The NFL playoffs, a pinnacle of the football regular season that winds down in December, showcases the premier teams from both the AFC and NFC in a riveting single-elimination tournament. Their ultimate goal? To clinch the revered Super Bowl championship. Recognized for the soaring stakes and electrifying competition, teams grapple fiercely, each aspiring for that moment to hoist the Lombardi Trophy and be crowned champions of the football universe.
Understanding NFL Betting Lines becomes especially crucial during this period. The playoffs usually ignite in early January and reach their crescendo with the Super Bowl in early February. While the exact dates might shift slightly year-on-year, the pattern typically follows this course: the Wild Card clashes light up the first January weekend, trailed by the Divisional round on the succeeding weekend, and the Conference Championship games on the subsequent one.
The Super Bowl, a magnet for bets and a key highlight for those tracking NFL Betting Lines, traditionally unfolds on February’s initial Sunday, a mere two weeks post the Conference Championships. Spanning about a month, the NFL playoffs peak with the Super Bowl, annually clinching its spot as the year’s most-viewed television extravaganza.
NFL Playoffs Format
Knowledge is power, and we will start off to acquaint and understand how does the NFL Playoffs play.
The first round of the playoffs is the Wild Card round. In this round, the best team in each conference (AFC and NFC) receive a bye. The remaining best six teams from each conference, play in the Wild Card round. In this round, each conference has three games, for a total of six games.
The winners of the Wild Card games move on to the Divisional round. The best team of the conference waits for the three Wild Card matches winners. In this round, each conference also has two games, for a total of four games.
The winners of the Divisional games move on to the Conference Championship round. The winner will be the Conference champion and will be part of the Super Bowl. In this round, each conference has one game.
The winners of the Conference Championship games move on to the Super Bowl, which is the ultimate prize in the NFL playoffs. The Super Bowl is a single game played between the two remaining teams, and the winner will be the Super Bowl champion.
Recap of the 2022 – 2023 NFL Playoffs
The 2022-2023 NFL playoffs featured 14 teams competing for the chance to win the Super Bowl championship. In the AFC Wild Card round, the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars advanced to the Divisional Round. For the NFC, the Wild Card winners were the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants.
In the AFC Divisional Round, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Buffalo Bills, respectively. Meanwhile, in the NFC Divisional Round, the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers secured victories over the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, setting up the Conference Championship games.
In the AFC Championship game, the Chiefs defeated the Bengals to advance to their third Super Bowl appearance in four years. In the NFC Championship game, the Eagles defeated the 49ers to earn their spot in the Super Bowl.
Now, the Super Bowl LVII was one for the ages. The Chiefs faced off against the Eagles in a highly-anticipated matchup. Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs emerged victorious, defeating Philadelphia 38-35 to win the Super Bowl.
Betting on the NFL Playoffs
The NFL playoffs offer a wide variety of exciting betting options for sports bettors. Football is already the most popular sport to bet on, and during the playoffs, the number of betting options increases even further. As soon as the NFL playoff bracket becomes available, playoff odds will be released and updated weekly.
During the NFL playoffs, sportsbooks offer a variety of bracket contests for bettors to choose from. Some of these contests may involve picking the winner of each game, while others may involve predicting the score or even the outcome of specific player statistics. There may also be contests that focus on predicting which teams will make it to the conference championship games, the Super Bowl, or even the eventual champion.
Bracket contests can be a great way to add excitement to the NFL playoffs, as they offer the chance to win big prizes while testing your knowledge and predictions. Some contests may require an entry fee, while others may be free to enter, but either way, they offer a fun and interactive way to engage with the playoffs and add an extra layer of excitement to each game. With a variety of contests to choose from, bettors can find the one that best suits their preferences and join in on the fun.
Other Betting Options for Betting on the NFL Playoffs
Straght Bets
- Point Spread Bet: In this type of bet, the favorite team must win by a certain margin to cover the spread. The underdog team must either win outright or lose by less than the spread. This creates a more even betting field and can provide better odds for underdog teams.
- Moneyline Bet: This is a straightforward bet where you pick which team will win the game outright. Odds will vary depending on the perceived strength of each team.
- Over/Under Bet: Also known as a totals bet, this type of bet focuses on the total number of points scored by both teams in the game. Bettors can wager on whether the total score will be over or under a certain number set by the sportsbook.
Futures and Props
- Futures Bet: These bets are placed before the playoffs begin and are based on predicting the eventual Super Bowl champion. Odds will vary throughout the season as teams perform better or worse.
- Prop Bet: Short for proposition bet, these wagers are based on specific events or situations within the game. Examples include betting on which player will score the first touchdown. Other example is how many yards a certain player will rush for.
Combine Bets
- Parlay Bet: A parlay bet involves combining multiple bets into a single wager, with the payout increasing as more bets are added. For example, a bettor might parlay a moneyline bet on one team with an over/under bet on the total score of another game. This can be a high-risk, high-reward type of bet.
It’s important to keep in mind that there are a number of factors that can affect the outcome of NFL playoff games, including injuries, team dynamics, and home-field advantage. Bettors should also be aware of the odds and keep up to date with the latest news and developments surrounding each team. By using a combination of different betting strategies and keeping informed about the latest information, bettors can increase their chances of success in NFL playoff betting.
With SportBettingAI’s human expert picks and AI-generated picks taking all the vectors into account, all that is left is to enjoy the game without pre-game betting-selection stress!
Best Sportsbooks to Bet on the NFL Playoffs
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- BetMGM
- Caesars Sportsbook
- BetRivers Sportsbook
- PointsBet Sportsbook
