Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes betting favorites for Super Bowl LVII MVP

Jalen Hurts (+125) and Patrick Mahomes (+130) are the betting favorites for MVP of Super Bowl LVIII when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagleson Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Hurts and Mahomes are the only players with odds in the single digits, as quarterbacks have won the award in 10 of the past 15 Super Bowls. Tight end Travis Kelce (10-1) and wide receiverA.J. Brown(12-1) have the next-shortest odds to win the award.

Betting on Mahomes to win Super Bowl MVP instead of Kansas City's moneyline at +110 does not make a ton of sense to me. He is the logical recipient in a Chiefs win but I'd rather just take the lower payout that does not limit me. Kelce and others have a chance so it is not worth the difference of twenty cents.

However, I do think if Philadelphia hoists the Lombardi Trophy this year, a wider range of players could win MVP. Miles Sanders (25-1) is a play I've made. Given Hurts' injured shoulder, Sanders could have a vital role. Haason Reddick (40-1) is also worth a play. The Eagles' defense will have to stop Mahomes for Philly to win. Reddick led the team in sacks during the regular season and was a force against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

"You don't want to go too high or too low. You'll see some defensive players with astronomical odds and all it might take is a couple of sacks to swing things in their favor if it is not a clear-cut decision," Caesars Sportsbook assistant director of trading Adam Pullen told ESPN. "So, pricing defensive players is something that is usually the most challenging every year when putting up the MVP odds."

Von Miller (40-1) and Malcolm Smith (100-1) both cashed long-shot tickets over the past decade as defensive Super Bowl MVPs. Only three wide receivers have won MVP over the past 15 years, including Cooper Kupp (+600) ofLos Angeles Rams last year.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley in Super Bowl V is the only player ever to win MVP from the losing team.