2024 NBA Finals MVP Odds: How Often Have Favorites Won?

In addition to traditional NBA Finals odds, betting on the most valuable player in the series is also available at most sportsbooks. The award represents one of the most popular markets, with favorites dominating of late. Before Game 1, let’s tackle NBA Finals MVP odds to determine the more alluring bets for the Bill Russell Trophy.

Click on any NBA betting odds below to place a wager. These prices are the best available in your state.

NBA finals MVP odds: process of elimination

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic — the 2023-24 regular-season scoring champ — are atop the board.

In each of the last eight seasons, your NBA Finals MVP wager would have hit if you correctly picked the winning team and then blindly bet on the player with the best odds from that team. Moreover, seven were overall favorites to claim the award, meaning seven of the last eight NBA champions were favored entering the Finals. Kawhi Leonard is the lone exception, helping the Raptors upset the Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals.

This route normally generates a better price than a given team’s championship odds. But be advised that some longshots have cashed in at the counter if you go back beyond eight years ago. These prices are courtesy of Sports Odds History.

2015: Andre Iguodala (+12500)

Iguodala (16.3 PPG, second on the Warriors) won over Stephen Curry, who led the team in scoring during the series. Still, Iguodala garnered plenty of praise for stymying LeBron James.

2014: Kawhi Leonard (+1800)

Leonard took home Finals MVP. His 17.8 points per game were second on the Spurs, but he also took on the responsibility of defending LeBron James. San Antonio lacked a true leading scoring that season, but Leonard’s then-career-high 29 points in Game 3 and the Spurs accruing an NBA Finals-record 75.8% of their shots in the first half paved the way for his near-sweep of MVP votes.

2008: Paul Pierce (+500)

Pierce (21.8 PPG, led the Celtics) won over Kevin Garnett (+250, 18.2 PPG, third). Garnett was Boston’s defensive anchor, but Pierce helped lift Boston from the league’s cellar before delivering the franchise with its first championship since 1986.

2007: Tony Parker (+500)

Parker (24.5 PPG, first on the Spurs) emerged victorious over first-ballot Hall of Famer Tim Duncan (+100, 18.3 PPG, second). San Antonio swept James in his inaugural Finals appearance, with Parker leading the way in scoring. Like Garnett, voters did not reward Duncan for his low-post prowess at both ends.

2004: Chauncey Billups (+1500)

The Pistons’ top four players played a significant role in the +500 series upset, with Billups hoisting the Bill Russell Trophy, following in the footsteps of franchise legend Isaiah Thomas.

finals MVP considerations

If forced to place a wager in this market (and I still might), my wager would likely head in Tatum’s direction. As I noted in our NBA Finals betting guide, the Mavericks’ defense is set to regress on paper, especially against the NBA’s top-ranked perimeter shooting team. Couple that with Brown already winning the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award. Therefore, Tatum should collect loads of praise if he’s more efficient than his previous Finals appearance, with Boston falling to Golden State in six games.

As of this publishing, Tatum’s best MVP odds are currently +100 at BetRivers Sportsbook. is also available.

Nevertheless, Doncic and his backcourt mate Kyrie Irving are the biggest liabilities for this market at BetMGM Sportsbook. This interest correlates with bettors piling up tickets on the underdog Mavs to win the championship.

NBA Finals Longshot To Ponder

For those eyeing names lower down the odds board, Kristaps Porzingis has received attention despite an uncertain workload throughout this series. Even if the 7-foot-2 center isn’t as limited early as reports suggest, recent longshots, like Iguodala and Leonard, demonstrated their defensive chops first and foremost.

With that in mind, Celtics guard Derrick White is appealing at +3500 or better. He’s currently . Assuming White is matches up with Irving, his MVP stock would rise by hampering the eight-time All-Star — despite Doncic being Dallas’ top-scoring threat.

But White’s accolades this postseason are more pronounced. He ranks third, behind three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic and Doncic, in 2024 postseason win shares (2.39). This metric is designed to estimate the number of victories brought to the team by a player based on his contribution.

After a red-hot start, he was dealt some negative shooting variance. Over his first six playoff matchups, the two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team member compiled a 74.9% true shooting (TS%) clip, adjusted for three-pointers and free throws while measuring a player’s shooting efficiency. But he’s rediscovered his touch, tallying a 53.6 TS% since May 15.

Additionally, White’s postseason usage rate is almost five percentage points higher than that of fellow longshot Jrue Holiday. Unless the latter does more than shadow either of the Mavs’ stars, White theoretically presents a higher ceiling than Holiday. It will only expand if he produces at least one standout performance from behind the arc.

Here are White’s props and futures for the NBA Finals:

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NBA Finals Game 1 Odds