Super Bowl MVP odds: Mahomes opens as favorite; Hurts sitting third

A trio of quarterbacks — Buffalo’s Josh Allen, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts — played musical chairs in the NFL MVP betting markets throughout the season.

Their respective teams also spent the last four months as the top favorites to win the Super Bowl (and remain as such).

So it makes complete sense that the three multidimensional passers are sitting atop the Super Bowl MVP odds board heading into the NFL’s second season.

While Mahomes currently is positioned first in the Super Bowl MVP betting hierarchy, Allen and Hurts are nipping at his heels.

However, just because Mahomes, Allen and Hurts are the clear-cut favorites in the eyes of oddsmakers doesn’t mean they’re the betting community’s favorites.

On the contrary, many BetMGM customers who have placed Super Bowl MVP wagers have been flocking to the quarterback for last year’s Super Bowl runner-up, as well as three San Francisco 49ers teammates.

Here’s a look at Super Bowl MVP odds and how the early action is shaping up among the contenders.

Odds updated as of 10:30 a.m. ET on Jan. 11.

Mahomes officially will win his second NFL MVP when the award is announced on Feb. 11. However, BetMGM’s risk room doesn’t believe the Chiefs’ quarterback will accept the honor in-person.

Rather, those oddsmakers believe Mahomes will be busy going through final preparations with his teammates for Super Bowl LVII, which takes place the next day in Glendale, Arizona. That’s why they installed Mahomes as the +400 Super Bowl MVP favorite.

Those odds haven’t budged since BetMGM began accepting Super Bowl MVP wagers this week. Same goes for Allen (+550), Hurts (+650) and all the other primary candidates.

That may soon change, though, as one quarterback not named Mahomes, Allen or Hurts has drawn serious interest among BetMGM patrons: Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow.

A year after he and the Bengals came up just short against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, Burrow opened as the +900 fourth choice to win the 2022-23 Super Bowl MVP.

That price proved to be quite enticing, as BetMGM on Tuesday reported that 12.6% of all early Super Bowl bets and a whopping 17.9% of all early dollars were on Burrow.

By comparison, Mahomes ranks second in tickets written (8.8%) and third in money taken (8.1%); Allen is fourth in bets (7.2%) and fifth in handle (7.6%); and Hurts is ninth in tickets (4.4%) and seventh in cash (5.3%).

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In addition to Burrow, BetMGM customers also have taken a liking to 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and rookie quarterback Brock Purdy.

Purdy (+1000) is fifth on the book’s Super Bowl MVP odds board behind Burrow, while McCaffrey (+1800) is sitting seventh in between Purdy and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (+1600).

However, McCaffrey has seen the third-most action in terms of early ticket count (8.5%). And when it comes to handle, the versatile running back is neck and neck with Burrow at 17.7%.

That’s right: Early on, nearly 35% of all Super Bowl MVP dollars that have been wagered at BetMGM are on Burrow and McCaffrey.

McCaffrey and Purdy aren’t the only 49ers drawing action at BetMGM.

Sack specialist Nick Bosa — who will be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year the same night Mahomes wins NFL MVP — opened as a 100-to-1 long shot to take home the Super Bowl MVP trophy.

Those odds have since been chopped in half to +5000 after Bosa attracted 6% of all early tickets (fifth-most) and 6.5% of all early dollars (sixth-most) at BetMGM.

Another 49er, tight end George Kittle, saw his odds plummet from 150-to-1 to +8000 (80-to-1). Only 2% of the handle at BetMGM is on Kittle, but he’s gotten 5% of the ticket count.

The wagers on Kittle resemble Powerball lottery tickets, though, as no tight end has ever won Super Bowl MVP.

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There’s a perception that the Super Bowl MVP — which is voted on by media members attending the game — always goes to a quarterback. That perception is not entirely accurate.

Yes, QBs have taken nearly 55% of all Super Bowl MVP trophies (31 of 57). However, two of the last four went to wide receivers: New England’s Julian Edelman (Super Bowl LIII) and the Rams’ Cooper Kupp (last year).

Two linebackers — Seattle’s Malcolm Smith (Super Bowl XLVIII) and Denver’s Von Miller (Super Bowl 50) — also nabbed the honor within the last nine years.

That said, if history holds up on Feb. 12, the Super Bowl LVII MVP will end up in the hands of a quarterback, wide receiver or linebacker. Because 23 of the last 24 awards have gone to someone who plays one of those positions.

The exception: Tampa Bay cornerback Dexter Jackson won it after recording two interceptions in Super Bowl XXXVII. That game was played exactly 20 years ago.

So which quarterbacks, wide receivers and linebackers down the Super Bowl MVP odds board are worth a look?

Well, two talented young quarterbacks who face off in a wild-card game Saturday — the Chargers’ Justin Herbert (+2500 at BetMGM) and Jaguars’ Trevor Lawence (+5000) — offer value. Come late Saturday night, one of the two will be just two victories away from reaching the Super Bowl.

On the wide receiver front, several talented guys who suit up for Super Bowl contenders are worth a look. The list includes the 49ers’ Deebo Samuel and the Bills’ Stefon Diggs (both +3000); the Eagles’ A.J. Brown and the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase (both +5000); and Philadelphia’s Devonta Smith (+6600).

As for the linebacker with the shortest odds to win MVP in Super Bowl LVII? That would be Dallas’ Micah Parsons at a cool 125-to-1.

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The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.