2022 NFL Playoffs Betting Guide

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2022 NFL Playoffs Betting Guide
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Note: If based in Ontario, any content mentioning bonuses, promotions, wagering or free spins is not intended for you, following Ontario regulations. If located in that province, please go to Ontario Sportsbooks. Ignore this note if not based in Ontario.

The 2022 NFL Playoffs are underway, and before we can bet on the Super Bowl, we have a few weeks of NFL game play left to bet on exciting matchups. Every football postseason is filled with drama, including upsets, preseason expectations fulfilled, and dreams crushed. Simply put, the NFL Playoffs present the most-exciting time to be a football bettor.

This year’s Super Wild Card Weekend kicks off with two games on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022. A pair of AFC matchups will take place Saturday night, including the following:

  • (AFC) No. 5 Las Vegas Raiders at No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals @ 4:30pm ET.
  • (AFC) No. 6 New England Patriots at No. 3 Buffalo Bills @ 8:15pm ET.

Sunday, Jan. 16 will feature the following three games:

  • (NFC) No. 7 Philadelphia Eagles at No. 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ 1pm ET.
  • (NFC) No. 6 San Francisco 49ers at No. 3 Dallas Cowboys @ 4:30pm ET.
  • (AFC) No. 7 Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 2 Kansas City Chiefs @ 8:15pm ET.

Finally, the 2022 NFL Playoffs will feature the first-ever Monday Night game on Jan. 17:

  • (NFC) No. 5 Arizona Cardinals at No. 4 Los Angeles Rams @ 8:15pm ET.

Most—if not all—of these six games figure to be close. If you’re interested in all of the thrills that go along with NFL Playoff betting, then you can check out the following guide. It covers how the NFL postseason works, more on each team, how to place bets, and what strategies to use.

How the NFL Playoffs work

The 2021–2022 NFL campaign introduced a major change. The regular season expanded from 17 to 18 weeks. In doing so, teams played 17 regular season games (instead of 16) for the first time in league history. That said, each team had an extra week to vie for a postseason bid.

In the 2020–2021 season, the playoffs expanded to included seven teams from each conference (instead of six). Now, 14 NFL teams make the postseason rather than just 12.

This unique format means that six teams from each conference play during the Wild Card round. Meanwhile, the top seed in each conference gets a bye. In the past, only four teams from each conference played in the Wild Card count, with two teams getting byes.

Here’s an overview on how the brackets work in both the AFC and NFC Wild Card Round:

  • No. 7 vs. No. 2 seed
  • No. 6 vs. No. 3 seed
  • No. 5 vs. No. 4 seed.
  • No. 1 seed gets a bye.

From here, the top remaining seeds draw the lowest remaining seeds until the Super Bowl. Here’s an example to explain:

  • No. 7 upsets No. 2
  • No. 3 beats No. 6
  • No. 5 upsets No. 4
  • Now, the No. 1 seed will play the No. 7 seed.
  • The No. 3 seed will play the No. 5 seed.

The original bracket doesn’t matter once the NFL Wild Card round is over. Instead, the top seeds in each conference draw the lesser seeds no matter what.

2022 NFL Playoff Teams

As mentioned above, 14 teams have made the NFL postseason. This means that you have 14 different teams to wager on as far as online betting goes. Here’s a closer look at each team involved in the playoffs.

2022 AFC Playoff Teams

  • No. 1 Tennessee Titans: 12–5, AFC South Division champions
  • No. 2 Kansas City Chiefs: 12–5, AFC West Division champions
  • No. 3 Buffalo Bills: 11–6 record, AFC East Division champions
  • No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals: 10–7 record, AFC Central Division champions
  • No. 5 Las Vegas Raiders: 10–7 record
  • No. 6 New England Patriots: 10–7 record
  • No. 7 Pittsburgh Steelers: 9–7–1 record

2022 NFC Playoff Teams

  • No. 1 Green Bay Packers: 13–4 record, NFC North Division champions
  • No. 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13–4 record, NFC South Division champions
  • No. 3 Dallas Cowboys: 13–4 record, NFC East Division champions
  • No. 4 Los Angeles Rams: 12–5 record, NFC West Division champions
  • No. 5 Arizona Cardinals: 11–6 record
  • No. 6 San Francisco 49ers: 10–7 record
  • No. 7 Philadelphia Eagles: 9–8 record

How to bet on the NFL Playoffs?

You don’t need to look hard to find online sportsbooks that are offering NFL Playoffs odds. Numerous NFL betting sites boast a broad range of postseason bets. You can visit any number of Canadian sports gambling sites and place an NFL wager now.

Betting odds for the Wild Card Round are already available. Online sportsbooks like to release these lines shortly after the playoff teams are officially determined. The same thing goes for the following Divisional Round and, later, Conference Championships. You need to monitor sportsbooks after each round’s games conclude to get a feel for when new NFL Playoff betting odds will be available.

Here’s a look at the main rounds of the NFL postseason:

  • Wild Card (six games)
  • Divisional Round (four games)
  • 2022 AFC and NFC Conference Championships (two games)
  • 2022 Super Bowl (final game)

Timing is everything when it comes to the NFL Playoffs odds. If you jump on a juicy line early, then you could get an edge over the bookies. This aspect is extremely important during the postseason because NFL Playoff odds are tighter than those in the regular season.

Oddsmakers know that more football fans are watching and betting than at any other point in the year. As a result, they take care to craft their toughest lines. However, you might still find favourable margins by jumping on potentially soft lines earlier. If you don’t see any great NFL Playoff betting odds right away, then you should consider waiting until later to see if the lines move.

What types of bets can I make on Playoff Games?

The 2022 NFL Playoffs will present a full array of wagering opportunities. If you’re well versed with betting on the regular season, then you’ll have no trouble making bets come playoff time. Here are the key types of wagers that you’ll find at different NFL betting sites.

Moneyline

Moneylines are straight bets on which team will win the game. Both teams feature different odds, though, to ensure that the underdog (plus sign) and favourite (minus sign) draw betting action. Here’s an example:

  • Las Vegas Raiders +195 (bet $100 to win $195)
  • Cincinnati Bengals -225 (bet $225 to win $100)

Point Spread

A point spread requires either side to cover their given point total. Underdogs are spotted points (plus sign), and the favourite loses points (minus sign) to start the game. You can see an example below:

  • Arizona Cardinals +4 (-110) - Cardinals must lose by 3 points or less for a successful bet.
  • Los Angeles Rams -4 (-110) - Rams must win by 5 points or more for a winning wager.

Over/Under (a.k.a. Totals)

An over/under, or totals bet, is a line that indicates two teams’ combined point total. You can either wager that the teams will go over or under this given line. The following example illustrates this point:

  • Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers
  • Over 57.5 (-110) - You need both teams to combine for 58 points or more to win.
  • Under 57.5 (-110) - You need these teams to combine for 57 points or fewer to win.

Live Betting

Live wagering refers to bets that come available while a game is in progress. NFL Playoff games feature numerous live bets because they’re so popular. An example of a live wager would be an adjusted point spread halfway through the second quarter. Oddsmakers can evaluate how the action is going and make a necessary adjustment with new odds.

Futures

Futures, which see you bet on outcomes that’ll be decided well into the future, are most popular in the preseason. However, they’re also available before and during the NFL Playoffs. For instance, you can currently wager on which of the 14 postseason teams will win the Super Bowl.

Prop Bets

Prop wagers involve outcomes that aren’t tied to the final score or game winner. For example, you can bet on how many rushing yards a star running back will end up with.

Parlays

These risky bets require you to put two or more outcomes on the same bet slip. If you lose just one outcome, then you’ve lost the wager. The benefit, though, is that you’ll collect a larger payout when successful with parlays.

Wild Card Weekend Betting Lines

The following Wild Card moneylines are available at the time of this writing.

2022 AFC Wild Card Moneylines

  • Raiders (+200) vs. Bengals (-250) - Cincinnati won 32–12 against Las Vegas back in Week 11.
  • Patriots (+170) vs. Bills (-200) - New England and Buffalo split the season series 1–1, with the home team losing each time.
  • Steelers (+475) vs. Chiefs (-700) - Kansas City dominated Pittsburgh 36–10 just two weeks ago.
  • Tennessee Titans (bye)

2022 NFC Wild Card Moneylines

  • Eagles (+310) vs. Buccaneers (-400) - This game is closer than appears on paper, given that Philly only lost 28–22 to Tampa Bay in Week 6.
  • 49ers (+135) vs. Cowboys (-160) - These teams didn’t play in the regular season and are meeting for the first time in the postseason since 1994.
  • Cardinals (+170) vs. Rams (-200) - Arizona and LA split their series 1–1, with the home team losing both times.
  • Green Bay Packers (bye)

NFL Divisional Round Betting

The three Wild Card winners from each division join the top seed (bye) for the Divisional games. With eight total teams remaining, this round essentially represents the quarterfinals of the NFL Playoffs. The winners of each game move on to their respective Conference Championship.

Much like Wild Card games, this round also features plenty of sports betting action. Divisional Round futures—especially those pertaining to the Super Bowl—are still hot at this point too.

NFL Conference Championship Betting

p>The AFC Championship and NFC Championship pit the top two teams from each conference against each other. The winner of each conference final game moves on to the Super Bowl.

Given the magnitude of these games, both the NFC and AFC Championship draw countless bets. They also feature even tighter NFL Playoff odds than the previous rounds. You can even still bet on Conference Championship futures at this point, although they aren’t as hot by this stage.

How to Bet on the NFL Playoffs Online

Some provinces now offer legal internet sports betting (e.g. Ontario, British Columbia). Therefore, you have a good chance at finding available NFL Playoff odds in your area. Even if you don’t live in a province with regulated wagering, you can visit a neighboring province.

Assuming you’re in a regulated marketing, you can visit one of the available internet sportsbooks. Afterward, you sign up and deposit if you’re not already a registered member. The final step is to visit the section with NFL Playoff odds and look for opportunities. As mentioned before, you’ll find a wealth of football betting odds at this time of year.

Best NFL Playoff Betting Sites 2021

Most legal NFL gambling sites offer a good experience. If you want to have the absolute best time when wagering on the NFL Playoffs, though, you need to pick top-quality sportsbooks.

First off, you should seek a sports betting site with a large welcome bonus. FansBet, for example, boasts a risk-free bet worth up to $1,000. Secondly, you want an operator that’s known for providing the best NFL odds on a consistent basis. You can browse our reviews to see which sportsbooks measure up well in the betting odds department.

Due to a recent changes in the law sports betting in Ontario is now legal which means there are a whole host of new sites available to you there if you wish to bet on the NFL. We have reviewed each of them thoroughly to find the best one for you,

Customer support, banking options, and bet variety are also crucial. Our reviews also cover these categories if you get the time to check them out.

NFL Playoffs Betting Strategy

Looking for a few tips to help you out with gambling on the NFL Playoffs? If so, you can use the following advice to improve your chances at winning bets this postseason.

Avoid Betting on Rookie Quarterbacks

The Patriots’ Mac Jones has had a very strong rookie campaign. However, history isn’t on his side when it comes to the playoffs. Rookie signal-callers normally fare badly in the postseason due to the increased stakes and tougher defenses.

Rookie starters are just 7-12 when starting in the playoffs. Given these odds, Jones doesn’t have luck on his side going into the Buffalo Bills matchup.

Limit Your Exposure

Given that the NFL Playoffs are so exciting, you might be tempted to bet on most, or even all, of the games. You may feel like placing lots of prop wagers too. However, this is a bad idea for two reasons:

  • You can’t properly research all of the games—especially the early Wild Card matchups.
  • You’ll increase exposure to your bankroll.

We recommend sticking to 1–3 thoroughly researched bets per week. Additionally, you should avoid putting too much of your bankroll into any given playoff game/outcome.

Take Advantage of Great Bonuses

You don’t have to rely on winnings alone to make money with sports gambling. Instead, you should always look for available bonus opportunities to boost your bottom line. This way, you’ll be working towards extra money while placing NFL Playoff wagers.

Neo.bet, for example, offers a solid welcome bonus worth up to $400. STS offers a fairly large bonus too that’s worth up to $300.

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