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Betting On the AFC North

The 2022 NFL season is coming, and the AFC North will be one of the most exciting divisions to watch. All four teams in the division have some appealing storylines to follow:

The Cincinnati Bengals won the AFC North title and AFC Championship with a 10-7 record in 2021. The team is expected to be a big deal in 2022, as quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase are expected to have a huge second year together. Safety Jesse Bates III, running back Joe Mixon, and kicker Evan McPherson are also expected to be major players for the Bengals.

The Baltimore Ravens were 8-9 in 2021 and have their sights set on winning the division. The Ravens have plenty of stars on offense like quarterback Lamar Jackson, running back J.K Dobbins, and kicker Justin Tucker, but the defense is the team's strongest part. Safeties Kyle Hamilton and Chuck Clark are among the best in the NFL.

The Cleveland Browns will work to improve upon last year's 8-9 record. The team got rid of quarterback Baker Mayfield and traded several draft picks to Houston for quarterback Deshaun Watson. However, whether Watson will play in 2022 remains uncertain, as his six-game suspension as of early August 2022 could become a year-long suspension.

The Pittsburgh Steelers went 9-7-1 in 2021, but the team is in a state of uncertainty. Longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has retired, and it is unclear whether Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, or Kenny Pickett will be the team's quarterback. Cornerback Joe Haden and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster also left the team this offseason.

These four teams are exciting to watch, there are many ways of betting on them. Here are some of the most popular bets.

To Win Division

You can place a futures bet on any of these teams to win the AFC North. The team with the best record at the end of the season will be the division winner. The Ravens and Bengals are competing for the best odds, while the Browns and Steelers are third and fourth. The Browns' odds could dramatically change if Watson misses more than the first six games of the season.

To Make the Playoffs

You'll be more likely to find reasonable bets on teams to make the playoffs before the season starts. You can still bet on teams to make the playoffs during the season, but the odds are likely to change after few games. The odds for either to make or miss the playoffs will be closer to even money during the early part of the season, although that may not be the case for a longshot like the Steelers.

Team Props

Some of the most popular team props for the AFC North include:

Stage of Elimination - You can bet on how far into the playoffs a team will go. The odds will be longer when you go further into the playoffs, with the highest payouts being for when you pick a team to win the Super Bowl.
Regular Season Win Total - You can place an over-under bet on how many games a team will win in the regular season. For example, betting on the Steelers to win over/under 7.5 games
Division Wins - You could also bet on how many of the six division games each team will win. This betting choice is similar to the regular season win total bet. For example, betting on the Ravens to win over/under 3.5 games..

Player Props

You can also bet on players to do certain things during the 2022 season. Most of these player props are over-under wagers. Some of the most popular player props include these:

How many touchdowns a quarterback will throw
How many interceptions a quarterback will throw
Rushing or receiving touchdowns for individual players
Passing, rushing, or receiving yards for a single person
How many receptions a player will get
Interceptions by a defensive player
Sacks by a single player

To Win a Game

You can place a bet on an AFC North team to win any game during the season. For example, the Browns will take on the Carolina Panthers. You can bet on either the Browns or Panthers to win that game.

Total Points

You can bet on how many points the two teams will score during a game. A total wager involves picking if the combined score will go over or under a set total. This wagering option is great for people who want to bet on a game but don't want to pick a specific winner.

For example, in a game between the Steelers and New England Patriots, you could bet on there being over or under 42.5 point. You can pick an over bet if you think the teams will combine for 43 or more points, or you can go under and say they will score 42 or fewer.

Spread

A spread wager involves predicting whether a team will win by a certain number of points or if the other team will cover. For instance, in a game between the Bengals and Steelers. You could bet on the Bengals to win with a -6.5 spread. This means that the team has to win by at least 7 points for the bet to win. Alternatively, you can bet on the Steelers with a +6.5 spread and you will win the bet if they win the game or lose by no more than 6 points.