We reveal which markets and individual bets are receiving the most action ahead of Thursday night’s opening round of the NFL Draft.
The NFL Draft is just days away, and excitement is building as bettors look to get involved ahead of Thursday night’s opening round. New data from Betway highlights where the money is going, revealing the most popular NFL betting markets for the draft, and the individual selections attracting the greatest attention.
Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders and is a clear -1000000 favourite in the betting, illustrating that the real drama may begin with the New York Jets at No. 2.
With plenty of intrigue throughout the top 10 picks and beyond, bettors are clearly focusing on the early selections that could define the first round.
Most popular NFL Draft markets
According to our data, the No. 2 Overall Pick market dominates betting interest, accounting for nearly a third of all NFL Draft bets placed so far.
Top five NFL Draft markets by percentage of total bets:
No. 2 Overall Pick – 33%
No. 3 Overall Pick – 15%
1st Wide Receiver Drafted – 9%
No. 5 Overall Pick – 6%
1st Offensive Lineman Drafted – 6%
The strong focus on picks two and three suggests bettors are looking to find an edge in the betting when the New York Jets are on the clock at pick No. 2. Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese is the favourite in that market at -250, while Texas Tech’s David Bailey is the Jets’ other option at +175.
The second-most popular market comes at pick No. 3, where the Arizona Cardinals are likely to be picking between Jeremiyah Love, Francis Mauigoa and either Reese or Bailey. Bailey is the +125 favourite in the No. 3 pick odds.
A couple of positional markets also feature in the top five. The 1st Wide Receiver Drafted market looks like a shoot-out between Ohio State’s Carnell Tate and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, and both are in play as high as pick five for the New York Giants. In the 1st Offensive Lineman Drafted market, Mauigoa is the -225 favourite in the odds, but Spencer Fano is not far behind at +200.
Most popular player-team outcomes
Several specific player-and-team combinations are standing out in the betting ahead of draft night.
Arvell Reese is the bettors’ clear pick to go No. 2 overall to the New York Jets, attracting 50% of the total stake in that market.
The Washington Commanders are the most popular bet on which team will draft Jeremiyah Love, accounting for 36% of the total stake in the star running back’s player-specific market.
At No. 5 overall, Jordyn Tyson is the most-backed option to land with the New York Giants, drawing 32% of the total stake.
Most-backed NFL Draft bets across all markets
Looking at individual bets regardless of market, the top of the draft board continues to dominate bettor attention, particularly around the No. 1 pick.
Most-backed bets (any market):
No. 1 Overall Pick – Arvell Reese (15%)
No. 1 Overall Pick – Fernando Mendoza (7%)
No. 1 Overall Pick – Rueben Bain Jr. (5%)
No. 2 Overall Pick – Arvell Reese (4%)
1st Wide Receiver Drafted – Jordyn Tyson (3%)
Arvell Reese and Rueben Bain have surprisingly attracted plenty of betting interest to be drafted No. 1 overall, despite Fernando Mendoza being considered almost certain to be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders. Huge odds are on offer for either of those defensive players to be taken, with Reese currently at +10000 and Bain at +15000. However, the majority of these bets were likely placed earlier in the college season, before Mendoza emerged as the clear favourite to be the No. 1 pick.
Reese again features in the top five as a popular bet to be drafted at No. 2 overall, which is a much more likely proposition.
Rounding out the list is Tyson to be selected as the first wide receiver. The Arizona State star has been gaining momentum in recent days after reportedly impressing NFL scouts at his pro day workout, where he showcased his athletic ability and dispelled concerns about his health ahead of the Draft.
