The Cincinnati Bengals (12-7) visit the Kansas City Chiefs (14-5) Sunday for the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET (on CBS). Below, we look at the Bengals vs. Chiefs odds and lines, and make our best NFL picks, predictions and bets.
The Bengals have grinded out a pair of low-scoring playoff wins. They beat the Las Vegas Raiders at home in a Wild Card matchup 26-19 before going on the road to upset the AFC’s top-seeded Tennessee Titans 19-16 in the Divisional Round. The Bengals are 2-0 against the spread (ATS) in the postseason, with the Under cashing in both outings.
The Chiefs have used offense to power past their foes, doubling up the Pittsburgh Steelers 42-21 in a home Wild Card tilt before outlasting the Buffalo Bills in a classic 42-36 Divisional Round overtime thriller. The Chiefs are also 2-0 ATS in the postseason, with the Over hitting in each game.
See also: 49ers at Rams NFC Championship odds, picks and prediction
Bengals at Chiefs odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 1:06 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Bengals +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | Chiefs -340 (bet $340 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Bengals +7.5 (-115) | Chiefs -7.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 54.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
PLAY: Try our new, free daily Pick’em Challenge and win. Play now!
Bengals at Chiefs key injuries
Bengals
- DL Josh Tupou (knee) questionable
Chiefs
- S Tyrann Mathieu (concussion) questionable
- RB Darrel Williams (toe) questionable
Let’s Make This Interesting
Place your legal sports bets online in New Jersey and Colorado with Tipico Sportsbook, a trusted, global sports-betting leader. Iowa, get ready, Tipico is coming to your state soon! New customer offer: Deposit $10 or more, get $100 in instant bet credits! 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Bet now!
Bengals at Chiefs odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Chiefs 31, Bengals 26
Money line
AVOID.
Kansas City (-340) will cost 3.4 times your potential return. That’s just too risky for such a small amount of winnings, especially in a potentially close game.
More NFL Championship coverage:
Against the spread
CINCINNATI +7.5 (-115) is a strong play, even with a little extra juice as long as the number stays above 7 and a hook.
I’m not as big of a fan of this number if it’s a flat 7, although the Bengals are playing well enough in these playoffs to take those points.
The Bengals have the offensive skill position players to not only hang with QB Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but potentially win this one outright if the home team were to make any mistakes.
Over/Under
The OVER 54.5 (-108) is the best play on the board in this early game on Championship Week.
These teams just played in the Queen City in Week 17 with QB Joe Burrow and the Bengals outlasting the high-octane Chiefs 34-31. A change of venue might change the overall winner, but there still will be plenty of offense regardless of where they play this game.
Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and, soon, IA. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Access more NFL coverage:
TheHuddle Fantasy Football | BearsWire | BengalsWire | BillsWire | BroncosWire | BrownsWire | BucsWire | CardsWire | ChargersWire | ChiefsWire | ColtsWire | CowboysWire | DolphinsWire | EaglesWire | FalconsWire | GiantsWire | JaguarsWire | JetsWire | LionsWire | NinersWire | PackersWire | PanthersWire | PatriotsWire | RaidersWire | RamsWire | RavensWire | SaintsWire | SeahawksWire | SteelersWire | TexansWire | TitansWire | VikingsWire | WashingtonFootballWire | DraftWire | TouchdownWire | TheListWire
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]