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NBA betting: Who the oddsmakers are forecasting for the NBA's big awards

Nick Bromberg
·College football and motorsports writer
·3 min read

Will the closing odds forecast the winners of the NBA’s big awards?

Voting closed for the NBA’s regular-season awards on Monday and now we wait to find out who voters picked for MVP, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year and other selections. We’ll find out during the postseason who scored the awards but we can give ourselves a pretty good idea of who could be taking home the hardware simply by looking at the BetMGM odds.

Here’s a breakdown of the favorites and betting trends for all of the major NBA awards now that the season is over. How many favorites will win?

MVP

Most bets: Embiid, 18.7%

Most money: Jokic, 27.7%

Jokic became better than even money to win his second consecutive MVP after an ESPN straw poll of likely voters showed he had an edge over Embiid. Jokic opened the season at +1600 to win the award and was behind both Embiid and Giannis. Devin Booker is the No. 4 favorite at +8000, so this is definitely a three-person race despite Jokic’s seemingly large advantage.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 14: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets drives to the basket against Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on March 14, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Nuggets defeated the 76ers 114-110. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are the top two favorites for the NBA's MVP award. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) (Mitchell Leff via Getty Images)

Rookie of the Year

Most bets: Cunningham, 55.1%

Most money: Cunningham, 34.4%

These are the only three players left on the board. Mobley is better than even money thanks to how great he was before his late-season injury. Cunningham has been fantastic over the last two months of the season and Barnes has been a crucial piece that plays everywhere for a Raptors team that finished the season fifth in the East.

Defensive Player of the Year

Most bets: Bridges, 37.3%

Most money: Smart: 23.9%

If Smart wins as the big favorite he will be the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton in 1996. Gobert is +800 despite winning DPOY three of the last four seasons — there could be some voter fatigue going on there, especially as the Jazz didn’t surpass their preseason win total.

Most Improved Player

Most bets: Morant, 13.4%

Most money: Morant, 45.7%

You can go ahead and figure that Morant will win this award as he ascended to the status of peripheral MVP candidate before his late-season injury. Garland is the only other player on the board with odds better than +1800.

Sixth Man of the Year

Most bets: Herro 24.3%

Most money: Herro 67.8%

Yeah, Herro is going to win this one. He’s the biggest favorite for any of the NBA awards.

Coach of the Year

  • Monty Williams (-2000)

  • Erik Spoelstra (+700)

  • Taylor Jenkins (+800)

Most bets: Williams, 17.9%

Most money: Williams, 51.7%

It’s not too often that you see the coaches of the top two seeds in the NBA as the top two favorites. But Spoelstra’s Heat emerged at the top of a crowded East and Williams’ Suns have been the most dominant team in the NBA after losing to the Bucks in last summer’s Finals. In many other seasons, Memphis’ Taylor Jenkins would be the runaway favorite for this award given the leap Memphis made in 2021-22.