NFL MVP odds, top contenders and betting tips for the 2025-2026 season

• NFL MVP odds are a popular futures bet that can be placed from the preseason through Week 18.
• Quarterbacks are overwhelmingly favored to win the award, having won in all but four seasons since 2000.
• The best return on investment for MVP futures bets is typically found during the preseason before heavy favorites are established.

NFL MVP odds are among the most popular NFL futures in the sports betting landscape. These wagers can be placed long before the season begins and continue all the way through Week 18. Each week, there can be major swings in NFL MVP betting odds, and sometimes there isn't an obvious choice until very late in the season. This guide helps bettors by displaying the current NFL MVP odds and explaining how MVP odds work on sports betting apps.

NFL MVP odds today

Check out live NFL MVP odds from leading operators.

NFL MVP favorites and contenders

Three MVP odds favorites

Patrick Mahomes (+140): Mahomes is on a roll and it’s only getting better. He had only 89 yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns at halftime in the Monday night game against Washington and yet ended that contest with 299 yards and three touchdowns. A strong showing in this week’s game at Buffalo could lock Mahomes in as the man to beat in this year NFL MVP odds.

Josh Allen (+350): The Bills didn’t fall into a potential trap game at Carolina last week, notching a 40-9 win, but Allen had only 163 passing yards and seven rushing yards. If he can lead Buffalo to a win in a huge matchup against Kansas City this week and rack up some strong statistics while doing so, Allen could vault over Mahomes as the NFL MVP odds leader.

Drake Maye (+500): Maye has been called the Costco version of Josh Allen, but the reality is that Maye may actually be outplaying Allen this season. He accounted for 332 yards and three touchdowns against a strong Cleveland defense this past week. If he leads the Patriots to a larger lead in the AFC East (they are up by a half-game in that division right now) Maye could move ahead of Allen in the NFL MVP odds.

The best of the rest

Matthew Stafford (+1100) and the Rams had a bye in Week 8. If Los Angeles gets Puka Nacua back soon, Stafford could put up numbers that land him a spot among the NFL MVP odds leaders. The Week 9 bye could not have come at a better time for Baker Mayfield (+1200). He needs the Buccaneers’ skill position players to get healed up in order to rack up the caliber of numbers to improve his NFL MVP odds. Daniel Jones (+1500) has led the Colts to the best record in the league. If that continues, he will continue moving up this NFL MVP odds chart. Jordan Love (+1800) went head-to-head with his predecessor Aaron Rodgers on Sunday night and dominated, throwing 20 straight completions at one point and three touchdowns. It’s been a while since a running back led the NFL MVP odds, but if Jonathan Taylor (+1800) continues playing at his current ridiculous pace, he could break that streak.

Betting value may vary by sportsbook.

Best sportsbooks for NFL MVP betting

NFL MVP odds can vary depending on where you place your bets. If you’re signing up for new accounts with various sportsbooks, here is an overview of six of the top sportsbook promos and areas where these NFL betting apps stand out for NFL Most Valuable Player odds wagers and more.

• BetMGM: One of the best places to make parlay wagers; its Easy Parlay feature lives up to its name. It also offers additional wager protection through its Cash Out and Edit My Bet features. You can use these features by signing up for an account using the BetMGM bonus code and score one of the top welcome offers.
• Caesars sportsbook: Caesars posts more odds boosts than its competitors, and it allows you to bet on individual players to win the NFL MVP award or to wager on the field versus certain favorites. The Caesars Sportsbook promo code can be used to wager on NFL MVP odds or other markets. 
• Fanatics sportsbook: Fanatics has one of the best rewards programs for NFL fans, as you can accrue FanCash with every wager and use it to purchase gear from your favorite team. Its Fanatics Sportsbook promo for new bettors is typically one of the strongest in every market where it is offered.
• bet365: A betting app trusted by millions around the world, it offers loads of odds boosts and other ongoing promos, as well as some of the best live betting markets. Signing up for the bet365 bonus code offer will typically deliver bonus bets just for making a qualifying wager.
• FanDuel: Often with higher payouts for wagers than most online sportsbooks, the FanDuel promo code has a great new offer for the NFL season, and you can wager on NFL MVP odds as well as any other market — including NFL prop bets. 
• DraftKings: In addition to NFL MVP odds, DraftKings also offers betting markets for individual awards such as Offensive or Defensive Rookie of The Year, Comeback Player of The Year and Coach of The Year. You can claim its welcome offer and use your bonus bets to wager on any of these odds, NFL parlays and more.

NFL MVP betting trends and insights

Everybody loves a long shot, but when it comes to betting on NFL MVP odds right now, the smart money goes toward quarterbacks. Here are some other trends to keep in mind:

Who usually wins NFL MVP?

The favorites for this award are almost always quarterbacks from the best teams in the NFL, so field generals such as Jackson, Allen and injured Bengals QB Joe Burrow were unsurprisingly among the headliners in preseason NFL MVP odds. In fact, you went through 18 quarterbacks before you got to Eagles running back Saquon Barkley in the preseason NFL MVP odds at BetMGM.

Opening and early-season NFL MVP odds usually focus on the best QBs on the best teams, but it’s not unheard of for underdogs to emerge. Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan won the NFL MVP award in 2016 after opening at +7500. That is the extreme, but players like Cam Newton (2015) and Jackson (2019) won with underdog NFL MVP odds entering the season.

• Percentage of QBs vs. other positions: Since 2000, quarterbacks have been NFL MVP winners in all but four seasons. The only other position to win MVP honors is running back, but that hasn't happened since Adrian Peterson won the MVP award in 2012.
• How often MVPs make playoffs: It's a very low percentage play for NFL MVP winners to come from non-playoff teams. Since 2000, every MVP award winner has been on a team that made it to the postseason.
• Typical stat thresholds (e.g., 4,500+ passing yards, 40+ TDs): Prolific numbers are the key to winning an NFL MVP award. Three of the past five winners have accounted for 40 or more TDs. In the other two years, Aaron Rodgers threw for 37 TDs and over 4,100 yards, while Lamar Jackson racked up 821 rushing yards along with some impressive passing numbers.

Past NFL MVP winners

1. 2024: Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills) - +800 to +1000 prior to the season - not the favorite but in upper tier.
2. 2023: Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) - Opening odds averaged about +1600.
3. 2022: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) - Opening odds of +700, making him one of the favorites.
4. 2021: Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) - Opening odds were around +1000.
5. 2020: Rodgers - Opening odds were +2000.
6. 2019: Jackson - Was around +5000 in August.
7. 2018: Mahomes - Opening odds were +700, again a favorite.
8. 2017: Tom Brady (New England Patriots) - Opened as a favorite with +400 odds.
9. 2016: Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) - Opening odds around +7500.
10. 2015: Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers) - Opening odds were a whopping +5200

How to read NFL MVP odds

Betting odds for NFL MVP will be listed as either a positive or a negative number. In most cases, for NFL MVP odds, it will be a positive number until very late in the season when one player distances himself from the field.

For example, Jackson entered the 2025 season as the +550 favorite in the NFL MVP odds at BetMGM. Jackson, a multi-dimensional quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, is a two-time NFL MVP and is just one of two players to win the award unanimously. Jackson received all 50 first-place votes in 2019 – nine years after Brady first accomplished the feat.

Plus-odds indicate how much money you will win with a $100 bet. A negative number (minus odds)  illustrates how much money you need to bet in order to win $100. You can usually find these wagers in the NFL futures section.

The NFL Most Valuable Player odds can vary between operators, which gives bettors the opportunity to find value on a given player at one sportsbook versus another.

When to bet on NFL MVP futures

The best potential return on investment (ROI) when looking at the odds to win MVP usually occurs in the preseason. This is because it only takes a few weeks for the favorites to establish supremacy in the odds pecking order. If you are thinking of betting on NFL MVP futures during the season, it's best to get those wagers in by roughly midseason, as the NFL MVP award race is often mostly decided by that time.

How to bet on odds for NFL MVP

Although there are many different elements in the various NFL betting promos, the process to sign up for these deals is quite similar. Here are five account registration steps that apply to each of them.

1. Tap or click any of the BET NOW buttons in this review for your preferred online sportsbook. This will bring up an online registration page for that sports betting app.
2. Fill out this page by providing some basic personal information such as name, address and email address and then create a username and password.
3. When applicable, type in the bonus or promo code requested.
4. Confirm via GPS that you are located in a state where your preferred online sportsbook is licensed and operates, then verify that you are legally old enough to place an online sports betting wager in that state.
5. Make the required initial deposit. If you are using a mobile device, you will need to download the online sportsbook's app prior to making your deposit.

Our Preseason Expert NFL MVP picks and predictions

This year's race could mimic last year's and come down to Jackson vs. Allen. They both have dual-threat skills that give them favorable paths to statistical excellence. Plus, the Ravens and Bills are two of the favorites to win Super Bowl LX.

Burrow and Mahomes are also among the current NFL MVP odds favorites. Burrow's path may not be quite as clear as it was last year, as the Bengals are aiming to protect their subpar defense and keep from getting into too many scoreboard shootouts. Mahomes hasn't been quite as statistically impactful over the past two years, but Andy Reid has made it abundantly clear getting the vertical pass game back into gear is a top priority.

If that happens, Mahomes has an excellent chance at winning his third NFL MVP award and presents strong value as the current No. 4 betting choice on the board.

Responsible betting on 2025 NFL MVP odds

When wagering on NFL MVP odds today or any other market, it is important to wager responsibly and never bet more than you can afford to lose. All of the sportsbooks on this page provide responsible betting tools such as the ability to set deposit and wagering limits, as well as to self-exclude. There are also lots of resources available, both on these sites and through national organizations such as the National Center for Problem Gambling.

NFL MVP odds faqs

Who is favored to win the NFL MVP?

Two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes leads the NFL MVP odds after Week 8 of the NFL season. Mahomes threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns in Monday night's 28-7 Chiefs' rout of the Commanders. Reigning award winner Josh Allen is second at +350, followed by Drake Maye (+500).

Who will be the 2025 MVP of the NFL?

A quarterback is the most likely winner of the 2025 NFL MVP award as quarterbacks have won the last 12 awards. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley finished with 2,005 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns last season but was still a distant third in the MVP voting behind QBs Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

What do MVP odds mean?

MVP odds are the futures betting odds determined by sportsbooks on which player will win the media voting for Most Valuable Player in the league based on regular-season results.

How are NFL MVP odds calculated?

Odds to win NFL MVP are calculated by sportsbooks based on a variety of factors, including past performance, projected performance, projected team performance and who the public is wagering on. These NFL MVP award odds will shift during the season based on the results on the field, injuries and where the betting public is putting its money.

What happens to my bet if a player gets injured?

With most betting sites, if your player gets injured, you will just lose your wager on NFL MVP. However, some operators — Fanatics sportsbook often does this — will give you a small bonus-bet refund (perhaps up to $25) should that occur.

Is betting on NFL MVP legal in my state?

Betting on a player to win NFL MVP is legal in all states that have legalized sports betting. If you click on any of the offers you see on this page, you can check the terms and conditions to confirm that you can bet on the NFL MVP award winner in your state.

All content has been independently reviewed and updated by USA TODAY editors to reflect current offers and betting site features. Some promotional details are provided in collaboration with Gambling.com.