Since 1969, a leading performer in the NBA's champion series has actually been called NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Many NBA greats past and present have gotten this award at least as soon as. Winning the championship and taking home the Larry O'Brien Trophy are the biggest objective for each player that participates in the NBA Finals, however MVP honors are one of the benefits of achieving that objective.

Below, we dive a little deeper into NBA Finals MVP history and how you can bank on who will take home the honor in this year's championship clash at top online sportsbooks.

Where to Bet on NBA Finals MVP Odds

The NBA is one of the most popular leagues in the United States, and banking on the NBA Finals draws significant interest each year.

That includes banking on who will win NBA Finals MVP. A number of the best U.S. online sportsbooks offer NBA odds, consisting of sites such as BetOnline, Sportsbetting.ag, Bovada, and Everygame.

Some websites even use bonus offers focused around banking on the NBA Finals, similar to they do for banking on the Super Bowl, March Madness, and other marquee events.

Make certain to take a look at the bonus offers and promos at your preferred sports wagering sites in the days leading up to the NBA Finals to make sure you don't miss out on out on the chance to improve your bankroll for wagering on the champion series.

How to Bank On NBA Finals MVP Odds

Just like other routine season or postseason awards, such as NBA MVP, the MLB MVP awards, Super Bowl MVP, and the Heisman Trophy, NBA Finals MVP chances are futures odds.

Some online sportsbooks will have odds readily available at the start of the playoffs, while others may not have them up until after the Eastern Conference finals and Western Conference finals finish and the matchup for the champion series is set.

Depending on the match and the players involved, there might be a heavy favorite. Many of the NBA's best groups are led by one or 2 superstars, and these gamers will occupy the leading spots in any odds.

If the Finals match is even or anticipated to be close, the MVP favorites on both sides might not be separated by a wide margin. But if one team is greatly favored, there will be some distance between that team's star(s) and the other team's star(s).

As with any other futures bets, whether you pick to bank on NBA Finals MVP chances may boil down to worth and timing.

If you wish to bank on the favorite however elect to wait until after the series begins, you might well improve value than you would have prior to the series.

On the other hand, if you bet on someone who is not the preferred, your finest option may be to do so before the series starts. If they perform well in the first game or more, their chances might substantially shorten.

In a lot of years, the eventual NBA Finals MVP winner will be a super star from the winning team. But there are occasional surprises, such as in 2015 when Andre Iguodala won the award after doing his part to assist the Golden State Warriors beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

NBA Finals MVP History

Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James, and many other home names have received this accolade for shining in the NBA's championship series.

Here are a couple of fast realities about the award's history.

Has a novice ever won the award?

NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson is the only novice to win Finals MVP. Johnson, the first general choice in the 1979 NBA Draft, assisted the Los Angeles Lakers reach the Finals in his launching season in the league.

After balancing 21.5 points per game, 11.2 rebounds per video game, and 8.7 helps per game in 6 video games in the Lakers' 1980 NBA Finals win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Johnson took home Most Valuable Player honors.

Has someone on a losing team won the award?

The only NBA Finals MVP to come from the losing group was the first winner of the award. In the 1969 NBA Finals, Jerry West's Lakers lost out to the Boston Celtics in a hotly objected to seven-game series that included three games that were decided by one or 2 points.

However, West was called MVP of the series for his outstanding efforts. He scored 40 or more points in 4 games, consisting of 53 in L.A.'s Game 1 win, and balanced 37.9 PPG, 7.4 APG, and 4.7 RPG.

In the years since, there have been worthwhile gamers on losing teams. But similar to Super Bowl MVP, which has likewise just had one winner from a losing group, a losing gamer faces high chances no matter how well they have played.

Who has won NBA Finals MVP the most times?

Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP in all six of the Chicago Bulls' championship wins in the 1990s. LeBron James has won the award 4 times with three different groups (2012 and 2013 with the Miami Heat, 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and 2020 with the Lakers).

Magic Johnson (1980, 1982, 1987), Shaquille O'Neal (2000, 2001, 2002), and Tim Duncan (1999, 2003, 2005) are all three-time winners. Willis Reed (1970, 1973), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971, 1985), Larry Bird (1984, 1986), Hakeem Olajuwon (1994, 1995), Kobe Bryant (2009, 2010), Kawhi Leonard (2014, 2019), and Kevin Durant (2017, 2018) are the other players to be named Finals MVP multiple times.

Who Are the Last 20 NBA Finals MVP Winners?

Here are the 20 newest NBA Finals MVP winners, in addition to their chances to win the award. Odds are thanks to Sports Odds History, a gold mine of historical odds and info for the major North American sports and leagues and more.