When you sign-up through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more >
The 2023 NFL season is already shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent history, especially with all of the power that resides in the AFC.
Top quarterback talents such as Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Herbert, and others will all have their teams believing that they are the rightful heirs to the AFC throne this fall. But which of them are true contenders, and which are just pretenders?
In this AFC Championship betting guide, we are going to recap and react to what the oddsmakers feel about the AFC heading into the new NFL campaign.
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
Team | Odds |
Kansas City Chiefs | +330 |
Buffalo Bills | +500 |
Cincinnati Bengals | +550 |
New York Jets | +1100 |
Baltimore Ravens | +1100 |
Miami Dolphins | +1100 |
Jacksonville Jaguars | +1200 |
Los Angeles Chargers | +1300 |
Pittsburgh Steelers | +2200 |
Cleveland Browns | +2200 |
Denver Broncos | +2500 |
New England Patriots | +3500 |
Las Vegas Raiders | +4000 |
Tennessee Titans | +5000 |
Indianapolis Colts | +7000 |
Houston Texans | +10000 |
Great payment and customer support
Access to fantasy sports with one account
Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly!
21+ | T&Cs apply
The Chiefs are the unsurprising favorite to win the AFC on the back of their Super Bowl win in February. They have appeared in five straight AFC Championship Games across all five years that reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes has been the full-time starter. They also gave their rookies a ton of minutes last year, which figures to make them even better this time around.
The Bills are teetering on the edge of “Super Bowl or bust” and “missed their window.” Josh Allen acknowledged his mortality during the offseason and said that he can’t be so reckless running the ball to preserve his health. Buffalo still has an elite roster and one of the best QBs but has come up short a few years running and lost its best defensive player, Tremaine Edmunds, during the offseason.
The Bengals made the Super Bowl two years ago against all expectations but are now perennial AFC championship contenders. Joe Burrow is the coolest customer in the league and has the league’s best three-man receiving corps of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. Cinci’s defense is also incredibly solid despite being overlooked because of the offense, though it lost both starting safeties during free agency.
Picking future winners is all about getting the team with the greatest likelihood of winning the conference—sometimes that lines up with the oddsmakers' views, and sometimes it does not. In this instance, it does.
The Chiefs have made 100% of the possible championship games with Mahomes under center and have won three of the five. Their best competition has been the Bengals, and the Baltimore Ravens are also a sneaky contender, but the Chiefs have earned the benefit of the doubt (not that there is any doubt with this cast).
The Chiefs won the AFC Championship Game in 2022, defeating the Bengals 23-20. Harrison Butker drilled a 45-yard field goal with three seconds left to get Kansas City over the hump.
Mahomes finished the game with 326 yards and two touchdowns, while Burrow racked up 270 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Neither team ran the ball particularly well.
The NFC and AFC were formed in 1970 when the NFL merged with the American Football League (AFL), splitting the league into two distinct conferences. The Baltimore Colts (now the Indianapolis Colts) defeated the Oakland Raiders (Las Vegas Raiders) 27-17 in the first AFC Championship Game.
The winner of the AFC Championship Game earns a bid in the Super Bowl against the NFC champion and also takes home the Lamar Hunt trophy, named after the founder of the AFL.
Year | Champion |
2022 | Kansas City Chiefs |
2021 | Cincinnati Bengals |
2020 | Kansas City Chiefs |
2019 | Kansas City Chiefs |
2018 | New England Patriots |
2017 | New England Patriots |
2016 | New England Patriots |
2015 | Denver Broncos |
2014 | New England Patriots |
2013 | Denver Broncos |
2012 | Baltimore Ravens |
2011 | New England Patriots |
2010 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
2009 | Indianapolis Colts |
2008 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
2007 | New England Patriots |
2006 | Indianapolis Colts |
2005 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
2004 | New England Patriots |
2003 | New England Patriots |
2002 | Oakland Raiders |
2001 | New England Patriots |
2000 | Baltimore Ravens |
1999 | Tennessee Titans |
1998 | Denver Broncos |
1997 | Denver Broncos |
1996 | New England Patriots |
1995 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
1994 | San Diego Chargers |
1993 | Buffalo Bills |
1992 | Buffalo Bills |
1991 | Buffalo Bills |
1990 | Buffalo Bills |
1989 | Denver Broncos |
1988 | Cincinnati Bengals |
1987 | Denver Broncos |
1986 | Denver Broncos |
1985 | New England Patriots |
1984 | Miami Dolphins |
1983 | Los Angeles Raiders |
1982 | Miami Dolphins |
1981 | Cincinnati Bengals |
1980 | Oakland Raiders |
1979 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
1978 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
1977 | Denver Broncos |
1976 | Oakland Raiders |
1975 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
1974 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
1973 | Miami Dolphins |
1972 | Miami Dolphins |
1971 | Miami Dolphins |
1970 | Baltimore Colts |
NFL bettors can place wagers on a variety of futures markets, both long-term and short-term, depending on when the bets are placed.
Futures bets are available for team and player performances. The closer the finish line on the bets, the more lopsided the bets usually are in favor of the prospective winner. Betting futures far away from the completion date is therefore usually more profitable, unless there is a huge upset or reversal in fortunes late into the season.
Here are different kinds of futures bets that are available.
Bettors can find project win totals for every team in the league and wager on whether or not the team will exceed that total. Win totals are usually set at x.5 so that there are no pushes (draws). For example, the Bengals have a projected win total of 11.5, so 11 wins or fewer would be under, and 12 or more would be over.
There is a selection of record breakers bets available at the start of every season. They target players that are either close to historical achievements or have shown a propensity or ability to challenge for all-time marks.
An example of a record breakers bet is Patrick Mahomes to throw for the most yards in a single NFL season. He just threw for 5,250 last season, which is just about 13.3 yards per game extra off the all-time mark.
Bettors can also bet on player single-season totals in different areas, including passing and rushing totals, sacks, interceptions, and more. These are correlated to but still distinctly different from awards betting (which we discuss below).
Players can also throw down bets on which athletes will win different awards, including MVP, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, and more. These bets can be placed from the first day post-Super Bowl all the way until the end of the season, but the odds are constantly changing.
Choosing the best online sportsbook can seem like a daunting process, but it is actually not all that bad. We have provided a guide on how to pick the best sportsbook for your NFL betting pleasure, which we encourage you to read.
Make sure to try out different sportsbooks and find the one that you are the most comfortable with before making any long-term commitments.
No bet-throughs required
Lots of sport-specific promos
Promo Code 'WSNFULL'
Up To $1,250 On Caesars
21+ | Terms and conditions apply
Free play options
Special contests for newbies
No Sweat First Bet $2,500
21+ | Terms and conditions apply
Boosted parlays with enhanced odds
Impressive range of bets
$10 free bet every week
$1,000 First Bet Offer
21+ | Terms and conditions apply
Great payment and customer support
Access to fantasy sports with one account
Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly!
21+ | T&Cs apply
Unique PointsBetting system
Unbeatable rewards
Get 5 x $50 Bet Credits
21+ | T&Cs apply
Fantastic odds
Easy to use
Impressive range of bonuses
$250 Back in Bonus Bets
21+ | T&Cs Apply
Impressive range of bonuses
Best betting markets in NJ
1 of the world's top sportsbooks
$200 in Bonus Bets
21+ | NJ Only | T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply
Wide range of betting options
Top notch customer service
Promo Code 'SPORTS'
$500 Free Bet
21+ | VA only | Gambling problem? Call 1-800-532-3500
Lots of betting options
Daily odds boost
Great live betting section
$100 Second Chance Bet
Terms and conditions apply | 21+ | VA only
Impressive range of bonuses
Large selection of games
Bet $100 get $100 Bet Credit
21+ | T&Cs apply
There’s a very simple way to remember how odds work.
If the odds value starts with a “-,” that means that bettors have to risk the listed amount to win $100. For example, -400 odds means that a $400 bet will result in a $100 profit. Lines with “-” are usually (but not always) the favored outcome, or the one that is expected to occur.
If the odds value is preceded by a “+,” that means that a $100 bet will win the listed amount. So, +400 odds means that a $100 bet will result in $400 of profit.
NFL betting sites offer constant welcome bonuses to new users to make the sign-up process more enjoyable and profitable. Bonuses can result in all sorts of prizes, including money-back in bet credits if the first bet loses, guaranteed bonus bets, odds boosts, deposit matches, and much more.
Every sportsbook will accept different forms of payment, although almost all of them have the same basic options. You can find more information about what payment methods are available at a particular sportsbook by consulting our sportsbook reviews or navigating to the deposit section of your sportsbook.
The AFC Championship is the trophy handed to the winner of the AFC Championship Game and a right to participate in the Super Bowl. Teams make the AFC Championship Game by being the last two AFC teams standing in a single-elimination bracket of the seven best teams in the conference.
The next AFC Championship Game will be held at the home stadium of the top seed remaining in the final round of the AFC playoffs on January 28, 2024.
The Kansas City Chiefs are +330 favorites to win the AFC, which would mark their fourth title in six years. They have also been to the AFC Championship Game in each of the past five seasons.The Buffalo Bills (+500) and Cincinnati Bengals (+550) are the closest challengers for the title, and the New York Jets (+1100), Baltimore Ravens (+1100), Jacksonville Jaguars (+1200), and Los Angeles Chargers (+1300) are all in the next tier of contenders.
The New England Patriots have won the AFC Championship Game 11 times, including nine with Tom Brady. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos have both won the AFC championship eight times, the joint-second-most.
The Steelers have lost the AFC Championship Game the most times (eight), while the Los Angeles Chargers are next (seven). The Bills hold an unfortunate record of winning the AFC Championship four years in a row but then losing each of their Super Bowl matchups from 1990-93.
NFL
NFL MVP Odds, Candidates, Best Bets: Mahomes, Burrow, Allen Lead the Way
NFL | 6 hours ago | Grant Mitchell
NFL
NFC West Odds, Predictions, Betting Picks 2023
NFL Futures | 13 hours ago | Michael Sicoli
NFL
NFC East Odds, Betting Predictions, Picks 2023
NFL Futures | 2 June, 2023 | Tanner Kern
Mike Lukas is a retired standup comedian turned freelance writer now living in Dallas, Texas, originally from Cleveland, Ohio. His love for the game of football and all things Cleveland Browns turned Mike into a pro blogger years ago. Now Mike enjoys writing about all thirty-two NFL teams, hoping to help football gamblers gain a slight edge in their pursuit of the perfect wager. Email: [email protected]
More info on Mike Lukas
© Rebel Penguin ApS 2023 (a subsidiary of Gaming Innovation Group Inc.)
We support responsible gambling. If you feel like you're losing control over your gambling experience, call
1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA, WV), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-522-4700 (NV), 1-800-522-4700
(CO,
TN), 1-855-2CALLGA (IL), 1-800-270-7117 (MI).
WSN.com is run by iGaming Cloud Inc (a Gaming Innovation Group Subsidiary) and is registered with the New Jersey
Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) under affiliate vendor ID
89744,
with the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) under certificate of registration number SWR-000148, approved by
the
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board as a gaming service provider, under certificate registration number
117656-1,
possesses a Vendor Minor sports betting license from the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission (account
number 94414163), granted a vendor registration number VR007603-20-001 by the Michigan Gaming Control Board,
an
interim Sports Wagering Supplier license, under license number SWS 066, issued by the West Virginia Lottery
Commission, a sports betting vendor registration, under registration number #100400, issued by the Director
of
Gaming Licensing and Investigations of the Virginia Lottery to operate in the State of Virginia, and a
Vendor
Registration issued by the Sports Wagering Committee of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation.
Advertising disclosure: WSN contains links to online retailers on its website. When people click on our
affiliate links and make purchases, WSN earns a commission from our partners, including ESPN and various
sportsbooks.