AFC North Betting Odds, Preview: Browns Favored Over Steelers

AFC North Divisional Odds

• Cleveland Browns: +125
• Pittsburgh Steelers: +160
• Baltimore Ravens: +350
• Cincinnati Bengals: 16-1

Following realignment in 2002, the Pittsburgh Steelers have won the AFC North eight times. The Baltimore Ravens have claimed the division crown on five occasions and the Cincinnati Bengals have topped the division four times.

The Cleveland Browns have never won the AFC North. The last time the Browns were division champions was in 1989 when they won the now defunct AFC Central.

But that could all change this season. Oddsmakers at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook have the Browns as favorites to win the division title at +125.

The Steelers, who are moving forward without star receiver Antonio Brown, are next at +160.

After Cleveland and Pittsburgh, Baltimore, the defending division champion, has +350 odds. Cincinnati is the only true longshot with oddsmakers listing the Bengals at 16-1 odds.

As for the smartest bet to win the AFC North, we ran 10,000 simulations of the 2019 NFL season to find out.

AFC North Best Bet

According to our model, the AFC North is a three-team race just as the odds suggest. The Steelers are the most likely champions with a 31.9% chance, followed by the Ravens (30.0%), Browns (29.4%) and Bengals (8.7%).

Baltimore's implied probability of winning the division is 22.2% based on +350 odds. The 7.8% difference in projected chance and implied probability is the largest in the division.

With Lamar Jackson expected to take a step forward in his second year under center and a defense that ranked third in defensive DVOA in 2018, the Ravens are undervalued at their current betting odds.