NBA Betting: Updating the 2023 NBA MVP Race Heading into 2024

The year is coming to a close, which means that now is a great time to get your NBA MVP bets in at NBA betting sites. This year’s field is loaded with superstars looking to win the league’s most prestigious awards. Each has built a strong case in 2023, but can they keep it up in 2024? 

Below, we will share the latest odds for the award from FanDuel Sportsbook. We’ll also share our favorite pick to win, giving you everything you need to bet confidently on the award race heading into the New Year.

While FanDuel Sportsbook has Nikola Jokic as the favorite to win his third MVP in four seasons, they have the field incredibly close. Here are the latest odds:

Jokic enters as the favorite largely due to his reputation. The Nuggets’ big man had a strong case to win his third straight MVP last season but lost a close vote to Joel Embiid. Jokic is also the heart and soul of the team and was the main reason they were able to win last year’s NBA Championship. That success has him as the early favorite for this season’s MVP award.

While his scoring (26.3 PPG) and rebounding (12.3 RPG) are both up from last season, he has not been shooting the ball as well. His field goal percentage (53.8%) is 10% worse than last season, and his three-points percentage is down 8% (30.6). Those are his lowest numbers since the 2019-2020 season, which was before he won his two MVPs. 

While his shooting efficiency is worth monitoring, it won’t matter if Jokic can average a triple double. He has been very close over the last few years, coming just 0.2 assists per game short of accomplishing the feat. He is currently averaging 26.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 9.4 assists. If he can achieve that rare feat, it will likely make him a lock to win this year’s MVP award.

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) is the least known name in the odds above, we think he is set up well to win his first MVP.  The 25-year-old broke out last season and has continued to play at that level this season. He is averaging 30.7 points (4th in NBA), 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.8 steals (Leads NBA) per game.

SGA can’t match the rebounds and assist totals of the other players in the top five, but his high-scoring and elite play on defense make him a strong MVP candidate. He currently leads the league in steal, averaging one full point more than the second ranked Donovan Mitchell. Those numbers will help him compete with the likes of Jokic and Embiid, which is one reason we are betting on him to win. 

The other reason we love this bet is that SGA is the lone star on the Thunder. Jalen Williams is good and Chet Holmgren could end up being a superstar, but this is a young team. SGA has carried them on offense and defense, leading the team to the second-best record in the West. The four other favorites all have support from other stars, which will help SGA’s MVP case. 

If SGA can help this young team to a top playoff spot, it will be very hard to deny him the MVP award.