NFL Super Bowl 2025 Odds: Why the Favorites Are Shaking Up the Board

NFL Super Bowl 2025 Odds: Why the Favorites Are Shaking Up the Board

Wait, let's just be real for a second. If you looked at the NFL Super Bowl 2025 odds back in August, your ticket probably looks like a chaotic mess right now. We are currently sitting in mid-January 2026, and the landscape of the postseason is nothing like what the "experts" predicted during training camp. Remember when the Kansas City Chiefs were the inevitable powerhouse? Yeah, things changed.

Now, as we stare down the Divisional Round, the betting boards at places like DraftKings and FanDuel have done a total 180. The Philadelphia Eagles—who entered the 2025-26 season as the defending champs after beating the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX—are already sitting on their couches. They got bounced in the Wild Card round by the San Francisco 49ers. It's a reminder that in this league, the only thing guaranteed is that nothing is actually guaranteed.

The New Kings of the Board

If you’re hunting for the favorite right now, you have to look toward the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle Seahawks have surged to the top of the NFL Super Bowl 2025 odds (technically for the game happening in Feb 2026) at roughly +270. It sounds wild to say out loud, but Sam Darnold is playing out of his mind. Under Mike Macdonald, that defense has become a nightmare for offensive coordinators, surrendering only 13 points over their last two regular-season games.

They aren't alone up there, though.

👉 See also: Eastern Conference Finals 2024: What Most People Get Wrong

  1. Seattle Seahawks (+270): The No. 1 seed with a defense that travels.
  2. Los Angeles Rams (+320): Matthew Stafford is still the boogeyman in the playoffs.
  3. New England Patriots (+600): Drake Maye’s second-year leap is the story of the AFC.
  4. Buffalo Bills (+650): Josh Allen is basically a human cheat code at this point.

Honestly, the Rams at +320 feels like a trap or a steal depending on who you ask. They just got Davante Adams back from a hamstring injury, and he immediately caught 14 touchdowns this year. When Stafford has Puka Nacua and Adams on the field together, it’s basically unfair.

Why the AFC Odds are a Total Toss-up

The AFC side of the bracket is a complete bloodbath. The New England Patriots, led by Jerod Mayo and a rejuvenated coaching staff under Mike Vrabel, are sitting pretty as the No. 2 seed. They just dismantled the Chargers 16-3. Drake Maye has legitimized that offense, ranking first in EPA per play.

Then you have the Houston Texans.

✨ Don't miss: Texas vs Oklahoma Football Game: Why the Red River Rivalry is Getting Even Weirder

They were +1200 just a few days ago. After Smacking the Steelers in the Wild Card, their odds have jumped to +850. They are on a nine-game winning streak. Nine games! DeMeco Ryans has that unit playing like they’re possessed, and even though they have to travel to Foxborough to face the Pats, people are starting to put real money on them.

The Denver Broncos are the other elephant in the room. Bo Nix has settled in, but it’s the defense that’s doing the heavy lifting. They lead the NFL in net yards allowed per pass. If you're looking for a team that can win a 13-10 slog in the freezing cold, it's Denver.

The Longshots That Could Actually Win

Look, nobody likes betting the favorite at +270. There’s no juice in it. If you’re looking for a "lottery ticket" that actually has a pulse, the Chicago Bears (+1600) are the team everyone is whispering about.

🔗 Read more: How to watch vikings game online free without the usual headache

They were down 21-3 against Green Bay in the Wild Card. Most people turned the TV off. Then Caleb Williams happened. A 25-point fourth quarter later, they’re still alive. It’s inconsistent, sure, but in a single-elimination tournament, you want the quarterback who can get hot for 15 minutes and change the season.

The San Francisco 49ers are also lurking down at +2000. It’s weird seeing them that low, but they’ve been banged up all year. Christian McCaffrey is still doing McCaffrey things—over 2,100 yards from scrimmage—but the defense hasn't been the "Steel Curtain" of years past. Still, at +2000 for a team with that much playoff experience? You’ve seen worse bets.

What's Moving the Lines Right Now?

Injuries are the obvious one. Seattle is holding their breath on LT Charles Cross and his hamstring. If he can’t go, those +270 odds might start drifting toward +350 very quickly. Darnold is great when he’s clean, but he still gets "spooked" (as the scouts say) when the interior pressure starts mounting.

On the flip side, the Bills are rising because Josh Allen is the reigning MVP and historically owns the month of January. He has the best TD-to-INT ratio in postseason history for guys with more than 10 starts. The problem? Their run defense is a sieve. If they run into a team like the Broncos or Rams who can ground and pound, Buffalo might be in trouble.


Key Actionable Insights for Betting the Playoffs

  • Watch the Home/Road Splits: The Patriots are 8-0 on the road but have been human at home. If they have to host Houston, don't automatically assume it's a lock.
  • The "McVay" Factor: Sean McVay has been here before. The Rams have a top-10 pass-block win rate and a top-10 run-stop win rate. Only Denver can match that balance.
  • Hedge Your Futures: If you have an old ticket on the Chiefs or Eagles, it’s gone. If you’re holding a Seahawks ticket from the preseason at +3000, now is the time to start looking at AFC favorites to lock in some profit.
  • The Underdog Trend: In the last few Super Bowls, the underdog has won outright more often than they've covered the spread. Don't be afraid of the moneyline on "dog" teams like Houston or Chicago.

The market for NFL Super Bowl 2025 odds is moving faster than a Tyreek Hill post route. By next Tuesday, half of these teams will be gone, and the odds will probably slash in half for the survivors. If you like a number, take it now, because the "value" disappears the moment the kickoff happens on Saturday.