BetVictor offers odds on who will win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. We provide preseason odds and then update those odds every week based on the candidates who are playing the best and are most likely to win the award at that point in time.
Pass rushers and players who can dominate the game at the line of scrimmage have become the most common winners of NFL Defensive Player of the Year in recent years. Cornerbacks and safeties can occasionally perform well enough to win the award. However, players who collect a lot of sacks typically stand the best chance of winning.
With Defensive Player of the Year being decided by voters, oddsmakers update each player’s odds based on who they think voters will favor. Since there are several candidates for the award, players are more likely to have lucrative odds like 4.0 or 8.0. This is distinct from betting on games that have only two sides to a point spread. It’s only when a player is a heavy favourite to be Defensive Player of the Year will they have odds like 1.8 that are more common with games.
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Top NFL Defensive Player of the Year Candidates
The top Defensive Player of the Year candidates this season are:
- Micah Parsons
- Myles Garrett
- T.J. Watt
- Aidan Hutchinson
There appears to be a three-horse race for NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. Parsons, Garrett, and Watt have separated themselves from the pack and all have relatively short odds. Parsons won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 with 13 sacks and had 13.5 sacks in 2022, making a strong case for DPOY honors. He’s doing the same again in 2023, proving that he’s more than just a pass-rusher.
As for Garrett, he has slowly but surely become a serious contender for Defensive Player of the Year. He tallied 16 sacks in both 2021 and 2022 and is on pace for a high sack total in 2023. However, given the competition for the award, he might need 20-plus sacks to win the award.
Meanwhile, Watt won Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 when he set a single-season NFL record with 22.5 sacks. After an injury-plagued 2022 season, Watt is on track for a similar sack total to the one he had two years ago, making him a serious contender to win the award for the second time.
Finally, Hutchinson can be considered a dark horse to be DPOY. The second-year defensive end plays for the Lions, who have surpassed preseason expectations, especially defensively. That could make him a viable DPOY candidate if he can at least come close to matching the sack total of the other three contenders.
Analyzing Player Performances
To some extent, there is a correlation between the NFL sack leader and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Between 2012 and 2022, five of the 11 Defensive Player of the Year recipients also led the NFL in sacks. With the emphasis on sacks in the league today, accumulating a lot of sacks is a good way to make a strong argument to be the Defensive Player of the Year. However, since 2008, only three of the six players who led the league in sacks with at least 20 sacks won Defensive Player of the Year, so the correlation is strong but not definite.
There are more factors than just sacks that sway voters on the panel for Defensive Player of the Year. Players who have won the award multiple times like J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald both had a reputation for making an impact on games that went beyond sack totals. Likewise, defensive backs can sometimes become serious contenders for Defensive Player of the Year honors. The caveat is that they usually need to have a high interception total, which means the NFL leader in interceptions shouldn’t be counted out from winning Defensive Player of the Year.
Wrap-Up and Final Tips
When doing an NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds analysis, remember the importance of sacks. Based on recent history, there is close to a 50% chance that the league leader in sacks will win Defensive Player of the Year. Needless to say, the higher the sack total, the higher potential that it will be the determining factor. When T.J. Watt set a single-season record for sacks in 2021, there was little doubt that he would be the Defensive Player of the Year.
Of course, voters often go beyond the stats when selecting a Defensive Player of the Year. They typically look for the players who disrupt opposing offenses the most. This favors edge rushers who tally a lot of sacks but also defensive linemen who make a significant impact at the line of scrimmage despite not having the highest sack total. Finally, defensive backs who influence games and have a high interception total can sometimes eclipse pass-rushers and become Defensive Player of the Year, although this usually requires an extraordinary season.
How to Bet on the NFL Defensive Player of the Year
At BetVictor, simply visit the NFL page where you can explore several NFL betting markets, including in-play betting. Among the many options, you’ll find odds for Defensive Player of the Year. From there, pick the player you think will win and enter your wager amount into the bet slip. Just confirm that everything in the bet slip is accurate and place your bet. Also, make sure you are following safe betting habits.
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Betting FAQs
Betting on Defensive Player of the Year odds begins long before the season ends.
Yes, NFL DPOY odds continue to be updated throughout the season, usually on a week-to-week basis. The performance of players in every game can influence Defensive Player of the Year odds, which is why they are updated weekly.
BetVictor is among the best places to find updated NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds throughout the season.
Game-changing plays like a pick-six should have at least some impact on DPOY odds. These types of players make it clear that a player is a difference-maker and worthy of Defensive Player of the Year consideration.
While goal-line stands are important for an NFL defence, they are a team-based accomplishment and may not have a big influence on any individual player’s DPOY odds.
