🏀 March Madness MVP Predictions 2026: MOP Odds & Best Bets
The March Madness Most Outstanding Player almost always comes from the national champion, so it's no surprise that Duke's Cameron Boozer has the same odds to win this award (+360) as the Blue Devils to win the national title.
I'm also eyeing three other players. There hasn't been a champion seeded worse than 4 since 2014, so three of my four March Madness MVP predictions back players on teams seeded No. 4 or higher. However, one of my long-shot March Madness predictions highlights a star player from No. 5 Vanderbilt.
🏀 March Madness MVP predictions 2026: MOP odds & best bets
See all of our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds; picks rated on a 1-to-5 star confidence scale based on betting value.
| Player (Team) | MOP odds | Units | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Boozer (Duke) | +360 via DraftKings | 1.5u -> 5.4u | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Jaden Bradley (Arizona) | +1600 via DraftKings | 1u -> 16u | ⭐⭐ |
| Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State) | +2200 via DraftKings | 1u -> 22u | ⭐⭐ |
| Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt) | +9000 via DraftKings | 0.5u -> 45u | ⭐ |
Total wagered: 4 units | Max profit: 45 units
📃 Affiliate disclosure
Sportsbook Review may receive a commission if you sign up through our links. Not intended for use in MA. Bonuses not applicable in Ontario. 21+ only. (Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
🏆 Who will win March Madness MVP in 2026?
Cameron Boozer to win Most Outstanding Player (+360)
If Duke, the No. 1 overall seed and current favorite to win the NCAA Tournament, were to win it all, it would be shocking for Boozer not to win this award. Boozer was named the National Player of the Year by The Sporting News, as he averaged 22.5 points (9th) and 10.2 rebounds (13th) per game this season.
Boozer averages 7.6 more points per game than any other player on Duke, and two of Duke's four leading scorers are banged up entering the tournament. That means that if Duke makes a run at the title, Boozer is going to be the sole reason why the Blue Devils find success.
💰 More March Madness MVP picks
See all of our March Madness predictions for the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Jaden Bradley, Arizona (+1600)
Arizona is the second- or third-favorite according to the March Madness odds, but unlike other No. 1 seeds, the Wildcats truly have two players who could win this award. While Brayden Burries has the best odds on the team, I'll go with Bradley, who leads the team with 4.5 assists and is one of five Wildcats averaging over 10 points per game.
Because of how well-balanced the Wildcats are, their title run could see a different player shine every night. But as Arizona's point guard, I expect Bradley to be the most consistently involved in the team's offensive success. Plus, while Burries leads Arizona with 15.9 points per game, Bradley is only 2.6 points behind, and as the team's best 3-point shooter (40.4%), he should have the most chances to make tournament-defining moments late in games.
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State (+2200)
Jefferson leads Iowa State with 7.6 rebounds per game, and he is second on the team in points per game (16.9) and assists per game (4.9). However, while he ranks second, he's only 0.2 points and 0.1 assists behind Iowa State's leaders in each category.
I also love that Jefferson is the main point-scorer for the Cyclones down low. 4.6 of his 5.7 made field goals per game come from inside the arc. Iowa State is the 13th-best 3-point shooting team in the country, but if there is a game where the team struggles, Jefferson will be the player who gets them out of the bind with huge 2-point field goals.
🎯 March Madness MVP long shot
See the official March Madness bracket for every team's path to the Final Four.
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt (+9000)
A No. 5 seed has never won the NCAA Tournament, but Vanderbilt doesn't feel like a typical No. 5 seed. A lot of that has to do with Tanner, who leads the team with 19.1 points and 5.1 assists per game. He's also fourth on the team with 3.6 rebounds per game, and he's tied for second with 2.4 steals per contest.
Vanderbilt has already beaten VCU, Saint Mary's, SMU, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida this season, so there's no doubt the Commodores can play with anyone in the country. Tanner has led Vanderbilt in scoring in 17 games, and he's led the team in assists 20 times. I also need to highlight that he shows up in the biggest games. This year, he scored 29 against Alabama and 20 each time he played Florida. He led the Commodores in all three of those games as well.
📊 March Madness MVP odds
2026 March Madness Most Outstanding Player odds via DraftKings. See the latest March Madness odds for every team in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
| Player (Team) | MOP odds | Implied win probability | Profit ($10 bet) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Boozer (Duke) | +360 | 21.7% | $36 |
| Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan) | +500 | 16.7% | $50 |
| Thomas Haugh (Florida) | +1200 | 7.7% | $120 |
| Brayden Burries (Arizona) | +1300 | 7.1% | $130 |
| Jayden Bradley (Arizona) | +1600 | 5.9% | $160 |
| Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan) | +1800 | 5.3% | $180 |
| Kingston Flemings (Houston) | +1800 | 5.3% | $180 |
| Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State) | +2200 | 4.3% | $220 |
| Alex Condon (Florida) | +2500 | 3.8% | $250 |
| Elliot Cadeau (Michigan) | +3000 | 3.2% | $300 |
| Braden Smith (Purdue) | +3500 | 2.8% | $350 |
| Aday Mara (Michigan) | +3500 | 2.8% | $350 |
| Xaivian Lee (Florida) | +4000 | 2.4% | $400 |
| Koa Peat (Arizona) | +4000 | 2.4% | $400 |
| Emanuel Sharp (Houston) | +4000 | 2.4% | $400 |
| Tarris Reed (UConn) | +4500 | 2.2% | $450 |
| Keaton Wagler (Illinois) | +4500 | 2.2% | $450 |
| Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State) | +5000 | 2.0$ | $500 |
📃 Past March Madness MVP winners
| Year | MOP (Team) | Seed |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida) | 1 |
| 2024 | Tristen Newton (UConn) | 1 |
| 2023 | Adama Sanogo (UConn) | 4 |
| 2022 | Ochai Agbaji (Kansas) | 1 |
| 2021 | Jared Butler (Baylor) | 1 |
| 2019 | Kyle Guy (Virginia) | 1 |
| 2018 | Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova) | 1 |
| 2017 | Joel Berry II (North Carolina) | 1 |
| 2016 | Ryan Arcidiacano (Villanova) | 2 |
| 2015 | Tyus Jones (Duke) | 1 |
💵 My betting record for college basketball
All college basketball picks, including SGPs, have been tracked since March 13.
| Bet type | Record | Net profit | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 10-14 | +1.09 units ✅ | +3.6% ✅ |
| Game picks | 6-8 | -1.83 units ❌ | -9.6% ❌ |
| Player props | 2-2 | -0.87 units ❌ | -13.3% ❌ |
| Parlays | 2-4 | +3.79 units ✅ | +75.7% ✅ |
💡 How I'm betting March Madness MVP in 2026
Follow all of our college basketball analysis and expert predictions for March Madness.
Boozer is on the best team, and he's definitely getting this award if Duke wins it all, so I'm risking 1.5 units on him to win this award. I love the bracket for Iowa State and Arizona, so I'm willing to risk one unit on my respective pick for each team. I feel more confident in Jefferson winning if Iowa State wins it all than Bradley winning if Arizona wins it all, but I'm also more confident in Arizona cutting down the nets, so it evens out. Because Tanner is such a long shot, I'm only risking half of a unit, which would still produce a massive payday.
Related Articles
