The NFL odds to make the playoffs always offer cool long-term opportunities for football bettors! The best NFL sportsbooks have released prices for every team’s chance to make the postseason, so I’m here to help.
In this article, I explore the latest betting prices and share my predictions and best bets to make the 2024-25 NFL playoffs! Here’s a quick overview of my selections, but I also provide reasoning for each pick below.
To Make the NFL Playoffs Best Bets
| Pick | Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Lions to make the playoffs | -220 | Bovada |
| Colts to make the playoffs | +135 | BetUS |
| Chargers to make the playoffs | +120 | Bovada |
| Rams to make the playoffs | +100 | Bovada |
| Dolphins to make the playoffs | -160 | BetUS |
If you prefer a quick recap instead of a long read, we have a YouTube video on the topic.
Detroit Lions to Make the Playoffs (-220)
After winning their first divisional title since 1993, the Detroit Lions enter the 2024-25 season with high expectations. While the concept might be foreign to Lions fans, this team is built to win games and have a deep push in the playoffs.
The Lions are betting favorites for the second consecutive season to win the NFC North. The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears should be better than last season, but the Lions are equipped with the most talent in the division.
The “Black and Blue Division” will be won in the trenches between physical offensive and defensive lines. The Lions have one of the best offensive lines not only in the NFC North, but in the NFL.
Led by Penei Sewell and his new four-year, $112 million contract, Jared Goff will be afforded ample protection. In 2023-24, the QB was sacked the fourth-fewest times in the league. When Goff is protected, he can be a top 5 quarterback in football.
Otherwise, Goff turns into an inaccurate passer. Barring injuries to the offensive line, he won’t have to worry about a lack of blocking, though. Additionally, Goff has a myriad of weapons around him in the offense.
Tight end Sam LaPorta is on the brink of reaching superstar status, while speedy wideout Jameson Williams is projected to take another step forward.
Amon-Ra St. Brown is already at a superstar level, so this offense should be tough to contain. Defensively, the Lions are going to make gains with their young talent, too.
Safety Brian Branch is a player to circle in the secondary. If you aren’t a Lions fan, he’s probably not the most familiar defender, but look out for him in 2024-25. Additionally, the pass rush is in good hands with Aidan Hutchinson and the acquisition of DJ Reader on the defensive line.
-220 might appear like expensive odds to make the playoffs in the NFL, but this is a great price all things considered. It equals an implied chance of 68.6%, but I have them pegged at 75%, so consider including them on your NFL futures betting card.
Indianapolis Colts to Make the Playoffs (+135)
One of the sneakiest best bets to make the NFL playoffs is on the Indianapolis Colts. The odds suggest that the Colts have a less than 50% chance of reaching the postseason.
I don’t buy that. Last season, the Colts just missed out on the playoffs after a 9-8 record.
Despite a Gardner Minshew-led offense for the majority of the season, the Colts were competitive. Emerging star quarterback Anthony Richardson was injured early in the season, forcing him to miss the rest of the year after appearing in four games.
The Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud seized the opportunity and took full control of the spotlight in the AFC South. If Richardson stayed healthy, we might have had an epic battle for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Many people forget how well he was playing before going down.
Richardson had 577 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception on 59.5% passing. He also rushed for 136 yards and four scores on the ground as a dual-threat QB. If he remains healthy in 2024-25, Richardson should take control of this offense wonderfully!
The Colts signed star wide receiver Michael Pittman to a contract extension in the offseason. Richardson will have his No. 1 target back, while drafting Adonai Mitchell is a clear sign the front office wants to give him more weapons.
A healthy Jonathan Taylor, who has one of the best odds to lead the NFL in rushing, gives offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter multiple options.
The front office addressed the defensive side of the ball in the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting edge rusher Laiatu Latu. This young unit went into last season with no expectations and should only grow throughout the 2024-25 campaign.
Winning the division will be difficult against the Texans, but a wildcard berth is likely. In short, there is plenty of betting value in backing the Colts at +130!
Los Angeles Chargers to Make the Playoffs (+120)
If you are searching for more value in the NFL team odds to make the playoffs, look no further than Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers. While being in the AFC West with the Kansas City Chiefs makes winning the division a tough task, I foresee them in the race for a wildcard.
It’s only Harbaugh’s first season with the Chargers, but one offseason is enough to create a culture change in the organization. He wouldn’t have accepted this job if it wasn’t the right fit with the best chance to win immediately. Harbaugh inherits one of the finest young gunslingers in the NFL.
In turn, Justin Herbert gets to work with one of the top quarterback developmental coaches in football. Last season, the young star passed for 3,134 yards, 20 touchdowns, and seven interceptions on 65.1% passing.
Despite Keenan Allen’s departure, Herbert should find success with a coach who values the run and a tough offensive line.
In one of Harbaugh’s first moves as head coach, he recommended the Chargers select Notre Dame right tackle Joe Alt with the No. 5 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Harbaugh wants to bring a certain brand of smash-mouth football to Los Angeles, and Alt is a good start in accomplishing that!
Allen is gone, but I expect Joshua Palmer to excel in an elevated role. He and rookie Ladd McConkey will almost make Chargers fans forget about Allen in 2024-25. If the defense makes strides under Harbaugh, everything will come together nicely in Los Angeles.
There is plenty of talent on paper on the defensive side of the ball. Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, and Derwin James Jr. are all imposing figures on the defense, but the chemistry was way off with this unit. Harbaugh and new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter should get the defense heading in the right direction.
At this current price of +120, the Chargers are a strong bet to make the NFL playoffs as a wildcard team!
Los Angeles Rams to Make the Playoffs (+100)
Should both LA teams be part of your NFL betting strategy to make the playoffs in 2024-25? It’s in your best interest to consider the Chargers in the AFC and the Rams in the NFC.
The Super Bowl 59 odds suggest that an all-LA matchup in New Orleans is highly unlikely, but their 2024-25 NFL betting odds to make the playoffs are attractive options.
The Rams are coming off a 10-7 season and appearance in the NFL Wild Card Round. After a slow start, they went 7-1 in their last eight games to qualify for the playoffs.
Led by Matthew Stafford and the emergence of rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua, the Rams were the hottest team in the NFL in the second half of the season!
Stafford and the Rams’ season ended in Detroit in a nail-biter at Ford Field, 24-23. It was a hostile environment in Stafford’s first return to play in Detroit, but the Rams just about knocked off a surging Lions team that was a touchdown away from going to the Super Bowl.
If the Rams have a healthy Cooper Kupp and Nacua for a full season, Stafford will be in business. Many football pundits expected him to struggle in 2023-24, but he rose above the noise to pass for 3,965 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
In addition to weapons for Stafford in the passing game, running back Kyren Williams is my breakout star candidate in the NFC this season. In his second season, Williams rushed for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns on five yards per carry. Look out for the 23-year-old former Fighting Irish star exploding this season.
The Rams’ odds to make the NFL playoffs in 2024-25 is a sharp option at even money and also have a chance to steal the NFC West!
Miami Dolphins to Make the Playoffs (-160)
Last season, the Miami Dolphins led the NFL offensively with 401.3 yards per game. Additionally, the explosive offense was second, with an average of 29.2 points per game!
With Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle back together, expect more fireworks in Miami for the 2024-25 campaign.
Veteran Odell Beckham Jr. joins the Dolphins in an attempt to revive his career in Miami. The 31-year-old is not the same player nowadays but can still be a valuable asset in this dangerous offense.
The running back room is deep for the Dolphins as well. De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert combine for one of the NFL’s best 1-2 punches. I don’t see any reason why the offense should significantly regress, and even have an opportunity to be even better.
The defense lost some key players due to salary cap implications, but the team still managed to retain talent and bring in new faces. Safety Jordan Poyer and linebacker Jordyn Brooks will help fill the void.
The Dolphins should have a 15th to 10th-ranked defense in the NFL, which would be good enough with this high-octane offense. My numbers have the Dolphins’ odds to make the playoffs in the 2025 NFL season at -220, so -170 is a pretty solid bet! They are also worth considering of wining the AFC East at plus odds.
Where to Bet on Teams to Make the NFL Playoffs?
Now, it’s your turn to make your 2024-25 NFL to make playoffs best bets at sports betting sites! Do you agree with my picks, or willing to bet on them to miss the playoffs?
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