Welcome to TheLines’ betting hub for the 2021 NFL Playoffs. On this page you’ll find current betting odds for every game throughout the 2021 NFL postseason, including spreads, totals, and moneylines. Plus, if you’re into betting player props, be sure to check out our free NFL prop shop to find the best odds for every player and team in the playoffs.
NFL Super Bowl odds 2021
- Visit ESPN to view NFL odds, point spreads and moneylines from this week's games.
- NFL Playoffs Early Betting Lines 2021: Updated Super Bowl Odds Scott McDonald 1/4/2021 Police: Officer fired for harassing co-worker, mocking her fear of Covid-19.
Jan 03, 2021 NFL Week 17: TV Schedule, Playoff Scenarios, Standings, Bracket, Odds, Betting Lines And Spread Picks Alex Kay Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Dec 24, 2020 Week 17 betting breakdown. The menu will be light for early lookahead lines this week as Week 17 presents so many different scenarios. All 16 games are division contests, and some teams will have clinched playoff spots or positioning. Some teams may elect to rest starters or key players.
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Already have an idea of what you want to wager on? Search for a team or player below and we’ll direct you to the best betting odds for every possible way to bet on that squad. Happy shopping!
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How the NFL Playoffs work
The NFL postseason field will be bigger than ever in 2020-21 as, back in March, league owners voted to approve expanding the field from 12 to 14 teams.
Under the traditional format, six teams made the postseason from each conference each year. Of those six teams from both the AFC and NFC, two teams from each conference were given a first round bye. The other four teams squared off in Wild Card games for the right to advance to the Divisional Round.
Different, starting this season, is that an extra team will be added to the field in both conferences.
- Now, only one team from each conference will receive a first round bye. This will give a massive advantage to the two teams that will not have to play Wild Card weekend.
- The remaining six teams from each conference will play in Wild Card games, giving Wild Card weekend two extra games each year (six games in total).
- Wild Card weekend will feature three games on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, and three more games on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021.
- The No. 1 seed in each conference will play the lowest remaining seed in each conference in the Divisional Round. The Divisional Round will take place on Saturday, Jan. 16 and Sunday, Jan. 17.
- The winners of the Divisional Round matchups will advance to their respective conference’s Championship Game. The NFC and AFC title games will be played on Sunday, Jan. 24.
- The winners of the title games will then play in Super Bowl LV, which is scheduled for Feb. 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay.
Also of note is that NFL owners approved a proposal on Nov. 10 that would expand the playoff field to 16 teams if regular season games are canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NFL last tinkered with the postseason 30 years ago as in 1990, the playoffs expanded from 10 to 12 teams.
How to bet on the NFL Playoffs
NFL Playoffs odds for each Wild Card game will be posted at sportsbooks as soon as the 2020 regular season ends on Jan. 3, 2021.
Playoff futures can usually be found at online sportsbooks in the Team Futures section under a tab labeled “To Make Playoffs.” This indicates the bettor is offered a Yes/No proposition on which teams will make the postseason.
Perennial powers such as the Saints or Chiefs are usually listed with negative odds at the start of the season because they’re expected to make the playoffs every year. For example the Saints were listed with -480 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to start the season so it would have taken a bet of $480 on New Orleans to make the playoffs to profit $100.
Teams in stronger divisions tend to get longer odds, whereas teams that dominate their divisions get better odds because of their clear path to a playoff berth.
Most teams have NFL Playoffs odds somewhere between -200 and +200 at the start of the season. There are some true longshots, such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, who had +590 odds to make the playoffs in early September.
ALSO READ: NFL Power Rankings – Bills in elite company
NFL Playoffs betting strategy
The important thing to consider when betting NFL Playoffs futures is public perception. These lines are set almost entirely based on the esteem each team has earned in the public eye. The Cowboys had -250 odds to make the playoffs entering the season because of their reputation as a star-studded team. But going against the grain by taking a +200 bet on Dallas to miss the playoffs again could pay off. Dallas was upset in Week 1 by the Rams, 20-17, and nearly lost to the Falcons in Week 2. They then lost their starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2020 season.
Also consider the division landscape when betting on NFL Playoffs futures. Not only does a weak division provide a path to the postseason, it provides six relatively easy, or six very difficult games depending on the division. It makes sense to analyze the entire season schedule before placing a significant wager on a team.
Note that if you’re interested in trying to predict the exact pecking order in a division, DraftKings Sportsbook is offering odds on the finishing position for each team within their division.
Odds are also different at different sportsbooks, so shop around and see where you can find the best price on each team to make or miss the playoffs.
What happened last year?
Here is a list of the teams that made the playoffs in 2019 along with their preseason odds to qualify:
- Baltimore Ravens (+180)
- Buffalo Bills (+500)
- Green Bay Packers (+110)
- Houston Texans (+150)
- Kansas City Chiefs (-550)
- Minnesota Vikings (+130)
- New England Patriots (-900)
- New Orleans Saints (-310)
- Philadelphia Eagles (-190)
- San Francisco 49ers (+240)
- Seattle Seahawks (+160)
- Tennessee Titans (+375)
Based on preseason NFL playoffs odds, the Bills were the most surprising team to make the playoffs in 2019. The Titans also had long odds to make the playoffs and needed some help down the stretch to eventually earn the second Wild Card spot in the AFC.
The 49ers did not have very high expectations during the preseason, but were a trendy pick to snap their five-year postseason drought and obviously came through by winning the NFC West. The defending NFC champion Rams had -310 odds to make the playoffs and were the biggest favorite to come up short of the postseason.
- Where to Bet:
How to read Super Bowl 55 Odds
The Kansas City Chiefs wil meet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 55 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Feb. 7, 2021.
The Chiefs opened as -3.5 betting favorites while the Buccaneers are 3.5 underdogs.
After early wagers came in, most operators are holding Kansas City -3 (-120).
If you were to wager on Kansas City -3, you would have to lay 5/6 odds (Bet $120 to win $100) instead of your normal 10/11 juice (Bet $110 to win $100).
The return on Tampa Bay would be even-money (1/1) and a $100 wager would return $100.
The total or over-under on Super Bowl 55 is hovering between 56 and 57 points.
How to read NFL Las Vegas Odds
The point-spread was developed to provide a balance for both teams involved in a contest to entice bettors to potentially back the weaker team and receive points. The two squads in a game are listed with a title, either a favorite or an underdog. The favorite is usually the perceived better team in the game, as backing them means giving up several points.
The favorite is always listed with a minus (-) sign before the point-spread while the underdog is labeled with a plus (+) label.
Ex. Favorite -10, Underdog +10
On the VegasInsider.com odds page, there is another number associated with the favorite and its listed as -10. This number is simply defined as “vig” or what many in the sports betting industry call vigorish. Another common term is called “juice” and it’s technically the price the bettor has to pay on a straight wager.
Nfl Playoff Betting Lines 2020
Ex. Bet $110 to win $100 (10% juice)
Ex. Bet $100 to win $90.91 (10% juice)
It's not uncommon to see other values posted other than -10. Examples seen on the NFL Vegas Odds pages could include -08, -12, -15 and -20. The -10 price is the most common value in the industry while many books offer reduced 'juice odds' and that would fall into the -08 category.
The lower-juice sportsbooks are normally found outside of the state Nevada. If you are in a state where sports betting is legal, please check out our online sportsbook directory to find the best and most secure places to make NFL bets.
Another number that’s posted on the NFL Las Vegas is the total or ‘over/under’ for the specific matchup. If the favorite is designated as the home team, then the total will be listed above and vice versa if the visitors are favorites.
All of the above numbers are listed next to the teams, and before each matchup is a Rotation number. The NFL Las Vegas Odds are listed in order of rotation and those numbers are generated and produced by the sportsbooks. Above each matchup and rotation is the Time of the game, which is subject to change. All game times are Eastern Standard Time.
Nfl Playoff Betting Odds
NFL Open Line
One of the best features on the NFL Vegas Odds is the Open Line. This numbers consists of the first betting line received from one of our Las Vegas or Global Sportsbooks. The opening line varies depending on the sportsbook but it provides a clear-cut rating that the oddsmakers use. If you’re betting on the NFL or any other sport, it’s a great idea to view the open line first.
VI Consensus NFL Line
The VegasInsider.com Consensus NFL Line is just as important as the Open Line and also a key resource on odds platform. The Consensus column could be called a “Median Line” since it shows the most consistent number provided by the sportsbooks on VegasInsider.com. The consensus line will be the same as the open line but once the wagers start coming in, this number is often different than the openers.
How do I bet on the Super Bowl?
We know that you can bet on the Super Bowl and all of NFL Futures or bet on the NFL Draft at any time of the year, but what’s the process? The future wager or the “Odds to Win” bet on the Super Bowl is correctly selecting a team to win an event that takes place at a later time. A bettor will have his wagered money tied up until there is an outcome and bettors will receive fixed odds when they place the wager. In the case of the Super Bowl, you’re not a winner or loser until you see zeros on the clock in the final game.
Most sportsbooks offer different ways to read to Super Bowl Odds. In the fractional NFL Futures Odds format below, you simply take the odds and multiply by the amount wagered.
Ex. Green Bay (8/1) to win the Super Bowl
The Packers are listed as an 8/1 betting choice to win the Super Bowl. If you wager $100 on Green Bay to win the NFC and they capture the championship, then you would win $800 (8 ÷ 1 x 100). Your online betting account would then credit your account $900, which includes your win and stake ($100).
The American Format would see Green Bay listed at +800 and for the Decimal Format, the Packers would be 9.00.
If you are in a state where online betting is legal, we encourage you to check out our sportsbook directory to find the most trustworthy and reputable sites and mobile apps to place your Super Bowl bets.