America’s most beloved sport for betting returns in early September as the NFL season kicks off with a matchup between the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills.
In legal jurisdictions, sports bettors will surely be rushing to their online platform of choice to get some action down on the game. However, the Week 1 matchups won’t be the only betting markets getting attention from gamblers.
Futures bets are a very popular bet type for NFL gamblers and betting on the divisional champions is super common. We’ve built this guide to help you get a pulse on the happenings within each division as well as some instructions on where you can find the best odds for your bet.
AFC
After winning five of the six Super Bowls between 2014 and 2019, the AFC has lost the last two. However, this season there are several teams within the AFC that are elite Super Bowl contenders.
Northstar Bets has the Buffalo Bills as Super Bowl favorites at +600 to win the entire thing.
AFC South
The AFC South is likely the weakest division in the conference as it lacks a true Super Bowl contender. Sports Interaction has the Indianapolis Colts (-140) as light favorites to win the division, but the Tennessee Titans are not far behind. The Colts added veteran quarterback Matt Ryan and hope that he will be able to give the team some stability behind centre for the first time since phenom Andrew Luck suddenly retired in his late 20s.
Will Matty Ice propel Indy to the top of the AFC South? Check out Sports Interaction for the best odds:
AFC West
The AFC West is the deepest division in the conference as you could make the case for every team to win the division crown. The Kansas City Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes, the San Diego Chargers have a great young quarterback and added a bunch of talent this offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders acquired Davante Adams to pair with college teammate Derek Carr, and the Denver Broncos traded for Russell Wilson.
The talent of the four quarterbacks in this division is astounding. Bet365 has the Chiefs as the favorites to win at +160 but it’s telling that there isn’t a massive gap before the Raiders are in fourth at +650.
Think there’s no better long shot play than Las Vegas itself? Here’s what the board looks like:
AFC North
The AFC North is the home of the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals. The team is led by young superstars Joe Burrow and Ja’Maar Chase. However, the Bengals (+170) aren’t even favored to win their own division next season. That honour belongs to the Baltimore Ravens (+145) who are led by quarterback Lamar Jackson.
AFC East
As mentioned above, the Buffalo Bills are Super Bowl favorites and thus they’re also favored to win the AFC East with odds of -225. The next closest team in the division is the Miami Dolphins but they’re sitting at odds of +475 at the moment. There are a lot of high expectations on the Bills but they seem to be up for the challenge with a well rounded roster led by MVP candidate Josh Allen.
Think this is the Bills year to be crowned kings of the AFC? Northstar Bets has the line for you:
NFC
NFC teams have won the last two Super Bowls as the Los Angeles Rams beat the Bengals last season and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers triumphed over the Kansas City Chiefs in the year prior. The conference will look to continue their streak of success and produce a third straight Super Bowl champion.
If you’re feeling good about an NFC team coming out on top, BetMGM has the best odds:
NFC West
The Los Angeles Rams traded draft pick after draft pick to acquire big name players and it paid off last season with a Super Bowl victory. This year, they’re favored to win the NFC West with odds of +110 but the Arizona Cardinals (+360) and the San Francisco 49ers (+170) aren’t far behind.
Think you know who will win the West? Check out the lastest odds:
NFC South
The NFC South is home to the biggest favourite of any NFL team in the division winner market. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are -300 to win the NFC South and that speaks to how good the team is as well as how bad the competition is. The bottom two teams in the division, the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, both have odds at +1500 or longer, something that no other division has.
Do you believe Tom Brady has what it takes at 45? Bet365 will net you the best odds:
NFC East
One of the more closely contested divisions in recent history, the NFC East lacks a team that stands out above the rest. The Dallas Cowboys (+145) are the favorite to win this season but the Philadelphia Eagles are right behind with odds of +150. These two teams are expected to battle it out all season long. Perhaps the fate of the division title rests in the hands of Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts who will be expected to take another step forward in his development.
Think Jalen will put the Hurt(s) on Dak and the ‘Boys? Visit BetRivers for the line:
NFC North
The NFC North has some of the most historic franchises in the NFL as the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers are members. The Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers will have to deal with the loss of star wide receiver Davante Adams who was traded to Las Vegas. Despite that loss, the Packers are still the favorites to win the division with odds of -155 because of Rodgers’ immense talent.
Think the Pack will run it back? BetMGM’s odds are the best:
Where is the best place to make NFL divisional bets?
While betting on the right team is crucial, it’s also important to make sure that you’re getting the best odds possible for your divisional winner bet. Accepting less than ideal odds is leaving money on the table.
With any bet, it’s a good idea to shop around different sportsbooks. However, with futures bets it’s even more important as there are often larger discrepancies between odds at the different sportsbooks for these betting markets.
Some of the best sportsbooks to compare to find good lines include Sports Interaction, Northstar Bets, BetMGM, BetRivers and Bet365. As long as the sportsbook is regulated and licensed in your province then it can be worth using it to shop the lines for your bet.
