NFL Best Record Expert Picks: 2025 Regular Season Best Bets, Futures Predictions

Last updated: May 15, 2025 8:00 AM EDT • 4 min read X Social Google News Link

The NFL witnessed one of the most top-heavy seasons last year, with 15 teams winning 10-plus games for the first time in recent memory. This tally is up from 13, 12, 12, and nine over the last half-decade.
The switch to a 17-game season certainly makes it easier for teams to win double-digit games, and the gap between good and bad teams has never been bigger. This is what makes it so difficult to make our NFL best record expert picks ahead of the upcoming season.
The best record futures market is extremely volatile, as evidenced by trends in the recent past. However, our best sports betting sites offer generous plus-money odds for anyone who can correctly predict the team with the best regular-season record. Read on as we use the NFL schedule release to justify our best record picks.
👉 Check out our 2025 NFL season AI predictions
📈 Who led the NFL in wins last year?
The Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs topped the league in wins with 15 during the 2024-25 NFL season. Here is how the last five years have looked in this market:
- 2024: Chiefs, Lions (15)
- 2023: Ravens (13)
- 2022: Chiefs, Eagles (14)
- 2021: Buccaneers, Packers (13)
- 2020: Chiefs (14)
👑 Who will have the NFL's best record?
Unsurprisingly, oddsmakers at our best sports betting apps don't expect as many top-tier teams this season. DraftKings gives 12 of the league's 32 teams a win total greater than or equal to O/U 9.5 with juiced odds toward the Over.
The Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chiefs, and Philadelphia Eagles are expected to compete for the league's best record, each carrying a win total of O/U 11.5 games. The Bills (-160), Eagles (-110), and Ravens (-115) are minus-money to go Over the total. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are even money to get into the win column 12-plus times.
Buffalo (+425) is the betting favorite to lead the league in wins, something the Bills have failed to do during the Josh Allen era. Baltimore (+550), Kansas City (+800), and Philadelphia (+800) are the only other teams trading at odds shorter than 10/1 in this market.
Now that we know the odds, who is our pick?
Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.
🏈 NFL best record pick: 49ers (+1500)
The last 12 months have not been kind to Kyle Shanahan and Co. The injury bug bit San Francisco in a big way last season, and as the knocks piled up, so did the losses. The 49ers finished an abysmal 6-11, good for fourth place in the NFC West, their first last-place finish since the 2020 campaign during COVID.
The good news - with last year's campaign in the team's rearview mirror by now - is that the 49ers will have the easiest schedule in the league, as their 2025 opponents had a 120-169 record (.415) last season.
Oddsmakers are cautiously optimistic about San Francisco, listing their win total at O/U 10.5 games.
We're predicting a season similar to the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals. The year prior, Cincinnati finished fourth in the AFC North after Joe Burrow went down injured, which led to the superstar signal-caller leading them to a first-place finish the following year. Brock Purdy's men (+145) are the early NFC West favorites.
While there have been drastic changes on both sides of the ball in the Bay Area, there is still enough talent on San Francisco's roster to lead them to a double-digit win season, if they can stay healthy. The 49ers have accomplished this feat in three of the last four years, so they're no strangers to success.
Our best sportsbooks give them the best chance outside of any team not previously mentioned to lead the league in wins. BetMGM is offering +1500 odds, implying a 6.25% probability that San Francisco finishes with the best record in the league.
📊 Best odds: +1500 via BetMGM (bet $10 to win $150 profit)
Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.
💵 Best NFL betting sites
Want to bet on the NFL regular season? Check out the best NFL betting sites and best sportsbook promos for upcoming games:
(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Not intended for use in MA.
Each betting site featured on SBR has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.

Gabe Henderson X social