Betting on the NFL Awards (Categories, Contenders, Odds)

What You Need to Know About Betting on NFL Individual Awards

Just weeks into the NFL season there are plenty of betting opportunities to place season-long wagers on divisional winners, Superbowl champions or NFL Award winners with betting sites. Whether you plan on making a few same-game parlays or other types of bets, placing an early bet on the NFL Awards is a great way to have skin in the game all season long. If you aren’t sure where to start your NFL betting journey, you’ve come to the right place.

There are a lot of talented players playing in the NFL today. Whether it’s skilled running backs like Saquon Barkley or offensive lineman like Trent Williams, you can always expect the season to be dominated by big names in the headlines.

Injuries are a major component of playing in the NFL, because if you can’t stay on the field, the chances of you winning any of these awards are slim to none. This makes betting more difficult as there’s a higher chance of the player you bet on suffering an injury, ruining your bet on an individual NFL Award.

This article is going to cover not only what you can bet on for NFL Awards, but how you can do so. We’ll also quickly go over some of the most popular candidates and see what they’ve been up to!

• What are NFL Awards?

• The top contenders in NFL Individuals Awards Markets

• Things to look at when betting on NFL Individuals Awards

What is the NFL Individual Awards?

This is a set of awards that is given out at the end of the season to the most talented players in the league. You can win more than one award, although that’s incredibly rare in the NFL. There are over 6 NFL Honors to be handed out, but we’re only going to cover the most popular ones in this post.

As you would expect, this is the perfect chance to place a bet and support your favorite players. Think that Aidan Hutchinson is going to lead the NFL in sacks and win DROTY? Put your money where your mouth is and place a bet then! 

NFL Honors Betting Markets

We’re going to cover four (4) of the most popular awards markets in the NFL. If you want to learn more about the others or see lines for them, check out DraftKings or FanDuel! You can sign up here (affiliate link?). **NEED LINK HERE**

NFL MVP Honor Award Betting

The MVP (Most Valuable Player) award is for the best player, often on the most successful team. The Buffalo Bills are looking to take over as the hottest squad in the NFL and with additions like Von Miller in the mix, there’s a reason why their quarterback (Josh Allen) has the highest chance of winning. Tom Brady is getting older, but that doesn’t mean he can’t put points on the board. If he’s able to throw a few touchdowns every game and lead his team to the playoffs, Tom Brady could end up winning MVP.

Patrick Mahomes has lost Tyreek Hill, but he’s still the gunslinging favourite that so many fans are happy to root on. If you think that he’s still got enough in that right arm to lead the Chiefs to victory and claim an MVP title, it might be worth placing a bet. 

The award usually goes to a quarterback, although there have been a few rare occasions where defensive players or a running back have won. There was even a kicker who won once! Those times are long gone though, and you can confidently make a bet on the QB of your choice. 

NFL Offensive Player of the Year Honor Betting

Offensive Player of the Year is for the most explosive player on the offensive side of the ball. Tyreek Hill is a name that comes to mind, but since he’s with a brand new team, he isn’t in the top 5 for betting lines. The books seem to think that Jonathan Taylor is going to bring his A-game this season and destroy defenses with his downhill running style. 

This award doesn’t exclude quarterbacks with three of the last eight snagging the award. But it is clear in recent seasons that AP voters are more inclined to select positional players who essentially have no chance of winning league MVP.

NFL Defensive Play of the Year Honor Betting

Do you like watching the offense struggle on Sundays? If so, you’re probably looking to bet on who’s going to be the Defensive Player of the Year. Chase Young is a name that hasn’t broken into the top 5 for betting lines but is someone that could surprise us all this season. You’re going to see big names in here like T.J. Watt or Micah Parsons, as they are players who have shown that they can perform when the lights shine their brightest.

Remember that these are regular season awards for the most part and that the post-season has a different set of awards in itself. Even though the Cowboys may not make the playoffs, Micah Parsons could play so well that he’s undeniably named the Defensive Player of the Year. 

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Honor Betting

Offensive Rookie of the Year is given out to the best offensive performance by a rookie. If Kenny Pickett comes out of college and decides to throw for 50 touchdowns in his very first season, odds are he’s going to take home this prize. That’s why he’s got the best lines at the moment – he has a chance to overtake Mitch Trubisky for the starting quarterback job in Pittsburgh. Whether he sinks or swims is left to be determined, but the books are quite confident that he’s going to be the best-performing rookie on offense. 

You can also consider George Pickens, who happens to be on the same team. The thing about him is that he’s a receiver, so even if Kenny Picketts doesn’t play, he’s still going to see his fair share of time on the field. 

How to Bet on the NFL Honors

You can bet on NFL Honors by signing up for an online sportsbook. Make sure that you sign up for a legal sportsbook that is regulated in your jurisdiction. This will ensure the safest sports betting experience. 

NFL Individuals Awards Leadership Betting Contenders

A few names should always be on your radar when it comes to betting on NFL Individual Awards. In regards to the MVP, four players stand out more than the rest. We’re going to take a look at all four of them here today, and see exactly why they’re given some of the best odds at winning the NFL MVP Award. 

Patrick Mahomes

All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, and he loves to throw the ball. He’s going to go down as one of the most creative players to ever enter the league, and he’s patented the side-arm throw in a sense. Other players are trying to mimic the side-arm now, and we’re sure that plenty of NFL QBs can do it, but there’s just something special when Mahomes does it.

Rocket-arm QBs that are willing to put it all on the line tend to win many games for their team. If you don’t have a good QB, you’re going to lose in the NFL. It’s really that simple! This is why the Kansas City Chiefs signed Mahomes to a 5-year extension, and hope that he takes the MVP trophy back to Kansas City this season. 

Whether you love the Chiefs or not, you can’t deny the fact that Mahomes is one of the best QBs we’ve ever seen pick up a football. 

Josh Allen

All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Josh Allen is yet another QB that is known for making some ridiculous throws, but he’s more popular for his ability to scramble and truck grown men as if they were toddlers. Standing at 6”5’, Josh Allen can throw the ball well over 70 yards with a flick of the wrist. Some would argue that he has the strongest arm in the NFL at the moment, and you know what that means? That’s right, plenty of touchdown passes (and maybe a few interceptions to even things out).

The Bills are supposed to be a great team this year and although we’ll have to wait and see if that’s true, you can place a bet on Josh Allen with relative confidence. 

Joe Burrow

All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Joe Burrow fell short of winning a Super Bowl after coming back from a devastating knee injury, but that hasn’t stopped him from maintaining a decent line for the MVP award. He isn’t in the top 5 at the moment, but that’s mainly because he’s young and there are many seasoned vets that get the benefit of the doubt due to seniority. 

Although young, Joe Burrow is a fiery player that is ready to put it all on the line for his team. Whether it’s making the right throw or taking a sack when necessary, Joe Burrow understands what it takes to win in the NFL. That’s why placing a bet on him to win the MVP award may not be a bad idea, but one could argue that there are better candidates to choose from. 

Tom Brady

Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Tom Brady is the QB for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he’s actually coming out of retirement to play this season. After exiting the playoffs last season, Tom Brady announced that he was officially retiring from the NFL. That didn’t last very long though, as a few weeks later a report came out that he was “unretired” and ready to play! Seems like Tom Brady is much more comfortable competing on the field than he is relaxing in the comfort of his home.

All jokes aside, Tom Brady is going to go down as one of the greatest athletes ever. Not only in football, but in sports as a whole. He lacked all of the physical gifts you need to excel in the NFL, and yet has won numerous Super Bowls and NFL Individuals Awards in the past. Tom Brady may be creeping up there in age, but he has all of the mental skills required to take home another MVP trophy this season. 

Things to Consider When Betting on the NFL Individual Awards

Injuries are one of the things you need to watch out for, especially before you place your bet. If you think that a player is going to do well but you don’t realize they’re hurt and place a bet anyway, you may have wasted your money! Of course, if that player comes back and plays like a madman, you could have also just made the best bet in the world.

It’s tough to time, but following your gut is the most effective way to bet. Look at the depth chart of teams and see how many touches a player will get, or how much support you can expect them to have throughout the season.

If a player has won an award in the past as well (like Aaron Rodgers with the MVP) it can be a good sign, but it can also mean that they’re not in line to win it again anytime soon. At the end of the day, the best way is to place the bet as you please and have fun with it!