Posted on July 24, 2019, by Travis Pulver
At this time of year, most gamblers are probably focused on the various MLB races and getting ready for the college football and NFL seasons. The last thing on their minds is basketball. However, with the odds being offered at some books for NBA MVP next season, now may be the time to strike.
Usually, during the season, most books will have similar odds. But during the offseason, it is not unusual for the odds to vary significantly between books giving an observant gambler a chance to find some real value.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, Kawhi Leonard, and James Harden are among the top candidates to win NBA MVP next season at most books. But with several excellent players finding new homes and the ever-changing dynamics of the league, several players could become legitimate candidates.
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For now, they are not considered favorites, so their odds are longer. However, once the season starts and they start to show MVP-potential, their odds are going to shorten really quick. That means you are better off taking a chance on them now while their odds are long.
The Candidates
LeBron James just about always starts the season as part of the MVP-conversation, and this season is no different at most books. With the cast of players surrounding him on the Lakers, it is not hard to imagine the four-time MVP winner having a season worthy of a fifth award.
But most books do have him among the favorites to win with his average odds at +730. However, if you think this is going to be the year for LeBron, you may want to visit BetOnline.ag and take advantage of the +900 odds they have posted.
Other potential MVP candidates with value include:
The Dallas Mavericks found a real talent in Luka Doncic who ran away with Rookie of the Year honors last season after averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. With numbers like that, it is easy to understand why Bovada.lv has him at +5000 to win MVP next season.
So, then why on Earth does BetOnline.ag have him at +1600?
Maybe Bovada’s oddsmakers believe he posted his rookie stat line out of necessity. Since the Mavericks didn’t have anyone else that could contribute, so Doncic had to carry the load for a losing team. For ROY, that is enough for a season to be award-worthy.
But to win MVP, he will need to play even better while the Mavericks turn into a legitimate contender. However, with the talent that will be around him next season, if everything goes right for the Mavericks, it is possible. If you believe, you may want to take advantage of his MVP odds at Bovada while you can.
An even better candidate with even more value is the latest addition to the Boston Celtics roster, Kemba Walker. A three-time All-Star, his talents have been wasted on a small market team with no talent around him since he entered the league.
Next season, though, he will be in one of the largest markets in the country with a talent-packed roster and an excellent head coach. Brad Stevens nearly turned Isaiah Thomas into an MVP a few years ago. If he can do that for Thomas, he could certainly do the same for Walker.
Of course, the change of scenery could take some time for Walker to adjust to and keep him from having an MVP-type season next year.
Several things could go wrong for Walker—which is likely why his odds range from +5000 (at Bovada.lv) to +6600 (at BetOnline.ag). But if things go right, he could make for one heck of a payday.
Other players worth consideration include: Donovan Mitchell (+3300 at BetOnline.ag; +8000 at Bovada.lv), Damian Lillard (+2500 at BetOnline.ag; +2800 at Bovada.lv), and Russell Westbrook (+2500 at BetOnline.ag; +1400 at Bovada.lv).