On September 5th, American football fans will be able to breathe easy again as the 2024/25 NFL (National Football League) season kicks off. The game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens will mark the start of the first round, while preseason games have already stirred excitement on U.S. fields in recent weeks.
In addition to the love for the sport, the NFL’s return also brings a wealth of opportunities for those who enjoy sports betting. NFL betting is among the most popular, offering many different market options. For those interested in futures bets, for example, there are various betting alternatives, involving the outcomes of conferences and divisions, the Super Bowl, specific teams, or even individual player performances. Check out some of the options below:
Super Bowl Champion
The Super Bowl is the grand finale of the NFL, determining the season champion, and one of the most popular bets before the games begin. According to one betting site, the favorites are the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, both with odds of 6.50. The Baltimore Ravens follow, paying 10 to 1, followed by the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and Cincinnati Bengals, each with odds of 13. It’s worth noting that, on this platform, the bet is an “each-way” bet (learn how it works), which pays 50% of the odds if the chosen team finishes second.
Division and Conference Champions
Besides the overall season champion, you can bet on which teams will win their Conferences (National and American) or their Divisions (North, South, East, and West in each conference, eight in total). In the divisions market on a popular platform, the favorites are the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chiefs, Eagles, Lions, Falcons, and 49ers. Depending on the operator, you can also place a bet on the exact order of the division at the end of the season, predicting the final standings of the four teams in each division.
Team Performance
For those who are specialists in a specific team or have a well-founded opinion on their favorite team, it is possible to bet on each franchise’s performance. During the regular season, each team has a set win line, and you can bet on the over/under for that number. Another option is to predict whether the team will make the playoffs, the decisive phase of the competition.
MVP
MVP stands for “Most Valuable Player.” In the NFL, this award is given to the player who stands out the most during the season and is also a popular betting target. For 2024/25, one betting site lists Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs as the favorite, paying 6 to 1, while Josh Allen of the Bills pays 9 to 1, and Joe Burrow of the Bengals follows with odds of 10.
Individual Performances
In this category, there are plenty of alternatives for betting on specific players’ performances. In a football scenario full of statistics, many top athletes are options on betting platforms based on their season numbers. This includes:
- Passing yards
- Receiving yards
- Rushing yards
- Touchdowns
- Sacks
- Interceptions
- Receptions
- Points scored
- Tackles
- Among others…
Notable marks, such as whether a player will exceed 1,000 rushing or receiving yards in the year, can also be betting targets. There are also special markets for rookie players, those competing in their first NFL season, about whom there is often a lot of expectation.
Curious Markets
There are also several less common markets for those who want to bet on the NFL. Some examples include how many yards the longest field goal or the longest run of the season will be. You can also bet on which team will have the worst performance or which division the Super Bowl winner will come from, as well as the highest number of passing yards in a single game.
