National League MVP Betting:
With Opening Day fast approaching, MLB futures markets are already heating up, and few betting boards attract more attention from Canadian bettors than the National League MVP race.
Over the past four years, the MVP race in both leagues has been dominated by Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani is a player who needs no introduction. He is a player who has transcended the sport and bridged the gap between the MLB and the rest of the world. He’s won four MVP awards over the past five years: two in the American League with the Los Angeles Angels and two in the National League with the Dodgers.
With his second consecutive National League MVP Award in 2025, Ohtani became the only player in MLB history besides Barry Bonds to have four MVP Awards. Bonds won seven, including four consecutive NL MVP Awards between 2001 and 2004.
Ohtani enters the 2026 season as the clear betting favourite at Canadian betting sites to win a third straight National League MVP Award. At this point, history is no longer a ceiling for Ohtani. It’s something he continues to rewrite with each passing season. Oh, and in his first two seasons with the Dodgers, Ohtani has led the team to back-to-back World Series Titles.
So, can Ohtani do it again? Or are voters going to experience some Ohtani fatigue? This guide will provide a history of the award, recent winners, and what the current 2026 NL MVP betting market looks like at Canadian sportsbooks.
What Is the National League MVP Award?
The National League MVP Award is an annual award handed out by Major League Baseball to the most outstanding player in the National League. The current version of the award is voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), and it has been since 1931.
Major League Baseball’s original MVP awards date back to 1911, when players were handed the Chalmers Award. This award was provided by Hugh Chalmers of Chalmers Automobile. The winners of the award were given the Chalmers Model 30 automobile, but this award only lasted until 1914.
From 1922 to 1929, the MLB handed out its own awards for the MVP of each league. Famous MVPs during this period included Babe Ruth, Roger Hornsby, and Lou Gehrig.
Finally, in 1931, the BBWAA established the voting system that is still in place today. Baseball writers from cities with MLB franchises vote for their top ten MVP candidates. The higher the position on the ballot, the more total points they are allocated. In 1961, the only significant change to this system was made: the BBWAA limited the number of writers for each city to just two voters.
Recent National League MVP Winners
Here are the most recent winners of the National League MVP Award:
2026 National League MVP Betting Market
Canadian sportsbooks have already posted full MVP futures markets ahead of Opening Day for both the American League and National League awards.
To no one’s surprise, Shohei Ohtani sits atop the board as the betting favourite. Even without pitching, his offensive value remains unmatched. Ohtani has committed to pitching full-time for the Dodgers this year, which only helps his case
Here are the current National League MVP betting odds at BetVictor Canada:
Ohtani with negative odds to win the NL MVP before the season even starts tells you everything you need to know about this betting market. In the National League, it is Ohtani vs. the field.
It is hard to justify taking a -125 futures bet before the season starts, even if that bet is on a player of the calibre of Ohtani. For these types of odds boards, it’s certainly worth it to begin building a portfolio of potential NL MVPs outside of Ohtani.
When betting futures, you want to target mispriced odds. One that sticks out early is Ohtani’s new teammate, Kyle Tucker. Before getting injured last season, Tucker was receviing some early-season MVP buzz with the Chicago Cubs. At +3000, Tucker is going to be hitting in the middle of three MVPs in Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman. His stats could get gaudy this year, and with so many eyes on the Dodgers, Tucker is primed to absorb some of the voter fatigue for Ohtani.
A longshot we have our eye on is Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves. Olson has yet to match his 54 home run output from 2023, but nobody is doubting his potential. The Braves look like they are going to be fully healthy entering the season with Ronald Acuna and Ozzie Albies back at full health. At +8000, Olson is a longshot, but he has MVP upside, especially compared to other names with similar odds.