What Are the Best Bets for the AFC Championship Game?

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(AP Photo/David Dermer)
BetMGM Staff @BETMGM Jan 28, 2022, 2:53 PM

The Kansas City Chiefs will play in their fourth straight AFC Championship. The Chiefs will take on Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals this time around. According to the NFL betting lines from BetMGM, the Chiefs are 7.5-point favorites. In the article below, I’ll review some of the best bets for Bengals at Chiefs.

Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs Game Information

  • Date: Sunday, January 20th
  • Time: 3 PM ET
  • Venue: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
  • Line: Kansas City Chiefs -7.5

Over 54.5 Total Points (-110)

Neither the Bengals nor the Chiefs have successfully defended the pass this year. Cincinnati ranks 26th in pass yards allowed per game, and Kansas City ranks 27th. Joe Burrow threw for over 400 yards last time these two teams played, and Patrick Mahomes is averaging nearly 400 passing yards per game in the playoffs (391).

When the Chiefs and Bengals last played, they combined for 65 points. Kansas City had their starting safety, Tyrann Mathieu, in that game. The Chiefs could be without him this week, as he’s in the concussion protocol.

Kansas City averages 29.7 points per game this season, the fourth-best mark in the NFL. The Chiefs haven’t scored less than 28 points in their past seven games. Kansas City also plays fast, averaging the fourth-most plays per game in the NFL. Cincinnati doesn’t play as fast, but their offense is explosive. The Bengals rank seventh in the NFL in points per game, averaging 26.6 points per contest.

Cincinnati Bengals Moneyline +275

The Bengals have already shown that they can beat the Chiefs. Cincinnati beat the Chiefs in Week 17, snapping Kansas City’s eight-game win streak. Despite beating the Chiefs just a few weeks ago, the Bengals are getting +275 odds on the moneyline bet. I think these odds are too high considering what we’ve seen from Burrow and company against the Chiefs recently.

Cincinnati Bengals +7.5 (-110)

If you don’t want to take the high odds on the Bengals moneyline bet, consider picking the Bengals with 7.5 points. The Bengals have played in 19 games this season, and they’ve only lost two of those games by more than a touchdown.

The Kansas City Chiefs allowed a tremendous young receiver to go for 200+ yards and four touchdowns last week. Gabriel Davis torched the Chiefs, and now they have to stop another one of the league’s great young wide receivers in Ja’Marr Chase. When these two teams played in Week 17, Chase had 266 receiving yards.

Kansas City doesn’t have the secondary to stop Chase, and they might not have the defensive line to get pressure on Burrow. The Cincinnati offense struggled in the divisional round as Burrow took nine sacks, but the Chiefs rank 29th in the NFL in sacks this season (31).

Reviewing the Best Bets for the AFC Championship

I didn’t expect Joe Burrow and the Bengals to make it to the AFC Championship game, but they’ve played excellent football in the postseason. Plus, the Bengals have one of the best young kickers in the league in Evan McPherson. If the Bengals keep this game close, he could play a significant role for Cincinnati.

Are you interested in wagering on the Chiefs or Bengals? Head over to the BetMGM online sportsbook. Sign up for an account today for a risk-free initial bet of up to $1,000.

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BetMGM Staff

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Our BetMGM authors are sports experts, with a wealth of knowledge of the sports betting industry at all levels. Their coverage includes sports news across players, teams and coaches, providing betting previews and predictions, fun facts and more.

Our BetMGM authors are sports experts, with a wealth of knowledge of the sports betting industry at all levels. Their coverage includes sports news across players, teams and coaches, providing betting previews and predictions, fun facts and more.