NFL Wild Card Weekend Best Bets and Predictions

Author ImageAuthor: | Last Updated: January 2025

The NFL playoffs best bets for Wild Card weekend include six exciting matchups between well-known opponents. Four of the six matchups are rematches from the regular season, including a third game between AFC North foes the Steelers and the Ravens.

Keep reading to see the NFL playoff best bets for Wild Card weekend. I will break down the latest odds from top football betting sites and give my predictions for every matchup.

2024-2025 NFL Playoffs Wild Card Schedule

  • Los Angeles Chargers (-3.0) vs. Houston Texans
  • Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens (-9.5)
  • Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills (-8.5)
  • Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (-5.0)
  • Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3.0)
  • Minnesota Vikings (-2.0) vs. Los Angeles Rams

NFL Wild Card Playoffs Odds

Bovada Sportsbook has thrilling NFL playoff odds for every Wild Card matchup. Here are the latest odds for this weekend’s six playoff games.

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Houston Texans

TeamPoint SpreadMoneylineTotal
Los Angeles Chargers-3.0 (+100)-160Over 43.5 (-110)
Houston Texans+3.0 (-120)+135Under 43.5 (-110)

This season’s playoffs start with an AFC matchup between the Chargers and the Texans on Saturday. Houston lost two of its last three games, and its offense has been hindered by injuries. Los Angeles, on the other hand, won three straight games to end the regular season and secure the fifth seed.

https://x.com/CBSSportsGang/status/1876282736115319167

Houston’s struggles made the Texans the ideal matchup for every Wild Card team. Bovada lists the Texans as 3.0-point home underdogs against the Chargers. For what it is worth, Houston was a home dog in last year’s Wild Card round, too, and they blew out Cleveland 45-14.

LA is a well-coached team that has scored 34+ points in every game of its three-game winning streak. It also has the best scoring defense in the NFL, allowing just 17.7 PPG.

The Chargers’ defense has struggled against good offenses, but Houston’s offense is far from good. LA will win this matchup and cover the 3.0-point spread against a Texans team limping into the playoffs.

  • Prediction: Los Angeles Chargers -3 +100

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens

TeamPoint SpreadMoneylineTotal
Pittsburgh Steelers+9.5 (-105)+360Over 45.5 (-110)
Baltimore Ravens-9.5 (-115)-500Under 45.5 (-110)

The other Saturday Wild Card matchup is a rubber match between the Steelers and the Ravens. Pittsburgh beat Baltimore in Week 11 without scoring a touchdown. The Ravens returned the favor, defeating the Steelers 34-17 in Week 16.

Secure sportsbooks list the Ravens as 9.5-point favorites in the early betting odds for this NFL playoffs matchup. Pittsburgh started 8-2 but lost five of its last seven games, including four straight losses to end the regular season.

Baltimore should win this game, and they blew out the Steelers in their last meeting. However, the Ravens have struggled against Pittsburgh with Lamar Jackson at quarterback. They have also struggled in the playoffs, with Jackson winning just two of his six playoff starts.

The Ravens will win, but covering 9.5 points against a team that has typically been Jackson’s kryptonite is easier said than done. Pittsburgh has had its own playoff struggles and has not won a postseason game since 2016. The Steelers will not win, but they should cover the 9.5-point spread.  

  • Prediction: Pittsburgh Steelers +9.5 -105

Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills

TeamPoint SpreadMoneylineTotal
Denver Broncos+8.5 (-105)+355Over 47.0 (-110)
Buffalo Bills-8.5 (-115)-490Under 47.0 (-110)

There are three playoff games scheduled for Sunday, starting with the final AFC Wild Card matchup. Buffalo is laying 8.5 points at home against the seventh-seeded Denver Broncos.

https://x.com/BuffaloBills/status/1875976801979420933

Denver is riding high after blowing out the Chiefs’ backups 38-0 to secure its spot in the postseason. The win stopped a two-game skid and helped Bo Nix make one last push for Rookie of the Year.

Buffalo is the highest seed in the AFC, and it is playing during the Wild Card round. They are led by MVP candidate Josh Allen and should be well-rested after sitting most of their starters in Week 18. The Bills lost to Denver in the regular season last year, but they will avenge that loss this weekend.

Allen is the driving force for Buffalo’s offense, and the Bills need him to play like the MVP to make a Super Bowl run. That starts this weekend, and Allen will power the Bills to a home win. However, Denver will cover the 8.5-point spread on the road.

  • Prediction: Denver Broncos +8.5 -105

Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles

TeamPoint SpreadMoneylineTotal
Green Bay Packers+5.0 (-110)+205Over 45.5 (-110)
Philadelphia Eagles-5.0 (-110)-245Under 45.5 (-110)

The first NFC Wild Card matchup is a rematch of the Week 1 matchup between the Packers and the Eagles. Their season-opening matchup was in Brazil, but the rematch will be in Philadelphia. The Eagles are 5.0-point home favorites in the playoff odds for this NFL Wild Card game.

Like many playoff teams with nothing to play for, the Eagles sat their starters in the regular season finale. Despite having Tanner McKee under center, Philly beat the Giants in Week 18. Green Bay, conversely, was playing for better seeding but lost to the Bears.

Several key Packers also suffered injuries, including WR Christian Watson (ACL) and QB Jordan Love. Love should play, but Watson’s season is over.

Philadelphia will be rested and ready for this game, and Saquon Barkley should tear through the Packers as he did in Week 1. The Eagles win and cover the 5.0-point spread against Green Bay.

  • Prediction: Philadelphia Eagles -5 -110

Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

TeamPoint SpreadMoneylineTotal
Washington Commanders+3.0 (+100)+150Over 50.5 (-115)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers-3.0 (-120)-175Under 50.5 (-105)

The final Wild Card matchup on Sunday is also a rematch from the opening week of the season. Tampa Bay will host the Washington Commanders in a matchup between the third and sixth seeds in the NFC. The Buccaneers are laying 3.0 points in the latest betting lines for this NFL playoff game.

https://x.com/NFL/status/1876062351507780055

Washington has come a long way since losing to the Bucs 37-20 in the season opener. Both teams are top seven in yards per game and top five in points per game. Tampa will have the advantage in the passing attack, though, as Baker Mayfield finished third in the NFL with 4,500 passing yards.

The Commanders’ defense has allowed 326.9 passing YPG this year, the 13th-best in the NFL. Washington’s defense should get a boost if Marshon Lattimore can take the field. I think Lattimore will play and be a key part of the Commanders’ upset win on Sunday.

  • Prediction: Washington Commanders +150

Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams

TeamPoint SpreadMoneylineTotal
Minnesota Vikings-2.0 (-110)-135Over 47.0 (-110)
Los Angeles Rams+2.0 (-110)+115Under 47.0 (-110)

The final matchup of the Wild Card round is a rematch between the Vikings and Rams on Monday night. Los Angeles started 1-4, and their Week 8 win over the Vikings was a key part of their midseason turnaround. Despite winning their regular season matchup and being the home team, the Rams are 2.0-point underdogs in the latest NFL playoff odds.

Both teams lost in Week 18, but the Vikings loss was especially costly. If Minnesota had won their season finale against Detroit, they would have been the number one seed in the NFC. 

The Vikings struggled to keep Sam Darnold upright, and their offense suffered as a result. LA only has 38 sacks this season, but three players have 7.5 or more sacks for the Rams this season. If the Rams can harass Darnold as they did in Week 8, they will upset the Vikings for the second time this season.

  • Prediction: Los Angeles Rams +115

Where to Bet NFL Playoff Odds

NFL playoff bracket betting is a fun way to wager on the upcoming postseason. To maximize your playoff betting opportunities, you need a great football sportsbook like Bovada.

Bovada has thrilling odds on every Wild Card matchup and provides intuitive betting tools, including a prop builder, for its members. The bonuses at Bovada make it easy to fund your NFL bankroll for the Wild Card round.

What Are Your NFL Playoffs Best Bets?

The NFL playoffs best bets above are your chance to wager on all six Wild Card games this weekend. Read the guide above for the updated playoff odds and my predictions for every game.

Then, create your Bovada account to wager on the current betting odds for this season’s NFL playoffs. New members who use the code BV1000 can add up to $1,000 in bonus funds to their bankrolls for Wild Card weekend. 

Welcome Bonus 100% UP TO $1,000

Deposit Methods:

  • Visa
    Visa –
  • MasterCard
    MasterCard –
  • Bitcoins
    Bitcoins –
  • Bitcoin Cash
    Bitcoin Cash
Visit Site Read Review
Author Avatar
About the Author

Shaun Stack is a senior writer at GamblingSites.org. His gambling articles have appeared in the Daily Herald, Space Coast Daily, and NJ 101.5. He’s a football betting expert, a Survivor fan, and a skilled blackjack gambler. Shaun is a native of Kansas City but now lives in Pennsylvania and follows the Pittsburgh Steelers religiously.