Pre-season · 2026–27
Super Bowl LXI Odds — Early Favorites
Super Bowl LXI Championship Odds (Pre-Season 2026)
| Team | Conference | Key Moves | Odds |
|---|
Seattle Seahawks | NFC | SB LX champs, opens season vs NE | +500 |
Kansas City Chiefs | AFC | Mahomes $504M deal, ACL recovery watch | +650 |
Denver Broncos | AFC | AFC's #1 seed in 2025, opens MNF | +700 |
Philadelphia Eagles | NFC | NFC #3 seed 2025, Barkley re-signed | +750 |
Detroit Lions | NFC | Best NFC roster, Gibbs in prime | +800 |
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
The reigning Super Bowl LX champions dismantled the Patriots 29-13 behind a suffocating defense and Kenneth Walker III's 135-yard MVP performance. Walker has since left for Kansas City in free agency — Seattle drafted Notre Dame's Jadarian Price at pick No. 32 as his replacement. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak also departed to become the Raiders' head coach. Sam Darnold returns for his title defense with a new play-caller, opening the season on Sept 9 in a rematch against the Patriots.
✓ Defending champions
✓ Elite defense intact
? Lost Walker III to KC
? New OC after Kubiak exit
The Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 after Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending torn ACL/LCL on December 14, 2025, finishing 6-11. Kansas City responded with total confidence in his recovery, reworking his contract to a record $504.75M through 2033 (signed June 10) and signing Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency to bolster the backfield. The Broncos-Chiefs Week 1 Monday Night Football game (Sept 14) will double as a national Mahomes return watch.
✓ Mahomes' $504M vote of confidence
✓ Added Kenneth Walker III
✗ Mahomes' ACL recovery unproven
? Missed playoffs in 2025
Philadelphia finished 11-6 and the NFC's #3 seed in 2025, kept their core together, and re-signed Saquon Barkley. 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's roster has the talent to make another deep run, though the Eagles have not been back to the Super Bowl since their loss two seasons ago.
✓ Barkley re-signed
✓ Elite WR corps
? O-line depth
? NFC #3 seed in 2025
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 is set for February 14, 2027 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
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), which the Seahawks won 29-13 over the Patriots, aired on NBC and Peacock. The game rotates between host cities, with NFL cities competing years in advance to earn the right to host. Super Bowl LXI will be played February 14, 2027 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.