The NFL playoff is the culmination of the football season. It starts after the standard 18-week football season has finished. During the playoffs, the top 14 teams from the two conferences compete to determine who will win the Super Bowl. The playoff rounds are seeded, but there are no restrictions on who can play whom, which means that even teams from the same conference can play one another after the first round, known as the Wild Card Play-Offs.
1. The Playoffs Preps
With one week of games left before the playoffs, most, but not all, of the playoff teams have been decided, although some seeding has yet to be determined. And, as fans reach fever pitch, both traditional and crypto sportsbook sites are preparing for what is likely to be the biggest betting event in US history. Estimates suggest nearly 70 million Americans will bet on the final, with millions more wagering on the playoff games. Bettors can wager on everything from the winner of the Bowl to correct scorecasts. At odds of -105, punters can even place a bet on the outcome of the Super Bowl coin toss.
Anyway, bookmakers expect the Kansas City Chiefs to run out eventual winners, at odds of +375, although they are closely followed by the Detroit Lions at +400. Rounding out the top 5 favorites are the Buffalo Bills (+550), the Baltimore Ravens (+700), and the Philadelphia Eagles (+700). Odds may change a little depending on last week’s match results, but punters shouldn’t expect too much price movement before the first weekend of the playoffs.
2. The Format
The NFL is split into two conferences, with four divisions in each. The four division winners from each conference are seeded 1 to 4 according to their won-lost-tied record. The number 1 seeds get a bye through the first round. The top three second-placed teams from each division, according to seasonal records, go through to the playoffs as wild cards and are seeded 5 to 7. Apart from the final, the highest-seeded team is considered the home team, and games are played at home team grounds. The final is played at a neutral venue.
Wild Card Play-Offs
The first weekend of games, the wild card playoffs, sees all but the number 1 seeds play. The number 2 seed from a division plays the number 7 seed, seed 3 plays seed 6, seed 4 plays seed 5. The winners progress to the next round, the divisional playoffs.
Divisional Playoffs
Number 1 seeds enter at the divisional playoff stage. They play the lowest-seeded surviving tea, and the remaining teams from each conference play one another. The winners go through to the conference championship stage.
Conference Championships
During the conference championship stage, the best team from each conference is determined, and these two will compete in the Super Bowl Final.
The Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the culmination of the playoffs. This year, it is set to be played on February 9 and will be hosted at Caesars Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints.
3. The Teams, So Far
From the AFC, the Buffalo Bills, the Houston Texans, and the Kansas City Chiefs have been confirmed as division winners. From the NFC, just two teams, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams have been confirmed as division winners.
Furthermore, the Kansas City Chiefs have ensured they will have the best season finish of the teams in the AFC so they will proceed as number 1 seed and get a bye through the first round. The Buffalo Bills have secured the number 2 seed spot, and the Houston Texans will be seed number 4. The number 3 seed will be the winner of the AFC North division. Currently, the Baltimore Ravens hold the position.
In the NFC, the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings are vying for the top spot and first seed. The Philadelphia Eagles have confirmed their position at the top of their division, meaning they will be second seed.
4. Previous Winners
2024’s Super Bowl LVIII attracted global viewing figures of more than 120 million people across all viewing platforms. It is one of the most widely viewed sporting spectacles in the world, and the biggest in the US, thanks to the country’s love of the game. The Kansas City Chiefs, favorites for this year’s event, have won the last two Super Bowls and three of the last five. The San Francisco 49ers have been losing finalists in two of the last five events while the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers have both won the Super Bowl six times and are currently tied for the record.
5. Half Time Entertainment
Once the coin toss is complete, the real action will get underway and, at half-time, fans can look forward to Grammy-Award-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar providing the entertainment. Although this will be Lamar’s first time headlining the half-time show on his own, he previously performed with a host of other hip-hop stars in 2022. However, two other performers have bested Lamar’s two appearances – Gloria Estefan, who performed in 1992, 1995, and 1999. Justin Timberlake’s 2018 slot also brought his appearance tally to three having already performed in 2001 and 2004.
