Few major sports are able to offer the drama and entertainment provided by the NFL divisional races each season. This page will help you find the best bets for your money by identifying the best price for each team at the various legal American sportsbooks with our odds comparisons tables. We’ll also offer insight into the 2023 NFL season to help you make the best bets on division winners.
At the best sports betting sites, you can wager on NFL Division winners by selecting “NFL” at the top of the page. Look for some variation of “Futures” or “Team Futures” and then “Division Winners.” This will bring up a list of teams for each division with a few key numbers to focus on: Team odds, percent of the handle, and percent of bets. The odds tell you who is favored (favorites have lower numbers) and how much a successful bet would earn you. The percent of the handle is the percentage of the total amount of money wagered on one team by the public, and the percent of bets is the percentage of the amount of bets that have been wagered on one team.
Let’s dive further into the NFL division winner odds for the 2023 season.
NFL division winner odds 2023
AFC East Odds
There’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Aaron Rodgers. The Jets landed the future Hall of Famer after a very public – and very drawn out – process. But Rodgers makes the Jets relevant and sportsbooks have been releasing Jets season specials markets all summer long. As a result, the Jets are now second in the division to the consensus favorite Buffalo Bills and just ahead of the explosive Miami Dolphins. The Patriots have slipped consistently since losing Tom Brady and without a real offensive identity.
AFC North Odds
Joe Burrow and the Bengals headline not just AFC North odds, but also Super Bowl odds. In 2023, they look to replace a pair of stud safeties and maintain their defensive prowess that makes them a dangerous postseason contender. The Ravens and Browns trail, with the latter hoping to rebound with the fresh noise of Deshaun Watson in the rearview mirror – and that Watson was worth the investment in the first place. Baltimore continued to bolster their receiving group in the draft, adding another first-round pass catcher and signing Odell Beckham Jr. While the Steelers have the longest odds, coach Mike Tomlin always has them contending for a Wild Card spot.
AFC South Odds
There’s a lot of new blood in the AFC South; three of the top four quarterbacks in the NFL Draft landed in this division and two fix to start Day 1 (CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson). That alone makes the AFC South exciting to watch, even if the football itself is subpar. The Jaguars head into camp as the odds-on favorite after a serious boost in the arm from Doug Pedersen. Could this be the year Trevor Lawrence jumps from good to great? Time will tell. The Titans also feel like they’ve been on their last leg for the last few years, but Mike Vrbael & Co. continue to be in contention and Ryan Tannehill maintains his job as QB1… for now.
AFC West Odds
No matter the talent or coaching influx that comes into the AFC West, this is the Chiefs’ league. Patrick Mahomes notched his second Super Bowl already of his young career and the Chiefs have won seven straight division titles. Justin Herbert and the Chargers present their most immediate challenge – with their twice annual rivalry matchup becoming appointment television – although Sean Payton hopes to fix the Broncos. There’s a reality that exists and one we may live in where Russell Wilson lost his fastball and no amount of receiving or coaching talent can pull him back to Seattle superstardom. Josh McDaniels again failed to produce winning football and the Raiders turned over franchise QB from Derek Carr to a band-aid, Jimmy Garoppolo.
NFC North Odds
It’s the dawn of a brand new era in the NFC North. Gone is Aaron Rodgers (who was 59-24-1 against the division) and the Lions are the new favorites after a noticeable increase in success year-over-year. Detroit has one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, a capable quarterback, and the buy-in of a head coach that’s turned them into a tough football team. The Vikings project to regress on their 13-4 finish last year due in part to so many one-score and improbable wins. The Bears are still in rebuild mode, although a lot of young talent on the team could accelerate that. The defense in Chicago, however, needs to improve. That brings us full circle back to the Packers, who have the longest odds in the NFC North behind unproven QB Jordan Love.
NFC East Odds
The defending NFC Champion Eagles come into 2023 as the odds-on favorite in the NFC East. They retained much of that roster (save for a few defensive pieces and both coordinators) and drafted a handful more Georgia Bulldogs to continue their winning tradition. The Cowboys didn’t turn much over, although Tony Pollard takes over the backfield, and added Brandin Cooks as a solid WR2. The Giants come in as longshots to win the division, but there’s buy-in from the G-Men and real, honest optimism around Daniel Jones under Brian Daboll. New York won a playoff game in 2022 and should be right back in the mix for a Wild Card spot this season. Washington is the clubhouse leader to draft 1.01 next season and lock in a new franchise QB should Sam Howell not dazzle.
NFC South Odds
Gone is Tom Brady, for real this time. Without Brady, the Buccaneers roster one of the worst QB rooms in the NFL and immediately fall to the longest odds to win the NFC South. That leaves a three-team race for the top, led by the Saints, now under the leadership of Derek Carr. The Falcons come in not far behind despite having a difficult QB situation themselves and the Panthers third behind first overall pick Bryce Young. If you’re looking for top-flight QB play, the NFC South isn’t for you. But it sure will make an intriguing division race with a playoff spot on the line.
NFC West Odds
The 49ers were a QB shy of having a real shot to go to the Super Bowl (in terms of availability, not ability). The same defensive corps returns, although under new direction in Steve Wilks. The Seahawks, under suddenly-resurgent Geno Smith, come in behind San Francisco thanks in part to a young and talented secondary, as well as one of the best receiving and running back rooms in the NFL. Should Seattle figure out better offensive line play and tighten up their front seven, they could again be a contender. But watch out for the Rams, who were on a serious downward spiral and devastated by injuries last year. They return top players like Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp. The Cardinals fix to compete with the Commanders for the top draft spot in 2024.
How to bet NFL division futures: A winning strategy
It seems every NFL season offers its share of sneaky good picks for division winners, but what are you looking for when trying to spot them? Before you analyze anything, come to this page to reference our updated odds comparisons table and shop different sportsbook offerings.
Next, consider the obvious like last year’s performance and whether the team improved in the offseason. Most importantly, consider the odds being offered. Reverting back to the AFC East, the Bills are certainly worth respect, but small returns on your money make wagering on them less worthy of your time and money. The Jets, however, added a massive free agent and have a strong young corps of players, and are profiting bettors who select them to win the division 3-to-1 on their money (meaning a $100 wager would profit $300).
Lastly, consider hedging your bets. Using the AFC North, if you feel it’s safe to go with either the Bengals or the Ravens to take the division title, it could be worth it to place bets on them both. If you put $100 on Cincy (+150) to take the division, it might be worth throwing another $50 down on Baltimore (+275). A $150 bet on the Bengals would have a total payout of $250. Should the Ravens (+275) win, that $50 bet would pay out a total of $137.50, nearly covering your original bet, but still small enough to reap a $200 win should the original bet succeed.