The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57, which takes place on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The current Super Bowl spread is anticipating a competitive affair, and odds for the winner of the Super Bowl MVP are available at legal online sportsbooks. The two starting QBs — Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts — are the favorites to win the award, but there are several other candidates on both sides. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about betting on this year’s Super Bowl MVP.
Latest odds on the Super Bowl MVP
2023 Super Bowl MVP favorites
The starting QBs will almost always be the top two favorites on the board. Next up will be the top skill position players on both sides — running backs, wide receivers and tight ends — and impact defensive players, as in those who can generate turnovers or pressure on the QB. If we look at the early betting lines for the MVP at Super Bowl 57, the two starting QBs top the charts.
- Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes:
- Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts:
Mahomes is the top betting favorite to win the NFL MVP award for the regular season, while Hurts is the third option on the board. Both are dealing with ailments as the postseason continues — ankle for Mahomes and shoulder for Hurts — but that hasn’t prevented them from delivering as the stakes continue to rise. It’s easy to build a case for either one, but the next tier also has a pair of interesting candidates.
- KC TE Travis Kelce:
- PHI WR A.J. Brown:
Kelce and Brown are among the league’s best at their respective positions. Both players have had breakout games this season, so a performance for the ages when the spotlight is shining the brightest certainly isn’t out of the question for either of them.
Super Bowl MVP favorite odds last updated: Feb. 7, 2023
Super Bowl MVP long shots
You can be one and done with your Super Bowl MVP bet, but you can also spread out the risk. For example, you could bet on the QB of the team that you think will come out on top, and then make another pick or two from players with longer odds. If we look below the top contenders for the early Super Bowl 57 MVP betting odds, several players could potentially fit the bill.
- PHI RB Miles Sanders:
- PHI WR Devonta Smith:
- PHI LB Hasson Reddick:
- KC RB Isiah Pacheco:
- PHI TE Dallas Goedert:
- KC RB Jerick McKinnon:
- PHI S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson:
- KC WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling:
- KC WR JuJu Smith-Schuster:
- KC QB Chad Henne:
- PHI RB Kenneth Gainwell:
- PHI CB Darius Slay:
- KC WR Kadarius Toney:
- KC WR Clyde Edwards-Helaire:
- PHI DE Josh Sweat:
- PHI DE Brandon Graham:
When considering the longer shots, try to identify players who can deliver impressive production and/or make a game-changing play. A back or receiver who receives a good number of touches can fit the bill, as can a defender or return specialist who could break the game open with a turnover or touchdown.
Super Bowl MVP long shot odds last updated: Feb. 7, 2023
How to bet on the Super Bowl MVP
There are hundreds of Super Bowl bets, and trying to pick the MVP is one of the most popular options. When the game is approaching, sportsbooks will have odds for all players with a chance of winning.
If we look back to Super Bowl LVI, the starting QBs for the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals were the top choices on the board. Matthew Stafford was hovering around +125 at game time, while Joe Burrow was at +225.
Rams wideout Cooper Kupp proceeded to have a game for the ages to win the award at odds of +600. If you had bet $50 on Kupp at that number prior to kickoff, the return would have been $300 in profit.
Betting trends for Super Bowl MVP
Here’s the position breakdown for all 57 winners (there were co-MVPs for Super Bowl XII) to date.
| Position | Times Won | Last Win |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterback | 31 | 2021 |
| Wide Receiver | 8 | 2022 |
| Running Back | 7 | 1998 |
| Linebacker | 4 | 2016 |
| Defensive End | 2 | 1986 |
| Safety | 2 | 2003 |
| Cornerback | 1 | 1996 |
| Defensive Tackle | 1 | 1978 |
| Returner | 1 | 1997 |
If we went solely by the all-time stats, then QBs are the clear-cut choice. One of them has been the correct call a little more than 54% of the time. You can also make a case for a WR, RB or LB as a riskier selection. However, we have to go all the way back to 1998 to find the last back to win (Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos).
Since that point, the award has gone to a quarterback, wide receiver or defender each time. Of the 24 awards over that period, QBs have won 15, or 62.5% of the time. Wide receivers have won five, and defensive players have tallied four (three for linebackers and one for a safety).
Recent Super Bowl MVP history
If we look back over the past decade of big games, it’s a similar story: QBs have won the majority, with the rest going to receivers and defenders. Here are the last 10 winners of the Super Bowl MVP award:
| Season | Super Bowl | Player | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | LVI | Cooper Kupp | Los Angeles Rams | WR |
| 2021 | LV | Tom Brady | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | QB |
| 2020 | LIV | Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City Chiefs | QB |
| 2019 | LIII | Julian Edelman | New England Patriots | WR |
| 2018 | LII | Nick Foles | Philadelphia Eagles | QB |
| 2017 | LI | Tom Brady | New England Patriots | QB |
| 2016 | 50 | Von Miller | Denver Broncos | LB |
| 2015 | XLIX | Tom Brady | New England Patriots | QB |
| 2014 | XLVIII | Malcolm Smith | Seattle Seahawks | LB |
| 2013 | XLVII | Joe Flacco | Baltimore Ravens | QB |
For the 10-year span, QBs have won six, while receivers and linebackers are at two each. A quarterback has won the award four out of the last six times, but receivers have been the correct call for two of the last four years.
As Kupp demonstrated last year, a top wideout for a prolific passing attack can easily steal the show. Meanwhile, there was also a great case for either Stafford or Aaron Donald to win the award.
Add it all up, and the same pattern held true: The top three candidates after the Rams’ victory were a quarterback, a receiver and a top defender.
FAQ
Has there ever been a Super Bowl MVP from a losing team?
This has happened only once in NFL history. Dallas Cowboys LB Chuck Howley was the MVP of Super Bowl V despite his team falling short to the Baltimore Colts by a score of 16-13. Howley intercepted two passes and forced a fumble during the game.
Who votes on the Super Bowl MVP winner?
A panel of 16 football writers and broadcasters, and fans can also weigh in with their say by voting electronically. The votes aren’t weighted equally; the panel counts for 80% of the tally, and the public vote is the remaining 20%.
What channel will broadcast Super Bowl 57?
Fox is the broadcast home for Super Bowl LVII, which will take place on Feb. 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The game should kick off around its typical start time of 6:30 p.m. ET.