Embiid Makes Jump Over LeBron James in NBA MVP Odds Race

Joel Embiid stole the show against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. On a night he posted 40 points and 19 rebounds, helped prompt a key technical foul against the Jazz, and led the underdog Sixers to an impressive 131-123 come-from-behind overtime win, he also shook up the latest NBA MVP odds.

Sure, the NBA MVP is an award built on gaudy stat lines and watchability, but it’s also an award built on moments. Without question, Embiid had one of those moments in last night’s game when he did this:

Embiid. Unreal. 39 and counting. headed to overtime in Philly after this pic.twitter.com/IcMvls3ojr

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 4, 2021

Donovan Mitchell’s meltdown aside, Embiid was the story last night and his already surging MVP momentum kicked into another gear after the Sixers improved to an Eastern Conference-best 24-12 record.

NBA MVP Odds: Embiid Takes Lead at FanDuel Sportsbook, FOX Bet

For the first time this season, Embiid now has the best odds to take home the MVP award, passing LeBron James at shops such as FanDuel Sportsbook and FOX Bet.

Following the game, FanDuel adjusted its latest MVP odds to show Embiid as the favorite. A look at the top contenders:

Embiid +240
James +260
Jokic +420
Doncic +1200
Curry +1200

Similarly, FOX Bet now has Embiid as a +200 favorite over James, who checks in at +225.

We listed five players above, but this is clearly a two-man race at the moment between James and Embiid as the NBA pauses for the All-Star Break.

Here’s a quick look at the two players’ stat lines:

Embiid: 30 games, 33 minutes per game, 30.2 points per game, 11.6 rebounds per game, 52.1% field goal percentage
James: 36 games, 34.6 minutes per game, 25.8 points per game, 8 rebounds per game, 50.9% field goal percentage

Objectively, it’s difficult to make the case that James has outperformed Emiid when both players are on the court this season, but he has two things working in his favor.

He’s LeBron James.
James has also played six more games this season, so Embiid detractors can point to his occasional absences and rest days.

Still, Embiid’s numbers and nightly impact are reaching the point of absurdity.

As for the NBA MVP betting market, James held the better odds across several popular PA online sportsbooks as recently as Wednesday morning, so his latest performance against the Jazz is one that sent shockwaves through both the NBA and futures betting markets.

Grab a $1,000 risk-free first bet and bet on the NBA MVP at FanDuel Sportsbook right here.

NBA MVP Odds an Even Race at DraftKings Sportsbook

Like FanDuel, DraftKings Sportsbook currently views the NBA MVP Odds as a two-man race between Embiid and James.

On March 2, James was a considerable +175 favorite to win the award. Meanwhile, 34% of the money and 18% of all market bets backed James.

For his part, Embiid trailed behind with the second-best odds at +300, drawing 17% of the money and 16% of bets.

Fast forward just two days, and the market has changed. Both James and Embiid are now deadlocked at +225 odds, while Jokic (+450) and Doncic (+1200) trail behind.

Click here to grab 100-1 UFC 259 odds and bet on the NBA MVP race at DraftKings Sportsbook.

The Best Joel Embiid MVP Odds

Listen, if you’re looking to ride the Embiid MVP wave this morning, I don’t blame you. So, where can you get the best price?

Here’s a look at the current odds across the top betting markets:

FanDuel Sportsbook: +240
DraftKings Sportsbook: +225
FOX Bet: +220
PointsBet: +160

The verdict? If you’re looking for the best payout this morning, it’s over at FanDuel Sportsbook where a $100 wager will bring back a $340 payout (+$240 profit).