The Cincinnati Bengals fell short of a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance last season. But they have now played in back-to-back AFC Conference Championships and are on the short list of Super Bowl favorites heading into 2023.
Cincinnati will essentially run it back with an offense that scored the third-most points in the AFC a year ago. The team is hopeful that first-round edge rusher Myles Murphy can help shore up a line that managed just 30 sacks last season.
As long as Joe Burrow is under center, it will be hard to bet against the Bengals making a deep run this season. Let’s see what the oddsmakers have in store for us with regard to the Bengals’ bets.
Bengals Best Futures Odds
Click to find the top Cincinnati Bengals betting lines with our NFL bets comparison tool:
NFL odds featured in this Bengals report were found at DraftKings Sportsbook and are current as of Monday, May 29, at 10 a.m. ET.
Bengals Win Total Odds
- Over 11.5 Wins (+110)
- Under 11.5 Wins (-130)
Bengals Win Total Bet: Over 11.5 (+110)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Cincinnati won 12 games last year, so this line seems like an accurate expectation. However, two things are noteworthy concerning this line.
First, the Bengals only played 16 games last season. If they won 13 games instead of 12 last year, there is a good chance the Over would be -130, not the Under.
Secondly, Cincinnati has a relatively easy early schedule. Only one of their first six opponents is projected to win more than nine games, which presents a potential hedging opportunity.
If the Bengals are 5-1 through six games, their 2023 win total may creep up to 12.5. In this scenario, you can then bet the Under to guarantee a profit, with the chance of doubling your investment if Cincinnati finishes with exactly 12 wins.
Bengals Make Playoffs Odds
- Yes (-285)
- No (+240)
Bengals Make Playoffs Bet: Yes (-285)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0 Units
While I believe the Bengals will make the playoffs, I cannot endorse placing a bet that has such a high cost attached.
We know how quickly injuries can derail a team’s outlook in the NFL, particularly at quarterback. When Burrow missed time in 2020, Cincinnati went just 2-4.
The juice is not worth the squeeze to bet on the Bengals to make the playoffs.
Bengals Futures Prop Bets
Bengals to Win AFC North (+140)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
While I am not willing to lay -285 on Cincinnati to make the playoffs, +140 is a great price for them to win their division.
Barring unforeseen injuries, Baltimore is likely the biggest threat to the Bengals. But Cincinnati is still the better team, so getting this at plus-money seems like a solid bet.
Bengals to Lose in Conference Championship Game (+550)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.2 Units
Cincinnati has faced the Kansas City Chiefs in two straight AFC Championship Games. Though the conference looks loaded, most consider these two teams to be the class of the conference.
That makes this an intriguing bet to sprinkle on.
I also like this since this bet has several paths to hitting on its own or as a play to hedge against, depending on how the playoff picture shakes out.
If Cincinnati makes the playoffs and is favored in a playoff game, you can bet on the other side. If the Bengals make it to the AFC Championship Game, you can bet on them to win.
Either way, this bet could represent a decent profit at minimal risk.
Bengals to Win AFC (+550)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.2 Units
The Bengals have proven over the last two seasons that they are among a handful of truly elite teams in the NFL. This team can beat any team in the league on any given Sunday.
I also like this bet since, using the same logic as the wager above, we can either ride this through the end of January or hedge during the playoffs to ensure a profit.
Bengals Game Odds & Lines
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Bengals Best Player Prop Odds
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More AFC North odds: Baltimore Ravens | Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh Steelers
How to Bet on Bengals Games in 2023
How to Bet Bengals Moneylines
NFL moneyline wagers are the simplest forms of NFL bets. All you have to do is pick a team to win a given game, and if they do, you win your bet.
Since winning is the only requirement to cash your bet, the odds for NFL moneylines can vary greatly depending on each team’s implied probability of winning (or losing) that game. Favorites are designated by a minus symbol (-200), whereas underdogs are represented by a plus symbol (+200).
If the Bengals are a (-200) favorite against the rival Ravens, you would have to bet $20 to turn a $10 profit. If Cincinnati was a (+200) underdog, you would profit $20 off a $10 bet.
- 2022 Bengals Moneyline Record: 14-5
How to Bet Bengals Spreads
Betting the spread is the most efficient way to wager on NFL games, as it presents two evenly priced options. The spread, which is assigned a value by the books, is the number of points that the favorite is expected to win by against the underdog.
If the Bengals are 6-point favorites over the Commanders, the spread for that game will be set up like this: Bengals -6 (-110) vs Commanders +6 (-110).
In this scenario, the Bengals would have to win by more than six points for you to win your bet. If they were to win by a pair of field goals, your bet would push and you would recoup your initial wager.
Cincinnati was the only team in the NFL to cover the spread exactly half the time in 2021, and should be a decent bet moving forward as the roster seems to have improved over the offseason.
- 2022 Bengals Against the Spread Record: 13-5-1
How to Bet Bengals Over/Unders
If you don’t want to pick a side, you can still bet on Bengals games by wagering on the total number of points scored.
Sportsbooks set the amount of combined points they expect both teams in the game to score, and then you can bet on either the Over or the Under.
If you expect Burrow, Chase, and the Bengals to light up the scoreboard, then you’ll probably want to take the Over. If you think a specific game could be more defensive, then you would bet the Under. Cinci’s games exceeded scoring expectations last season, but they should be priced higher this year after the additions to the offense.
- 2022 Bengals Over/Under Record: 7-11-1
