2023 NFL Futures: Odds, Bets, and Predictions to Make The Playoffs
The NFL season is still months away but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad time to make some NFL Futures bets. Every bettor’s situation is different but what I have noticed is there are higher expected value bets to make in the futures market. It’s essentially pitting the time value of money against expected value.
Betting and financial jargon aside, Ryan Noonan and I combined for nearly 40 units in the futures market last year. You can find all of our bets for this year here!
There are tons of ways to bet on each team, including to win the Super Bowl, their win total, to win the division, and odds to make the playoffs. This is one of my favorite markets since you don’t need to run as hot as a super bowl or division winner yet get a better payout than a team’s win total.
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2023 NFL Odds to Make the Playoffs
2023 Odds To Make the Playoffs Bets
Teams with really long odds, either way, aren’t worth spending much time on, so I’ll skip around to the teams who are viable. It’s worth noting that given how the NFC and AFC are broken down, making the playoffs in the AFC is much, much tougher.
Arizona Cardinals Playoff Odds
Yes: +1000 at PointsBet
No: -2000 at Caesars
Kyler Murray is expected to miss some time during the year and the roster is barren in terms of talent.
Atlanta Falcons Playoff Odds
Yes: +120 at PointsBet
No: -135 at Caesars
Our own, SharpClarke, bought into the Falcons at over 7.5, and for good reason. In a weak division with the second-easiest strength of schedules, it’s easy to piece together a way in which they make the playoffs.
Lean: Yes
Baltimore Ravens Playoff Odds
Yes: -158 at FanDuel
No: +135 at Caesars
Lamar Jackson is back, and the Ravens added Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham to give Lamar a strong pass-catching group. The Ravens are in a great position to win 10+ games and make a run in the playoffs. Their win total is 10.5 in a lot of spots, so their odds to make the playoffs are a better look at this point. Last year the Dolphins made the playoffs with nine wins, while the Ravens and Chargers made it in with 10 games. Betting to make the playoffs instead of a juiced over 9.5 gives you the out of them winning exactly nine games and still making the playoffs. If they win 10 they are very, very likely in.
Lean: Yes
Buffalo Bills Playoff Odds
Yes: -240 PointsBet
No: +210 Caesars
The Bills would need an injury not to make the playoffs, but I’m not interested in laying -240, either.
Carolina Panthers Playoff Odds
Yes: +175 at Caesars
No: -192 at PointsBet
Even in a relatively weak division, I would need more than +175 on them making the playoffs despite the addition of Bryce Young.
Lean: No
Chicago Bears Playoff Odds
Yes: +175 Caesars
No: -200 at PointsBet
Unlike the AFC, the NFC had two 9-win teams make the playoffs as wild cards, and an 8-win team won a division. With a much lower barrier, +175 isn’t a bad look if you believe in Justin Fields hitting the upper range of his outcomes, as this is essentially a bet on 9+ wins. Given that their current win total is 7.5, getting over 8.5 at +175 is a reasonable value.
Lean: Yes
Cincinnati Bengals Playoff Odds
Yes: -310 at DraftKings
No: +275 at Caesars
The Bengals missing the playoffs would take two of the Browns, Ravens, or Steelers taking a step forward which while it's possible, it would need to be a bit longer for me to consider.
Cleveland Browns Playoff Odds
Yes: +120 at PointsBet
No: -120 at Caesars
If you believe in Deshaun Watson and the offense being competent, Yes at +120 is a solid look here. Ten wins gets them in, with the potential of 9 wins slotting them in as well which is a better way to play them then their win total.
Lean: Yes
Dallas Cowboys playoff Odds
Yes: -192 at PointsBet
No: +180 at FanDuel
Even in a tough division with the Eagles, the Cowboys are absolutely expected to make the playoffs via wildcard or division winner.
Lean: Yes
Denver Broncos Playoff Odds
Yes: +190 at PointsBet
No: -210 at Caesars
I’m not sure if Sean Payton is enough to rescue the disastrous 2022 offense, and even if he does, winning 9-10 games is an uphill climb with the Chiefs and Chargers in their division. That being said, this is probably a better bet than them winning the division.
Detroit Lions Playoff Odds
Yes: -165 at PointsBet
No: +140 at Caesars
The Lions will probably make the playoffs considering the Packers are now without Aaron Rodgers, and the Bears and Vikings are expected to be middle-of-the-pack, but -160 implies too much certainty for me to bet the yes.
Green Bay Packers Playoff Odds
Yes: +190 at PointsBet
No: -200 at Caesars
I’m starting to think the Packers are a bit underrated if their defense can live up to expectations and Jordan Love proves to be competent.
Lean: Yes
Houston Texans Playoff Odds
Yes: +650 at Caesars
No: -750 at Pointsbet
Even with second-overall pick CJ Stroud under center, it's tough to imagine too many ways that the Texans make the playoffs in 2023.
Indianapolis Colts Playoff Odds
Yes: +350 at FanDuel
No: -420 at Caesars
If you believe that Shane Steichen can turn Anthony Richardson into Jalen Hurts as a rookie, the "yes" here is a great look. That's far too rich for my blood so it's a stay away for me.
Jacksonville Jaguars Playoff Odds
Yes: -195 at PointsBets
No: +175 at Caesars
There will likely only be one team making the playoffs out of this division, so you are much better off playing them to win the division.
Kansas City Chiefs Playoff Odds
Yes: -450 at Caesars
No: +360 at FanDuel
It would take an injury to Patrick Mahomes within the first few weeks for them to not make the playoffs which is not something I would want to bet on.
Los Angeles Chargers Playoff Odds
Yes: +100 at Caesars
No: -105 at FanDuel
The Chargers are in as good of a spot as ever to take the next step forward, and in a stacked AFC, they would likely need to win 10+ games. The current win total is 9.5 with juice on both sides, so +100 for them to make the playoffs might be a better look.
Los Angeles Rams Playoff Odds
Yes: +350 at FanDuel
No: -320 at Caesars
The Rams' defense may be one of the worst collective units in the league this year after losing Jalen Ramsey so a bet on the yes here is just putting the entire team on Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp returning to form.
Las Vegas Raiders Playoff Odds
Yes: +430 at FanDuel
No: -450 at Caesars
The Raiders would need to win 9+ games in order to make the playoffs which would require serious improvements from both the offense and defense.
Miami Dolphins Playoff Odds
Yes: -105 at FanDuel
No: -105 at Caesars
The Dolphins and Chargers are similar in the sense that they have been borderline playoff teams and play in the same division as a league juggernaut (Chiefs and Bills). Like the Chargers, I think the Dolphins have a good chance to be a serious playoff contender.
Lean: Yes: -105 at FD
Minnesota Vikings Playoff Odds
Yes: +120 at Caesars
No: -120 at PointsBet
The market might have overcorrected itself with the Vikings after last season. After going 13-4 last season and winning the division by four games, they are on the outside looking in in terms of odds. I’m not sure that should be the case in an average division in the NFC.
Lean: Yes
New England Patriots Playoff Odds
Yes: +285 at FanDuel
No: -299 at PointsBet
The Patriots metrics looked really good defensively but a lot of their success came against cupcake opponents. With a super tough strength of schedule and brutal division, I lean towards the "no" at -299.
New Orleans Saints Playoff Odds
Yes: -164 at FanDuel
No: +150 at Caesars
The Saints with competent quarterback play could be an intriguing team in 2023, but Derek Carr has proven to be far from consistent. If i'm laying juice, I want consistency and would rather tap into alternate win total overs if I think they will hit their ceiling.
New York Giants Playoff Odds
Yes: +184 at FanDuel
No: -170 at Caesars
The Giants greatly outperformed their roster last season and given these odds I'm not banking on it again.
New York Jets Playoff Odds
Yes: -134 at FanDuel
No: +125 at Caesars
The Jets' defense was stellar last season, while their offense was putrid. With Aaron Rodgers in town, that’s expected to change, but I see them as the third-best team in the division behind Miami and Buffalo.
Lean: No
Philadelphia Eagles Playoff Odds
Yes: -380 on Caesars
No: +325 at PointsBet
The Eagles had an amazing 2022 season against a soft schedule but now laying -380 on them to make the playoffs is incredibly aggressive.
Pittsburgh Steelers Playoff Odds
Yes: +128 at FanDuel
No: -145 at Caesars
The Steelers will need Kenny Pickett to take another step forward this season in order for them to reach their pinnacle. Mike Tomlin has yet to win fewer than 8 games in 16 years so the floor here on his coaching and defensive talent is pretty high.
Seattle Seahawks Playoff Odds
Yes: -120 at Pointsbet
No: +120 at Caesars
Geno Smith was elite for half the season but slowed down at the end of 2023. If he can rekindle the early-season fire, the Seahawks are in a good place to make another run at a playoff berth with two teams in their division lacking real firepower.
San Francisco 49ers Playoff Odds
Yes: -425 at DraftKings
No: +350 at BetMGM
The 49ers probably figure out their quarterback situation before Week 1, but right now, Brock Purdy may not be ready, Trey Lance has looked like he’ll never be ready to be an NFL quarterback, and Sam Darnold could very well be their Week 1 starter. He has been fine at times throughout his career but given the odds of +350, there is a disaster scenario for the 49ers where they have league-bottom quarterback play.
Lean: No
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Playoff Odds
Yes: +400 at Caesars
No: -475 at Pointsbet
Without Tom Brady and an offensive line that should still struggle, it's tough to be bullish on the Bucs.
Tennessee Titans Playoff Odds
Yes: +275 at PointsBet
No: -320 at Caesars
The Titans are underdogs in 6 straight games leading into their Week 7 bye this season. Changes could be made mid-season if they aren't performing.
Washington Commanders Playoff Odds
Yes: +285 at FanDuel
No: -340 at Caesars
The "Yes" here could be a great way to play the Commanders as their defense was top-10 in most defensive metrics last season. Sam Howell is the big question but if he is at least competent the Commanders could slide into the playoffs in a weak NFC.
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