Rams Lead Super Bowl Betting as Broncos and Bears Draw Heavy Conference Futures Action 🏈
Updated August 18, 2026
Updated August 18, 2026
The Los Angeles Rams have emerged as the team to beat in BetMGM's early betting market for the 2026-27 NFL season, while the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears are also attracting significant championship action.
According to betting insights provided by BetMGM, the Rams have shortened from +900 to +500 to win the Super Bowl, the biggest move among the three teams highlighted by the sportsbook.
Los Angeles also leads all teams in both betting tickets and money wagered on the Super Bowl winner market. The Rams account for 9.2% of tickets and 12.9% of handle, giving them a noticeable advantage over the rest of the field.
The Buffalo Bills are second in both categories, receiving 7.8% of tickets and 9.2% of handle. Buffalo's Super Bowl odds have moved from +1200 to +1000.
Denver has also gained support. The Broncos have shortened from +2000 to +1800, while attracting 6.8% of Super Bowl tickets and 7.4% of the money wagered.
Market | Team | Odds | Ticket % | Handle % | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Super Bowl | Rams | +500 | 9.2% | 12.9% | Most-backed team overall |
Super Bowl | Bills | +1000 | 7.8% | 9.2% | Second in tickets and handle |
Super Bowl | Broncos | +1800 | 6.8% | 7.4% | Strong early support |
AFC Winner | Bills | +500 | — | — | Conference favorite |
AFC Winner | Broncos | — | 19.1% | 21.6% | Most-backed AFC team |
NFC Winner | Rams | +300 | — | — | Conference favorite |
NFC Winner | Bears | — | 15.4% | 14.9% | Most-backed NFC team |
BetMGM currently lists the Rams as +300 favorites to win the NFC Championship, but they are not the team generating the most bets on the conference winner market.
That distinction belongs to the Chicago Bears.
Chicago has attracted 15.4% of NFC Championship tickets and 14.9% of the handle, making the Bears the most heavily backed NFC team by both measures.
That creates an interesting split in the market. Los Angeles is the favorite and the strongest-backed Super Bowl selection, while bettors searching for another potential NFC winner have shown considerable interest in Chicago.
The New York Giants, meanwhile, represent BetMGM's largest NFC Championship liability. A sportsbook liability can build when enough money is wagered at sufficiently large odds that a particular result would create an unfavorable payout for the operator.
The Buffalo Bills are +500 favorites to win the AFC Championship, but once again the betting percentages point toward another team attracting attention.
Denver accounts for 19.1% of AFC Championship tickets and 21.6% of the handle, the highest figures reported by BetMGM.
The fact that Denver's handle percentage is higher than its ticket percentage also suggests that the average amount wagered on the Broncos has been relatively strong compared with the overall market.
Buffalo remains one of the most prominent Super Bowl selections, however, with the Bills ranking second behind Los Angeles in both Super Bowl ticket and handle percentage.
The Las Vegas Raiders are currently BetMGM's biggest AFC Championship liability.
At this stage, the clearest answer is Los Angeles.
The Rams combine three important signals: they are attracting the largest share of bets, receiving the largest share of money and have experienced significant odds movement.
Buffalo remains firmly in the championship conversation, while Denver may be one of the more interesting early futures stories. The Broncos rank third in BetMGM's Super Bowl betting percentages while simultaneously leading both ticket and handle percentage in the AFC Championship market.
The Bears provide a similar storyline in the NFC. They may not be the conference favorites, but BetMGM bettors are already showing considerable confidence in Chicago reaching the Super Bowl.
With the NFL season still ahead, these markets are likely to move substantially. For now, though, the Rams are the clear early Super Bowl betting leader, while Denver and Chicago stand out as two of the most heavily backed conference championship selections at BetMGM.
