Cincinnati Bengals Odds and Betting | Wagers for Beginners

Cincinnati Bengals Odds & Betting

Cincinnati Bengals Odds and Betting

The Bengals are on the rise; make no mistake about it. We’ve been treated to some great plays in recent years, and their 2022 Super Bowl appearance highlighted just how far the Bengals have come. 

Here, we explain everything you need to know about betting on the Cincinnati Bengals. We introduce you to the different markets you can bet on, as well as how American odds work. So, without further ado, let’s look at how you can bet on the Cincinnati Bengals this season. 

Cincinnati Bengals' Domenique Davis waits between plays in the fourth quarter

How to Bet on the Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals came within three points of winning their first-ever Super Bowl in 2022, and it was a season to remember for so many reasons. And with popular QB Joe Burrow set to play a starring role again this year, the future is certainly bright for the Bengals. 

Now that sports betting is legal in Ohio, you have the opportunity to back the Bengals in more ways than one throughout the new season. There are so many NFL markets to take advantage of, and you have an excellent opportunity to make some money from your selections. 

The most common Bengals bets include: 

The moneyline 

Spread betting

Totals (over/under) betting 

Prop betting 

Parlay betting 

Live betting 

Futures betting

If you’re new to sports betting, the above terms might seem a little daunting at first. But the reality is that you will soon become familiar with them, and as we explore below, betting on the Bengals is a lot more straightforward than you might think.

How do NFL Odds Work?

American football is our nation’s best-loved game, and you have so many opportunities when it comes to betting on the NFL week-in, week-out. 

But before we get into the individual bet types you can place on the Bengals; we want to begin with the basics. 

Sportsbook odds are displayed in three ways - American, British (fractional), or European (decimal). As a US-based sports bettor, the vast majority of odds you will come across will be in the American format. 

American odds are given as a three-digit number, which signifies the vig (or juice) set by the sportsbook. Each number is accompanied by a plus or minus sign. Positive odds are given to the underdog, while negative odds are given to the favorite. 

Here’s what American NFL odds might look like: 

Cincinnati Bengals (+120) vs. Green Bay Packers (-110) 

In this example, the Packers are favorites to beat the Bengals. Their odds (-110) show how much you need to bet to win $100. The negative odds given to the underdogs show how much you will win when you place a $100 bet. 

Provided that you can distinguish between the favorite and underdog, you’re all set to get started with NFL betting. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular bets you can place on the Cincinnati Bengals this season.

The Most Popular Cincinnati Bengals Odds and Betting Explained 

The moneyline 

When it comes to betting on football, the moneyline is the easiest wager to place. Your only job is to pick the winner of the fixture in front of you, and you don’t need to worry about who scores the points, the margin of victory, how many TDs, or anything other than the final result. 

So, if you fancy placing a moneyline wager for the upcoming NFL game week, here’s what it might look like on your betting slip:

Cincinnati Bengals (-130) vs. Cleveland Browns (+120) 

In this battle of Ohio, the Bengals are favorites. We know this because they are represented by a minus, whereas the Browns have a plus by their odds. 

If you agree with the sportsbook and think that the Bengals will triumph, a $130 bet would return $100 in profit. However, if you think the Browns are capable of an upset, a $100 bet would return $120 in profit. 

As you can see, the moneyline is super simple, and there’s not much else to it. So, if you fancy the Bengals to do the business in the upcoming game week, the moneyline is undoubtedly the easiest bet to place. 

Spread betting

To make things a little more interesting when betting on the Bengals, you might want to consider a spread bet. Spread betting is essentially a handicap bet that levels the playing field a little. 

The point spread enables sportsbooks to provide a near-even money bet by giving the underdogs a head start. Here’s what a points spread might look like in the NFL: 

Dallas Cowboys +5.5 (-110) vs. Cincinnati Bengals -5.5 (-110)

Here, the sportsbook has the Bengals as favorites, and in the spread, they are giving the Cowboys a 5.5 point start. Therefore, if the Cowboys are to lose the game by 5.5 points or less, you will still win your bet. 

Conversely, if you have the Bengals to win in a point spread, they will need to win by at least 5.5 points. This is the fundamental difference between spread betting and the moneyline in the NFL. 

Half points are usually offered to avoid a push bet, which is possible when a sportsbook offers spread betting with whole numbers. When a push bet occurs, your money is returned, and the bet is null and void. 

Totals (over/under) betting

Now, if you’re on the fence about the Bengals’ chances in an upcoming fixture, you can place a totals bet instead of picking a winner. Totals bets are concerned with the total number of points scored in a match, and it doesn’t matter which players or teams score the points. 

Let’s take a look at an example: 

New York Giants vs. Cincinnati Bengals OU: 47 

Over (-110) 

Under (-110)

The sportsbook has set the totals line at 47 for the upcoming fixture between the Giants and the Bengals. As a bettor, your job is to decide if more or fewer points than this will be scored in the game. Therefore, you can bet on the over or under. 

Let’s say that the game finishes 27-24 in favor of the Bengals. That would mean a total of 51 points were scored, meaning that the game went over the total points set by the sportsbook. As such, an over bet on this fixture would win, while an under bet would lose. 

The beauty of a totals bet is its simplicity. You don’t need to worry about which team scores the points, when they’re scored, or which players get the TDs. As such, a totals bet is a great option when the winner of a fixture is too tight to call.

Prop betting

While totals bets are concerned with the number of points scored in a match, prop betting allows you to dig a little deeper into the gameplay. Prop bets enable you to bet on events that occur during the match and aren’t related to the final outcome of the game. 

NFL prop bets are split into team and individual prop bets, as we explain below: 

Bengals team prop bets 

How many field goals per quarter? 

Total number of touchdowns? 

The number of third down conversions?

Bengals individual prop bets 

The total number of rushing yards for Joe Mixon? 

How many passing yards for Joe Burrow? 

Trey Hendrickson to sack? 

As you can see, NFL prop bets allow you to engage with the action as it unfolds out on the field. Instead of just selecting a winning team, you can bet on the likelihood of specific events relating to your team or individual players. 

We’d recommend conducting some research into form before placing prop bets, as there are lots of factors that can influence team and individual performances. 

Parlay betting

What happens if you want to cast your net a little wider than betting exclusively on the Bengals? Well, that’s precisely where NFL parlay bets come in. 

A parlay bet - often referred to as an accumulator - allows you to bet on multiple outcomes simultaneously. For instance, instead of picking three teams and placing three single moneyline bets, you can bring them together in a parlay to improve your odds.

Here’s what it might look like: 

Bengals, Seahawks, and Browns to win (+320)

By bringing together these three selections in a parlay, you will almost certainly get better odds than if you placed three individual moneyline bets. 

While parlays can be fun, it’s important to realize that all three selections must come in for your bet to be successful. So, if the Browns and Bengals do the business, only for the Seahawks to concede a last-minute TD to lose, your bet is bust. 

As such, don’t get too carried away with building big parlays, and do your research before choosing the teams to add to your selection.

Live betting

While most Bengals fans don’t need any motivation to tune into the live football every weekend, the fact that you can bet on live markets when the action gets underway is undoubtedly a bonus. 

Live betting allows you to bet on various outcomes in real-time as and when you’re watching the game. Here are some of the live Bengals bets you can place:

How many TDs will the Bengals score during each half? Who will run the most yards? 

Will the Bengals score more rushing yards per quarter than their opponents? 

What will the outcome of each drill be? TD? Field goal? Turnover? 

Most sportsbooks offer live betting markets for the NFL, and it’s often called in-play betting. While you certainly don’t have to place in-play bets, it’s a great way to keep things interesting throughout the game that you’re watching.

Futures betting

Last but not least, you can place various futures bets on the Bengals before a ball is kicked at the start of the season. The Bengals came so close to Superbowl glory during the last campaign, and many fans are hoping they can clinch their first-ever Superbowl crown in the 2022-23 season. 

In addition to backing the Bengals for the Superbowl, some other futures bets to consider include: 

Division or conference champions 

Total number of regular-season wins 

Will the Bengals make the playoffs? 

Will a Bengals player be the NFL MVP?

While most bet types focus on the upcoming game week, futures bets stay alive for the duration of the season, keeping things interesting from the first game until the last. 

So, use the off-season to consider the Bengals chances before the new season gets underway, and think about the best value futures bets you can place to reflect your predictions. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to bet on the Bengals?

Yes, it is. Sports betting has now been legalized in Ohio, meaning if you are in the state, you can bet on Bengals games using one of the licensed sportsbooks online. You can easily create an account and find lots of NFL games and betting markets.

Why should I bet on the Bengals?

Now that sports betting is legal in Ohio, betting on the Bengals is a great way to potentially profit from watching your favorite team. With so many markets and bet types to choose from, you can build a bet slip to reflect your predictions throughout the season, adding a whole new dimension to supporting the Bengals. 

Is betting on the Bengals profitable?

This really depends on the type of bets that you place. If you’re sensible with your bankroll and do your research, you can make some good money by betting on the Bengals. If you’re new to sports betting, it’s a good idea to stick to moneyline bets until you’re used to the format. You can then crank things up a notch when you understand how sports betting works.

What’s the best Bengals bet?

As explained above, there are so many different bets you can place on the Bengals. From the moneyline to individual props, you’re truly spoiled for choice. The key thing to remember is to bet with your head and not your heart. Research form and injuries and make sure your bet has a good chance of coming in before getting carried away.