![Author](/_vercel/image?url=https:%2F%2Fdata.bestodds.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F09%2FThomas-Snodgrass.png&w=320&q=100)
Thomas Snodgrass
Updated: Mar 27, 2024
Sportbook Promos
- Claim Now21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER, 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 800-327-5050 (MA), 800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 800-BETS-OFF (IA), 800-270-7117(MI), 877-718-5543 (NC).Claim Bet $5, Get $250 in Bonus Bets PLUS 1 month NFL+ Premium
- Claim Now21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER, 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 800-327-5050 (MA), 800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 800-BETS-OFF (IA), 800-270-7117(MI), 877-718-5543 (NC).Bet $5 Get $200 In Bonus Bets Or First Bet Safety Net $1,000
- Claim Now21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER, 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 800-327-5050 (MA), 800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 800-BETS-OFF (IA), 800-270-7117(MI), 877-718-5543 (NC).Bet $5 Get $200 in Bonus Bets + 3 Weeks of NFL Sunday Ticket
![](https://cdn.imagn.com/usatsimg/image/thumb/1200-1200nw/21408612.jpg)
The 2023 National League MVP was Atlanta Braves’ outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., whose historical production gave him a unanimous 30 1st-place votes.
Acuna’s 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases resulted in the first 40/70 season in MLB history.
On top of that, Acuna batted .337, collected 106 RBI and recorded a 1.012 OPS, and led the Major Leagues in stolen bases, hits (217), and runs (149) all in his age-25 season.
It’s hard to fathom Acuna producing more than that, but entering his age-26 season, it can’t be ruled out; which is incredible.
Finishing second in NL MVP voting in 2023 was Los Angeles Dodgers’ outfielder Mookie Betts, receiving a unanimous 30 2nd-place votes.
If Acuna weren’t able to achieve an all-time great MLB season, then Betts surely would have won his second MVP Award; winning the AL MVP with the World Series champion Boston Red Sox in 2018.
Last season, Betts posted a .307/.408/.579 slash line with 39 home runs, 107 RBI, 179 hits, and 40 doubles
Here are the current NL MVP odds currently among the top 10 NL players, with their corresponding best odds:
NL Players | NL MVP Odds |
Ronald Acuna Jr. – Atlanta Braves | +525 BetMGM |
Mookie Betts – Los Angeles Dodgers | +750 Caesars |
Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers | +950 FanDuel |
Fernando Tatis Jr. – San Diego Padres | +1000 bet365 |
Freddie Freeman – Los Angeles Dodgers | +1200 DraftKings |
Bryce Harper – Philadelphia Phillies | +1200 BetMGM |
Matt Olson – Atlanta Braves | +1500 DraftKings |
Corbin Carroll – Arizona Diamondbacks | +2000 FanDuel |
Trea Turner – Philadelphia Phillies | +2200 BetMGM |
Austin Riley – Atlanta Braves | +2500 FanDuel |
Let’s examine some of the NL MVP candidates in 2024, including some favorites, some contenders, and some longshots that could surprise.
NL MVP Favorites
Ronald Acuna Jr. – OF, Atlanta Braves
After his dominant 2023 season, Acuna is the favorite to win the NL MVP Award entering 2024.
The typical back-of-the-baseball-card stats were off the charts for Acuna last season, but there was one slightly less mentioned statistic that showed the true backbone for the young outfielders’ wild success.
Acuna’s strikeout percentage (SO%) dropped to just 11.4%, and that’s a major drop from his career norms, never having a strikeout percentage lower than 23.6% in his first five seasons prior to 2023.
The best way for any hitter to improve is to cut down on swing-and-misses, and a slugger cutting their SO% in half is a world of difference.
If Acuna can continue to be selective at the plate and make hard contact, he’ll certainly be in the MVP conversation once again.
Best Odds: (+525) BetMGM
Mookie Betts – 2B, Los Angeles Dodgers
The 2023 NL MVP runner-up will receive a little more lineup protection this season after the Dodgers brought in Shohei Ohtani.
Leading off a lineup ahead of Ohtani and first baseman Freddie Freeman will definitely give Betts some pitches to hit.
Betts belted 12 leadoff home runs last season, giving him 48 now in his career, and Betts and Acuna are leading the way in powerful table setters in the modern game.
Formerly a 30-30 threat, accomplishing the feat in his 2018 AL MVP campaign, Betts stole just 14 bags in 2023. An uptick in stolen bases for Betts would show off more of his five-tool game.
One thing favoring Betts compared to MVP candidates is his defensive versatility.
Last season, Betts started 77 games in right field, 62 games at second base, and six games at shortstop, and he enters the season as Los Angeles’ every day second baseman.
The biggest knock on Betts in 2023: going 0-for-11 in the Dodgers three-game NLDS sweep by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Surprisingly, Betts is batting just .080 (2-for-25) in his last two trips to the postseason.
Playoff success can help anyone’s MVP candidacy, just as playoff failures can hurt.
Best Odds: (+750) Caesars
Shohei Ohtani – DH, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes this offseason, and playing in Dodger Blue should do no harm to Ohtani as an MVP candidate.
The two-way superstar will be off the mound for the entire season, and that alone will ding his chances.
A two-time AL MVP winner in 2021 and 2023, Ohtani went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 130.1 innings pitched in ‘21, and went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings pitched in ‘23.
While Ohtani’s bat has been strong as well, it may be more difficult for him to win the MVP Award with his bat alone.
But, not impossible.
Ohtani finished last season with an American League-leading 44 home runs and produced a MLB-leading 1.066 OPS.
Those numbers alone could bring home the hardware.
The pitching is just a one-of-a-kind bonus that everyone is hoping to see again in 2025.
Best Odds: (+950) FanDuel
NL MVP Contenders
Pete Alonso – 1B, New York Mets
Despite his batting average dropping to a career-low .217 in 2023, Alonso still belted 46 home runs and tallied 118 RBI, his third season of 40+ home runs and 100+ RBI.
Alonso is known more for his power than his contact, but his batting average on balls in play (BAbip) was just .205, indicating that the New York slugger was wildly unlucky in 2023.
A typical BAbip for Alonso is his career mark of .259, and even the league average is .295, so Alonso is due for some positive regression in 2024.
There’s only a handful of players that are a near lock to blast 40 dingers and drive in 100 runs, and Alonso is one of them, and that’s a solid foundation for any NL MVP candidate.
If the Mets can improve their win-loss record and make a postseason run, Alonso’s MVP odds should get shorter as the season progresses.
Best Odds: (+3000) BetMGM
Nolan Arenado – 3B, St. Louis Cardinals
Arenado is entering his age-33 season, and his offensive numbers took a dip in 2023, but there still may be an MVP-caliber season left in the St. Louis Cardinals’ third baseman.
Arenado produced just a .774 OPS, his lowest mark outside of his rookie season and the truncated 2020.
The veteran third baseman still swatted 26 home runs and picked up 93 RBI, which is solid for many, but a slight descent for a slugger that has produced seven seasons of 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI in the last nine seasons.
Always an incredible defender at the hot corner, Arenado was finally dethroned from his decade-long run as the NL Gold Glove winner at third base too, with Pittsburgh Pirates’ third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes claiming the honors in 2023.
The defense will be there for Arenado, but if he can get back to approaching 40 homers and piling on RBI, he should make an interesting MVP wager, especially if the Cardinals get back to the postseason.
Best Odds: (+5000) Caesars
Ozzie Albies – 2B, Atlanta Braves
In a lineup with Ronald Acuna Jr. and MLB home run leader Matt Olson (52 home runs), Albies production comes quietly.
The switch-hitting second baseman quietly batted .280 with 33 home runs and 109 RBI in 2023.
Albies is entering his age-27 season, the year typically associated with a player’s breakout, and if Albies “breaks out”, the Atlanta Braves could have a middle infielder that can hit 40+ home runs while swinging from both sides of the plate.
Albies’ .513 slugging percentage in 2023 was the highest of his career, and if he improves that mark, he could produce something close to Marcus Semien’s 2021 season with the Toronto Blue Jays (.265, 45 HR, 102 RBI).
Semien finished third in MVP voting that season.
As talented as Albies is, the books seem to struggle on where to set his NL MVP Odds.
Here’s a look at Albies’ odds across several books entering 2024.
Sportsbook | Albies’ NL MVP Odds |
DraftKings | +6000 |
FanDuel | +10000 |
bet365 | +7500 |
BetMGM | +6600 |
Caesars | +6000 |
It’s always best to shop around, especially on the futures markets.
Should Albies win the NL MVP in 2024, a bettor that wagered $10 would win $600 on DraftKings, while the same bettor could have won $1,000 on FanDuel.
Don’t leave money on the table.
Best Odds: (+10000) FanDuel
NL MVP Longshots
Luis Arraez – 2B, Miami Marlins
After hitting .316 and winning the American League Batting Title in 2022 with the Minnesota Twins, Luis Arraez hit a whopping .354 and won the National League Batting Title with the Miami Marlins in 2023.
In doing so, Arraez became the first player in MLB history to win the Batting Title in both leagues in consecutive seasons.
Last season, Arraez also collected career highs in home runs (10), RBI (69), hits (203), slugging percentage (.469), and OPS (.861).
Arraez is entering his age-27 season, so there could be more room for growth.
The second baseman’s wickedly-low 5.5% strikeout percentage is like a number from a different era of the game.
Comparably, Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn had a career 4.2 strikeout percentage, while Ichiro Suzuki’s best strikeout percentage in a single season was 7.2%.
When you’re doing something better than Ichiro Suzuki, you’re doing something right.
Arraez has a great eye at the plate, and he hits them where they ain’t. Maybe the MVP voters will take notice in 2024.
Best Odds: (+8000) FanDuel
Bryan Reynolds – OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
The NL Central is up for grabs, and if the Pirates can pilfer it, a Bucco could come away with MVP consideration in 2024.
One constant for the Pittsburgh Pirates over the last five years has been outfielder Bryan Reynolds.
In 2023, Reynolds batted just .263 with 24 home runs, 84 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and a .790 OPS.
Those aren’t MVP numbers, but Reynolds has shown some MVP-caliber talent in the past, specifically in 2021, when he recorded a .912 OPS.
Last season, Reynold’s produced a career-high 47.4% hard-hit percentage, and his BAbip of .304 was 23 points lower than his .327 career BAbip, so he may have been slightly unlucky in 2023.
Reynolds is one of those players that rarely miss games, playing in at least 145 or more games in each of the last three seasons.
If the 29-year-old outfielder can continue to grind out the MLB schedule, he should be able to accumulate more stats.
The Pirates’ lineup should produce more offense in 2024, and Reynolds can benefit greatly.
It may not be asking too much for Reynolds to produce his first 30-homer, 100 RBI season, and produce a .300 batting average.
11 years ago, Reynolds’ teammate Andrew McCutchen won the NL MVP Award with Reynolds-like numbers, batting .317 with 21 home runs, 84 RBI, and a .911 OPS, but with 27 stolen bases.
2013 was the first time the Pirates made the playoffs since 1992, so the MVP voters largely considered McCutchen’s importance to the team’s success.
One thing the Pirates have never done: win the NL Central since its inception in 1994.
If Pittsburgh can win the NL Central and the Pirates can find some playoff success, Reynolds could put a Bucco in the minds of MVP voters.
Best Odds: (+16000) DraftKings
NL MVP Betting
Those who are successful at betting on MVPs are those who are able to recognize player potential and odds value before the betting public catches on.
With hundreds of player betting options available, MVP futures bets can be difficult to predict.
However, many bettors don’t judge themselves on cashing a winning ticket, but rather try to bet on potential MVP candidates before their odds are corrected by the general public.
Recognizing players who are about to break out and whose odds are about to drop is the biggest skill set required when placing MVP futures bets.
The baseball season is an incredibly long journey with many peaks and valleys both for teams and individual players. Trying to buy players with value before the market corrects their odds is the skill of the game.
Doing your homework and taking some educated chances is what makes it fun.
Where Can You Bet The NL MVP
As the sports betting industry continues to legalize across Canada and the United States, getting access to legalized online sportsbooks has never been easier.
When it comes to placing futures bets on who will win the National League MVP award, bettors have more options and odds to select from than ever before.
The first step in the process as a bettor is to make sure they are well researched and well informed. There are hundreds of player options who could potentially win the NL MVP award.
A bettor must have their top candidates in mind, including favorites and some longshots.
If you have the skill set to track down the information, looking at the opening odds of previous NL MVP award winners can be insightful.
How often do long shots win? How often do the top betting favorites make it through a whole season on top?
After you have your list of top choices, let’s go searching for the best sportsbooks. There are a couple of things we want to focus on with all the different operators available to us. The first is the welcome bonus and promotions offered by each specific sportsbook.
With such a competitive landscape, operators are working extra hard to try and differentiate themselves from the pack. Take advantage of this by finding a sportsbook with the bonuses and promotions that excite you the most.
The other thing we want to do is shop around for the best odds available for each of the players we are looking at. If one operator has Player A at +800 and another operator has that same player at +1100, there is no doubt which sportsbook we will want to place that bet with.
When it comes to looking for an edge and trying to gain an advantage from the books, the most advantageous play a bettor has at their disposal is odds shopping.
Recent NL MVP Award Winners
Year | Player | Team |
2023 | Ronald Acuna Jr. | Braves |
2022 | Paul Goldschmidt | Cardinals |
2021 | Bryce Harper | Phillies |
2020 | Freddie Freeman | Braves |
2019 | Cody Bellinger | Dodgers |
2018 | Christian Yelich | Brewers |
2017 | Giancarlo Stanton | Marlins |
2016 | Kris Bryant | Cubs |
2015 | Bryce Harper | Nationals |
2014 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers |
Most NL MVP Awards All Time
Player | Total NL MVPs | Years |
Barry Bonds | 7 | 1990, ‘92,’93, 2001, ‘02, ‘03, ‘04 |
Roy Campanella | 3 | 1951, ‘53, ‘55 |
Stan Musial | 3 | 1943, ‘46, ‘48 |
Albert Pujols | 3 | 2005, ‘08, ‘09 |
Mike Schmidt | 3 | 1980, ‘81, ‘86 |
Sportbook Promos
- Claim Now21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER, 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 800-327-5050 (MA), 800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 800-BETS-OFF (IA), 800-270-7117(MI), 877-718-5543 (NC).Claim Bet $5, Get $250 in Bonus Bets PLUS 1 month NFL+ Premium
- Claim Now21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER, 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 800-327-5050 (MA), 800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 800-BETS-OFF (IA), 800-270-7117(MI), 877-718-5543 (NC).Bet $5 Get $200 In Bonus Bets Or First Bet Safety Net $1,000
- Claim Now21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER, 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 800-327-5050 (MA), 800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 800-BETS-OFF (IA), 800-270-7117(MI), 877-718-5543 (NC).Bet $5 Get $200 in Bonus Bets + 3 Weeks of NFL Sunday Ticket