The new NBA season tips off on Oct. 21 and with it comes a wide range of betting possibilities, from player awards like MVP and Rookie of the Year to which team wins the NBA championship.
So which bets stand out?
We asked our NBA betting experts André Snellings, Eric Moody, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick and Steve Alexander to identify their favorite futures bet to make heading into the 2025-26 season.
Luka Doncic to win MVP (+425)
You're not going to break the bank with this one, but Luka has a huge chip on his shoulder after last season's shocking trade that sent him to the Lakers. And with LeBron James banged up to start the season, Doncic has a chance to be a one-man wrecking crew for the foreseeable future. He should challenge to lead the league in scoring and could average a triple-double this season. If the Lakers perform well, he should be solidly in the running to win MVP. And I think he will. -- Alexander
Doncic to be points per game leader (+625)
Doncic averaged 28.2 PPG after his acquisition from Dallas last season, but we should expect him to be more comfortable -- and aggressive -- in his first full season with the Lakers. Remember, Doncic led the league in scoring at 33.9 PPG in 2023-24. It wasn't so long ago! In addition, LeBron is out to start the season as noted above, and it's not like Deandre Ayton will pick up his scoring slack. This is Luka's team! Perhaps we should take the odds on him winning MVP (+425) as well! -- Karabell
Giannis Antetokounmpo to win regular-season MVP (+1300)
Antetokounmpo is flying under the radar at these odds, but he has a real shot to reclaim the award. He's coming off back-to-back seasons averaging over 30 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 6.5 APG. In 14 games without Damian Lillard, he increased that to 31.1 PPG and 7.9 APG. With Lillard gone and Myles Turner spacing the floor, Giannis will have the ball in his hands more than ever. In a weaker Eastern Conference, Milwaukee should win a ton of games, and Antetokounmpo could post undeniable numbers that put him right back in the MVP conversation. -- Moody
Atlanta Hawks to win the Southeast Division (+160)
It's not a massive reward, but the Hawks are deeper and more dynamic than last season, and arguably have a better path to becoming a true two-way power than Orlando and its lack of shooting and creation. No disrespect to the Hawks team that upset Philadelphia to go the Eastern Conference Finals, but this current roster appears to be the best yet in the Trae Young era. -- McCormick
Minnesota Timberwolves to make the Western Conference semifinals (+350)
The Wolves are quietly one of the elite teams in the Western Conference, but because they were the No. 6 seed last season their excellence isn't immediately clear. Two seasons ago, they were tied with the Thunder and Nuggets for the best record in the Western Conference going into the final day of the season, then went on to the Western Conference Finals. Last season, they traded staple player Karl-Anthony Towns for a package including Julius Randle just before the season and struggled for months before finding their level late. From there, they were one of the hottest teams in the league over the final couple months of the season and again made the Western Conference Finals.
They kept the core of their team together this offseason, but team leader Anthony Edwards should be even better at age 24 and as a team they should be much stronger this regular season than last. With this bet, they are getting plus money to reach a level they've surpassed two straight seasons and, if healthy, should do so again this season. -- Snellings