2024 Most Oustanding Player odds: Donovan Clingan, not Zach Edey, early favorite

The Final Four is here, and bettors can now bet on the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, in addition to wagering on March Madness championship futures.

When it comes to the MOP market, Purdue’s Zach Edey is probably the player that comes to mind for most.

Before the tournament started, the 7-foot-4 senior was a virtual lock to win the Wooden Award. And in his squad’s 2024 postseason run, he’s been unstoppable, racking up 30 points per contest.

That said, the Purdue big man isn’t the favorite to win the prestigious award.

Let’s check out the latest MOP odds at BetMGM, along with an expert pick from Will Hill.

2024 Men’s March Madness Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament: *

Donovan Clingan, UConn: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)
Zach Edey, Purdue: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)
Tristen Newton, UConn: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
Cam Spencer, UConn: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
DJ Burns, NC State: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Stephon Castle, UConn: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
All other players +2500 or longer odds

* odds as of 4/1/2024

Here’s a look at the current betting action on the award:

Highest Ticket %

Zach Edey 21.3%
DJ Burns Jr. 14.4%
Tristen Newton 8.1%

Highest Handle%

Zach Edey 23.3%
Tristen Newton 16.1%
DJ Burns Jr. 12.1%

Biggest Liabilities

DJ Burns Jr.
Zach Edey
Braden Smith

Will Hill’s pick: Donovan Clingan +200

The first step when figuring out who to bet for tournament MOP is to identify which team you think will ultimately win the championship. Yes, a player from a team who didn’t win the title has won the award, but it hasn’t happened since 1983, when Akeem Olajuwon won this award for Houston, despite upstart NC State winning the title. 

I think we’re past the days when this award can come from the losing team. It has also been decades since a player from the losing team has won Super Bowl MVP, and if LeBron James didn’t win NBA Finals MVP with his performance in 2015, it’s fairly safe to say the appetite is no longer there to reward anyone other than a player from the winning team. 

Considering UConn is a 12-pt favorite Saturday vs. Alabama, and would either be a 5.5- or 15.5-point favorite in the title game, I’m going to put my money on a Husky to win this award. 

Clingan is the short shot at around 2-1 depending on where you shop, and I believe is rightfully favored considering he’s shooting 67.5% in the tournament, while his presence on defense is hard to quantify (aside from the 14 blocks he has in four tournament games so far). It’s not a foregone conclusion that Clingan takes home the award if UConn wins it all, but it’s very likely they face Purdue for the title, and if he handles Zach Edey en route to a second straight title, there will be strong sentiment to reward Clingan for his efforts. 

Follow along with FOX Sports for the latest news on March Madness!

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