Luka Doncic has split from Giannis Antetokounmpo and has become the agreed-upon favorite to win the regular season MVP in American sports betting, and bettors are approaching the young superstar of the Dallas Mavericks.
On November 10, Doncic and Antetokounmpo opened as +550 co-favorites at William Hill’s Caesars Sportsbook. Since then, Doncic has attracted twice as many bets (and twice as much money) as any other player to become the solo favorite at +450.
Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP of the Milwaukee Bucks regular season, has dropped back to +500, followed by Lakers stars Anthony Davis (+800) and LeBron James (+850). Doncic has attracted more bets to William Hill than Antetokounmpo, Davis and James combined.
At sports betting operator PointsBet, one in three bets has been on Doncic, who has finished the second season of the NBA with an electrifying playoff performance in the bubble in Orlando.
“I thought I should have finished more than last year at [MVP] voting, ”said Jeff Sherman, an NBA anti-understander of the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas.
Sherman said Zion Williamson, a second-year New Orleans Pelicans striker, has also been drawn to the support of bettors, making his MVP odds go from 80-1 to 50-1 in the SuperBook.
Atlanta Hawks punter Trae Young has also sparked interest in sports betting. Young’s odds have dropped from 200-1 to 50-1 on the SuperBook and William Hill reportedly bet $ 1,000 on Young for MVP at 100-1.
“Our main liability so far is in operation [Charlotte Hornets rookie] LaMelo Ball at 5,000-1, ”Sherman said.
Odds of winning the NBA regular season MVP [Courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill, as of Tuesday]: