Gobert Favored for Third DPOY

With the second half of the season here, the awards race is beginning to come into focus with leaders establishing themselves across the league. While some surprises are popping up around the NBA, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds feature many defensive stalwarts. 

Though there’s still a long way to go in the season, let’s take a look at NBA DPOY odds.

Favorite to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year

Unsurprisingly, Rudy Gobert is the favorite (-220) for Defensive Player of the Year. A two-time winner of the award and four-time member of the All-Defense first-team, Gobert is the league’s most dominant paint presence and rim protector. He would find himself in the conversation in any season, but with the Jazz playing so well, his candidacy becomes that much stronger in 2021.  

A first-team All-Defense selection in 2020, Ben Simmons is second on the odds board (+260). The Sixers’ point forward has been an incredible individual defender this season, often picking up the toughest assignment regardless of position (excluding center).

Rounding out the Top 3 is the Pacers’ Myles Turner (+500). An exceptional rim protector who has been able to completely focus on the defensive end with Domantas Sabonis’s emergence on offense, Turner is averaging a career-high 3-plus blocks per game in 2021.

Odds to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year

Odds courtesy of FanDuel

Understanding NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds

Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. We’ll use last season’s Rookie of the Year race as an example: 

As last season progressed, with Ja Morant having been a huge favorite, his odds had a minus (-) sign ahead of the number: 

This means that a bettor needs to wager $500 to win $100. Other candidates with worse odds would have a plus (+) sign ahead of the number. Early in the season, before any clear favorite is established, betting options will be listed as such: 

Here, a bettor stands to profit $650 for every $100 wagered.

If American odds aren’t your thing, simply use our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.

NBA Defensive Player of the Year history