The 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year betting odds continue to see massive fluctuations, and a new contender has emerged in the form of Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain taking the top spot at +225 odds over at BetMGM.
Here's a look at where all first-year players currently find themselves in the race to capture the Wilt Chamberlain trophy.
2025 NBA Rookie Of The Year Odds
Odds as of November 15, 2024 at BetMGM
NBA Rookie of the Year Betting Favorite: Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers (+225)
Opening the season at +5000, oddsmakers didn't see a great deal of potential in McCain being a viable Rookie of the Year candidate, which was deserved skepticism considering he's on a roster featuring superstars Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey. With all three players have suffered significant injuries which have kept them sidelined more often than not, McCain has embraced a larger role than perhaps he even anticipated having this early in his career.
Over his last four appearances, McCain has averaged 25.5 points on 45.5 percent shooting, 42.2 percent from 3-point range, 2.3 rebounds, four assists, and 0.8 steals in 32.5 minutes. It's far and away the best four-game run of any rookie this season, which isn't saying much in a class where no other rookie is averaging more than 12 points per game when compared to McCain leading with 13.5.
NBA Rookie of the Year Darkhorse: Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies (+550)
Sitting third amongst first-year players in scoring (11.3) and first in rebounds (6.8), Zach Edey's early numbers were to be expected from a 7-foot-4 plodding center lacking in athleticism, but someone who more than makes up for it in basketball IQ.
His per-36 numbers are incredibly strong as well (20 points, 12 rebounds, and 1.6 rejections), but remaining on the court for extended runs can be difficult. Foul trouble can be an issue, and more mobile bigs can take advantage of his frame and lack of speed. Then again, it's not exactly hurting his chances for Rookie of the Year, which goes to show how right experts were about this 2024 crop.
Past 10 NBA Rookie Of The Year Winners
Victor Wembanyama was hyped as a once-in-a-lifetime talent who could single-handedly lift a franchise out of obscurity. He's the only player in the last ten years to open at minus money and go on to win Rookie of the Year. The Frenchman was also the first center since Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016 to win, as well.
NBA Teams With the Most Rookie Of The Year Winners
The five teams with the most Rookie of the Years haven't actually had a player capture the hardware in the last decade. In the case of the Golden State Warriors, a majority of their wins came when the franchise was located in both Philadelphia and San Francisco. The same applies to the Los Angeles Clippers, who had three players win when the team was the Buffalo Braves.
NBA Teams With Zero Rookie Of The Year Winners
The Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat are the only two organizations in league history to have never had a Rookie of the Year.
How To Read NBA Rookie Of The Year Odds
When you visit your NBA betting site of choice, you’ll notice 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year odds laid out like this:
- Alexandre Sarr, +600
- Zach Edey, +650
- Zaccharie Risacher, +750
- Dalton Knecht, +850
Unlike a moneyline bet where favorites are shown by the minus sign (-) and underdogs have a plus sign (+), the player with the lowest odds with the plus sign (+) is the fave. In this scenario, Alexandre Sarr is favored. If you were to bet $100 on Sarr in the NBA Rookie of the Year betting odds and it hits, you would win $700 – your $100 is returned and you would get $600 in profit.
If you were to bet on which player will be named Rookie of the Year, you would make a futures bet.
What Is A Futures Bet?
This is a bet made on events that will happen in time. In this case, it’s Rookie of the Year. To make a futures bet, you would first use the handicapping info on this page to make your decision. Our Odds Calculator can give you an idea of how much you’d win based on the Rookie of the Year odds and the amount of money you bet.