With Joe Burrow missing significant action for the second time in three years and the defense continuing to be a major issue, the 2025 Bengals limped to a 6-11 record. But that wasn't enough to cost head coach Zac Taylor his job, making him the only returning head coach in the division. He'll have to hope Burrow can play all 17 games this year while the defense takes a step forward in its second season under Al Golden, with the help of a number of reinforcements up front added this offseason.
We're taking a look at everything you need to know before making Cincinnati Bengals futures bets below, including odds, trends, 2026 schedule, offseason changes and more before sharing our preseason betting strategy for the team. Odds are via DraftKings.
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Cincinnati Bengals 2026 odds
| Odds to … | June 1 | Feb |
|---|---|---|
| Go Over win total | 9.5 (-146) | 9.5 (-115) |
| Go Under win total | 9.5 (+120) | 9.5 (-105) |
| Miss playoffs | +144 | |
| Make playoffs | -175 | |
| Win AFC North | +210 | |
| Win AFC | +1000 | |
| Win Super Bowl | +2200 | +2500 |
The Bengals have caught a significant amount of steam to the Over on their win total despite making relatively few moves during the offseason. That could mean a lot of hope is being pinned on the upgraded defensive line as well as Burrow to remain healthy all season.
Cincinnati Bengals futures trends
| Year | Super Bowl odds | Win total | Result | Actual wins | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | +2000 | 9.5 | Under | 6 | 3rd, AFC North |
| 2024 | +1300 | 10.5 | Under | 9 | 3rd, AFC North |
| 2023 | +1000 | 11.5 | Under | 9 | 4th, AFC North |
| 2022 | +2080 | 9.5 | Over | 12 | L, AFC Championship |
| 2021 | +15000 | 6.5 | Over | 10 | L, Super Bowl |
After two straight trips to the AFC Championship Game, the Bengals haven't come close to hitting the Over on their win total over the last three years. Part of that is Burrow's health, but a key part of the issue is a defense that went from respectable to dreadful from 2021-22 to the last three years. Getting back to contention starts with reversing that trend.
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Cincinnati Bengals 2025 season review
| Record | Py Wins | Yds/play (Rk) | Opp y/p (Rk) | DVOA (Rk) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-11 | 6.79 | 5.29 (16) | 6.18 (32) | -8.6 (21) |
The Bengals finished bottom four in yards per play defending the run and pass, resulting in a last-place finish in overall yards allowed per play. That led to a focus on beefing up the defensive line, but the Bengals certainly need better play from the back seven as well. While the offense was below average in both the pass and run game on a per-play basis, excellent performances in key situations like third downs and the red zone kept the unit afloat while the much maligned offensive line finished 10th in sacks per pass attempt.
Cincinnati Bengals 2026 offseason review
The status quo remains on offense, while the Bengals threw most of their resources at upgrading the defensive line. That included sending the No. 10 overall pick for Dexter Lawrence, whose Giants were the only team worse against the run than the Bengals on a per play basis. That's not necessarily a knock on Lawrence, who has graded out as an elite defensive lineman over the last four seasons. Jonathan Allen joins Lawrence up front looking to recapture his peak performance of 2020-22, while Boye Mafe and second-rounder Cashius Howell will have the difficult task of helping to replace Trey Hendrickson the edge. The last key addition on the defense is Bryan Cook, who is coming off a breakout season at safety that the Bengals will hope carries over to his new team.
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Cincinnati Bengals 2026 schedule
| Week | Opp | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TB | |
| 2 | @HOU | |
| 3 | @PIT | |
| 4 | JAC | |
| 5 | @MIA | |
| 6 | bye | |
| 7 | @BAL | |
| 8 | TEN | |
| 9 | @ATL | Madrid |
| 10 | PIT | |
| 11 | @WAS | Mon |
| 12 | NO | |
| 13 | @CLE | |
| 14 | KC | |
| 15 | @CAR | |
| 16 | @IND | |
| 17 | BAL | Thu |
| 18 | CLE |
Like the Ravens, the Bengals get to trade a road game for a trip abroad and one that isn't that much shorter than heading to Rio as the Ravens will have to do. The Bengals' third-place schedule unfortunately means facing the Chiefs and with that game late in the season, they should expect Patrick Mahomes to be back to full health for the matchup. However, a slate of games against the NFC South, starting with Week 1 against the Bucs at home, may be key to getting back to double-digit wins.
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Cincinnati Bengals futures picks
- Win AFC North (+210)
This seems like a lot of value compared to the -115 price on a Ravens team with its own questions to answer on defense that also has to onboard a new coaching staff. While having to face the Chiefs is unfortunate, the Ravens also have a tough AFC West matchup against the Chargers and the other two non-common opponents should mean an edge for Cincinnati, particularly with facing the Dolphins instead of the Bills. Ultimately this may come down to who can stay healthy on both offenses, but I think the Bengals have done enough on defense to get back to respectability so I'll take them as what I think is value pricing to win the division.
