As the countdown to Week 1 of the NFL regular season continues, there’s plenty of time to speculate on how it will all play out. Legal online sportsbooks have a number of futures markets for bettors to dig into, including this season’s NFL division odds.
While these odds are not a guarantee of what’s to come, they do provide a reasonable expectation of what could be in store for all 32 teams. There are races that could be tight, a few with clear favorites, and several others in between. Let’s take a look.
Latest NFL division odds
Below are the latest odds for NFL division winners at legal online sportsbooks. Just click the drop-down arrow to change the division. Select the odds you like at the sportsbook desired to place your bet.
NFL odds to win division with a clear favorite
Futures odds for NFL division winners have been out for some time now, which means the board has taken shape. Based on the latest numbers, three division races have clear favorites.
- AFC South: Jacksonville Jaguars
- AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs
- NFC West: San Francisco 49ers
The Jaguars won the AFC South in the final week of last season with a victory over the Titans . Many observers are expecting the club to take additional steps forward this season. Meanwhile, not much is expected out of the Colts and Texans .
The Chiefs have had a stranglehold on the AFC West, winning the crown for the last seven years. The Chargers and Broncos are up next on the board, while the Raiders are well behind the pack as far as the lines are concerned.
The 49ers won the NFC West last season and made it to the conference championship before falling to the Eagles. The Seahawks and Rams could battle it out for second place, while it’s looking like a long season could be on tap for the Cardinals .
NFL divisions with the most legitimate contenders
The current betting odds suggest that the rest of the NFL division races may end up being much more competitive. In four of the divisions, betting lines point to a few teams as potential contenders.
AFC East odds
The Bills have had the run of the AFC East for three straight years, but the chase could be much tighter this time around. The Jets appear to have solved their lingering QB problem with the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers.
The Dolphins were a playoff team a season ago and gave Buffalo all that it could handle. The Patriots are at the back of the pack in betting odds, but the club is far from a pushover. It’s not tough to see a wild card team or two coming out of the AFC East.
AFC North odds
The Bengals have won the AFC North for the last two seasons. The Ravens are attempting to close the gap; the team has kept Lamar Jackson and surrounded him with some additional weapons.
The Browns will have their first full season with Deshaun Watson under center. The team has a chance to improve on its 7-10 record as a result. The Steelers are the lowest in betting odds at the moment, but the club always seems to find a way to remain competitive.
NFC North odds
As the betting odds see it, a changing of the guard could be taking place in the NFC North. The Lions were much improved last season and just missed out on a postseason spot.
The Vikings ran away with the division a season ago before flaming out in the postseason. The Bears are looking to bounce back from a dismal campaign, while the Packers are about to begin life without Aaron Rodgers.
NFC South odds
The Buccaneers have won the NFC South the last two seasons. Following the retirement of Tom Brady, the team is now bringing up the rear in division odds. The Saints are the current favorites, and they have a new QB at the helm in Derek Carr.
The Falcons and Panthers aren’t too far behind as far as the lines are concerned, and both teams carry some intrigue heading into the current campaign. Said another way, the race to replace Tampa Bay at the top could prove to be interesting.
NFL East: This season’s tightest NFL division race
Last but not least, we land on the NFC East, where sportsbooks expect to see two teams battle it out for supremacy.
The Eagles took the division last season with a record of 14-3. The club advanced to the Super Bowl, losing a close one to the Chiefs. The Cowboys were a 12-5 wild card team that made it to the divisional round before falling to the 49ers.
As the odds suggest, the race between these two squads appears to be tight once again. While the Giants made the playoffs last year, the team is well behind in division odds, with the Commanders bringing up the rear.
Which division chases were the closest last season?
For last year’s division races, there wasn’t a ton of drama. The Titans and Jaguars battled it out to the end in the AFC South. The Bills, Bengals and Chiefs took the three other AFC divisions by two games or more.
The Vikings and 49ers had a relatively easy time in the NFC North and NFC West, respectively. The Eagles faced competition from the Cowboys in the east before ultimately winning by two games, while the Buccaneers came out on top of the south with a record under .500.
Looking ahead, betting odds are anticipating tight races in five of the eight divisions, although what actually ends up happening with NFL division bets remains to be seen as the season plays out.
