Victor Wembanyama is the NBA MVP favorite at +205, 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 17, 2026 at 10:58 UTC. Twenty of the 31 prices have moved since our read of October 12, and Doncic and Jokic have swapped places: on October 12 Jokic was third at +500 and Doncic fourth at +550. The regular season opens on October 20 with Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder at Wembanyama’s Spurs.
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NBA MVP odds for all 31 players
| Player | Team | Odds | Implied chance | Margin removed | Oct. 12 odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | +205 | 32.8% | 27.4% | +210 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | +380 | 20.8% | 17.4% | +350 |
| Luka Doncic | Los Angeles Lakers | +475 | 17.4% | 14.5% | +550 |
| Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | +650 | 13.3% | 11.1% | +500 |
| Jayson Tatum | Boston Celtics | +1200 | 7.7% | 6.4% | +1800 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Miami Heat | +1400 | 6.7% | 5.6% | +1200 |
| Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves | +1600 | 5.9% | 4.9% | +1800 |
| Cade Cunningham | Detroit Pistons | +3000 | 3.2% | 2.7% | +2200 |
| Jalen Brunson | New York Knicks | +5000 | 2.0% | 1.6% | +5000 |
| Tyrese Maxey | Philadelphia 76ers | +9000 | 1.1% | 0.9% | +8000 |
| Jaylen Brown | Philadelphia 76ers | +9000 | 1.1% | 0.9% | +10000 |
| Donovan Mitchell | Cleveland Cavaliers | +9000 | 1.1% | 0.9% | +8000 |
| Tyrese Haliburton | Indiana Pacers | +15000 | 0.7% | 0.6% | +15000 |
| Devin Booker | Phoenix Suns | +15000 | 0.7% | 0.6% | +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 |
| Cooper Flagg | Dallas Mavericks | +25000 | 0.4% | 0.3% | +20000 |
| Paolo Banchero | Orlando Magic | +25000 | 0.4% | 0.3% | +25000 |
| LaMelo Ball | Minnesota Timberwolves | +30000 | 0.3% | 0.3% | +15000 |
| Jalen Johnson | Atlanta Hawks | +40000 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +30000 |
| Scottie Barnes | Toronto Raptors | +40000 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +35000 |
| Zion Williamson | New Orleans Pelicans | +40000 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +35000 |
| 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% | +60000 |
| Anthony Davis | Washington Wizards | +50000 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +40000 |
| Alperen Sengun | Houston Rockets | +60000 | 0.2% | 0.1% | +60000 |
| Austin Reaves | Los Angeles Lakers | +60000 | 0.2% | 0.1% | +50000 |
| Jamal Murray | Denver Nuggets | +60000 | 0.2% | 0.1% | +50000 |
Implied chance is the price turned into a percentage. At +205 a $100 bet wins $205, so it breaks even when Wembanyama wins the award 32.8% of the time. All 31 players add up to 119.8%, and the 19.8 points above 100 are the book’s margin.
The “margin removed” column divides each implied chance by that 119.8. Counted that way the top four hold 70.4% of the award between them, and 19 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 12
| Player | Oct. 12 odds | Odds now | Implied chance then | Implied chance now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | +210 | +205 | 32.3% | 32.8% |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | +350 | +380 | 22.2% | 20.8% |
| Luka Doncic | +550 | +475 | 15.4% | 17.4% |
| Nikola Jokic | +500 | +650 | 16.7% | 13.3% |
| Jayson Tatum | +1800 | +1200 | 5.3% | 7.7% |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +1200 | +1400 | 7.7% | 6.7% |
| Anthony Edwards | +1800 | +1600 | 5.3% | 5.9% |
| Cade Cunningham | +2200 | +3000 | 4.3% | 3.2% |
| Tyrese Maxey | +8000 | +9000 | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Jaylen Brown | +10000 | +9000 | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Donovan Mitchell | +8000 | +9000 | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Cooper Flagg | +20000 | +25000 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| LaMelo Ball | +15000 | +30000 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Jalen Johnson | +30000 | +40000 | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Scottie Barnes | +35000 | +40000 | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Zion Williamson | +35000 | +40000 | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | +60000 | +50000 | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Anthony Davis | +40000 | +50000 | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Austin Reaves | +50000 | +60000 | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Jamal Murray | +50000 | +60000 | 0.2% | 0.2% |
The biggest moves near the top are Jokic’s and Jayson Tatum’s. Jokic went from +500 to +650, an implied chance of 16.7% down to 13.3%, while Tatum came in from +1800 to +1200, 5.3% up to 7.7%. Doncic’s +550 became +475, and Cade Cunningham drifted from +2200 to +3000.
The other 11 prices are the same as on October 12, and no player has joined or left the list. With more prices drifting than shortening, the board’s total fell from 121.9% to 119.8%. 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 | +205 | 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 |
| Jayson Tatum | +1200 | Boston Celtics | 16 | 21.8 | 10.0 | 5.3 | 56-26 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +1400 | Milwaukee Bucks | 36 | 27.6 | 9.8 | 5.4 | 32-50 |
| Anthony Edwards | +1600 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 61 | 28.8 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 49-33 |
| 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 | +9000 | 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.
The market has him as the favorite for two awards at once. He is +205 here and -360 to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year, a price that implies 78.3%. The +205 implies 32.8%, 12 points more than the next player on the board, before a game of the season has been played.
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%, down from 22.2% at +350 on October 12. 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 was +500 on October 12 and is +650 now, 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 was +550 on October 12 and is +475 now, an implied chance of 17.4%, which moves him ahead of Jokic by 4.1 points. 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 is fifth at +1200, the first name outside the top four. He played 16 games last season, so his price is a bet on a full season. Antetokounmpo is sixth at +1400: he 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.
Anthony Edwards is +1600 after averaging 28.8 points in 61 games for a Minnesota team that went 49-33.
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
| Award | Favorite | Second choice | 2025-26 winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie of the Year | Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies (+270) | Caleb Wilson (+340) | Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (-360) | Chet Holmgren (+1200) | Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs |
| Sixth Man of the Year | Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics (+450) | Ajay Mitchell (+500) | Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs |
| Most Improved Player | Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs (+900) | Brandon Miller (+1100) | Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks |
Each row is from the same DraftKings read. Cameron Boozer of Memphis leads a close Rookie of the Year market at +270, with Caleb Wilson at +340 and Darryn Peterson at +360. Payton Pritchard of Boston is the Sixth Man favorite at +450, and San Antonio’s Dylan Harper is the Most Improved Player favorite at +900.
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 +205 has to win the award more than 32.8% 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 19.8-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 arrives on October 20, when Oklahoma City plays at San Antonio at 9:30 pm Eastern on NBC. DraftKings has the Spurs at -2.5 (-105) and the Thunder at +2.5 (-115), the moneyline at Spurs -130 and Thunder +110, and the total at 231.5 (over -110, under -110), read on October 17 at 11:01 UTC.
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.