patriots' best defensive player and has been excellent throughout the postseason. It wouldn't be surprising to see him come away with a timely interception in a massive moment. Additionally, if he draws the primary assignment on Jaxon Smith-Njigba and is able to limit his production, that only strengthens his case.
In a scenario where the Patriots win behind a defensive effort and Gonzalez is at the center of it, he has a realistic, albeit longshot, path to hearing his name called as Super Bowl 60 MVP.
Super Bowl MVP Best Bets:
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Danny Burke is a betting analyst with a decade of sports media experience. He got his start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, sharing picks on the local ESPN affiliate. After college, he hosted shows for VSiN in Las Vegas before returning to Chicago to launch 'Rush Hour', the first daily sports betting show from an Illinois casino. He also co-hosted 'Props and Locks' on Fox32’s Bears pregame show and ran 'Bet On, Chicago' on WLS-AM 890.
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