The AFC championship race for 2026 is wide open, with perennial contenders facing fresh challengers.
We break down every AFC team's odds to win the conference, identify the chalk plays, value bets, and sleeper picks that could deliver massive returns for savvy bettors heading into next season.
AFC Prediction: 2026 Winner
The Bills (+500) are predicted to win the AFC Championship for the 2026 NFL season with an implied probability of 16.7%.
» Bet the Bills to win the AFC
2026 AFC Championship Odds
| Team | DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | +500 | +550 | +550 |
| Baltimore Ravens | +600 | +550 | +550 |
| New England Patriots | +650 | +750 | +750 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | +800 | +700 | +700 |
| Denver Broncos | +950 | +950 | +950 |
| Houston Texans | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +1100 | +1000 | +950 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +1300 | +1300 | +1300 |
| Indianapolis Colts | +2200 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +2200 | +3500 | +3500 |
| Tennessee Titans | +5000 | +6500 | +6600 |
| Cleveland Browns | +7500 | +5000 | +5000 |
| New York Jets | +10000 | +12500 | +10000 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +10000 | +6500 | +6600 |
| Miami Dolphins | +12000 | +10000 | +10000 |
AFC Best Bet for 2026
Best Favorite Bet to win the AFC: Kansas City Chiefs (+750)
Do the Chiefs still have Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid? If yes, it’s hard to ever pass up on them at these odds to win the AFC. One year after Kansas City went 11-0 in one-score games in 2024, they went 1-9 in 2025 while going 0-8 against teams that made the playoffs. They were 1-7 on the road and were swept by the Chargers. All of these should regress positively in 2026.
» Bet the Chiefs to win the AFC
Best Sleeper Bet to win the AFC: Cincinnati Bengals (+1300)
The only team with the same coach and the same quarterback in the AFC North. Joe Burrow started the season 2-0 before injury cost him most of the year. It was the first time the Bengals actually started the season hot. With Cincinnati, the question is never if they’ll win with Burrow; the question is always if Burrow can stay healthy. You have to believe a big emphasis will be on Burrow’s health this offseason in both free agency and the draft. The Bengals are a solid value.
» Bet the Bengals to win the AFC
Historical AFC Trends
- The Chiefs had participated in seven consecutive AFC Championship Games before the 2025 season
- The Patriots have appeared in 4 of the last 10 AFC Championship Games, but 2025 was their first appearance since the 2018 season
- The Bengals are the only team besides the Patriots and Chiefs to win the AFC since the Broncos in 2015