The betting odds to win the NBA regular season MVP moved dramatically this week at sportsbooks, with the 76ers star Joel Embiid trapping denver Nicholas Jokicthe longtime favourite, in what is turning out to be a close race.
Embiid went from a 2-1 underdog to an odds-on favorite on Wednesday. Jokic had been the clear favorite since February 1 at the sportsbooks, and earlier this week he was listed on the -350 shortlist at Caesars Sportsbook.
The odds began to change Tuesday after the Nuggets lost at home to Brooklyn. By Thursday, Jokic and Embiid were co-favorites, each -105 at Caesars. Embiid is the absolute favorite at other sportsbooks including DraftKings and PointsBet.
“Money dictates price and customers have been betting on Embiid,” said Kevin Lawler, PoinstBet’s chief operating officer. “Time will tell if they are right.”
Jokic’s drop in MVP odds matches the Nuggets’ recent struggles. They lost their fourth straight game on Wednesday and have seen their hold on the top seed in the Western Conference reduced to 4.5 games over the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies.
Jokic has put up big numbers during the Nuggets’ slump. He had a triple-double of 35 points and 20 rebounds in the loss to the Nets and has averaged 29.5 points and 14.8 rebounds during the team’s four-game losing streak. But the betting public believes the MVP race is tightening and turning into a three-man race.
Over the last week at Caesars Sportsbook, 85% of the bets and 79% of the money wagered in the MVP market have gone to Embiid, who leads the league with 33.5 points per game. Jokic, on the other hand, has attracted just 6% of the bets, 2% of the money since last week.
from milwaukee Giannis Antetokounmpo The third consensus option has emerged, behind Embiid and Jokic. Antetokounmpo’s MVP odds improved this week as well, going from a 9-1 underdog to 3-1 as of Thursday at Caesars.
