Best Teams to Bet On Across Leagues

Professional sports leagues feature some of the world’s most dynamic and exciting athletes. Millions of people tune in each year to watch their favorite players and teams perform. Naturally, sports betting has continued to grow in popularity as the likes of football, baseball, and basketball becomes increasingly accessible and more states legalize the pastime. Many may wonder which are the best teams to bet on as they start to sign up for sportsbooks.

As betting has become more mainstream, data has been collected to show which teams are most likely to win, and which teams are most likely to give you the greatest return on investment. Spoiler alert: They aren’t always one in the same!

With the NFL and NCAAF seasons just around the corner, and the MLB season well-underway, we’ve decided to analyze each league’s franchises over the last three years to see which teams have provided the best returns. Read on to find out where your team ranks.

The Best NFL Teams To Bet On

Analyzing results from the last three seasons, we’ve been able to determine which NFL teams give you the best chance of success when the underdog – and which teams to bet on when the favorite. 

The NFL’s High-Value Underdogs

Comparing each NFL franchise, we can reveal that the best underdog to bet on across the last three seasons for overall winnings was the Tennessee Titans. In fact, if you’d bet $100 on each of the seven times they were underdog, you’d be $1,266 richer. 

Following closely behind, the Miami Dolphins would have earned you $1,205 from 21 games, while the Las Vegas Raiders ($1,086), Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($628), and Indianapolis Colts ($349) round out the top five biggest earning underdogs. 

Meanwhile, measuring the teams that recorded the biggest returns on investments, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers delivered the greatest growth, returning 314% on any bets. 

Next up, betting on the Tennessee Titans’ seven occasions as underdog would’ve seen a 181% return, while the New Orleans Saints (87%), Las Vegas Raiders (72%), and Indianapolis Colts (70%) complete the top five.

NFL Favorites Who Won’t Let You Down

At the other end of the table, which NFL teams are the most reliable to bet on when they’re the favorite to win? 

Comparing each team’s record over the last three seasons, it’s clear that the Green Bay Packers are the best team for overall earnings. If you’d placed a $100 wager on each of the 28 games that the Packers were favorite to win with odds of at least -200, you’d be $464 up. 

Next up, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would’ve won you $290 from 25 games, while the New England Patriots would’ve seen you earn $275 from 24. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs ($265) and Miami Dolphins ($181) round out the top five. 

Measuring the franchises that provided the greatest return on investment, the New York Jets lead the way. In games where they were favorite with odds of at least -200, the Jets returned profits of 47%. Following closely behind, the Washington Commanders returned 40%, while the New York Giants and Detroit Lions each delivered a 38% return on investment. It should be noted that the games in which these four franchises were the favorites were few and far between, so the sample size is slightly lower.

The best NCAAF Teams To Bet On

Comparing college football scores over the last three years, we’ve picked out the best underdogs to bet on, as well as the best teams to back when they’re favorite to win. 

Top NCAAF Underdogs

Looking at each NCAAF team’s record over the last three seasons, Bowling Green were officially the best team to bet on for overall winnings. Placing a $100 wager each time they were underdog would’ve seen you win an astonishing $3,325. 

Meanwhile, those who backed Illinois each of the 24 times they were underdog would’ve won $2,612, followed by supporters of Citadel ($2,450), Kansas State ($2,113), and Rice ($1,165).  

In terms of the teams that offered the greatest return on investment, Citadel tops the  list. In fact, if you’d placed a bet each time they were the underdog, your winnings would’ve been 817% the sum of your wager. Next up, Oregon recorded a 339% return on investment, followed by Kansas State (213%), Boise State (200%), and Arizona State (192%). 

NCAAF Favorites Who Get the Job Done

Comparing each NCAAF team, we can reveal that Notre Dame were the best to bet on, when the favorite to win by odds of at least -200. If you’d placed a bet of $100 on each of the 25 instances over the last three seasons, you’d have won an additional $383. 

The next-best team by overall winnings was Cincinnati, who won all 23 times they were favored, returning $293, followed by Mississippi ($257), Memphis ($256), and Georgia Southern ($236). 

Ranking teams by their return on investment, however, it’s Maine who came out on top – impressively, betting each time  they were favorite with odds of at least -200 would’ve seen returns of 48%. Next up, Sacred Heart saw returns of 37%, followed by New Mexico State (36%) and Colorado (34%). And rounding out the top five favorites by ROI, we have Jackson State, which saw returns of 32%.

The best MLB Teams To Bet On 

With the MLB season heading into its home stretch, these are the best teams to bet on based on results between the start of the 2019 season and July 2022.

MLB’s Most Profitable Underdogs

Turning our attention to baseball, the best underdog to bet on for overall winnings since the start of the 2019 season has been the Chicago White Sox. As an example, if you’d placed a $100 bet on the White Sox to win each time they were underdog, you’d have earned a respectable $1,181. 

The San Francisco Giants were the next-best team, with winnings of $981, while the Detroit Tigers trail closely ($941). Meanwhile, the Cleveland Guardians were only underdog eight times, but returned $570 in winnings, ahead of the Chicago Cubs ($246). 

By percentage ROI, we’ve alluded to it, but no team offered a greater rate of return than the Cleveland Guardians – you’d have come away with 71% more money if you’d bet on them to win each time they were the underdog over the last three years. 

The next-best team to bet on was the San Francisco Giants (55%), followed by the Tampa Bay Rays (54%) and St. Louis Cardinals (53%). Meanwhile, the Chicago White Sox (47%) might’ve returned the most winnings, but they can only place fifth by percentage ROI.

MLB Favorites To Back 

Focusing on MLB’s favorites, the Los Angeles Dodgers were the league’s best team to bet on over the last three years. If you’d wagered $100 each time they were favorite to win with odds of at least -200, you’d have won over $1,500.  

Your next-best team to bet on would’ve been the Minnesota Twins ($898), followed by 27-time World Series winner the New York Yankees ($562). And rounding out the top five, we have the Boston Red Sox ($516) and Oakland Athletics ($356).

Meanwhile, the best team by ROI was the Miami Marlins, with a 49% return on any wagers made on games they were favorite to win. Following closely behind, we have the Arizona Diamondbacks (45%) and Kansas City Royals (45%), ahead of the Texas Rangers (43%) and Minnesota Twins (19%). 

With the latest NFL and NCAAF seasons only around the corner, and the MLB season well underway, it’s interesting to see which teams offer the greatest opportunity for big-money winnings. And while you’re waiting for the NFL season to arrive, check out all the latest odds and picks for your favorite teams. Also be sure to take advantage of new user promo offers from top sportsbooks like Caesars, FanDuel, DraftKings, and more!

Methodology

To determine the best underdogs and favorites to bet on across the NFL, NCAAF, and MLB, we analyzed results over the last three seasons, and calculated the overall winnings and winning percentages if you were to have placed a $100 wager each time a team was the underdog or favorite. 

For MLB, data was collected from the start of the 2019 season to July 20, 2022. A team was considered the ‘favorite’ if they were given odds of at least -200 before a game.