NFL Picks Today: NFL Predictions and Expert Picks

Get even closer to the action with NFL picks, predictions and features from the Betway Insider. This page is your home for NFL Picks Today: matchup-by-matchup analysis across the spread, moneyline and totals, plus the expert picks and season-long predictions that run all the way to the Super Bowl. The latest articles sit at the top of the page, and the sections below explain how the picks work and how to read them.

NFL Predictions: week-by-week matchups

Once the season is live, our NFL predictions run week by week, with a separate read on each game on the slate. The 2026 season opens on 9 September 2026, when the champion Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots in a rematch of Super Bowl LX, and the picks follow every week from Week 1 through to the playoffs.

Each matchup pick sets out a clear verdict and the reasoning behind it. A typical entry covers the spread pick, the moneyline pick and the totals pick, with short notes on form, key injuries and how the two teams match up. Marquee names like Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, the Dallas Cowboys and the reigning champion Seahawks tend to headline the weekly slate, though the value often sits in the games the market overlooks. You will find this week’s games in the articles at the top of the page; the examples below show how to read each pick type rather than naming a specific result. Alongside the weekly games, our season-long predictions cover the division races, the conference picture and the Super Bowl outright.

Against the spread, moneyline and totals picks

Most NFL picks fall into three markets, and knowing what each one needs makes them easier to follow.

An against-the-spread, or ATS, pick is a bet on the handicap. If a team is favoured by 6.5 points, shown as -6.5, an ATS pick on them needs a win by seven or more, while a pick on the +6.5 underdog lands if they win or lose by six or fewer. ATS picks are where a lot of the value sits, because the spread is built to level the game. The strongest ATS reads often come from home and away splits, rest and travel, and how one team’s defence matches the opposing offence.

A moneyline pick is simply on the outright winner. A heavy favourite might be priced around -200, which implies roughly a 67% chance, so the question is whether that price is worth taking over the spread alternative. Moneyline picks suit games expected to be close, or an underdog backed to win outright.

An over/under pick, on the totals market, is on the combined points landing above or below a set line such as 47.5. These picks lean on pace, matchups and weather, and an injury to a key quarterback can move the number sharply.

How does the 17-game schedule work?

Under the previous 16-game format, teams played their divisional rivals twice, four teams from another division in their conference, four from a division in the other conference, and the two teams in their conference that finished in the same position in their divisions.

The 17th game is a fifth inter-conference game, based on the previous season’s finishing positions. For example, a team that finished third in its division plays a team that finished third in its division in the other conference. Each team plays 17 games across an 18-week season, with one bye week.

How do the NFL playoffs work?

In total, 14 teams make the NFL playoffs, seven from each of the AFC and NFC. That breaks down as four division winners and three wild-card teams in each conference. Three rounds, the Wild Card Round, the Divisional Round and the Conference Championships, lead to the two conference winners meeting in the Super Bowl. Super Bowl LXI is set for 14 February 2027 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

How our NFL picks are produced

Our analysts have years of experience following the NFL and its betting markets, with a focus on detailed, transparent analysis rather than promises. These NFL expert picks draw on box scores, injury reports, recent form and line movement, which the team reviews before finalising each selection.

Alongside that expert judgment, the analysis leans on the numbers: efficiency stats, scoring trends and matchup data. A pick reflects both what those statistical signals say and what an experienced eye sees, and where the two disagree, the write-up explains why. That combination is closer to a considered forecast than a hunch.

Picks are published weekly through the season, on the website by Thursday at the latest, in time for the weekend slate. During the regular season the Betway Insider produces four-fold tips, made up of selections for that week’s games that can be backed individually or combined. Before the season, the experts also post outright picks for markets such as Most Valuable Player and Coach of the Year, and once the postseason arrives they move to Bet Builder tips through to the Super Bowl.

Injury, weather and line movement

Three things move an NFL pick most. The injury report comes first: a quarterback ruled out, or a key pass rusher returning, can swing both the spread and the total. Weather matters in the open-air stadiums, where wind and heavy rain tend to pull totals down and favour the run. And line movement itself is a signal, as money and news shift a number through the week. When any of these change after a pick is posted, the rationale notes what moved and why it matters.

How do you bet on the NFL?

If you are new to the markets, the most popular is the match winner, where you bet on the result. Another is the handicap, or spread, where one team is given an advantage to even the game up: a heavy favourite might be set at -9.5, meaning they must win by 10 or more for the bet to land. You can also bet on the combined points, with the sportsbook posting a total such as 54.5 for you to back over or under. Player markets are popular too, such as a player to score a touchdown or a quarterback to pass for a set number of touchdowns. Beyond these, hundreds of other markets are available before each game.

Frequently asked questions about NFL picks

When does the 2026 NFL season start?

The 2026 season starts on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, when the champion Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch. Each team plays 17 games across an 18-week schedule.

When is Super Bowl LXI?

Super Bowl LXI is scheduled for Sunday, 14 February 2027 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. It is the championship game of the 2026 season.

When are Betway Insider’s NFL picks published?

Picks are published weekly through the season, on the website by Thursday at the latest, in time for the weekend action. Outright and futures picks go up before the season starts.

What is an against-the-spread (ATS) pick?

An ATS pick is a bet on the handicap rather than the outright result. The favourite has to win by more than the spread, while the underdog covers if it wins or loses by less than the spread.

Who are the Betway Insider experts?

Our analysts have several years of experience following the NFL and its betting markets, and each pick is published with the reasoning behind it so you can weigh it for yourself.

Are NFL picks guaranteed to win?

No. Picks are informational analysis, not certainties, and no outcome is guaranteed. Use them to inform your own view, and check the live odds before you place a bet.

Related NFL analysis

• Super Bowl coverage for futures and postseason analysis
• How betting odds work for a plain-language guide to reading prices
• Bet on the NFL at the Betway sportsbook