The preseason is over, and football that matters is finally almost back. We just have one more (NFL) football-less weekend before the Cowboys and the Eagles kick things off next Thursday. Then we’re treated to an AFC West matchup between the Chiefs and Chargers in LA before the Cincinnati Bengals travel to Cleveland to face the Browns in an AFC North grudge match.
With rosters finalizing and teams focusing on building game plans to defeat their Week 1 opponent, NFL futures bets are starting to come to light. If you’re a Bengals fan, you’re inclined to place a bet or two about how the team will perform in the 2025 season, and you’re in a state that allows such bets, here are a few you could put some money on.
Here are some futures bets for the Cincinnati Bengals, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
Bengals to win Super Bowl: +2200
Vegas doesn’t seem to have a very high opinion of the Bengals, at least when it comes to their chances of winning the final game of the season. There are 11 teams that they think have better odds. The Ravens (+650), Bills (+750), Eagles (+750), and Chiefs (+800) are the top four teams, and after them, but ahead of the Bengals, are the Lions, Packers, Commanders, Rams, 49ers, and Vikings.
Just nipping on the heels of the Bengals are the Broncos, Chargers, and Texans, before there’s a large drop in odds before the rest of the league’s teams. With the Bengals’ current odds, if you bet $100, you will win $2200.
Conference Championship Odds
Odds to win the AFC: +1100
The Bengals are fifth in the AFC when it comes to teams that are most likely to win the conference. Their odds come in at +1100, behind the Ravens, Bills, Chiefs, and Texans, and they’re just ahead of the Broncos. In the NFC, the Eagles, Lions, Packers, 49ers, and Commanders round out the top five.
Bengals to make the playoffs: -144
Bengals to miss the playoffs: +118
The analysts in Las Vegas may not like the Bengals as this year’s Super Bowl champion, but they do think they’ll make the playoffs. The Bengals’ odds to make the playoffs are the 10th highest in the league, at -144. This wedges them just behind the Rams and ahead of the Packers.
To miss the playoffs, the Bengals’ odds are currently +118, just behind the Packers and ahead of the Texans. Obviously, Sportsbooks believe the Bengals will be playing after Week 18’s games are complete.
The Bills, Ravens, and Chiefs are the teams most likely to make the playoffs, per FanDuel, and the Browns, Saints, and Giants are considered most likely to miss.
Odds to win the division: +250
Obviously, the easiest path to the postseason is by winning the division. It not only guarantees you a spot in the postseason, but it also gives you a home playoff game. The Bengals are not favored to win the AFC North. That honor goes, unsurprisingly, to the Ravens, whose odds are -160. The Bengals’ odds come in at +250, which comes in second in the division. Behind them are the Steelers at +550 and the Browns at a staggering +3500.
The Bengals’ over/under is set at 9.5
After finishing two seasons with a 9-8 record, failing to make it to the playoffs both times, the over/under set for the Bengals is 9.5 wins. Their odds to win more than 9.5 are set at -110, and their odds to win less are also set at -110. This basically means Vegas wouldn’t be surprised either way.
They’ll likely need at least 10 wins to make sure they’re playing after Week 18 is in the books.
Joe Burrow to lead league in regular-season passing yards: +500
Joe Burrow to lead league in regular-season TD passes: +410
Ja’Marr Chase to lead league in regular-season receiving yards: +600
Ja’Marr Chase to lead league in regular-season receiving TDs: +650
Trey Hendrickson over 12.5 sacks: -102
Trey Hendrickson unders 12.5 sacks: -126
After Joe Burrow put up MVP-worthy numbers and Ja’Marr Chase brought the Triple Crown to Cincinnati in 2024, it shouldn’t be surprising that they’re each favored to league the league in major categories for their respective positions. Burrow has the current highest odds leading the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns, and Chase has the highest odds to lead the league in receiving yards and touchdowns (again).
The drop-offs behind Burrow and Chase are pretty steep as well. Mahomes is behind Burrow in passing yards at +800, while Baker Mayfield is second behind Burrow in passing touchdowns at +950. Justin Jefferson is unsurprisingly behind Chase, according to Vegas. His odds to lead the league in receiving yards are +850, but his odds to lead the league in touchdowns are +1300.
Then we come to the league’s defending sack leader. Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals finally were able to come to an agreement to almost double his pay, ending the edge rusher’s holdout. He’s coming off back-to-back seasons with 17.5 sacks, but Vegas has his over/under set at 12.5 sacks. His odds of having more or less are almost even, shaded towards less.
Joe Burrow chances to win AP MVP: +600
Ja’Marr Chase odds to win AP MVP: +12000
Tee Higgins odds to win AP MVP: +50000
Ja’Marr Chase odds to win AP Offensive Player of the Year: +800
Joe Burrow odds to win AP Offensive Player of the Year: +6000
Trey Hendrickson odds to win AP Defensive Player of the Year: +3300
Finally, we come to the personal hardware Bengals players could show off on their mantles. There are only four players FanDuel deemed worthy of coming up with odds, and they’re unsurprisingly the four you’d think they were. For MVP, Burrow, Chase, and Tee Higgins all have odds. Burrow is third in the league with +600 odds to win the award behind LaMarr Jackson and Josh Allen. Chase and Higgins are much further down the list at +12000 and +50000, respectively.
Burrow and Chase also have odds to win AP Offensive Player of the Year. Chase is ahead of Burrow for this award and is second behind running back Saquon Barkley at +800. Burrow is further down the list at +6000.
Finally, Hendrickson is tied with Pat Surtain as having the 11th-highest odds of winning the AP Defensive Player of the Year at +3300.
FanDuel Sportsbook is conducting FanDuel Futures Day on Tuesday, August 26 where you can get profit boost tokens around various futures markets throughout the day. The markets will be split up throughout the day, but they will include odds to win the Super Bowl and hypothetical Super Bowl matchups, odds to make or miss the playoffs, win totals, division winners, and player milestones. Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook on Tuesday to take advantage of FanDuel Futures Day.