NFL MVP Betting: Which NFL star is the smart money backing?

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The NFL season kicks off this week and right from the start, 2018 Most Valuable Player Patrick Mahomes will go in search of his second individual award as the league’s best player. Mahomes will have plenty of competition, however. The 2019 MVP winner, Lamar Jackson, had a fantastic campaign throwing 36 touchdowns and for more than 3,100 yards in Baltimore. This season’s MVP race could be a shootout between the two quarterbacks. NFL football bettors are anticipating the new season and debating which team will win the Super Bowl. Fans can use the BetMGM NJ bonus code before wagering on NFL Week 1’s games and the teams they believe will win.

So, where is the smart money going ahead of the NFL season’s first snap? Let’s look at the betting odds for the top five favorites heading into the NFL season.

  1. Patrick Mahomes: +400

Mahomes signed the biggest contract in NFL history in the offseason and is set to be the Kansas City Chiefs play caller for years to come. The quarterback led Kansas City to their first Super Bowl win since the 1960s last season. The Chiefs are favorites to win the Super Bowl once more and Mahomes is favored to win the NFL’s regular season MVP award. In 2018, Mahomes threw 50 touchdowns and for 5,097 yards to win the trophy. Last season, he experienced some time out due to injury, but still tossed 26 touchdowns against six picks.

  1. Lamar Jackson: +700

Jackson won the MVP award last season thanks to his 36 touchdown passes and 3,127 yards in passing. He tossed 10 more touchdowns than Mahomes, but the Chiefs quarterback did miss two games. Jackson isn’t expected to repeat by many smart-money bettors. The Baltimore man has been criticized from pundits, fans, and coaches since entering the league. Jackson won’t be fazed by low expectations to repeat as NFL MVP.

  1. Russell Wilson: +800

Former NFL Rookie of the Year Russell Wilson is still hunting for his first MVP award. The Seattle Seahawks man is being backed by a number of smart and casual bettors. Last season, Wilson led the Seahawks into the playoffs with an 11-5 regular season record. He threw for 31 touchdowns and tossed for 4,110 yards. The biggest downside for Russell in 2019 was the number of times he was sacked. Wilson was sacked a career-high 48 times.

  1. Dak Prescott: +1600

After Mahomes, Jackson and Russell, the odds begin to fall off on the players leading sportsbooks believe will win the NFL MVP award. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is fourth in favorites odds at +1600. Prescott failed to get the Cowboys into the playoffs in 2019 posting an 8-8 record. He threw for a career-high 30 touchdowns, however.

  1. Tom Brady: +1800

Tom Brady is now a Tampa Bay Bucaneers player and the world will find out if his success was down to the New England Patriots’ system or the quarterback’s play. Now 43, Brady is certainly past his prime. Still, he is just three seasons removed from winning the NFL MVP award for a third time. Despite his age, Brady threw 28 touchdowns and for 4,057 yards in 2019. He could be the catalyst to a turnaround in Tampa Bay.