Pre-season · 2026–27
Super Bowl LXI Odds — Early Favorites
Super Bowl LXI Championship Odds (Pre-Season 2026)
| Team | Conference | Key Moves | Odds |
|---|
Kansas City Chiefs | AFC | Mahomes intact, draft adds depth | +450 |
Philadelphia Eagles | NFC | SB LX champs, Barkley re-signed | +550 |
Detroit Lions | NFC | Best NFC roster, Gibbs in prime | +650 |
Baltimore Ravens | AFC | Lamar Jackson peak years | +700 |
Cincinnati Bengals | AFC | Burrow + Chase + JSN era begins | +800 |
Buffalo Bills | AFC | Josh Allen window still open | +900 |
Los Angeles Rams | NFC | Adams + Nacua + Stafford win-now | +1200 |
San Francisco 49ers | NFC | CMC health is the key variable | +1400 |
Houston Texans | AFC | Stroud Year 3 leap expected | +1600 |
Dallas Cowboys | NFC | Dak + Parsons + Lamb + new WR | +1800 |
Deep dives
Top Super Bowl Contenders 2026–27
Patrick Mahomes is 30 years old entering the 2026 season — right in the prime of a quarterback career. The Chiefs have won three Super Bowls since 2020, and nothing about their roster suggests that run is ending. Andy Reid is the best head coach in football. Their front office consistently finds value in the middle rounds. Even after losing key contributors to free agency each year, they find replacements. The dynasty continues until proven otherwise.
✓ Best QB in NFL
✓ Best HC in NFL
✓ Dynasty culture
✗ WR depth aging
The reigning Super Bowl LX champions have kept their core together. Saquon Barkley re-signed, Jalen Hurts is locked in through his prime, and A.J. Brown + DeVonta Smith remain one of the best WR duos in the NFL. Head coach Nick Sirianni has now won a Super Bowl and earned the trust of the locker room. Philadelphia is the only team to beat the Chiefs in the playoffs in the last four years — they know how to do it.
✓ Reigning champions
✓ Barkley re-signed
✓ Elite WR corps
? O-line depth
The Lions enter 2026 as the best team in the NFC by most metrics. Dan Campbell has built a culture that rivals the Eagles in intensity and cohesion. Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown form a terrifying skill player combo. The offensive line is the best in the NFC. The one question mark is whether their defense can hold up in the playoffs — they gave up big plays against the Chiefs in the 2025 divisional round. The 2026 draft pick (Cam Skattebo at #31) adds more depth to an already loaded backfield.
✓ Best NFC roster
✓ Gibbs + Amon-Ra
✗ Playoff defense question
? Never won a Super Bowl
How the NFL Playoffs Work: Wild Card to Super Bowl
The NFL Playoffs begin in January with the Wild Card round. 14 teams qualify — 7 from the AFC and 7 from the NFC. The top seed in each conference receives a bye (they don't play in the Wild Card round), giving them rest and home-field advantage.
The bracket then proceeds through the Divisional Round (four games), Conference Championships (AFC and NFC), and finally the Super Bowl, which is played at a neutral site stadium in February. Super Bowl LXI will be played in February 2027.
Home field advantage matters: The higher seed hosts every game through the Conference Championship. Teams won their home playoff games at a 68% clip over the last five seasons — making the #1 seed a genuine competitive advantage, not just prestige.
The Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the most-watched television event in American history. Super Bowl LX (February 2026) drew 127 million viewers on Fox. The game rotates between host cities, with NFL cities competing years in advance to earn the right to host. Super Bowl LXI will be hosted at a location to be announced in mid-2026.