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NBA betting: Bettors like Giannis' chances of winning his third MVP

Can Giannis Antetokounmpo win MVP again?

Bettors are intrigued by the possibility. Antetokounmpo is the most-bet player at BetMGM for 2021-22 NBA MVP. Only Luke Doncic (+400) and Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant at +700 have odds better than Giannis at +800 and nearly 15% of tickets and 18% of the money are on Antetokounmpo to win his third MVP award in the past four seasons.

The only other player getting more than 10% of bets for MVP is the Suns’ Devin Booker (+2000). Booker has nearly 13% of wagers and just over 13% of the handle as the Suns attempt to repeat as Western Conference champions.

Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic (+1600) is the third-most bet player with 9.3% of bets and 9% of the handle. Jokic will likely carry a lot of the load again for the Denver Nuggets this season as Jamal Murray continues his recovery from a torn ACL.

LeBron James (+1400) is the fourth-most bet player for MVP while Stephen Curry (+900) is at No. 5 just ahead of Durant and Doncic.

Bettors really like Jordan Poole

The Warriors’ Jordan Poole is the pick of bettors for multiple awards.

Poole is the most-bet player for the Most Improved Player Award and the 6th Man of the Year Award. Poole (+1400) is getting 19% of the bets and 55% of the handle. No other player is getting more than 7.2% of the bets or 8% of the handle to win most improved.

The Raptors’ OG Anunoby (+2800) and the Heat’s Tyler Herro (+6600) have each gotten 7.2% of wagers. The favorite for most improved is the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+700) and the Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. is at +750.

Poole’s odds are at +2200 for sixth man. Over a quarter of the bets for that award are on him and those bets make up 60% of the handle. New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (+1600) is the only other player with over 20% of bets — though Rose’s 23% of wagers make up just 13% of the handle. Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne (+2000) is the third-most popular pick.

The favorites for sixth man are the NetsPatty Mills (+1100) and the Hawks’ Kevin Huerter (+1100).

Lots of money on Gobert for DPOY

Veteran NBA fans won’t be surprised to see that Rudy Gobert is getting most of the money to win Defensive Player of the Year. Gobert has won the award in three of the past four seasons and is the overwhelming favorite at +350 to win for a fourth time. He’s getting 14% of bets and those bets make up an incredible 73% of the handle.

The Suns’ Deandre Ayton (+5000) is getting more bets than Gobert, but those bets are small-dollar fliers. Ayton bets make up just 3.6% of the handle.

Coach of the Year betting

The Suns’ Monty Williams is the most popular pick for Coach of the Year as bettors are clearly bullish on the Suns repeating their strong performance from 2020-21. Williams (+1200) is getting over 17% of bets and 23% of the handle. The only other two coaches who are getting over 10% of bets are the Pistons Dwane Casey (+5000) and the Timberwolves’ Chris Finch (+4000)