Think you know basketball? Here’s your chance to prove it.
The 2025-26 NBA season has just tipped off, making now a great time to get a jump on the MVP betting market. This is the sport’s biggest individual futures market, so there’s been plenty of speculation on who’s in the running to win this year’s MVP award.
With the NBA action already in full swing, the odds have started to shift after just the first few games. It can be hard to pick an MVP candidate with so many great players to choose from, luckily Bodog has already listed the top runners for this year.
MVP Front Runners
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander +185
SGA is currently the betting favourite to win this year’s Most Valuable Player award. Born in Toronto and raised in Hamilton, the Canadian superstar enters this season as the defending MVP. If SGA repeats as MVP, he’d become the first player to win the award in back-to-back seasons since Jokic accomplished the feat in 2021-2022.
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With an efficient mid-range game and the ability to get to the free throw line seemingly at will, Gilgeous-Alexander will have no trouble putting up points this season. The Thunder are coming off a championship and project to be one of the league’s best teams, making SGA the top contender to win this season’s Most Valuable Player award.
Victor Wembanyama +250
It’s not a question of if Wembanyama will win MVP, but when. The 7’4” Frenchman has put the league on notice since being drafted first overall by the Spurs in 2023. His unique mix of size, ball-handling and shooting is like something created in a lab; the man was built for basketball.
Wembanyama possesses excellent handles and vision for a big man and is a versatile scorer who can finish inside or step back and knock down threes. He’s just as effective on defence, providing elite rim protection. There’s no question that Wemby is the future of the league, and if he can lead San Antonio to the playoffs, that future could start this season with his first MVP trophy.
Nikola Jokic +400
It’s hard to imagine an MVP race without the Serbian superstar in the mix. Arguably the best passing big man in NBA history, Jokic is a playmaking genius who can distribute effectively or break down defenders all by himself. Coming off a season that saw him average a triple-double, there’s not much the Joker can’t do on the court.
Team success will be key for Jokic. His talent is unmistakable, but he’ll need to keep the Nuggets near the top of the Western Conference if he wants to make another run at MVP. With Jokic winning this award in three of the past five seasons, the thing standing in his way of a fourth MVP is voter fatigue.
MVP Longshots
Anthony Edwards +5000
When it comes to rising young stars, Edwards’ name can be found at the top of the list. The former first overall draft pick is extremely athletic, with a rare combination of size, speed and strength. He was Second Team All-NBA in 2024 and 2025, but Edwards has yet to get his hands on any serious hardware.
Edwards is a consistent scoring threat, averaging 25+ points per game in each of the past three seasons. His three-point shooting has improved drastically in recent years, and he remains one of the league’s best at attacking the rim. We’re getting some inflated odds here, now that he’s out for two weeks with a hamstring injury, but this just means greater value on one of the NBA’s most explosive young players.
Kevin Durant +8000
Kevin Durant may be 37 years old and on the tail end of his career, but there’s a reason the Rockets traded for the 2014 MVP; KD remains an elite shot-maker from just about anywhere on the floor. At nearly seven feet tall with guard-like handles, Durant is still a matchup nightmare for opposing teams.
For KD to be in the running, he’ll need two things that have eluded him in recent years: health and team success. If he can stay relatively healthy and the Rockets can once again finish near the top of the Western Conference standings, he could find his way into the MVP conversation. At 80-to-1, Durant is a tempting option in the current betting market.
LeBron James +75000
Once we’re looking at longshots, why not The King himself? LeBron has already established himself as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but having an MVP season at the age of 41 could end up being the greatest accomplishment of his career. There’s only one problem: he’s not expected to make his season debut until mid-November.
Nobody doubts LeBron’s talent, but durability is the biggest thing standing in his way of what would be a fifth career MVP. His scoring numbers may also take a dip now that he has Luka on the Lakers, but as long as he can stay in the lineup, his playmaking and basketball IQ could turn this sleeper pick for MVP into a massive payout.
Conclusion
Whether you’re backing a favourite or betting on a longshot, NBA futures are all about finding the best value. There’s a ton of basketball to be played before the MVP race is decided. Backing the next winner this far in advance is a great way to land the best odds possible.
So, who do you think takes home this year’s NBA MVP award?