When it comes to baseball, there’s no more coveted award (after the World Series) than the MVP trophy. While the Cy Young Award honors the best pitchers, the equally prestigious AL and NL MVP awards typically go to hitters.
Every sportsbook will offer AL and NL MVP odds. It’s one of the staple bets that never leaves a sportsbook’s menu. MVP odds usually open just after the World Series concludes and move a little during the offseason, maybe because of a trade or acquisition, but they move most during the regular season.
Below find all you need to know about betting on the AL & NL MVP awards in Arizona. including the latest MVP odds direct from AZ online sportsbooks.
Latest MLB MVP odds
See below for the latest MLB MVP odds on the top 20 players as posted at Arizona online sportsbooks. Click on any odds to go right to the sportsbook, claim the posted bonus and start betting the MVP markets. Use the drop-down menu to switch to AL MVP odds or see more MLB futures odds. Check here for the daily MLB game odds.
How to bet on MLB MVP futures
Odds are arguably the most important aspect of any bet. For the NL/AL MVP futures bet, that statement remains true. It’s crucial to understand how to read the odds, as well as why they move. Understanding how odds work is the first step in making a profit from MLB futures.
All odds for MLB futures in Arizona, including betting on the two MVP awards, will be displayed in American format as a default. This format allows gamblers to read the odds quickly in a standardized way. It displays a number preceded by either a positive or negative sign. If there’s a positive sign (+) in front of the odds, that shows potential winnings if a gambler risks $100. For example, if Caesars Arizona had Ketel Marte at +1500 to win the MVP, you could bet $100 on him to win $1,500, returning a total of $1,600.
Sometimes the odds will have a negative sign (-) in front of them. This signals a higher probability of the event occurring. That number represents how much you need to wager to win $100. For example, if FanDuel Sportsbook had Zac Gallen at -150 to win the MVP, you could bet $150 to win $100, returning a total of $250.
Again, MLB MVP betting odds are set far in advance of the season even starting. These are based on a few different factors. The largest is the implied probability of every player winning the award. Before you place your MLB bet, check the rules at your sportsbook of choice to see what happens in extraordinary situations. For example, how would they handle your player getting suspended or injured for the entire year? Every sportsbook has its own rules when it comes to factors like this.
The earlier you bet, the less information available to both you and the sportsbook. This could mean that the lines are slightly easier to beat. It also means winners are tougher to predict. That’s why betting earlier can sometimes offer better returns and higher odds.
Getting Started With Arizona Sportsbooks
To place your bets legally and safely in Arizona, you’re going to need a place to play. The sign up process with our recommended sportsbooks is quick and easy. Here’s how you can get started.
- Begin by clicking our sign up links.
- At the registration page, enter your details.
- Claim your bonus.
- Deposit off of the available options.
Among the top options to check out are FanDuel and BetMGM. Caesars provides one of the smoother interfaces you’ll find, while DraftKings offers a simple and easy to use platform.
The above steps take just a couple of minutes. If you do it on the web, download the Apple or Android app for your device from the sportsbook site. Login on mobile afterwards and you’ll have access both on the go and from your desktop.
You need to be 21 years or older to sign up. For placing bets, you must be within state lines, and sportsbooks will verify that you are where you say you are with geolocation software. You can perform other basic account management functions when out of state.
MLB MVP betting trends & stats
When it comes to projecting who will be contending for the MVP award in the two leagues, it’s important to look at some of the trends among past winners. We have already established that it’s mostly batters that win the award. Only 25 pitchers have ever won the award. Considering they already have the Cy Young Award, the MVP usually goes to a batter.
Looking for hitters that put up big numbers is a good starting point. While you may love that player on your team that always seems to get a clutch hit, raw numbers are an important piece of any player’s candidacy. Looking for someone that can rack up home runs, runs batted in and a high average is a good first step.
Another thing to consider is the candidate’s team. You want to find someone that plays in a large market: the extra exposure can only help their case. Players that play for teams like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers will also have huge fan support. This can help shape narratives that can affect the race.
When we look at the past winners, we see it can be a good idea to bet on past champions. Repeat winners are fairly common, both in consecutive and non-consecutive years. Still, it can sometimes take an extraordinary effort for a player to win their second trophy.
Analytics has changed many things across baseball, and the selection for the MVP trophy is no exception. There are tons of different stats and trends observed by fans and media alike. These are then used to argue a player’s candidacy. One thing that these stats have done is separate individual play from the strength of a player’s team. While more traditional stats like RBIs have a high influence from outside factors, many of the new-age analytics help isolate a player’s performance.
Past AL/NL MLB MVP winners
| Year | AL MVP | NL MVP |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Shohei Ohtani | Ronald Acuña Jr. |
| 2022 | Aaron Judge | Paul Goldschmidt |
| 2021 | Shohei Ohtani | Bryce Harper |
| 2020 | Jose Abreu | Freddie Freeman |
| 2019 | Mike Trout | Cody Bellinger |
| 2018 | Mookie Betts | Christian Yelich |
| 2017 | Jose Altuve | Giancarlo Stanton |
| 2016 | Mike Trout | Kris Bryant |
| 2015 | Josh Donaldson | Bryce Harper |
| 2014 | Mike Trout | Clayton Kershaw |
| 2013 | Miguel Cabrera | Andrew McCutchen |
| 2012 | Miguel Cabrera | Buster Posey |
| 2011 | Justin Verlander | Ryan Braun |
Arizona MLB MVP winners
The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of only three MLB franchises that have never fielded an MVP winner. Alongside them are the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays.
Despite no Diamondbacks having ever won the MVP trophy, Arizona still has some connections to the award. Cody Bellinger was born in the state of Arizona and won the NL MVP award in 2019. He did this while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers on the back of some big batting numbers.
If the Diamondbacks are looking to bring Bellinger home and acquire him at some point in his career, they would at least get a former MVP on the roster. That would be a welcome development for a franchise that doesn’t have any players right now that scream “future MVP.”
More MLB futures betting options
Besides the MVP market, many other futures bets are common in MLB, super popular with gamblers who enjoy watching the season unfold.
While sportsbooks may differ slightly on some of their futures bets, there are certainly household names. These are the types for which gamblers anxiously wait every year. Such lines attract lots of attention the moment they’re published. We’re talking betting on the Cy Young Award or a numerical achievement like a player hitting a certain number of homers. These bets are great choices if you have a strong belief in a certain player to have a great year.
Other futures bets hinge on teams. This could mean betting on a team to win the World Series. Another popular team futures bet is season win totals. Each year before the season begins, sportsbooks will release the win totals lines. Gamblers can then bet whether a team will go over or under its assigned number.
Other futures bets include:
- Rookie of the Year Award
- Silver Slugger Award / Gold Glove Award
- Team to Make Playoffs
MLB MVP FAQ
Here are a few more questions people often have surrounding the MLB MVP award.
Who votes on the MLB MVP?
The MLB MVP award is decided by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. They have done this since 1931, always with one MVP for each league. The votes are submitted after the regular season, and the winner of the award is announced after the World Series.
What team has won the most MLB MVP awards?
Unsurprisingly, it’s the New York Yankees. The team has produced a winner 22 different times. Coming in second is the St. Louis Cardinals with 20 different MVP occurrences.
What player has the most MVP wins?
Barry Bonds. He won the award seven different times during the late 1990s and early 2000s with some of the best offensive performances the game has ever seen.
Many other players have won the award three different times. Some of those players are still playing, like Mike Trout, who could add more in the future. If Trout maintains this caliber of play, it seems inevitable he will take home more.
Who is the youngest MVP?
Vida Blue. He won the 1971 AL MVP trophy at just 22 years of age. Blue would go on to play for three teams and make six All-Star appearances.
What position has the most MVP wins?
First base. This is because they are often heavy hitters who put up stats very quickly. Historically, first base has been home to the best players, though that has changed.
After first basemen, it’s the outfielders that have most of the awards. Left field benefits from having Barry Bonds and his seven trophies; it comes in with the second most by a position group.