We’re nearing the end of the 2023-24 NFL regular season, and it’s the perfect time to begin plotting postseason futures. One we’re eyeing is the AFC and NFC championships. After doing in-depth research, we’ve settled on two NFL conference championship bets. Stick with us if you want this free AND expert betting advice — we're sure it'll pay come January.
- What: AFC & NFC Championship Games
- When: Sunday, January 28, 2024
2024 NFL Conference Championship Betting Picks
Typically, we’d advise making multiple NFL conference champ bets, but not this time. That’s because we’re quite confident in our respective AFC and NFC picks. If we were you, we’d go all in on betting on these two teams:
2024 AFC Championship Betting Pick
Let’s begin in the AFC. At this point, it feels like a three-team race and that’s reflected in the AFC championship betting odds. Per the best NFL betting sites, here are the most favored teams to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl are:
| Team |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | +225 | +225 | +225 |
| Baltimore | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| Miami | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Jacksonville | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Buffalo | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| Houston | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
We’ll be head honest: we’re not putting money on the Chiefs. We get it, Patrick Mahomes is still in the picture, and having the best quarterback in the league is always going to give Kansas City a chance. Even then, we’re not buying them. This team has clearly gone backward. Mahomes doesn’t have a reliable wide receiver and even tight end Travis Kelce, while still very good, isn’t nearly as dominant at this age. Many bettors will take Kansas City on reputation alone, but not us.
This pick really comes down to Baltimore or Miami. Both are more talented than Kansas City, albeit with lesser quarterbacks. These two teams actually meet in Week 17. We’d pay attention to that outcome and possibly make a betting pick following it.
But as of this publish date, that’s still weeks away. So we need to choose now. Between the two, we favor the Ravens. While the Dolphins have more hype, we have doubts their brand of football can continue to win games in January. In the playoffs, playing “old school” football — running the ball, dominating the line of scrimmage, and a physical defense — is what wins out. That’s Baltimore’s MO.
The Ravens are No. 1 in rushing offense — a position they’ve largely been in the past few years. Defensively, they’re allowing the least points per game and second-fewest yards. Plus, coach John Harbaugh already has a Super Bowl under his belt — valuable experience that Miami’s Mike McDaniel lacks. Baltimore is the choice here.
2024 NFC Championship Betting Pick
Now we move on to the NFC side. One team has clearly separated itself from the pack here, and that’s San Francisco. Look at the gap between the 49ers and the rest of the teams in the NFC championship betting odds:
| Team | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | +150 | +150 | +150 |
| Philadelphia | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| Dallas | +425 | +425 | +425 |
| Detroit | +700 | +700 | +700 |
It’s hard not to agree with the bookmakers on this one. San Francisco is arguably the most well-put-together roster in the whole NFL. This team has elite superstar players at almost every position — running back (Christian McCaffrey), wide receiver (Deebo Samuel) tackle (Trent Williams), defensive end (Nick Bosa), linebacker (Fred Warner), tight end (George Kittle), and we could honestly gone on. Not to mention quarterback Brock Purdy is a leading MVP candidate despite most of the credit for his success going to this elite supporting cast (we disagree).
But here’s the main reason you have to back the 49ers: they’ve already beaten the other NFC contenders. Not only beaten them, but demolished them. Most recently, they went into Philadelphia and blew them out 42-19. Earlier in the season, San Francisco also smoked Dallas 42-10. These scores show you just how big the gap is between the 49ers and the rest of the pack.
At this point, the only thing that can stop San Francisco from going to the Super Bowl is the same thing from a year ago: injuries. The 49ers infamously lost both quarterbacks in last year’s conference title game to the Eagles. Barring that catastrophe, this team is headed for a Super Bowl matchup with Baltimore — just like they did in 2013.
How To Bet On NFL Futures?
To lock in these NFL futures bets, we recommend doing so sooner rather than later. Why? Because the odds we’ve listed will probably change week to week. Oddsmakers are constantly updating lines based on the latest game results and injuries. Maybe your favorite betting pick has their odds lengthened or shortened — you really don’t know what’ll happen. That’s why we prefer to lock in these odds now since they’re already rich in value (all plus money lines).
Any one of the bookies featured in the table has you covered on this bet and other NFL futures (Super Bowl, MVP, Rookie of the Year, etc.). These sites are rated the highest in our latest sportsbook reviews. Part of the reason behind the ratings is that they offer big-money sign-up bonuses. Our top deals are also in the table. These bonuses could fund your NFL betting for free so don’t sleep on them!
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