Betting on the winner of the Super Bowl, from the most odds to the best value

There was a lot to dissect in a truly wild card weekend. The Chicago Bears are coming off a fourth-quarter, back-to-back final quarter with the Los Angeles Rams-Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills-Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers-Philadelphia Eagles games. And we’ve seen the defenses of the New England Patriots and Houston Texans hold up — while getting some help from their opponents.

With the exception of the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos, who had byes in the first round, every other playoff team has a game under their belt. So we asked Matt Bowen, Liz Loza, Pamela Maldonado, Eric Moody, Ben Solak and Seth Walder who they would pick to win the Super Bowl, based on their observations, and which team offers the best betting value?

Note: Odds with DraftKings Sportsbook are also subject to change.

Best bet: Credits +650; Best Value: Credits +650

Bowen: I’m staying with Buffalo on both picks here. We are getting very good value, and I see a team that is on its way to the championship. Josh Allen has the ability to make the difference in winning critical game moments. Elite’s two dangerous features. And this Bills defense is playing at a high level. Landmarks are coming down. The eyes. Breaking into football. Squeezing the throwing windows and reducing the big game throws the field down. Sean McDermott’s team has the profile to win a ring.

Best bet: Rams +320; Best value: Texans +850

Loza: The Rams are the most complete team in football. Matthew Stafford’s anticipation, timing and accuracy are fueled by a strong receiving corps and a highly productive backfield. Although LA’s secondary can be exploited, the team’s defensive line can bring the heat effectively, recording an impressive 40.4% win rate during the regular season. Additionally, Sean McVay (and many of his current players) have experience on their side, having promoted Lombardi just four years ago.

That said, Houston’s defense has proven that it can carry the team to Santa Clara, registering the best defensive percentage (68.19%) during 2025. CJ Stroud is far from a great passer, and losing Nico Collins in the divisional round will hurt, but Jayden Higgins is a player who can control strolash plays. If the axiom is to be believed, defense wins championships and the value presented at +850 odds is too good to pass up.

Best bet: Patriots +600; Best value: Patriots +600

Maldonado: New England has a very complete profile, a top-class coverage unit paired with an elite tackle who wrings explosive plays and finishes drives. That combination goes deep into the playoffs. Offensively, the Patriots are near the top in pass efficiency, and they protect the ball, which is more important than raw explosiveness against a tight end defense. They support drives, control space on the field and don’t rely on turnovers or broken plays.

Overall, New England is a clean matchup against pressure teams because its defensive schemes and quick plays make quick defenses ineffective. The Patriots also avoid self-inflicted turnovers that sink skilled opponents. At +600, the price shows ability without overpaying for flash. This is a future bet on repeatable features and the remaining upper floor.

Best bet: Seahawks +270; Best value: Broncos +700

Moody: The Seahawks are always the betting favorite for a reason. Seattle’s defense finished the regular season ranked first in rushing yardage, seventh in rushing yardage, and in the top five in both yards and points allowed. They’ve been outmatched again and now play a division game against the 49ers they defeated in Week 18 to clinch the NFC West and the No. 1 seed.

The Broncos, on the other hand, are well-rested coming off a bye and entering as the No. 1 seed. 1 in the AFC, contributing to these errors. Denver has Bo Nix under center, players like Courtland Sutton and one of the league’s offensive minds in head coach Sean Payton. The Broncos’ defense led the league with 68 sacks in 2025 and finished third in rushing yards, giving them a real chance to surprise bettors.

Best bet: Seahawks +270; Best value: Bears +1600

Solak: Seattle’s defense is the best unit left in the playoffs on either side of the bracket, and even if the offense has slowed down, it’s still been a good enough unit to find explosives and run out the clock. Sam Darnold’s kryptonite — the Rams’ defense — hasn’t been up to par for the past seven or eight games. Seattle also has a clear path to their conference championship game as 7-point favorites over the 49ers.

The Bears are almost double the price of the closest team (Texans at +850) and not much shorter than the 49ers (+2000). Chicago hosts the Rams at home in what should be a shootout, and while their defense has not been strong, it has improved in the back half of the season as they have returned players from injury. This is a mispriced group.

Best bet: Rams +320; Best value: Broncos +700

Walder: Now that the Rams and Seahawks are evenly matched again, I think Los Angeles is once again a Super Bowl favorite — even if they just got reprimanded by the Panthers. While the past few weeks have not been pretty in Los Angeles, I think it’s important to step back a bit and look at the bigger picture, one where the Rams and Seahawks have been two of the best teams this year. But Sam Darnold’s cold streak has lasted longer than the Rams’ (Darnold ranks 27th in QBR as of Week 11!), so I give the edge to the Rams.

I feel like the Broncos are an underrated team. And you don’t have to be completely sold on Bo Nix to bet them, either. Honestly, I think this is one of those that — once they’re in the Super Bowl — we’re going to look back on it as almost obvious. Yes, the team with the best defense, with both a special running back and a star cornerback, and the best offensive line and a Hall of Fame kicker made it to the Super Bowl. Yes they do.