Super Bowl odds 2026: Seahawks and Broncos favourites to battle for the Lombardi

In a year in which several of the usual suspects have fallen well short of expectations, the 2026 NFL playoffs have an unfamiliar look to them and the race to the Super Bowl is wide open. 

According to the latest Super Bowl odds, the Seattle Seahawks – having secured a bye for the first round – are slight favourites ahead of their NFC West rivals, the Los Angeles Rams. The Denver Broncos are the shortest-priced AFC team – they, like Seattle, are just two home wins away from reaching the showpiece event.

The big game will be played on Sunday 8th February in Santa Clara (about an hour down the road from San Francisco), which could provide another advantage for West Coast teams. The hometown 49ers are still very much in the hunt themselves. 

Our Super Bowl odds guide will break down all the runners and riders.

Super Bowl winner odds

Here are the odds from our recommended American football bookies:

• Seattle Seahawks – 4/1 with BetMGM
• Los Angeles Rams – 5/1 with Betfred
• Denver Broncos – 13/2 with bet365
• Philadelphia Eagles – 9/1 with BetVictor
• New England Patriots – 10/1 with SBK
• Buffalo Bills – 10/1 with Betway
• Houston Texans – 12/1 with BetMGM
• Jacksonville Jaguars – 14/1 with bet365
• Chicago Bears – 20/1 with Betway
• San Francisco 49ers – 22/1 with Sky Bet
• Green Bay Packers – 25/1 with Betfred
• Los Angeles Chargers – 33/1 with AK Bets
• Pittsburgh Steelers – 45/1 with Paddy Power
• Carolina Panthers – 200/1 with Sky Bet

*Odds are subject to change (Updated on 7th January).

The NFL playoff format explained

The NFL is split into two conferences – the NFC and the AFC – and each of those is split into four divisions – North, South, East and West. Seven teams from each conference have qualified for the playoffs – the four division winners, plus the next best three record-wise.

These teams were then seeded within each conference, with the best overall record being rewarded with the number 1 seed – and being handed a first round bye and guaranteed home-field advantage along with it. 

The three other division winners in each conference are then assigned 2nd, 3rd and 4th seeds and the three ‘wildcards’ (the three best teams which didn’t win their division) make up the 5th, 6th and 7th seeds – again, in order of record.

In the NFL playoffs – unlike many other sports and other knockout tournaments – the path to the Super Bowl is not completely pre-determined. The highest remaining seed in each conference will always play the lowest remaining seed at home. Therefore, it isn’t always certain who a team will face in the next round until all the games have been played.

The Super Bowl is a clash between the champions of the NFC and the champions of the AFC.

Here’s how they all stack up:

NFC Seedings

1. Seattle Seahawks – 14-3 (1st in NFC West)

2. Chicago Bears – 11-6 (1st in NFC North)
3. Philadelphia Eagles – 11-6 (1st in NFC East)
4. Carolina Panthers – 8-9 (1st in NFC South)

5. Los Angeles Rams – 12-5 (2nd in NFC West)
6. San Francisco 49ers – 12-5 (3rd in NFC West)
7. Green Bay Packers – 9-7-1 (2nd in NFC North)

AFC Seedings

1. Denver Broncos – 14-3 (1st in AFC West)

2. New England Patriots – 14-3 (1st in AFC East)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars – 14-3 (1st in AFC South)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers – 10-7 (1st in AFC North)

5. Houston Texans – 12-5 (2nd in AFC South)
6. Buffalo Bills – 12-5 (2nd in AFC East)
7. Los Angeles Chargers – 11-6 (2nd in AFC West)

Current Super Bowl favourites

The shortest-priced teams, naturally, include the two number 1 seeds due to the two advantages they have. 

There are some surprises in how these teams’ chances are being viewed, which we’ll get into.

Seattle Seahawks – 4/1

Seattle saw off the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers to win the NFC West title – beating both in the final three weeks of the season. With all three winning twelve or more games, it was confirmed in week 17 that whoever topped the division would also claim the number 1 seed.

Seattle clinched it with an away win at the 49ers and, with it, a week’s rest before hosting the lowest remaining seed in the divisional round. This could be a huge boost for the Seahawks in particular as the decibel levels at Lumen Field have broken Guinness World Records in the past – matching that of a jet engine!

It’ll be a second playoff appearance in as many years for quarterback Sam Darnold. He’ll be hoping it goes a lot better than this time twelve months ago, however, after his comeback season with the Minnesota Vikings was brought to a shuddering halt by the Los Angeles Rams.

Back the Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl at 4/1 with BetMGM

Los Angeles Rams – 5/1

Speaking of the Rams, they remain second favourites to go all the way according to many bookies, despite having to settle for a wildcard spot. They led the NFC West for the majority of the season, until that dramatic night in Seattle just before Christmas when the home side snatched victory in overtime with a touchdown and two-point conversion.

Matthew Stafford remains odds-on to win the MVP award after recording a career-best 46 touchdown passes – twelve more than anyone else – and 4,707 passing yards, which was also the highest number in the league.

Stafford and coach Sean McVay are vying for a second ring in four years, and will back themselves to overcome the Carolina Panthers, albeit on the road, to kick off their latest postseason campaign. This is perhaps why many bookies still see them as equally likely to win the trophy as the Seahawks.

Tip the LA Rams to win the Super Bowl as a wildcard team at 5/1 with Betfred

Denver Broncos – 13/2

The Denver Broncos have made an incredible leap forward in just year two under coach Sean Payton, ending the Kansas City Chiefs’ nine-year dominance of the AFC West – taking the crown with a 14-3 record, despite starting 1-2.

They found many ways to win during an 11-game unbeaten streak but the more consistent unit throughout the season was the defence, which recorded a league-best 68 sacks and allowed just 57.8% of passes from opposing quarterbacks to be completed – a rate bettered only by the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Broncos, like the Seahawks, will await the lowest-seeded winner from this weekend’s AFC games and they also have a significant home-field advantage. The city, and their home stadium, sit exactly one mile above sea level – hence the name ‘Mile High Stadium’. The altitude poses a serious challenge for visiting teams – the Broncos won all bar one game there during the regular season.

Take the Denver Broncos to go all the way at 13/2 with bet365

Philadelphia Eagles – 9/1

The Eagles may be the defending Super Bowl champions but they are not the same juggernaut they proved to be last year. They won the NFC East at a canter but did suffer a wobble in late November and early December, losing to the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Chargers in successive weeks.

Wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have voiced their dissatisfaction with the performance of the passing game at various points in the season, and Saquon Barkley didn’t come close to the incredible numbers he achieved on the ground in 2024.

The Eagles will host the 49ers who, as a third-placed team in their division, won one more game than the Eagles who topped theirs. Both teams have plenty of recent playoff pedigree, having played in two Super Bowls apiece since the 2019 season.

Go for the Philadelphia Eagles to defend their Lombardi Trophy at 9/1 with BetVictor

New England Patriots – 10/1

The New England Patriots claimed the AFC East title for the first time since the days of Tom Brady at quarterback and Bill Belichick on the sidelines as head coach. 

It was a remarkable turnaround from the 2024 season in which they propped up the division with just four wins. Rookie coach Jerod Mayo paid the price and was replaced by another former Pats player, Mike Vrabel – who has completely transformed them, winning ten-in-a-row at one point and all eight on the road. 

Second-year signal caller Drake Maye has benefitted massively from the change, throwing 31 touchdown passes and completing 72% of his passes – making him the most accurate starting quarterback in the league. The third overall pick in the 2024 draft is the second favourite to be named MVP behind Matt Stafford.

The Patriots appeared in nine Super Bowls – winning six of them – during their dynasty era but this weekend’s Wild Card clash against the Chargers will be their first playoff game since both Brady and Belichick left Foxborough. They haven’t won a postseason game since the last of those Super Bowl wins back in 2019.

Tip the New England Patriots to rediscover their Super Bowl-winning form at 10/1 with SBK

Buffalo Bills – 10/1

With Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow all sitting on the couch watching, could this finally be Josh Allen’s, and the Buffalo Bills’, time?

They’ll have to do it the hard way after being unable to keep up with the Patriots. The Bills did bring their unbeaten streak to an end just before Christmas, but it did nothing to unsettle the Massachusetts outfit, who won out and clinched the AFC East.

The Bills have had yet more explosive victories this season but have also looked susceptible at times, particularly when strong pass rushes are able to disrupt Allen’s rhythm.

They head down to Jacksonville for what looks a tough first round assignment. Despite their obvious quality and recent playoff attempts, it is perhaps surprising to see them priced the same – or shorter, in some places – than the Pats.

Back the Buffalo Bills to finally win their first Super Bowl at 10/1 with Betway

Super Bowl dark horses

These teams have been priced a little higher, either due to their lack of recent playoff experience or due to the likely obstacles they’ll need to hurdle en route to the Super Bowl.

Jacksonville Jaguars – 14/1

It has been a dream debut season in charge for head coach Liam Coen. The 40-year-old had only been in the NFL for one year prior to taking the Jacksonville job, immediately becoming a hot commodity after impressing as offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Like the Patriots, the Jags won just four games in 2024 and questions began to be asked if quarterback Trevor Lawrence was ‘“the guy” for the long-term. Coen has helped transform the former number 1 overall pick – he’s thrown 29 passing touchdowns and rushed for nine himself, both are career-high numbers.

The Jags finished the season with eight straight wins, turning around a run of three defeats in four – including their annual Wembley visit. They welcome the Bills to EverBank Stadium on Sunday in a game between two franchises who’ve never lifted the Lombardi.

Bet on the Jacksonville Jaguars to win their first Super Bowl at 14/1 with bet365

Chicago Bears – 20/1

Playoff appearances don’t come around often for the Chicago Bears either but after their own first-year head coach Ben Johnson guided them to an 11-6 season, the Windy City will host its first postseason game in seven years.

Caleb Williams, who was part of the same 2024 draft class as Drake Maye, has had a similarly solid sophomore season – improving in almost every metric bar completion percentage. He’s thrown 27 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions, clocking just under 4,000 yards (3,942). 

It took a while for the Bears to win naysayers over, as they pulled off several miraculous comebacks and came close to losing to several of the league’s lesser lights. The crucial victories came on Black Friday at the Eagles, and at home to deadly rivals the Green Bay Packers to take the NFC North title away from them. Despite losing their last two, they were able to hold on to the 2 seed.

The next chapter of the historic Bears-Packers saga will be a season-ender for one of them.

Go for the Chicago Bears to win a long-awaited second Super Bowl at 20/1 with Betway

San Francisco 49ers – 22/1

Twelve wins usually gets you a lot more than the sixth seed. In fact, had they beaten the Seahawks on the final weekend, the 49ers would be the ones enjoying a bye. Instead, they head to Philadelphia to try and end the Eagles’ title defence.

The Niners have had to deal with long-term injuries to star players – including Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. The former definitely won’t return this season after tearing his ACL, the latter may have a chance of featuring if the team advances to the latter stages. 

Quarterback Brock Purdy has also been sidelined for significant time but is back and playing better than ever – accounting for thirteen touchdowns in wins over the Titans, Colts and Bears in December.

Coach Kyle Shanahan has taken the team to the Super Bowl twice before. While they face a long and winding road to get there this time, they know that it won’t be Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs lying in wait. Plus they would also be playing on home turf.

Tip the San Francisco 49ers to win the Super Bowl in their own building at 22/1 with Sky Bet

Green Bay Packers – 25/1

Green Bay were considered one of the teams to beat in the NFC until a season-ending injury to star defensive player Micah Parsons and quarterback Jordan Love suffered a concussion. 

Love had cleared protocol prior to the week 18 game against the Minnesota Vikings but as it was something of a dead rubber, the team wisely chose to sit him out. 

He should be back to face the Bears this weekend, but the Pack have lost a lot of momentum – they head into the playoffs off the back of four straight losses, including that one to the Bears which saw the NFC North title slip away.

Go for the Green Bay Packers to win the Super Bowl at 25/1 with Betfred

The NFL playoff schedule

Here all the dates and times you need to know ahead of the next three weekends, plus Super Bowl Sunday. Seahawks and Broncos fans will not yet know which timeslot their Divisional Round games will be played in. All team seedings are denoted in brackets.

Wild Card Round

• Carolina Panthers (4) v Los Angeles Rams (5) – Saturday, 10th Jan, 9:30pm.
• Chicago Bears (2) v Green Bay Packers (7) – Sunday, 11th Jan, 1:00am.
• Jacksonville Jaguars (3) v Buffalo Bills (6) – Sunday, 11th Jan, 6:00pm.
• Philadelphia Eagles (3) v San Francisco 49ers (6) – Sunday, 11th Jan, 9:30pm.
• New England Patriots (2) v Los Angeles Chargers (7) – Monday, 12th Jan, 1:00am.
• Pittsburgh Steelers (4) v Houston Texans (5) – Tuesday, 13th Jan, 1:00am.

Divisional Round

• TBD v TBD – Saturday, 17th Jan, 9:30pm.
• TBD v TBD – Sunday, 18th Jan, 1:15am.
• TBD v TBD – Sunday, 18th Jan, 8:00pm.
• TBD v TBD – Sunday, 18th Jan, 11:30pm.

Conference Championships

• TBD v TBD – Sunday, 25th Jan, 8:00pm.
• TBD v TBD – Sunday, 25th Jan, 11:30pm.

Super Bowl

• TBD v TBD – Sunday, 8th Feb, 11:30pm.

How have the playoff teams previously fared?

The two ‘winningest’ franchises – the Patriots and the Steelers – are vying for a seventh title.

Five of our contenders, however, have never tasted victory in the Super Bowl, and two of them have never even played in it.

FAQs about the run to the Super Bowl 2026

1. What other Super Bowl betting markets are available?

As well as picking your Super Bowl winner, some sportsbooks are offering markets for the NFC winner and AFC winner (separately) and also a straight forecast for the Super Bowl matchup (i.e. which two teams you believe will contest the Super Bowl).

You may also be able to find quirkier markets like “first time winner” and “winning state”. Five of the fourteen playoff teams this year have never won a Super Bowl, and California and Pennsylvania are represented by multiple teams.

2. Which team(s) have won the most Super Bowls?

The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots are level on six Super Bowl victories apiece. 

The Steelers won four of their six back in the 1970s, adding two more in the 2000s. As mentioned earlier, the Patriots enjoyed a dominant era with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick – they won all six of their Super Bowls with that tandem between the 2001 and 2018 seasons.

Brady would add one more to his personal collection before retiring, winning with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 season – meaning he has won more rings than any team!

3. Has a wild card team ever won a Super Bowl?

Yes – four teams have gone on to win it all despite having to play successive road games! Most recently, the Buccaneers – as noted in Q2 – emerged as the fifth seed in the NFC that year, beating the New Orleans Saints who finished above them in the NFC South en route to lifting the Lombardi.

Prior to that, Aaron Rodgers won his only ring with the Packers as the sixth seed in 2010, Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to their fifth title as the sixth seed in 2005 and the New York Giants – as the fifth seed – shocked the Patriots in 2007, spoiling what would’ve been an undefeated season.

It is rare but it can happen!

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