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NFL MVP odds: Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray favorite with bettors, not oddsmakers

jeremy cluff, arizona republic
·3 min read

The Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray was the NFL MVP favorite in odds for the award seven weeks into the season.

After a loss to the Green Bay Packers and missing three games to injury, that is no longer the case with oddsmakers.

Murray, who was +350 in NFL MVP odds from Tipico Sportsbook after Arizona's 7-0 start, is now +1200 after his team's Week 11 game against the Seattle Seahawks.

He is currently eighth in the odds for the award, behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tom Brady (+280), the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen (+480), the Los Angeles Rams' Matthew Stafford (+750), the Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott (+750), the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes (+900) and the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers and the Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert (+1000).

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Do those odds seem a little low to you?

They seem low to bettors.

Oddschecker reported last week that 25.9% of recent bets had been placed on Murray to win the MVP.

Prescott had received 18.5% of bets and Allen 11.1%.

"Kyler Murray has missed just two games, but that’s enough for oddsmakers to cast him aside in the MVP race," Oddschecker's Kyle Newman wrote last week. "Bettors strongly disagree with that decision, and it’s easy to see why. Murray leads the NFL in completion percentage and yards per attempt, he was on pace for more than 40 total TDs, and over 4,000 passing yards for the first time in his career. His numbers were MVP caliber. Does two games do enough to rob him of that? Oddsmakers say yes, but bettors believe he still has a strong argument."

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The Cardinals are 7-1 with Murray starting this season, their only loss on a last-second interception against the Packers.

Allen's Bills are 6-4 with him starting every game. Prescott's Cowboys are 6-3 with him as a starter (he missed one win to injury).

Brady's Buccaneers are 6-3 with him starting every game (entering Monday night's game vs. Giants). Stafford's Rams are 7-3 with him starting every game.

Rodgers' Packers are 8-2 with him starting this season (he missed one loss on the COVID-19/reserve list).

Are oddsmakers too low on Murray right now? Bettors seem to think so.

In a season bound to be filled with a lot of uncertainty, this much is certain: There is a lot of football left to see how the NFL MVP race plays out.

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Don't count Kyler Murray out of the NFL MVP race quite yet.
Don't count Kyler Murray out of the NFL MVP race quite yet.

NFL MVP odds entering Week 12:

  • Tom Brady: +280

  • Josh Allen: +480

  • Matthew Stafford: +750

  • Dak Prescott: +750

  • Patrick Mahomes: +900

  • Aaron Rodgers: +1000

  • Justin Herbert: +1000

  • Kyler Murray: +1200

  • Lamar Jackson: +1300

  • Jonathan Taylor: +2000

  • Ryan Tannehill: +5000

  • Joe Burrow: +5000

  • Kirk Cousins: +10000

  • Cooper Kupp: +10000

- Odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: NFL MVP odds: Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray favorite with bettors