The Colts endured their most difficult season since 2017 a year ago, finishing with a 4-12 record that led to a notable overhaul at key positions.
Shane Steichen was hired from the NFC Champion Eagles as the new head coach, while Matt Ryan became the latest would-be veteran quarterback savior jettisoned from Indianapolis.
Steichen brought in veteran Gardner Minshew from Philadelphia as a stopgap solution under center, but Indy is banking on fourth-overall pick Anthony Richardson to become a cornerstone at the position for the next decade-plus.
Jonathan Taylor is also looking to come back from an injury-riddled 2022 and aiming to revert to his 2021 form (1,811 rushing yards, 20 total touchdowns). The defense is counting on a fully healthy Shaquille Leonard to return to the Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker he was before multiple back surgeries limited him to three games last season.
Colts Best Futures Odds
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NFL odds featured in this Colts report were found at FanDuel Sportsbook unless otherwise noted and are current as of May 30, 2023, at 8:00 pm ET.
Colts Win Total Odds
- Over 6.5 Wins (-118)
- Under 6.5 Wins (-104)
Colts Win Total Bet: Over 6.5 Wins (-118)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
The primary reasons for my belief in an improvement of at least three wins in 2023 are the names already mentioned in the introduction.
A Richardson-Taylor combo as the foundation of the offense could certainly prove to be more than many defenses can handle, while a full-strength Leonard roaming the middle would make an already talented defense often fatigued by the offense’s incompetence in 2022 a force to be reckoned with.
There’s plenty of young, explosive talent at the receiver position as well in Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, and offseason addition Isaiah McKenzie, and a coach in Steichen that should bring plenty of innovation.
The Texans and Titans are two division opponents the Colts could certainly split a season series with at minimum, and even the class of the AFC South, the Jaguars, aren’t invincible by any stretch.
Rams, Steelers, Buccaneers, Panthers, and Falcons teams in various stages of transition are some other possible sources of victories for an Indianapolis squad that could pull its fair share of surprises.
Colts Make Playoffs Odds
- Yes (+350)
- No (-500)
Colts Make Playoffs Bet: Yes (+350)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
While Indy figures to need at least a nine-win season to qualify for the postseason, and that will be far from an easy task, the price on this wager and the fact the team certainly has the talent to make a big leap make it worthwhile.
If Richardson is a quick NFL study and Taylor is back to full health, the Colts’ offense could be one of the biggest surprises in either conference. The defense, already laden with talent, would be in a position to benefit from improved efficiency on the other side of the ball.
✅ Read more about the Indianapolis Colts’ 2023 NFL Draft
Colts Futures Prop Bets
To Have Winning Record in Regular Season (+245)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
The logic for this wager is essentially the same as that for the Playoffs bet – Indianapolis has more talent on hand than last year’s four-win debacle would suggest, and there’s enough upside to make a nine-win season possible.
To Score 1+ Rushing TD In Every Regular-Season Game (+950)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
This bet and the following one essentially go hand-in-hand, as a healthy Taylor would be the primary reason why this has a chance to cash. However, there are several other players that could certainly contribute.
Richardson, who rushed for 1,055 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns over his last 19 college games, is another major threat to visit the end zone on the ground in any given game.
And, Indianapolis also has what could be considered two borderline starting-quality backups to Taylor in Zack Moss and Deon Jackson to up the chances of this prop hitting, even with a head coach that leaned toward the pass in Philadelphia as an offensive coordinator.
A gadget player like McKenzie that’s frequently utilized as a runner around the goal line is just the icing on the cake.
Jonathan Taylor To Score 10+ Rushing TDs in Regular Season (+150)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
Taylor scored a modest four rushing touchdowns in 11 games last season while often dealing with a troublesome ankle. However, he recorded 21 over his first 32 NFL games across his first two seasons.
The 2020 second-round pick has the speed to score from anywhere and has averaged 60 red-zone touches per season over his first three years in the league despite missing seven games overall.
Colts Game Odds & Lines
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Colts Best Player Prop Odds
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More AFC South odds: Houston Texans | Jacksonville Jaguars | Tennessee Titans
How to Bet on Colts Games in 2023
How to Bet Colts 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 (-150), whereas underdogs are represented by a plus symbol (+150).
If the Colts are a (-150) favorite against the rival Texans, you would have to bet $30 to turn a $20 profit. If Indianapolis were a (+150) underdog, you would profit $45 off a $30 bet.
- 2022 Colts Moneyline Record: 4-12-1
How to Bet Colts 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 Colts are 4-point favorites over the Texans, the spread for that game will be set up like this: Colts -4 (-110) vs Texans +4 (-110).
In this scenario, the Colts would have to win by more than four points for you to win your bet. If they were to win by exactly four, your bet would push and you would recoup your initial wager.
Indianapolis was often non-competitive in 2022 and therefore put together an abysmal record against the spread, as shown below, but the improved roster this season and new offensive leadership could certainly lead to an improved mark this season.
- 2022 Colts Against the Spread Record: 6-11
How to Bet Colts Over/Unders
If you don’t want to pick a side, you can still bet on Colts games by wagering on the total number of points scored.
Sportsbooks set the number 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 the likes of Richardson, Taylor, and Pittman hit their stride as a group and you therefore expect a strong offensive performance in a favorable matchup, then you’ll probably want to take the Over. If you think a specific game could lean toward more of a defense-centric battle, then you would bet the Under.
Indianapolis often struggled to score enough points last season to do its part in contributing to the Over, but the Colts’ brighter outlook on that side of the ball this season could lead to more prolific scoring.
- 2022 Colts Over/Under Record: 7-10