Wooden Award Odds & Betting Lines 2026: Purdue's Braden Smith Early Favorite
The early Wooden Award odds for the 2025-26 college basketball season show Purdue's Braden Smith as a +500 betting favorite to be the men's NCAA Most Outstanding Player.
Those odds represent an implied win probability of 16.67% he takes home the award as we dive into the best odds for the favorites from our March Madness betting sites.
📊 Wooden Award odds 2026
Here are the live 2026 Wooden Award odds from our best sports betting sites. These odds will update in real time throughout the season:
🏆 Wooden Award favorite 2026
Braden Smith Wooden Award odds
Best odds: +500 via Caesars | Implied probability: 16.67%
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Smith averaged 15.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game last season while adding 2.2 steals in 37 minutes per game. He started all 36 games he played in the regular season.
However, he scored a total of just 37 points across three games during the NCAA Tournament. I wouldn't advise betting on the guard at this stage of the process, with his March Madness performance likely leaving a sour taste in the mouths of voters. I'd would look for better value further down the board.
🔢 Wooden Award opening odds
Wooden Award opening odds via DraftKings:
- Braden Smith (+500)
- JT Toppin (+750)
- Yaxel Lendeborg (+1000)
- AJ Dybantsa (+1200)
- Trey Kaufman-Renn (+1800)
- Darryn Peterson (+2000)
- Darrion Williams (+2000)
- Otega Oweh (+2500)
- Solo Ball (+2500)
- Donovan Dent (+2500)
- Boogie Fland (+2500)
- Emanuel Sharp (+3000)
- Ja'Kobi Gillespie (+3000)
- Bryce Hopkins (+3000)
- Richie Saunders (+3500)
- Alex Karaban (+3500)
- Tahaad Pettiford (+3500)
- Milos Uzan (+4000)
- DJ Wagner (+4000)
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📈 Wooden Award betting history
| Year | Name | Opening odds |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Cooper Flagg, Duke | +700 |
| 2024 | Zach Edey, Purdue | +175 |
| 2023 | Zach Edey, Purdue | +3500 |
| 2022 | Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky | +4000 |
| 2021 | Luka Garza, Iowa | +250 |
| 2020 | Obi Toppin, Dayton | N/A |
| 2019 | Zion Williamson, Duke | N/A |
| 2018 | Jalen Brunson, Villanova | N/A |
| 2017 | Frank Mason, Kansas | N/A |
| 2016 | Buddy Hield, Oklahoma | N/A |
| 2015 | Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin | N/A |
| 2014 | Doug McDermott, Creighton | N/A |
| 2013 | Trey Burke, Michigan | N/A |
📖 How to read Wooden Award odds
When reading Wooden Award odds, the odds are typically displayed in formats like +300 or -150.
Positive odds (e.g., +300) indicate how much profit you’d make on a $100 bet. For instance, a $100 bet at +300 odds would win you $300, plus your original $100 stake, totaling $400. Negative odds (e.g., -150) show how much you need to bet to win $100. So, a $150 bet at -150 odds would win you $100, plus your $150 stake, totaling $250.
These odds also reflect the implied probability of a player winning the Wooden Award. Lower odds (e.g., +200) suggest a higher chance of winning, while higher odds (e.g., +1000) indicate a lower chance. Sportsbooks adjust these odds based on various factors, including player performance, injuries, team success, and betting patterns.
For example, if Hunter Dickinson has +300 odds and LJ Cryer has +800 odds, Dickinson is considered more likely to win. If you bet $100 on Dickinson and he wins, you’d get $400 back ($300 profit + $100 stake).
❓ Wooden Award FAQs
Who is the Wooden Award favorite?
Purdue's Braden Smith is the Wooden Award favorite, with his +500 odds representing an implied win probability of 16.67% via our odds converter.
When is the Wooden Award winner announced?
The Wooden Award winner is announced following the NCAA championship game.
Has a freshman ever won the Wooden Award?
Only three freshmen had won the Wooden Award prior to Flagg. Most recently, Duke's Zion Williamson won it as a freshman in 2019. The other two freshman winners were Kentucky's Anthony Davis (2012) and Texas' Kevin Durant (2007).
Who won the Wooden Award last year?
Duke's Cooper Flagg, a freshman, won last year's Wooden Award.
What is the difference between the Wooden Award and the Naismith Award?
Although both are college basketball player of the year awards, the voting processes are different.
The Naismith Award is voted on by a board of NCAA basketball administrators, media members, and head coaches. The Wooden Award is voted on by more than 1,000 sports writers and former winners, and also takes into consideration a player's academic performance and character on top of their play.
💰 March Madness betting odds pages
👑 Best March Madness betting sites
Ready to place your March Madness bets? Check out the best March Madness betting promos from our best March Madness betting sites, as determined by our expert team at Sportsbook Review.
- FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
- Hard Rock Bet Promo Code | Read our Hard Rock Bet Review
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