Some might argue Joel Embiid's 50-point game Wednesday — much less over 27 minutes of action — didn't matter against an eight-win Orlando team.
To the betting markets, it mattered — substantially.
It was another stepping stone up the MVP odds board for the 76ers big man.
Embiid was as high as 50-1 to win the award Monday. Roughly 72 hours later, he's 5-1 at PointsBet.
MVP Odds (Top 10 Candidates)
via PointsBet
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Steph Curry | +210 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +300 |
| Joel Embiid | +500 |
| Nikola Jokic | +500 |
| Ja Morant | +1500 |
| Kevin Durant | +2500 |
| LeBron James | +3300 |
| James Harden | +3300 |
| DeMar DeRozan | +3300 |
| Luka Doncic | +3300 |
Embiid's averaging 28 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game this season.
Additionally, his 4.2 steals and 1.3 made threes per game are on pace to be career highs.
His initial surge up the odds board began Monday, when Nets forward Kevin Durant — the MVP favorite at the time — hit the shelf with an injury.
Philly's star, along with Curry, Antetokounmpo, Jokic and Morant, all saw notable bumps up top.
The same night, Embiid poured in 32 against the Wizards, giving him 30 or more points in 10 of his last 11.
Then, on Thursday, the four-time reigning All-Star erupted for half a hundo in what amounted to just a cup of coffee on the court. He converted 17 of his 23 attempts from the field, while his 73.9% shooting clip marked his second highest all year.
Embiid and Co. next take the court Friday at home against the Clippers.
As we've stated before, there are a few reminders when betting this market in particular. Anyone can technically win an MVP, but here are a few criteria the victors usually have:
- At least 23 years old, younger than 35
- On a great team
- Past MVP consideration
- Scorer and/or stat-sheet stuffer
- Bonus: Poor defense doesn't disqualify you
