The 2023 NFL draft gets underway tonight with the first round. There continues to be speculation about which player will be the first pick. Bryce Young (-20000) is holding strong as the betting favorite. The Carolina Panthers have the first pick, and they’ll be on the clock shortly after 8 p.m. ET.
As draft day moves along, betting odds will continue to evolve. We have the latest NFL draft odds for the first round here, along with details on the best NFL draft promos at top legal online sportsbooks and how you can gain access to them.
NFL draft odds for first overall pick
Here’s how the odds stand at DraftKings Sportsbook for who will be the first overall pick (odds subjec to change):
Young is the clear leader to be the first selection. However, there’s a case for each of the four quarterbacks to go early on Thursday night. Behind those four, there’s a logjam in betting odds. Will Anderson and Tyree Wilson are at +10000, while other top prospects such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Bijan Robinson are at +25000.
While the top choice in the draft is one of the main betting options, that’s far from the only way to wager on the proceedings. Here are some of the other top bets:
- Pick Nos. 2 through 10
- Draft positions for specific players
- Over/under on total players drafted by position
- Players to be selected in the top five, top 10 or first round
- Which player will be drafted first from among a pair or group
- Total players drafted by college or conference
- Final pick of the draft
- Exact order of the top five draft picks
- Second and third QBs selected
- First player drafted at each position
- First offensive player drafted
- First non-QB selected
- Position of team’s first drafted player
- Parlays of multiple draft bets
NFL first-round draft history
At last year’s NFL draft, the 32 first-round selections split down the middle — 16 offensive players and 16 defensive players. At the top of the draft, defense ruled the day, as the top five selections were all from that side of the ball.
As a general rule, a potential franchise QB is often the favorite to go first overall. Over the past decade alone, that has happened six times. On an all-time basis, here’s the breakdown by position of players who have been the first pick:
- Quarterbacks: 34, last in 2021
- Running backs: 23, last in 1995
- Defensive linemen: 16, last in 2022
- Offensive linemen: Six, last in 2013
- Wide receivers: Five, last in 1996
- Linebackers: Four, last in 1988
- Defensive backs: One, in 1956
NFL draft promos
Legal online sportsbooks have a number of promotions that can apply to the NFL draft.
DraftKings promo code for the NFL draft
DraftKings is offering two promos to new customers, no code necessary. To get started, click a link on this page to head to the online sportsbook and create an account. Next, make a deposit of at least $5 and you’ll receive a $50 bonus bet.
You’re also eligible for a matching bonus of up to $1,000 with that initial deposit. The bonus amount is equal to 20% of your first deposit. For example, a $500 deposit would be eligible for $100 in bonus funds.
Bonus funds are released as you play, and you’ll have 90 days to meet the playthrough requirements to unlock the funds for withdrawal.
Caesars promo code for the NFL draft
The current Caesars promo for new customers is a refund in the form of a bonus bet if your first bet loses, up to a maximum of $1,250. Use the code LSRFULL when prompted during the registration process.
Then, once you make a minimum deposit of $20, you’ll be eligible to receive the refund if your initial bet loses, up to a maximum of $1,250, as a single bonus bet. New customers will also receive 1,000 reward credits and 1,000 tier credits for the Caesars Rewards program.
BetMGM promo code for the NFL draft
The latest BetMGM promo offers the potential for up to $1,000 in bonus bets. To qualify, use the code PLAY1000 when signing up. Once you’re registered, make a minimum deposit of $10.
The promo applies to the first qualifying wager that you place at BetMGM. If that bet loses, you’ll receive the amount of your stake back in bonus bets, up to a maximum of $1,000.
