2025 NFL Playoffs: Best Bets, Outright Picks, Predictions

Another action-packed NFL regular season is in books and, while 18 teams turn their thoughts to next season, the 14 qualifiers for the 2025 NFL Playoffs have winning the NFL Championship on their minds.

The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs are still going strong as they bid for a fourth title in six seasons and have secured the number one seed for the AFC playoffs after going 15-2 under head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The betting is headed by the NFC's top team, the Detroit Lions, who emphatically secured homefield advantage in the playoffs with a 31-9 success in their high-profile showdown with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night.

Some teams who featured prominently in the preseason Futures list did not even make the playoffs, notably last season's NFL Championship losers the San Francisco 49ers, who went 6-11 to finish last in the NFC West, and the Cincinnati Bengals, who went 9-8 in the AFC North to miss out on a playoff place.

With the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens expected to offer a strong challenge in the AFC and the Philadelphia Eagles leading a competitive field in the NFC, the road to the NFL Championship looks set to be full of exciting twists and turns.

Let's take a look at our three best bets for the 2025 NFL Playoffs.

2025 NFL Playoffs outright betting picks and predictions

Detroit Lions to win NFL Championship (+275)

The Lions, Bills and Houston Texans are the three teams in the NFL Playoffs line-up that have never won the NFL Championship, but the men from the Motor City are in a high gear in their pursuit of a first success.

The Lions went 15-2 this season, 16 years after their infamous 0-16 2008 campaign and Dan Campbell's team will be confident of proving themselves against any of their playoff opponents.

The Lions have had to deal with plenty of injury issues this season, but linebacker Alex Anzalone played a key role on his return to action in Sunday's Week 18 win over the Vikings.

Meanwhile, running back David Montgomery and stud pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson hold out hope of being back on the field before the NFL Championship Game.

The Lions' offense remains irresistible and running back Jahmyr Gibbs has responded superbly to the loss of backfield partner Montgomery, leading the NFL with 20 rushing and receiving touchdowns, including four against the Vikings.

Quarterback Jared Goff can target wide receivers Amon-Ra St Brown and Jameson Williams, along with tight end Sam LaPorta, and the Lions' defense impressed when keeping the Vikings out of the end zone despite their injury issues.

Both of the Lions' losses this season came at home, but the defeat by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was way back in Week 2, while the other came in an epic 48-42 encounter with the Bills that saw Goff throwing for 494 yards and five touchdowns.

Ford Field should be a cauldron of noise throughout the playoffs and the success-starved Detroit fans look to finally have plenty to shout about. 

Baltimore Ravens to win NFL Championship (+600)

The Chiefs remain the team to beat in the AFC and took the opportunity to rest their starters in Week 18, having already locked up the top seed.

Their 15-2 record included plenty of close calls, though, with only three of their wins coming by double-digit margins. 

The Baltimore Ravens would no doubt love another shot at taking down the Chiefs after they went so close in the first game of the 2024 NFL season.

John Harbaugh's team lost 27-20 at Arrowhead Stadium on opening night, when tight end Isaiah Likely was an out-of-bounds toe away from tying the game on the final play.

The Ravens faced the Chiefs in last season's AFC Championship game, losing 17-10 at home, but they have finished this season strongly with five wins in their last six outings.

It's notable that their defense has stiffened up in recent weeks after taking time to adjust to the loss of coordinator Mike Macdonald.

Ravens fans will also be delighted to see quarterback Lamar Jackson in the best passing form of his career and he looks capable of putting some past playoff let-downs behind him.

Baltimore may have to do things the hard way, with potential road games in Buffalo and Kansas City, but they won 35-10 on the road against the Bills in Week 4, when running back Derrick Henry rushed for 199 yards, so a return trip in the divisional round should not be impossible to overcome.

LA Rams to win NFC (+1400)

For a longshot bet on the playoffs, the Los Angeles Rams hold some interest at +1400 odds to represent the NFC in the NFL Championship game.

The Rams finished strongly in 2023 and lost by only one point, 24-23, to the Lions at Ford Field in the Wild Card playoffs. This time, they have overcome a 1-4 start to reach 10-7 and win the NFC West. 

They were even in a position to rest their starters such as quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and running back Kyren Williams in Week 18, so they should be fresh for this weekend's clash against Minnesota.

The Vikings would have every right to feel demoralised after their tough loss in a bruising encounter with the Lions and the Rams may have high hopes of a first-round victory as home underdogs.

After that, they would provide a tough test to anyone they meet under the guidance of smart head coach Sean McVay.

Read the latest betting picks and predictions for the NFL on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.