Why Sportsbooks Are Rooting Against Drake Maye In MVP Race

Drake Maye has two more opportunities to make his case to win this season’s NFL MVP award. Sportsbooks are hoping the New England Patriots quarterback doesn’t take home the honor.

BetMGM and DraftKings consider Maye their biggest liability in the MVP market, per ESPN’s Doug Greenberg and Pamela Maldonado. DraftKings director Johnny Avello said the sportsbook is “rooting for (Matthew) Stafford” or anyone else to win over Maye, whose triumph would place them at “a pretty good loss.”

Gamblers have wagered more on Maye to win MVP than the other prominent candidates. That popularity also extends to the Patriots, who followed a four-win campaign by making the playoffs and can clinch the AFC East on Sunday.

“We couldn’t stop the Maye train, we just couldn’t,” Avello said. “And it’s like that not only for Maye, but it’s the Patriots in general. I mean, they’ve been bet all year long to win the division, to win the Super Bowl, win the conference. We’ve got money on them everywhere.”

The betting favorite earlier this season, Maye is +300 to win MVP behind Stafford’s -380 on DraftKings before Sunday’s Week 17 action. Josh Allen remains a feasible longshot at +3000, but the market indicates a two-man competition near the finish line.

Stafford’s 40 passing touchdowns hover over Maye’s 25, and the Los Angeles Rams veteran also enters Sunday with more passing yards (4,179) and fewer interceptions (five). However, Maye has a superior 8.7 yards per pass attempt and 73.3 QBR for a Patriots team that’s rapidly exceeded expectations in 2025.

Maye could make the sportsbooks sweat with big games against the Jets and Miami Dolphins to close the regular season. The burgeoning star could then cost them more money by steering the Patriots to a deep playoff run.