Victor Wembanyama is the NBA MVP favorite at +230, ahead of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the winner of the last two awards, at +380. Luka Doncic is third at +475 and Nikola Jokic fourth at +650.
Those are DraftKings prices as ESPN lists them for the 2026-27 season, read on October 24, 2026 at 23:39 UTC. Nine of the 31 prices have moved since our read of October 17, Wembanyama’s among them: he was +205. On opening night, October 20, Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder won 116-104 at Wembanyama’s Spurs.
NBA MVP odds for all 31 players
| Player | Team | Odds | Implied chance | Margin removed | Oct. 17 odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | +230 | 30.3% | 24.7% | +205 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | +380 | 20.8% | 17.0% | +380 |
| Luka Doncic | Los Angeles Lakers | +475 | 17.4% | 14.2% | +475 |
| Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | +650 | 13.3% | 10.9% | +650 |
| Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves | +1100 | 8.3% | 6.8% | +1600 |
| Jayson Tatum | Boston Celtics | +1100 | 8.3% | 6.8% | +1200 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Miami Heat | +1100 | 8.3% | 6.8% | +1400 |
| Cade Cunningham | Detroit Pistons | +3000 | 3.2% | 2.6% | +3000 |
| Jalen Brunson | New York Knicks | +5000 | 2.0% | 1.6% | +5000 |
| Tyrese Maxey | Philadelphia 76ers | +9000 | 1.1% | 0.9% | +9000 |
| Jaylen Brown | Philadelphia 76ers | +9000 | 1.1% | 0.9% | +9000 |
| Donovan Mitchell | Cleveland Cavaliers | +10000 | 1.0% | 0.8% | +9000 |
| Tyrese Haliburton | Indiana Pacers | +12000 | 0.8% | 0.7% | +15000 |
| Cooper Flagg | Dallas Mavericks | +15000 | 0.7% | 0.5% | +25000 |
| Paolo Banchero | Orlando Magic | +15000 | 0.7% | 0.5% | +25000 |
| Devin Booker | Phoenix Suns | +15000 | 0.7% | 0.5% | +15000 |
| Kawhi Leonard | Toronto Raptors | +17000 | 0.6% | 0.5% | +17000 |
| Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | +17000 | 0.6% | 0.5% | +17000 |
| Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers | +20000 | 0.5% | 0.4% | +20000 |
| Kevin Durant | Houston Rockets | +20000 | 0.5% | 0.4% | +20000 |
| LaMelo Ball | Minnesota Timberwolves | +30000 | 0.3% | 0.3% | +30000 |
| Anthony Davis | Washington Wizards | +30000 | 0.3% | 0.3% | +50000 |
| Jalen Johnson | Atlanta Hawks | +40000 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +40000 |
| Scottie Barnes | Toronto Raptors | +40000 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +40000 |
| Zion Williamson | New Orleans Pelicans | +40000 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +40000 |
| LeBron James | Philadelphia 76ers | +40000 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +40000 |
| Deni Avdija | Portland Trail Blazers | +50000 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +50000 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | New York Knicks | +50000 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +50000 |
| Alperen Sengun | Houston Rockets | +60000 | 0.2% | 0.1% | +60000 |
| Austin Reaves | Los Angeles Lakers | +60000 | 0.2% | 0.1% | +60000 |
| Jamal Murray | Denver Nuggets | +60000 | 0.2% | 0.1% | +60000 |
Implied chance is the price turned into a percentage. At +230 a $100 bet wins $230, so it breaks even when Wembanyama wins the award 30.3% of the time. All 31 players add up to 122.8%, and the 22.8 points above 100 are the book’s margin.
The “margin removed” column divides each implied chance by that 122.8. Counted that way the top four hold 66.7% of the award between them, and 20 of the 31 players are priced at +10000 or longer. Teams are the ones on ESPN’s current rosters, and each team name links to its team page.
How the NBA MVP odds have moved since October 17
| Player | Oct. 17 odds | Odds now | Implied chance then | Implied chance now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | +205 | +230 | 32.8% | 30.3% |
| Anthony Edwards | +1600 | +1100 | 5.9% | 8.3% |
| Jayson Tatum | +1200 | +1100 | 7.7% | 8.3% |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +1400 | +1100 | 6.7% | 8.3% |
| Donovan Mitchell | +9000 | +10000 | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Tyrese Haliburton | +15000 | +12000 | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Cooper Flagg | +25000 | +15000 | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| Paolo Banchero | +25000 | +15000 | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| Anthony Davis | +50000 | +30000 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
The biggest shortening is Anthony Edwards’, from +1600 to +1100, an implied chance of 5.9% up to 8.3%. Jayson Tatum came in from +1200 and Giannis Antetokounmpo from +1400, so three players now share fifth place at +1100. Wembanyama drifted from +205 to +230, 32.8% down to 30.3%, and Cooper Flagg and Paolo Banchero both shortened from +25000 to +15000.
The other 22 prices are the same as on October 17, and no player has joined or left the list. With more prices shortening than drifting, the board’s total rose from 119.8% to 122.8%. No source we read gives a reason for any of the moves.
2025-26 season lines for the leading candidates
| Player | Odds | 2025-26 team | Games | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Team record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | +230 | San Antonio Spurs | 64 | 25.0 | 11.5 | 3.1 | 62-20 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | +380 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 68 | 31.1 | 4.3 | 6.6 | 64-18 |
| Luka Doncic | +475 | Los Angeles Lakers | 64 | 33.5 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 53-29 |
| Nikola Jokic | +650 | Denver Nuggets | 65 | 27.7 | 12.9 | 10.7 | 54-28 |
| Anthony Edwards | +1100 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 61 | 28.8 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 49-33 |
| Jayson Tatum | +1100 | Boston Celtics | 16 | 21.8 | 10.0 | 5.3 | 56-26 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +1100 | Milwaukee Bucks | 36 | 27.6 | 9.8 | 5.4 | 32-50 |
| Cade Cunningham | +3000 | Detroit Pistons | 64 | 23.9 | 5.5 | 9.9 | 60-22 |
| Jalen Brunson | +5000 | New York Knicks | 74 | 26.0 | 3.3 | 6.8 | 53-29 |
| Tyrese Maxey | +9000 | Philadelphia 76ers | 70 | 28.3 | 4.1 | 6.6 | 45-37 |
| Jaylen Brown | +9000 | Boston Celtics | 71 | 28.7 | 6.9 | 5.1 | 56-26 |
| Donovan Mitchell | +10000 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 70 | 27.9 | 4.5 | 5.7 | 52-30 |
These are regular-season averages per game from ESPN for the 12 shortest prices, with the record of the team each played for. All five members of the 2025-26 All-NBA first team are in the top eight of the board: Wembanyama, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Doncic and Cunningham.
Two names in the table changed teams. Giannis Antetokounmpo played 36 games for Milwaukee last season and is on Miami’s roster now, and Jaylen Brown moved from Boston to Philadelphia.
Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks in 64 games last season. San Antonio went 62-20, second in the West, and he was named Defensive Player of the Year and Western Conference Finals MVP before the Spurs lost the Finals 4-1 to New York.
He is the favorite on a longer price than a week ago. The +230 implies 30.3%, 9.5 points more than Gilgeous-Alexander’s 20.8%, and his Spurs lost their first game of the season to Oklahoma City, 116-104.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Gilgeous-Alexander won the award for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Last season he averaged 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 68 games, Oklahoma City finished 64-18, the best record in the league, and he was also named Clutch Player of the Year.
At +380 the price implies 20.8%, the same as on October 17. The winners table further down shows what he is trying to do: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jokic each won two in a row in the last eight seasons, and neither won the third.
Nikola Jokic
Jokic averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists in 65 games, a triple-double for the season. Denver went 54-28 and finished third in the West.
He has won the award three times, for 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2023-24. He is +650, unchanged since October 17, which implies 13.3% and puts him fourth on the board.
Luka Doncic
Doncic averaged 33.5 points, the highest figure among the 12 players in the table, with 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 64 games. The Lakers went 53-29 and finished fourth in the West, 11 games behind Oklahoma City.
He is +475, unchanged since October 17, an implied chance of 17.4% and 4.1 points ahead of Jokic. LeBron James, a Laker last season, is on Philadelphia’s roster and is listed here at +40000.
The rest of the NBA MVP board
Tatum, Antetokounmpo and Edwards share fifth at +1100. Tatum played 16 games last season, so his price is a bet on a full season. Antetokounmpo played 36 games last season and averaged 27.6 points, and his price now depends on a Miami team that went 43-39 without him.
Edwards averaged 28.8 points in 61 games for a Minnesota team that went 49-33, and his price is the one that has shortened most since October 17.
Cunningham, at +3000, ran the team with the best record in the East: 23.9 points and 9.9 assists in 64 games for a Detroit side that went 60-22. Jalen Brunson is +5000 after a season in which he averaged 26.0 points in 74 games and was named NBA Cup MVP, Eastern Conference Finals MVP and Finals MVP. Philadelphia has four players on the list, more than any other team: Tyrese Maxey and Brown at +9000, Joel Embiid at +20000 and James at +40000.
Who won NBA MVP last season
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2025-26 award, his second in a row.
| Season | MVP | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2024-25 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2023-24 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets |
| 2022-23 | Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2021-22 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets |
| 2020-21 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets |
| 2019-20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2018-19 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2017-18 | James Harden | Houston Rockets |
| 2016-17 | Russell Westbrook | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2015-16 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors |
Two of this season’s top four have won it before: Gilgeous-Alexander twice and Jokic three times, five of the last six awards between them. Wembanyama and Doncic are not in the table.
Other NBA award odds
ESPN’s futures board on October 24 lists the MVP market and no other individual award, so this page carries no other award prices. On October 17 the same board had Cameron Boozer of Memphis leading Rookie of the Year at +270, Payton Pritchard of Boston leading Sixth Man at +450 and Wembanyama at -360 to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year.
Each market has its own page: Rookie of the Year odds, Defensive Player of the Year odds, Sixth Man of the Year odds and Most Improved Player odds.
What the NBA MVP odds mean for a bet
A futures bet pays over time only when a player’s real chance is higher than the one his price implies. Wembanyama at +230 has to win the award more than 30.3% of the time, Gilgeous-Alexander at +380 more than 20.8%, Doncic at +475 more than 17.4% and Jokic at +650 more than 13.3%. The 22.8-point margin is the cost of betting this board, and the stake stays out until the award is announced after the regular season.
We make no MVP pick. The first evidence came on October 20: the Thunder won 116-104 at the Spurs as 2.5-point underdogs on the DraftKings line we read on October 17, and the price on Wembanyama has drifted since.
Game predictions are on our NBA predictions page, the title market is on our NBA championship odds page, and our guide to what a futures bet is explains how futures odds work. For paid picks, see the PicksToday pricing page.