Super Bowl odds 2026: Seahawks tipped to second championship

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

With just four teams left in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy, the the Seattle Seahawks are now leading the latest Super Bowl odds – having dismantled the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. They’ll now face another of their NFC West rivals, the Los Angeles Rams – who are the second favourites to win it all.

The New England Patriots are the shortest-priced AFC team, having beaten the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans, and with the Buffalo Bills having been eliminated. Their opponents in the Championship Game – the Denver Broncos – have drifted all the way to 13/1 following news of quarterback Bo Nix’s season-ending ankle injury.

The showpiece event will be held on Sunday 8th February in Santa Clara (about an hour down the road from San Francisco), which could provide another advantage for the West Coast teams.

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 – 6/4 with BetVictor
• Los Angeles Rams – 11/5 with bet365
• New England Patriots – 12/5 with William Hill
• Denver Broncos – 13/1 with BetMGM

*Odds are subject to change (Updated on 20th 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 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 brings together the champions of the NFC and the champions of the AFC.

How the last four got here

Here’s a quick look at the season that each of the remaining four teams have had:

Super Bowl odds – the favourites

The bookies feel that the two NFC teams – the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams – are the two strongest contenders to win the Super Bowl, and whichever advances to the big game will be favoured against their AFC opponent.

The Seahawks are being given a slight edge due to landing the number 1 seed – the NFC Championship Game will be played on their turf, whereas the Rams are trying to win a third away game on the trot.

Seattle Seahawks – 6/4

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 break before hosting the lowest remaining seed in the divisional round. That turned out to be the 49ers again, who went on the road and knocked out the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The well-rested Seahawks were simply too much for a threadbare 49ers team, who’d suffered numerous season-ending injuries to their star players – including Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and, in the previous round, George Kittle.

It was also quarterback Sam Darnold’s first playoff win, but he wasn’t asked to make many big plays – throwing just 17 times. It’ll be a different story against the Rams, who brought his comeback season with the Minnesota Vikings to a shuddering halt twelve months ago. He has, however, already faced them twice since then – winning in the most recent encounter just before Christmas.

That game on Thursday Night Football swung the NFC West title race in Seattle’s favour, and also proved to be a big reason as to why this game is being played in the North West instead of at SoFi Stadium. The atmosphere at Lumen Field is like no other in the NFL – the decibel levels there have broken Guinness World Records in the past, matching that of a jet engine!

Back the Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl at 6/4 with BetVictor

Los Angeles Rams – 11/5

Their opponents, the LA Rams, are still the second favourites according to many bookies, despite having to settle for a wildcard spot and win two tough away games to get here.

They led the NFC West for the majority of the season, until that dramatic night in Seattle 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 – it has taken all their know-how to overcome the spirited Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears in the Wild Card and Divisional rounds. They needed a late Colby Parkinson touchdown grab to emerge 34-31 winners in Charlotte, and eventually kicked a decisive overtime field goal in the Windy City.

With Stafford, the Rams are one of the league’s most explosive offences and are a battle-tested unit capable of digging deep and winning on the road. That is likely why the bookies have continued to back them throughout these playoffs, and they’ve proven it again.

Tip the LA Rams to win the Super Bowl as a wildcard team at 11/5 with bet365

New England Patriots – 12/5

Having not won a playoff game since the days of Tom Brady at quarterback and Bill Belichick on the sidelines as head coach, the New England Patriots have now won two in two weeks after seeing off the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans.

The turnaround under Mike Vrabel has been quite remarkable given they propped up the division with just four wins in the 2024 season. Rookie coach Jerod Mayo paid the price and was replaced by the former Pats linebacker. He’s led them to a ten-game winning streak and eight out of eight wins 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 in the regular season – 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. They’ll enter their AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos as heavy favourites, due in part to Bo Nix’s absence. Denver will need to play their backup quarterback, Jarrett Stidham.

Tip the New England Patriots to rediscover their Super Bowl-winning form at 12/5 with William Hill

Super Bowl odds – outsiders

Denver Broncos – 13/1

The Denver Broncos are now, unfortunately, the rank outsiders having lost quarterback Bo Nix to an ankle injury in the aftermath of their dramatic overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Nix had just thrown for 279 yards and three touchdowns against the number one passing defence in the league, but was caught on the ankle during one of the plays leading up to the game-winning field goal.

If their season were to end this way, it would be such a shame for a team that has 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 put together an 11-game unbeaten streak at one point, winning in several different ways. Their defence 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. That will be the unit they lean on heavily if they are to pull off the upset and reach the Super Bowl.

They do 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.

It won’t be an easy environment for the Patriots to come into, but it’s difficult envisaging Broncos’ stand-in QB Jarrett Stidham making enough plays to outscore them.

Take the Denver Broncos to go all the way at 13/1 with BetMGM

The NFL playoff schedule

Here all the dates and times you need to know ahead of the Championship Games this weekend and Super Bowl Sunday. All team seedings are denoted in brackets.

Conference Championships

• Denver Broncos (1) vs New England Patriots (2) – Sunday, 25th Jan, 8:00pm.
• Seattle Seahawks (1) vs Los Angeles Rams (5) – Sunday, 25th Jan, 11:30pm.

Super Bowl

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

How have the remaining playoff teams previously fared?

With the Steelers eliminated, the Patriots have the opportunity this year to become the sole ‘winningest’ franchise – they are vying for a seventh title, which would put them at the top of the all-time charts.

They’re already clear of the rest in Super Bowl appearances (11). The Broncos, if they make it to a ninth, would break a four-way tie in second place in that particular leaderboard.

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, 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).

With fewer teams left in the running, some bookies have begun listing odds for the Super Bowl MVP, which will offer more value now than after the upcoming Championship Games.

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 more rings than any of the 32 teams!

3. Has a Wildcard team ever won a Super Bowl?

Yes – seven 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.

Going back further, the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, the Denver Broncos in 1997 and the Oakland Raiders in 1980 were all successful as the fourth seed.

It is rare but it can happen!

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