2021 ESPY Awards Odds, Nominees, Picks and How to Find the Best Value Betting on Best Athlete
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is the -400 odds-on favorite to be named male athlete of the year at the ESPY Awards on Saturday, July 10th, 2021
- Tennis star Naomi Osaka is the +100 choice to win as female athlete of the year
- Brady’s Bucs are the -150 chalk to earn team of the year
The initial ESPY Awards were held in 1993. It only seems like Tom Brady was an award nominee that year as well.
Brady is old, but he’s not that old. However, as he nears his 44th birthday, the quarterback for the Super Bowl-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the betting choice to walk away with the 2021 ESPY as male athlete of the year.
Bet on the 2021 ESPY Awards at SBD Play
The ESPYs recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding the annual ceremony. Nominations come from the ESPY Select Nominating Committee. Online fan balloting determines the winners.
The 29th annual ESPY Awards are scheduled to be handed out Saturday, July 10th at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City. Actor Anthony Mackie is hosting the event.
ESPY Best Male Athlete Odds
| Athlete | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tom Brady | -400 |
| Nikola Jokic | +300 |
| Connor McDavid | +300 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +700 |
All odds as of July 8th
Bet on the 2021 ESPY Awards at SBD Play
A GOAT Without An ESPY
Brady has won everything there is to win in the NFL. He owns a record seven Super Bowl titles, five Super Bowl MVPs (also a record), and three NFL MVPs.
Idk…everything feels a bit lighter after some tequilla 😂 https://t.co/9l5mL8saoq
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) July 8, 2021
You know what, though? He’s never won the ESPY as best male athlete. Over the years, while receiving three nominations, Brady has never been the recipient of the honor.
Going to Tampa and leading the Bucs to Super Bowl glory in his first season away from New England, Brady couldn’t have plotted out a better storyline. He’ll win the ESPY, even though it might be more about career achievement recognition than his 2020 NFL campaign.
It’s actually a bit insulting that the winningest player in the history of America’s most significant sport has been overlooked for so long.
Pick: Tom Brady (-400)
ESPY Best Female Athlete Odds
| Athlete | Odds |
|---|---|
| Naomi Osaka | +100 |
| Simone Biles | +200 |
| Amanda Nunes | +200 |
| Breanna Stewart | +600 |
Simone’s Time To Shine
Sports fans tend to compartmentalize Olympic athletes. They put them out of sight and out of mind for three out of every four years.
.@simone_biles' boyfriend, Jonathan Owens, had no idea who she was when they first started dating 😂
Watch Ep. 3 of Simone vs. Herself, only on Facebook Watch. pic.twitter.com/QlouLBuByj
— Religion of Sports (@religionofsport) July 3, 2021
Then, in an Olympic year, those athletes are placed front and center and worshipped with a nationalistic fervor that grips the country.
Bet on Simone Biles to Win Best Female Athlete at SBD Play
It’s an Olympic year. That means it’s Simone Biles’ time to shine. She is to Olympic gymnastics what Brady is to the Super Bowl. All others bow before her legend.
Pick: Simone Biles (+200)
ESPY Best Breakthrough Athlete Odds
| Athlete | Odds |
|---|---|
| LaMelo Ball | -125 |
| Justin Herbert | +200 |
| Chase Young | +300 |
| Crystal Dangerfield | +700 |
Justin Credible Season
LaMelo Ball put up splendid numbers while winning the NBA Rookie-of-the-Year award. Justin Herbert, though, did stuff that no other rookie QB in NFL history accomplished.
Last season Justin Herbert almost beat Patrick MaHomes, Tom Brady & Drew brees in the Same season with 5 minutes notice on the sidelines with no off-season & basically no training Camp….LEGENDARY!
— 🏠 of 💧 (@OGKillaKilla__) July 8, 2021
The #3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Ball was solid for the Charlotte Hornets. His per-game averages were 15.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds.
Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers threw for the most touchdown passes and the most 300-yard games ever by an NFL rookie. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in a landslide.
Pick: Justin Herbert (+200)
ESPY Best Male College Athlete Odds
| Athlete | Odds |
|---|---|
| Trevor Lawrence | -110 |
| DeVonta Smith | +150 |
| Luke Garza | +200 |
| Gloire Amanda | +800 |
Trevor Takes This One
Alabama’s DeVonta Smith won the Heisman Trophy and the College Football Playoff National Championship. However, it’s Trevor Lawrence who is winning the hearts and minds of the American public
Football fans are anxiously awaiting what NFL first overall pick Lawrence will deliver for the Jacksonville Jaguars during his upcoming rookie season.
Gonna give #Duval everything I got. Couldn’t be more proud to represent Jacksonville. Let’s go!!! https://t.co/uGhKxqVkq4
— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) July 5, 2021
Maybe he didn’t lead Clemson to a title last season but winning can’t buy the type of hype that surrounds this kid.
Pick: Trevor Lawrence (-110)
ESPY Best Female College Athlete Odds
| Athlete | Odds |
|---|---|
| Odicci Alexander | +125 |
| Paige Bueckers | +175 |
| Jaelin Howell | +400 |
| Madison Lilley | +450 |
Alexander The Great
Leading James Madison on an improbable run in the College Softball World Series, Oddici Alexander gained national notice.
ODICCI ALEXANDER, ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 😱
📺 ESPN2#WCWS #SCtop10 x @JMUSoftball pic.twitter.com/eVJ0ruSiZY
— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) June 5, 2021
She pitched the Dukes to wins over #1 Oklahoma and #5 Oklahoma State.
A spectacular putout by Alexander also found its way into the SportsCenter plays of the day. Female athletes aren’t often given that level of attention.
Pick: Oddici Alexander (+125)
ESPY Best Team Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | -150 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +200 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide | +250 |
| Baylor Bears | +600 |
| Oklahoma Sooners | +1000 |
| Seattle Storm | +1200 |
| Stanford Cardinal | +1200 |
All Eyes On This Team
The Buccaneers were a wonderful story. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers completely dominated baseball during the 2000 campaign.
Great to see the 2020 World Series Champs, the @Dodgers, at the White House today. pic.twitter.com/zeLll1zgxf
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) July 2, 2021
Both offensively and defensively, the Dodgers were the best on the diamond. They crushed homers at a record rate.
The difficult task of being the Alabama football program is that the Crimson Tide are just expected to win every year. Any other outcome is disappointing.
Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers (+200)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
