Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes enters season as NFL MVP favorite, but Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen drawing most bets

ByDAVID PURDUM
September 8, 2021, 8:49 AM

Superstar quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and  Aaron Rodgers are the favorites to win the NFL regular-season MVP award, but Josh Allen is receiving the most support from bettors at sportsbooks around the nation.

Allen, the Buffalo Bills' fourth-year quarterback, has attracted more bets to win the Associated Press MVP award than any other player at multiple sportsbooks, including a $10,000 wager placed at 13-1 odds in June with Caesars Sportsbook in Indiana. Allen enters the season as the largest MVP liability at BetMGM sportsbooks, having drawn nearly twice as many bets as Mahomes, the consensus favorite.

The Chiefs' Mahomes is listed at 5-1 at Caesars Sportsbook. Rodgers, the reigning MVP who elected to return to the  Green Bay Packers this season, is next at 10-1, followed by Allen and the BuccaneersTom Brady, who are each 12-1. Baltimore's Lamar Jackson and Dallas' Dak Prescott are 16-1, followed by Seattle's Russell Wilson and the Rams' Matthew Stafford at 18-1.

The SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas received a surge of betting interest on Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill after the team's acquisition of wide receiver Julio Jones. Tannehill's odds at the SuperBook improved from 80-1 to 30-1.

Titans running back Derrick Henry has the best odds of any non-quarterback at 50-1 at Caesars. A quarterback has won the award the past eight seasons. Running back  Adrian Peterson was the last non-quarterback to win it, in 2012 while with the  Minnesota Vikings.

Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald has the best odds of any defensive player at 125-1.

"We're of the opinion here that we're fine writing bets on running backs or receivers or defensive players to win the MVP," said John Murray, executive director of the SuperBook. "If you want to bet a non-quarterback to win these awards, we're happy with that."

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (7-2) is the favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year, followed closely by New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (9-2).

Prescott is the favorite to be named Comeback Player of the Year at 11-10, and the  Cleveland Browns' Kevin Stefanski is the favorite to be named Coach of the Year at 13-1 at Caesars Sportsbook.