NBA Most Improved Player Betting: What You Should Consider
![NBA Most Improved Player Betting: What You Should Consider NBA Most Improved Player Betting: What You Should Consider](https://gambling.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=1200,h=675,format=auto,fit=cover/https://objects.kaxmedia.com/auto/o/58885/04aa8310a3.jpeg)
There are two schools of thought when considering voting on Most Improved Player. Despite its simple title, it’s actually pretty vague, making it a little tough for NBA betting fans to zero in on without some solid strategy.
Some believe the award should go to the player that improved the most over the course of a season; that usually means a young player who blossoms in an expanded role.
Others believe young players are supposed to improve year-to-year and make big strides, and that the Most Improved Player should go to an older player who makes a significant, unexpected jump thanks to a new role on a new team.
Because the award’s description is rather vague, award winners have been all over the map in terms of age, position and experience, something you should also consider in NBA Sixth Man Award Betting.
In 2007, Monta Ellis won the award in just his second NBA season as he transformed from bench player to second leading scorer for a playoff Warriors team. One year later the award went to 28-year-old Hedo Turkoglu, who upped his scoring average to 19.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists for a 52-win Magic team.
Two years before a 21-year-old Tracy McGrady won the award, his 30-year-old teammate Darrell Armstrong took home honors.
Because all different shapes, sizes, ages and positions have won the award it can be tough to hone in on trends that help in wagering. Scoring, recognition from peers and picking up victories can help in picking a winner.
NBA Most Improved Player Betting Tips
Award Winners Post Career-Highs in Points
The game’s always been about scoring, and Most Improved Player winners do plenty of it. The NBA is collectively posting offensive numbers that have never been seen before. So, it isn’t surprising that we see the majority of Most Improved Players making a massive leap in points per game.
From 2001 to 2016, the 16 winners of the award improved their scoring by 8.06 points per game. That may not seem like a lot on the surface, but go to your favorite player’s stats page and see how significant an 8-point jump in one season really is. It’s significant.
Whether it’s a young or old player you’re considering betting on, make sure they weren’t all that big a scorer the previous year; that’s because 15 of the 16 winners had never averaged 17 points the season before winning.
The one outlier was Danny Granger in 2009, when he jumped from 19.6 to 25.8 points per game. That 6.2 point-per-game leap was still significant.
Most MIPs Make an All-Stat Leap Too
No Most Improved Player has ever been named an All-Star prior to winning. All-Stars definitely improve year-to-year as they go from good to great, and great to elite, but they don’t get recognition as the Most Improved Player.
That being said, Most Improved Players more often than not become All-Stars or All-Pros at some point in their careers. From 2009 to 2018, six of the 10 winners were All-Stars that same year. And those six players were actually among the best All-Stars in that they were also named to All-NBA teams at season’s end.
That was a major shift from when zero Most Improved Players from 2003 to 2008 were named All-Stars that year.
Perhaps the requirements for the award are increasing. Young players are more so expected to improve each year, while voters are looking for significant jumps in production that lead to All-Star and All-Pro honors.
For latest sports odds and offers check out: 888 Sportsbook Bonus.
Nothing Tops Winning
Like most of the major awards outside of Rookie of the Year, winning is critical to coming home with Most Improved Player honors.
From 2006 to 2015, the 10 winners’ teams averaged 43.4 victories. That’s only just above .500 over an 82-game schedule but consider that seven of the 10 winners made the postseason. However, every Most Improved Player winner from 2012 to 2018 made the postseason, with an average of 46.7 wins.
As has been the case with All-Stars and All-Pros winning the award, the requirements are improving for how a player’s team does as well.
A leap in points, All-Star recognition and team success gives us three key indicators of a Most Improved Player winner.
Recommended Betting Sites
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New Customers Only. Max one £20 Free Bet. Qualifying bets at Odds of 1/1(2.00) or greater. Paid as Bonus Token with Min 4/5(180) Odds Req. Skrill, Neteller & Paypal not eligible. T&Cs ApplyDual Bet Site & Casino PlatformFree Bet Thursdays - Earn Free Bets Every WeekAccumulator Boosts of up to 77%not requiredBonus Code
The code required to claim this sign-up bonus (if any)
Live StreamingIs there live streaming of sporting events?
NoOur RatingGambling.com's rating of this betting site out of 100
99Bet BuilderCan you create your own personalised bets?
YesCash OutCan you cash out of bets before an event has finished?
YesAcca InsuranceRefund or free bet when one selection in an accumulator lets the bet down
NoBzeebet is relatively new but already offers everything we expect from the best online bookmakers, including features such as live betting, cash out, bet builder and accumulator boosts. - #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers only. £10 in real money. Bets placed on sports at odds of 2.00 ore more to qualify. Bets must be placed 24 hours within of registration. £10 free bets must be wagered on sports. Cashback is cash without restrictions. - Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. 18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10+ on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 6x £5 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments & Apple Pay only. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers only. Register with SUMMER50 First bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 6x Free Bets: 3 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.
- 6#ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. 18+ New Customers Only. Opt in and bet £10 (odds 2.00+) within 3 days of sign up. No cash-out. Get a £10 Free Bet (odds 2.0+), which expires in 5 days. Cards and Apple Pay payments only. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 on any football market at minimum 1/1 odds. No cash out. Get £40 in Free Bets on selected events. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Debit card / Apple Pay payments only. T&Cs apply, see below. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G50 on registration. £/€10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £/€10 Place). Receive £/€20 Tote Credit, £/€20 Free Sports Bet and 50 Extra Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. http://Gambleaware.org .
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers only. Available once per household. Max. FreeBet amount: £10 Minimum Deposit and wagering on sport to activate the Free Bet is: £10 Void/cancelled or cashed out bets do not count towards wagering to activate the free bet. Offer valid only to customers making a first deposit of £10 or more. Offer only applies to players who are residents of United Kingdom and Irland.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via ‘My Offers’ page within 30 days. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play, min odds 1/1 (2.0). Max. extra winnings £100. Once claimed, 30-day expiry. Cashed out, System & EW bets do not qualify. Other Promotional Play Restrictions Apply. T&Cs apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. gambleaware.org. T&C Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. If your account has Sportsbook losses at the end of your first day's betting, QuinnBet will refund 50% of your losses as a Free Bet up to £35 (min 3 bets) Plus 10 Free online casino spins at QuinnCasino. Even if your account is up, you're guaranteed a £5 Free Bet Plus 10 Extra Spins provided you place at least 1 bet of £10 or greater at the minimum odds. T&Cs apply | 18+ New UK Customers Only | GambleAware.org | Gamble Responsibly.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. Min £10 deposit and bet on odds 1/1 or greater required. deposits via Paypal, Neteller, Pasafe, Skrill or Skrill 1-Tap will not be eligible for any free bet offer. Extra bet and bonus spins issued within 24 hours of quailfying bet being settled. Extra bet valid for 14 days, stake not returned. Bonus spins valid for 24 hours, selected games only.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New Players Only. Min. $/€10 deposit and bet on odds 1/1 or greater required. Extra bets and bonus spins are issued within 24 hours of the qualifying bet being settled. Extra bet valid for 14 days, stake not returned. Bonus spins are valid for 24 hours, only available on the Book of Dead game. Terms and Conditions apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. [Gambleaware.org|https://www.gambleaware.org/]. Get a percentage boost on all football multibets of 4 or more selections. - Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New Customers only. Must have a minimum of 3 bets of £10 or more on separate events at odds of evens (2.0) or bigger on first day. First day losses equals all settled stakes less all returns. T&C's apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. Get a percentage boost on all football multibets of 4 or more selections. - Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New cust only. Deposit & Place a Bet within 7 days, and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater, to be credited with 3x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse Racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. T&Cs Apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers online only. Min Odds 3/1 (4.00), Min 3 Selections. Free Bet Valid For 7 Days
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £10 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. - Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Place a £50 bet on any sport at at odds of Evens (2.0) or greater to qualify for three free bets on settlement: £10 on Football, £10 on Greyhound and £5 on Virtual Sports, plus 10 Extra Spins on Reel King. Free Bet & Spins expire in 7 days. Additional T&Cs apply. Please bet responsibly.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. Deposit and place a bet on Euro2024 odds of evens 1/1 (2.00) or greater. Minimum deposit to qualify for this promotion is £/€50. You will receive a 150% deposit bonus if your qualifying bet on the first day is four times your deposit. T&C's apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. 18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned | T&Cs apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New members only. £10 min bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals) at 1.5 min odds, placed & settled in 14 days of sign-up. Win part E/W bets. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days on sportsbook only. Stake not returned. Click here for full rules and exclusions. Bet Responsibly.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New Players Only. Free bet - one-time stake of £10, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from receipt. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms apply. Full Terms Apply. 18+ | BeGambleAware | #Ad.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £10 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. T&Cs apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New Players Only. Free bet - one-time stake of £30, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill deposits. Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New Players only. Max. Free Bet Token amount: £10.Minimum Deposit: £15. Minimum wagering on Sport to activate the Free Bet Token: £15
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New UK+IRE Customers. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 1x £20 free bet. Free bet available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions - Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. Cash back without wagering the day after if the player loses all the money in the account. Min deposit £10. Gameplay is monitored. Full T&Cs apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 17.10.2022. 3x £10 free bets. Free bets expire after 30 days. New customers signing up through mobile or tablet device only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). Further terms apply. #ad - Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers. Max £10 (exc. PayPal). 100% Odds Boost Token. Keep it fun - set your deposit limit. T&Cs apply. - Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New player only, 1st deposit, min deposit £15, Max £15 Free Bet valid for 14 days, Bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. Neteller, Skrill and Payapl not eligible. T&C apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New Players Only. Min £ 20 qualifying bets stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of £ 40, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. This promotion is for new customers only. - Sign up using the promo code bet20get10 and make a minimum deposit of £20. - Place a minimum £20 cash bet at odds of Evens (2.0) or greater and receive a £10 Free Bet
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers only. Min stake £2. Min legs 3. Max win £1,000. Min odds 3.0. Max £25 back as a Free Bet on losing bets only. 7 days to use free bet at odds 2.0+. Full T and Cs apply. Play responsibly GambleAware®: Gambling Help & Gambling Addiction • T&Cs apply - Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. T&Cs apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions. - Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New Players Only. Min £10 qualifying bets stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of £10, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. 18+ Opt in, bet £10 on any sports (odds 2.00+) in 7 days. No cash out. Get 4x£5 sports free bets for set markets (odds 2.00+), which expire in 7 days. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. Welcome Bonus: New players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £15, Max £10 Free Bet valid for 14 days. Bets Must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. Neteller, Skrill and PayPal not eligible. T&Cs apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashedout/Free Bets won't apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet per customer, household & IP address. T&C's apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers only. Min Dep £10. Debit cards only. Opt in for bonus funds. Wagering, sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Sports bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Valid for 7 days. Geographical Restrictions and T&Cs Apply. - Full Terms Apply
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New Players Only. Min £/€/$ 20 qualifying bets stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of £/€/$ 30, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £/€/$ 200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms Apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New UK customers only. Promo code: bonus10 (case sensitive- lower case) . Min deposit & single bet £30. Evens (2.0) or above. Bet must be placed same day as deposit. £5 Free bet added after qualifying bet settlement, £5 in Extra Spins within 48 hrs. Full T&Cs apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Min Deposit: £10. Free Bet awarded: £10. 1 x £10 must be wagered at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). Free bet will expire 7 days after the 1st deposit. 18+. GambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way. Full Terms apply.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. Spread betting losses can exceed deposit. Plus Best Odds On All Premier League Matches(fixed odds Match Odds, pre-match v top 5 bookies on Oddschecker). See full details.
- #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. 18+, WELCOME BONUS: NEW PLAYERS ONLY, 1ST DEPOSIT, MIN DEPOSIT,: £10, MAX £20 FREE BET VALID FOR 14 DAYS, BETS MUST BE PLACED AT ODDS OF 1/1 OR GREATER AND BE SETTLED WITHIN 14 DAYS OF PLACEMENT. SYSTEM BETS NOT ELIGIBLE. NETELLER,SKRILL AND PAYPAL NOT ELIGIBLE. T&C APPLY
Stay In The Loop With Free Bets, Insider Tips & More!
Live Betting. Sports Promos. Sent Weekly.