NFL Conference Odds: Chiefs Favored to Win AFC with NFC up for Grabs

The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs are favored to win the AFC, while two teams from the NFC South are co-favorites to win the NFC this season.

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The Kansas City Chiefs are the favorites in odds to win the AFC conference, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints are co-favorites to win the NFC conference according to online sportsbook BetOnline. The Chiefs are listed at +180 to win the AFC, while the Saints and Buccaneers are both +325 to represent the NFC on Super Sunday.

AFC Conference Odds

Odds as of November 17 at Bovada

NFC Conference Odds

Odds as of November 17 at Bovada

Chiefs Reign Supreme

The Kansas City Chiefs, with the best NFL conference odds at +180, have picked up right where they left off last season, and that’s winning games. The Chiefs are currently 8-1 coming off their bye week. They have largely been dominating opponents, with their lone loss coming at home against the Las Vegas Raiders on October 11.

They have the highest-paid player in the league and for good reason. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is having an MVP season with an otherworldly 25-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio under the direction of offensive guru and head coach Andy Reid.

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The next team on the AFC list looks like the only team that could be poised to take down the high-flying Chiefs. The undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers are a perfect 9-0 and have been winning games in all different ways. Head coach Mike Tomlin is favored to win Coach of the Year, and their defense is one of the best in the league, led by linebacker T.J. Watt.

The Steelers at +260 have the defense that is capable of getting pressure on Mahomes and make things uncomfortable for him. They also possess an offense that can keep up scoring-wise with the Chiefs. Ben Roethlisberger is having a superb season after missing nearly all of 2019. He is helped out by a trio of good wideouts in rookie Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson.

AFC Dark-Horse Candidate

Indianapolis Colts (+1200)

It’s hard to call the Indianapolis Colts a dark-horse candidate to win the AFC. The Colts, tied with the Tennessee Titans for the AFC South division lead at 6-3, are a team that no one wants to face in the playoffs.

They brought in Philip Rivers and added offensive talent through the draft in running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Both rookies have helped contribute to the team’s success and head coach Frank Reich continues to call their numbers.

On the other side of the ball, they have one of the best defenses in the league. They added defensive tackle DeForest Buckner in the offseason and the move has paid dividends. The defense is top-five in the league and that all stems from their defensive captain, Darius Leonard.

At +1200, these odds are very enticing as the Colts will likely make the playoffs and can do some damage once they get in. If Rivers can avoid turnovers, this team will have a legitimate chance to make it to Super Bowl 55.

NFC South Contenders Have Best NFC Conference Odds

The NFC is typically the stronger conference top to bottom compared to the AFC, but this year it’s a little bit different. It’s pretty evident at this point which seven teams from the NFC will make it to the expanded playoffs. The Buccaneers and Saints are the co-favorites to win the NFC championship at +325. The Buccaneers are looking to become the first host team to play in the Super Bowl.  

Tampa Bay made the biggest offseason splash by luring Tom Brady away from New England. Brady brought his good friend Rob Gronkowski out of retirement and just recently helped bring back Antonio Brown. They joined an offense that already had some serious weapons in receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and running back Ronald Jones.

The Bucs defense is the best in the NFL this season in rushing yards allowed and is the sixth-ranked defense overall. Head coach Bruce Arians has everything at his disposal to get the Buccaneers to the promised land. Next week they face the Chiefs at home in what could be a preview of Super Bowl 55.

The New Orleans Saints were coming off their biggest win of the season on the road against the Bucs, giving them two wins over Tampa Bay and a huge edge in the NFC South. However, following last week’s win against the San Francisco 49ers, it was reported that quarterback Drew Brees will miss significant time with broken ribs and a collapsed lung. The team was starting to get healthy with the return of elite wideout Michael Thomas, but its hopes of getting a bye may have now gone out the window.

While it is expected the Saints will make the playoffs, it will come down to matchups and right now if the season ended, they would face Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks in the wild-card round, which would be a daunting task.

NFC Dark-Horse Candidate

Arizona Cardinals (+1100)

The NFC team that stands out as a long shot is the Arizona Cardinals at +1100. The Cardinals’ biggest offseason acquisition, receiver DeAndre Hopkins, has been exactly as advertised. He and Kyler Murray have been an absolute force to be reckoned with and he is second in the league in receiving yards. The “Hail Murray” will likely go down as the best play of the season.

HAIL MARY MURRAY‼️

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/NoeGeKOoRK

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 16, 2020

Murray has been a human highlight reel and has come up big in key moments, helping the Cardinals join the Seahawks and LA Rams in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC West. It’s clear that the offense has seen a huge uptick in productivity, and the Cardinals will be a tough out in the playoffs for any team.

Arizona’s defense is the one area that is concerning. The Cardinals are near the bottom of the league in both rush and pass defense and are currently the 20th-ranked defensive team in the NFL. The Cardinals have shown they have no problem playing shootouts – in their last three games, they’ve both scored and given up 30 or more points. That’s not a formula for success as the teams they face get better once the playoffs begin.

If Murray can continue to improve and progress and head coach Kliff Kingsbury continues to dial up innovative plays on offense, the Cards at a +1100 price tag are a good team to bet on.

Reading AFC & NFC Conference Odds

When you visit the best NFL betting sites, you’ll see AFC championship odds laid out like this:

Chiefs +180

Bills +1000

The team with the lowest odds is the favorite. For instance, if you think the Chiefs at +180 are the team to beat, and you bet $100, you’d get a payout of $280 – your original $100 comes back along with your winnings of $180.

On the other hand, if you think the Bills look good at +1000 and believe they’ll inch their way to an AFC championship, that same $100 would give you a payout of $1,100 – your $100 is returned, coupled with your winnings of $1,000.

Our Odds Calculator will show you how much you’d win based on the odds and amount bet.

What is a Futures Bet?

This is a bet made on events that have yet to happen. It can be argued that all sports betting is on things that haven’t taken place yet; however, a futures bet can be made weeks or even months in advance.

Before the beginning of the NFL season, oddsmakers look at each team’s records, off-season moves, and schedule to set their odds. As the games are played and coaches are fired, players succumb to injuries, and squads climb or fall in the standings, the odds will change. Because of these line movements, we suggest taking odds you like as soon as you see them.