The very name of the Most Valuable Player award allows for the sports betting market to offer numerical context. Both oddsmakers and pro bettors constantly update their own set of power ratings and adjust for each player’s availability. This type of exercise is never as simple as we want, given the betting market is extremely nuanced. Key numbers carry more weight, and the NBA season always involves injuries and load management. However, I asked an oddsmaker and avid bettor to assume each player’s supporting cast at full strength and to operate in a vacuum as much as possible.
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (7 points)
Caesars MVP odds: +260
That means if the Denver Nuggets hosted the Houston Rockets with Jokic, they would be favored by 8.5 points. If he sat out and everyone else…
