When there’s an NFL game on, plenty of action comes in for legal and regulated sportsbooks. Come playoff time, the already massive level of betting interest rises even further.

NFL Playoff odds draw in even the casual fans who don’t pay much attention during the NFL season. Each game is must-see TV, and there are tons of unique bets to get your money down on. See below for everything you need to know about betting on the NFL Playoffs online in New York.

NFL Playoff Odds at NY Online Sportsbooks

These are real-time odds direct from legal New York online sportsbooks. Click on any odds below to get started.

Bet on NFL Playoffs online in NY

The first legal and regulated NY sportsbooks opened up in the summer of 2019. Today, there are multiple shops sprinkled across the upstate region. Options have expanded even further with the introduction of legal online sports betting for NY residents. Here’s how to get involved.

• Click through on our exclusive links to create an account with one of our recommended sportsbooks, such as DraftKings or FanDuel in NY. You’ll get access to an outstanding sign-up offer for doing so.
• On the registration page, enter some basic details and complete the process. Once done, take the time to download the app for your device from the sportsbook website and log in on mobile.
• Just like that, you have access to a real live sportsbook. You can manage your account from anywhere without issue, but you’ll have to be within state lines when placing bets.

Sites and mobile apps from the top shops are required to verify user location, and they do so with the assistance of geolocation tracking software. The legal sports betting age in NY is 21 or older. Verifying user age is part of the registration process before your online account gets set up.

2021 NFL Playoff structure

Beginning with the 2020 regular season, the NFL tweaked the structure of the postseason. Since 1990, 12 teams made it to the dance, six each from the AFC and NFC. For 2020 and moving forward, now 14 teams qualify for the NFL Playoffs, seven from each of the two conferences.

The seven playoff teams from the two conferences are seeded 1-7. It’s essentially two brackets with the winners on each side facing off in the Super Bowl. In the prior format, two teams from each conference received a first-round bye. Under the new format, just one team from each conference receives a bye, which makes the battle for the top spot all the more intriguing.

How do teams qualify for the NFL postseason?

The two conferences are broken down into four divisions each: East, North, South, and West. The teams that win their division receive an automatic berth in the postseason for a total of eight spots. The remaining six slots are Wild Card berths, which are the top three non-division winners from each conference.

To determine the Wild Card spots, teams are ranked by the record, and tiebreakers are implemented as needed, such as when two teams finish up with matching records of 10-6. The first tiebreaker is the head-to-head record, as in which side won if the teams squared off during the year, followed by things like conference winning percentage, record against common opponents, etc.

What’s the schedule for the NFL Playoffs?

After the regular season, the field for the NFL Playoffs is finally set. Once the matchups are official, the time slots for the opening round of games are unveiled. The winners from those contests advance to play the following week, and so on. All told, there are three weekends of NFL Playoff games, followed by the Super Bowl.

• Wild Card: A total of six games, three for each conference, with a trio played on Saturday and the remainder on Sunday.
• Divisional Round: The winners from Wild Card weekend advance and are joined by the top seed in each conference. It’s a total of four games – two from each conference with a pair on both Saturday and Sunday.
• Conference Championships: The final two teams in the AFC and NFC brackets square off to determine who will advance to the Super Bowl. Both of these contests are held on Sunday.
• Super Bowl: Held on the second Sunday in February, the winners of the AFC and NFC face off in the Big Game to crown a champion.

Due to the expansion of the regular season from 16 to 17 games, the NFL Playoffs will now begin in mid January and be wrapped up at the middle of February.

Types of bets you can make on NFL Playoffs

All of the same bet types that are available during the NFL regular season are offered in the postseason. The NFL playoff betting lines and odds work the same, as do the individual game listings. Once the matchups are announced, you’ll see contests listed out like this at online sportsbooks, such as on the PointsBet betting app:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers    +3 (-110)         +135    O 56.5 (-110)
• Kansas City Chiefs             -3 (-110)         -165    U 56.5 (-110)

For each game, odds for the big three-bet types — point spread, moneyline, and totals — will be front and center. To place the bet, you simply compare the odds and select your bet. It’ll be added to the bet slip where you can plug in a bet amount, verify all is correct, and click submit. The bets work like this.

• Moneyline: Choose which side you think will win the game.
• Point spread: Bet on the favorite or underdog plus or minus the points.
• Totals: Select Over or Under on the benchmark number of points set by the book.

All three of these bet types will generate tons of volume during the postseason, but you don’t have to limit your action here. Here are two other popular ways to wager on the NFL Playoffs.

• Props: You can find these by clicking through on the game listings. Available markets include team and game props, as well as individual player performances.

Who will have more passing yards in the game?

• • Tom Brady +125
  • Patrick Mahomes -105

• Live betting: Once the game’s kickoff, you can place new wagers based on what’s happening. You’ll find new bets on the game outcome and specific segments of the contest.

Total points scored in the second quarter will be:

• Over 5 (-114)
• Under 5 (-106)

Between the big three and these two, that’s plenty to keep you occupied, but there’s more to see. You can place a parlay bet on multiple games, or go with a teaser or pleaser that lets you move the spread on two or more games. The NFL Playoffs are lots of fun and exciting as it is, and you’ll have plenty of different ways to wager to boot.

NFL Playoffs futures market

You don’t have to wait for the postseason to roll around to make your picks for the NFL Playoffs. There’s a very active futures market for pro football which has many different bet types to consider. Odds for many of the wagers come out in the offseason and remain active all season long. Here are some of the more popular NFL futures.

• Teams to make or miss NFL Playoffs
• Conference and division winners
• Over/Under on team regular-season win totals
• Who will win the Super Bowl
• Player award winners

For futures with multiple choices, such as teams to make the playoffs, there will be odds for all squads in the field. They’ll be listed out in descending order with favorites up top, longshots on the bottom, and all other teams in between. The basic idea is to find the choices you want at the best possible prices.

As such, it’s a good idea to shop around for the best prices. Known as line shopping, this is a practice in which you compare the odds at multiple sportsbooks. When you find an appealing price, you strike and place the bet. A well-timed futures bet can pay off handsomely, so this is absolutely a market that’s worth exploring.

Which NFL teams perform best in the postseason?

It’s challenging to make it to the NFL postseason. For confirmation, consider the teams that come up just short season after season, as well as the teams which are battling through lengthy playoff droughts. Here’s a look at the cumulative record in postseason games for all 32 NFL teams.

Team	Games	Record	Last
Arizona Cardinals	16	7-9	2015
Atlanta Falcons	24	10-14	2017
Baltimore Ravens	27	16-11	2020
Buffalo Bills	34	16-18	2020
Carolina Panthers	17	9-8	2017
Chicago Bears	37	17-20	2020
Cincinnati Bengals	19	5-14	2015
Cleveland Browns	33	12-21	2020
Dallas Cowboys	63	35-28	2018
Denver Broncos	42	23-19	2015
Detroit Lions	20	7-13	2016
Green Bay Packers	60	36-24	2020
Houston Texans	10	4-6	2019
Indianapolis Colts	48	23-25	2020
Jacksonville Jaguars	14	7-7	2017
Kansas City Chiefs	34	15-19	2020
Las Vegas Raiders	44	25-19	2016
Los Angeles Chargers	30	12-18	2018
Los Angeles Rams	49	22-27	2020
Miami Dolphins	41	20-21	2016
Minnesota Vikings	51	21-30	2019
New England Patriots	58	37-21	2019
New Orleans Saints	23	10-13	2020
New York Giants	49	24-25	2016
New York Jets	25	12-13	2010
Philadelphia Eagles	46	23-23	2018
Pittsburgh Steelers	62	36-26	2020
San Francisco 49ers	53	32-21	2019
Seattle Seahawks	35	17-18	2020
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	18	9-9	2020
Tennessee Titans	39	17-22	2020
Washington Football Team	43	23-20	2020

Do the top seeds always make it to the Super Bowl?

While it’s not automatic for top-seeded teams to make it to the Big Game, they have a good track record of pulling it off. The NFL first introduced a seeding system for the playoffs in 1975. Since that point, 74 teams who were seeded first or second in their conference made it to the Super Bowl, while all other seeds have pulled it off a total of 18 times.

It’s important to keep in mind that there was a change in first-round byes starting with the 2020 campaign. In years past, the top two seeds in each conference received a bye, but the new format calls for just the top seed to receive the honor moving forward. It’ll be interesting to see if more lower-seeded teams begin breaking through as a result.

Basics of betting on the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is the biggest betting event of the year. You’ll be able to place all of the normal bet types, and sportsbooks will also go the extra mile with props. Super Bowl props are a huge attraction, and operators will respond by offering up hundreds of different wagers. You’ll find all of the basic props like yardage and scores, as well as many of the unusual variety.

• Coin flip: heads or tails
• The color of Gatorade used for celebrating on winning sideline
• Crossover props with other events taking place on Super Bowl Sunday

All of the different prop opportunities open up the possibilities for betting on the Big Game. While there’s plenty to consider in this area, all of the main bet types will bring in tons of action as well. When you get set to bet on the Super Bowl, it can be helpful to set a budget, such as 80% for game wagers, 10% for props, and 10% for live betting.

Which NFL teams have won the most Super Bowls?

The ultimate goal for each NFL team is championships. Some teams have been much more successful than others on that front, while a handful of teams are still searching for their first Super Bowl rings. Here are the teams with the most wins in the Big Game.

• 6 – New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers
• 5 – Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers
• 4 – Green Bay Packers and New York Giants
• 3 – Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, and Washington Football Team

Four teams have won a pair of Super Bowls, seven have one Big Game victory under their belts, while 12 have never captured the ultimate prize. In terms of Super Bowl appearances, there are five teams at the top of the charts.

• 11 – New England Patriots
• 8 – Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Pittsburgh Steelers
• 7 – San Francisco 49ers

The Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings are tied for most Super Bowl appearances without a win. Both teams are 0-4 in the Big Game. The Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars are the only four teams that have never made it to the Super Bowl.

Things to look out for when betting postseason

When the postseason rolls around, the same general sports betting NFL handicapping principles apply. You’ll want to study the odds and shop around for the best prices, and take the time to assess strengths and weaknesses for all teams, for example. Beyond the basics, some points deserve extra emphasis for this time of year.

• Pay close attention to recent form: Teams that are in peak form heading into the playoffs could be in line to make some noise, while those who are struggling could make quick exits. When examining matchups, it’s important to go way beyond the overall record and examine overall team performance over the last three to five games.
• Assess team performance on all metrics: Each season, some teams perform well on the road or at home, as well as against the spread or on totals. Be sure to know what’s what for all teams in the field. Strong home or road teams can be expected to do the same once the layoffs roll around while weaker teams may live up to their track record, and so on.
• Examine head-to-head and common opponents carefully: If two teams have squared off during the regular season, you have yourself a treasure trove of data to consider for the matchup. When they haven’t met, you can do the same for any common opponents they may have faced. All along the way, you should be finding clues that may apply to the upcoming game.

The NFL postseason is a big highlight of the year for fans in general, as well as incredibly popular from a betting perspective. From Wild Card weekend to the Super Bowl, there are 13 games to look forward to, each of which will attract tons of betting volume. Here in NY, we can all get ready to experience the thrill of the NFL Playoffs like never before.