After Joe Burrow managed to play only 10 games in 2023, there was optimism entering last season that a healthy Burrow would make the Bengals Super Bowl contenders once again. While Burrow did in completions, attempts, yards and touchdowns as part of a strong 2024 performance, the Bengals were unable overcome four close losses in the first five weeks and maintained a 9-8 record for the season straight season.
The Bengals offense finished sixth in points per game, its best mark since drafting Burrow No. 1 overall in 2020, but the defense was unable to pull its weight, giving up at least 34 points on six separate occasions. The silver lining is that all six of those games were against playoff teams, but on the other hand the only time the Bengals defense looked championship caliber all year was in matchups with the woeful Browns and Giants offenses. As a result, the team moved on from longtime defensive coordinator Dan Anarumo after the season.
New defensive coordinator Al Golden was the linebackers coach under Anarumo for two years but spent the last three at the collegiate level running the Notre Dame defense. While the team spent three of its first four picks on that side of the ball, not much was done to supplement the unit otherwise, so Golden will have to make do with talent that has underwhelmed the last few seasons. The good news is that Cincinnati’s offensive core is in place, so expect them to score a ton of points once again provided Joe Burrow remains healthy.
We’re going to take a quick look at the Bengals’ 2024 season and the rest of their offseason moves before getting into their track record in NFL futures over the last five years. After that, you can find the odds available at top sportsbooks for their 2025 win total along with Super Bowl and playoff odds as well as key player props to know. Finally, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of betting on the Bengals in 2025 and give out our best bets.
2024 Cincinnati Bengals season review
- Regular season: 9-8 (Third, AFC North)
- Playoffs: Missed
- Won final five games after 4-8 start
- Most points per game in losses (27.8) in NFL history (min. 5 losses)
- Joe Burrow: Third QB all-time to miss playoffs in season with 40+ pass TD
- Ja’Marr Chase: Fifth player since 1970 with receiving triple crown
- First team in NFL history with NFL leader in pass yards (Burrow), receiving yds (Chase) and sacks (Trey Hendrickson)
2025 Cincinnati Bengals offseason review
| QB | |||
| RB | Khalil Herbert, Trayveon Williams, Chris Evans | Samaje Perine | Tahj Brooks (6) |
| WR | Mitchell Tinsley | ||
| TE | |||
| OL | Alex Cappa, Trent Brown, D’ante Smith | Lucas Patrick | Dylan Fairchild (3), Jalen Rivers (5) |
| DL | Sheldon Rankins, Jay Tufele | T.J. Slaton, Dante Barnett | |
| EDGE | Shemar Stewart (1) | ||
| LB | Akeem Davis-Gaither, Germaine Pratt, Joe Bachie | Oren Burks, Joe Gilles-Harris | Demetrius Knight (2), Barrett Carter (4) |
| CB | Mike Hilton | ||
| S | Vonn Bell | ||
| STAFF | Lou Anarumo (DC) | Al Golden (DC) |
Five-year futures odds and trends
| 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 |
| 2020 | +20000 | 5.5 | Under | 4 | 4th, AFC North |
Historical betting data via Pro-Football-Reference.
2025 Cincinnati Bengals futures odds
| Go Over win total | 9.5 (-150) | 10.5 (+135) | 9.5 (-150) | 9.5 (-120) |
| Go Under win total | 9.5 (+125) | 10.5 (-160) | 9.5 (+125) | 9.5 (+100) |
| Win Super Bowl | +2000 | +1800 | +2000 | +2100 |
| Win AFC | +1000 | +900 | +950 | +1000 |
| Win AFC North | +220 | +230 | +230 | +220 |
| Make playoffs | -150 | -165 | -160 | -158 |
| Miss playoffs | +125 | +135 | +130 | +128 |
| Win No. 1 seed | +950 | +900 | +1300 | +1100 |
Odds subject to change.
2025 Joe Burrow props
| MVP | +600 | +600 | +650 | +600 |
| Offensive POY | +5000 | +4000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Most pass yards | +600 | +550 | +550 | |
| Pass yards O/U | 4150.5 | 4175.5 | 4150.5 | 4200.5 |
| Pass TDs O/U | 33.5 | 33.5 | 33.5 | 33.5 |
Odds subject to change.
Reasons to back the Bengals
Despite rushing offenses making a surge last year, throwing the football is still generally the way to win in the modern NFL. The Bengals have the best QB-WR combination in the league in Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, as well as perhaps the best No. 2 receiver in the league in Tee Higgins. That papers over a lot of issues that come from the defense giving up points, and the Bengals were rather unlucky to not be a playoff team last year. Per CBS Research, the Bengals had the most points per game in losses (27.8) in NFL history for teams that lost at least five games.
Provided star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson isn’t traded before the season, the Bengals defense should be in for some positive regression, so if the offense can stay in that top-eight range, the Bengals are well-positioned to win at least 10 games. Al Golden has been on Zac Taylor’s staff before, and that existing relationship should make the transition to a new defensive coordinator easier than with many teams. The rest of the AFC could also be well set up for the Bengals to make the playoffs with potentially just one playoff team in each of the AFC East and AFC South and the Steelers possibly taking a step back.
Reasons to fade the Bengals
The Bengals have three superstars in Burrow, Chase and Trey Hendrickson, but they are one of the more top-heavy rosters in the league. The offensive line remains a major question mark, and the defense doesn’t have much reason for optimism behind the top two or three players on the roster. The lack of depth means the team’s stars absolutely must stay healthy as it’s questionable the rest of the roster will be able to pick up the slack if anyone misses extended time, and the specter of losing Hendrickson will remain over the team until they agree to a new deal.
It’s also fair to wonder where the improvement is going to come from to take this team above its 9-8 finish over the last two years. It’s not like Burrow, Chase and Hendrickson can play much better than they did last season when they led the league in passing yards and touchdowns; receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns; and sacks, respectively. It appears the only potential starters brought in as free agents are guard Lucas Patrick and defensive lineman T.J. Slaton, neither being needle-movers at their respective positions. The draft brought Shemar Stewart to help up front, but he’s having his own contract issues with the team that is costing him valuable preparation time in his first offseason.
How to bet the Bengals in 2025
- Under 10.5 wins -160 (Caesars)
- Ja’Marr Chase Offensive Player of the Year +1000 (BetMGM)
I thought I was going to love the Bengals coming into this year with how good their offense is, but after digging into their roster I don’t see how this team is any better than the one that was 14-13 with Burrow under center the last two years. It’s great that they were able to lock up both starting receivers long-term, but it seems like the rest of the roster beyond the top 6-8 players is screaming for improvement that hasn’t come. This feels to me like a 10-win team if everyone stays healthy, with the potential to crater if multiple stars go missing for several weeks due to injuries.
But on the positive end, I think there’s value in backing Chase to win Offensive Player of the Year. By all accounts, the season he had in leading the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns would’ve typically made him the favorite to win the award, but he only finished third due to Saquon Barkley‘s incredible season and there being two QBs worthy of being MVP. If you think the Bengals offense will continue firing on all cylinders, Chase should have a similar season in 2025 and voters will feel like they owe him one after his remarkable 2024 went under the radar in awards voting.
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Author: R.J. White
June 23, 2025 | 12:15 pm
