2026 Super Bowl Predictions with Futures Odds and Best Bets

by Spencer Toth - 1/14/2026

Super Bowl predictions Sam Darnold Seattle Seahawks

Eight teams are remaining in the NFL playoffs with an incredible Wild Card Weekend in the rearview mirror. This has been the most wide-open playoffs in recent memory, with all 8 sides coming in with +2200 odds or shorter. There is no shortage of betting opportunities to comb through, as valid arguments can be made for why each team can reach the Super Bowl. Now is the perfect time to make Super Bowl bets, as you can still grab a great price on your Super Bowl pick and you won’t have to tie up your bankroll for months on end. Without further ado, here are all eight Super Bowl contenders with a value rating based on their current Super Bowl odds.

Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.

Super Bowl Odds:
Seattle Seahawks: +270

Los Angeles Rams: +320

New England Patriots: +550

Buffalo Bills: +600

Denver Broncos: +800

Houston Texans: +900

Chicago Bears: +1300

San Francisco 49ers: +2200

Seattle Seahawks: +270

The Seahawks seemingly have the easiest matchup of the Divisional Round, as they are lofty seven-point favorites over the San Francisco 49ers. A win against the 49ers would set up another home game against either the Rams or Bears, both of which will see Seattle come in as a favorite again.

What sets this team apart is its defense in the NFC. The AFC is littered with strong defenses, but the rest of the NFC features explosive offenses. Seattle is here thanks to consistent play from Sam Darnold, but it has been their defense that has really set them apart. Excluding a 38-37 shootout victory against the Rams in Week 16, the Seahawks have allowed just 7.6 PPG in their five most recent wins. Their pass rush is always a threat, while their smothering coverage in the secondary takes away the easy throws over the middle. A looming NFC Championship game against the Rams could see their defense exposed again, but I am willing to bet Seattle has combed over that game tape and will have a gameplan to shut down Matthew Stafford.

The biggest question mark with this team is Sam Darnold. Darnold has a long history of high-level play in the regular season, before completely crumbling in the playoffs. Last year, the Vikings were a Week 18 win away from the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but ended up crashing out then, before getting stomped in the Wild Card round too. Darnold has put together another successful regular season during his first year in Seattle, but all of that will be for nothing if he can’t string together some playoff wins. While many see Darnold as an instant fade in the postseason, the reality is that he has done enough this year to dispel those concerns. The Seahawks have proven themselves to be the best team in the NFC, and even at +270 odds, they are worth a sprinkle.
Value Rating: 3.5/5

Los Angeles Rams: +320

The Rams red hot start is a distant memory, as this team has looked very mediocre in recent weeks. They closed out the year 3-3 to throw away their chance at the NFC West title, and will now hit the road against Chicago in the Divisional Round. Matthew Stafford has traditionally struggled in cold-weather games, and Soldier Field will be frigid and windy on Sunday night. Even if the Rams get past Chicago, they will still likely have another road game against Seattle for the NFC Championship. The +320 odds don’t accurately reflect where this team is at right now, as while they have the MVP favorite, their defense hasn’t been up to par in the second half of the season. They allowed exactly 30 PPG in their last five, and even though they went 3-2 in that span, that isn’t a recipe for success against the top teams in the NFC.

It is hard to fade the connection Stafford and Puka Nacua have developed, but the reality is that NFL games are not won or lost by one duo. The Rams have a shaky roster that is one injury away from real disaster, and it is impossible to justify the +320 odds. Based on the odds against Chicago and theoretical odds against the Seahawks, the Rams would need to be -200 favorites or shorter for this +320 price tag to make sense. Not only is that unrealistic, but I am not very confident they will even reach the Super Bowl in the first place. In terms of value, the Rams are the worst pick on the board.

Value Rating: 0/5

New England Patriots: +550

The Patriots are the odds-on favorite to win the AFC, and it is hard to argue with their spot at the top of the conference. New England put on a defensive masterclass against the Chargers last week, and are relatively sizable favorite against the Texans in the Divisional Round. Houston’s offense has been far from elite, which means the Patriots are poised for another strong showing at home on that side of the ball.

On offense, the Patriots have MVP candidate Drake Maye leading the charge. Maye has been incredibly responsible with the football this season, and his poise in the pocket is incredible for a 23-year-old. He almost always makes the right choice when the pressure gets to him, and he showed off his legs with 66 rushing yards against the Chargers. On the ground, Trevon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson comprise a very effective duo that can help New England control the clock against anyone in the league.

The Patriots are one of my picks to win the Super Bowl, and at +550 odds, there is still money to be made. New England will either host the Bills or visit the Broncos in the AFC Championship game, both of which they should be favorites in. Their complementary football, experienced coaching staff, and overflow of young talent is exactly the recipe for success in the NFL playoffs. In terms of the favorites, New England is the top pick to make if you want to maximize your chances of holding a juicy ticket at the Super Bowl next month.

Value Rating: 4.5/5

Buffalo Bills: +600

Other than Josh Allen, the Bills have the worst roster left in the playoffs by a wide margin. Their defense is unreliable, they lack a true No. 1 wide receiver, and their special teams continue to struggle. However, Josh Allen is the best player in the league, and he can single-handedly win football games. Allen’s heroics have gotten the Bills this far, but these odds are hard to swallow considering they likely have two more road playoff games still to get to the Super Bowl. They are surprising road favorites against the well-rested Broncos, which has sunk their odds to +600. A fresh Broncos defense will be able to obliterate the mediocre Bills' offensive line, as they recorded the 4th most sacks in NFL history in the regular season. Will Allen make some jaw-dropping plays? Absolutely. Will they be enough to offset several advantages the Broncos have when comparing these two rosters? Probably not. Even a win over Denver still has them two games away from the Super Bowl, meaning you are probably better off betting the Bills moneyline each week rather than swallowing this inflated +600 Super Bowl price.

Value Rating: 0.5/5

Denver Broncos: +800

The Broncos earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC and the crucial bye that goes with it. While the NFC’s No.1 seed has odds that reflect their dominance, the Broncos are seemingly forgotten down in the bottom half of the list. It is fair to say that the Broncos won’t go down as the most impressive top seed of all-time, but that shouldn’t take away from their solid season. This defense is truly remarkable, and the coaching from Sean Payton will ensure they continue to get the most they can out of their difference makers. Nik Bonitto would be in the DPOY conversation were it not for Myles Garrett’s historic season, but it has been a real team effort to defend in Denver.

On offense, I still have my concerns about Bo Nix, but he continues to deliver in clutch situations. Their run game hasn’t been anything special, especially when counting their fumbling issues, but their play-action has led to lots of open field for Bo Nix to exploit. As a pure pocket passer, Nix is a bottom-half quarterback, but his legs and ability to make throws on the run keep his ceiling high heading into the playoffs. The Broncos' ability to make the plays they need in crucial situations is why they claimed the top seed, and it is why they are not done yet in the AFC. This is a remarkable price for a team that is just two home wins away from the Super Bowl, and I am all over the +800 odds.

Value Rating: 4/5

Houston Texans: +900

The Texans have a tough Divisional matchup against the Patriots, which is the worst team they could’ve been paired with at this stage of the season. CJ Stroud has really struggled to find consistent success on offense, as we saw him get shut down against the Steelers before an explosive fourth quarter. The run game hasn’t been there for Houston either, and I just don’t know how they score enough to keep up with Maye’s consistent offense. Nico Collins went down with a concussion last week, and if he is unable to suit up, a barren Houston offense gets even less impressive. However, the Texans aren’t in the Divisional Round thanks to their offense.

On defense, Houston is the best team in the league. They gave up six points to Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers on the road last week, and those field goals came off turnovers on offense. Houston was able to completely shut down Pittsburgh, and while the Patriots are a tougher task, they will be equally confident in their ability to deliver another smothering performance. Fading this defense is never fun, but neither is tailing this offense. A set of odds at +900 seems fair for Houston, as they have the potential to reach the Super Bowl, but are the fourth-best team left in the AFC.

Value Rating: 2.5/5

Chicago Bears: +1300

I have been riding the Bears since they were +7500 just two months ago, and you can bet that tune isn’t changing now. I actually love the matchup Chicago has against the Rams, as they will make home-field advantage count while staying a nice underdog to keep their Super Bowl odds high. Matthew Stafford has struggled in the cold, and I have much more faith in the Bears grinding out a low-scoring win than I do the Rams. Los Angeles has shown frailty recently, meaning the Bears have a real chance at being one win away from the Super Bowl at this time next week.

What the Bears have done in the fourth quarter this season has been remarkable. They have come back in the final frame countless times this season (seven actually), as Caleb Williams continues to make clutch play after clutch play. A three-score deficit against the Packers was erased in the second half last week, including two fourth-down conversions to keep their season alive. Ben Johnson appears to have found a way to get the most out of his quarterback, giving the Bears real life at this stage of the season. On the ground, Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift have been excellent, allowing Chicago to keep teams guessing on how they will break them down.

The defense has been average for the Bears, but they turn up and shut teams down after they collapse in the first half. Chicago will need the defense to avoid their usual first-half collapse for the rest of the playoffs, as the opposition is now too good to allow the Bears to keep mounting big comebacks. At +1300, this is a great price for the Team of Destiny this season, as one more win will see these odds get dramatically slashed.

Value Rating: 5/5

San Francisco 49ers: +2200

If George Kittle were healthy, this would be a great price for the San Francisco 49ers. Kittle does so much in both the run game and passing game for the 49ers, and I just don’t see how they win without their top weapon. On the other hand, Brock Purdy has only lost two playoff starts in his career. One was due to a first-quarter injury in the NFC Championship game, while the other was in the Super Bowl two years ago. Purdy plays his best football in the postseason, and there are plenty of arguments that San Francisco should be closer to the Bears in terms of Super Bowl odds. Purdy and Christian McCaffrey can run an offense themselves behind a towering offensive line, and the 49ers' defense keeps finding ways to win despite a long list of injuries. I wouldn’t blame you for taking the +2200 odds, as there is a lot of value; it is just still hard to imagine the 49ers winning two more road playoff games.

Value Rating: 3/5

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Start:	January 19, 2026 @ 7:30 PM
Expert:	Raphael Esparza (VSI)
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2026 Super Bowl Predictions with Futures Odds and Best Bets

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