The San Francisco 49ers went 6-11 and missed the playoffs last season but are +160 at ESPN BET to win the NFC West in 2025.
Right there with them are the Los Angeles Rams (+175), who last season advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs. At 20-1, the 49ers and Rams are among the top 10 teams with the best odds to win Super Bowl LX.
But it's not a two-team race, as the division race projects to be one of the most competitive in the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks both have their win totals posted at 8.5. San Francisco is at 10.5, and the Rams are at 9.5.
How will things play out this season? Here are the season-long odds for the NFC West teams and our favorite bets.
Division betting previews:
AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West
NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West
Best bets
Cardinals UNDER 8.5 wins (+105) 
Maldonado: The Cardinals are one of those teams I constantly forget about, and maybe that's the point. They were 6-4 going into their bye last season but then cratered and won just two games the rest of the way. That wasn't a fluke. It's been their M.O. for years. Kyler Murray stayed healthy but couldn't push the ball downfield, and even though the defense added pieces, it still still struggled to produce turnovers. And this season, the Cardinals draw the third-toughest closing stretch from Week 11 on. Unless the offense finds another gear or the defense makes a real leap, nine wins feels like a reach. Arizona might fly early, but those wings tend to melt. Fade the forgettable.
Seahawks OVER 8.5 wins (+130)
Matt Bowen: Sam Darnold has the mobility and arm strength to play a productive role under new coordinator Klint Kubiak's system that sets up the quarterback on play-action, boot and shot plays. Yes, The Seahawks need to take the ball away more this season (only 18 forced turnovers in '24), but they have the scheme to hit the quarterback and the secondary talent to see a boost in on-the-ball production. The NFC West will be ultra-competitive this season, but with crossover games versus the NFC and AFC South, I feel better about making this bet.
NFC West odds
2024: LAR (10-7, 9-8 ATS), SEA (10-7, 6-11), ARI (8-9, 11-6), SF (6-11, 5-12)
Did you know?
Courtesy ESPN Research
The 49ers face just four 2024 playoff teams this season, tied for the fewest with the New Orleans Saints.
According to ESPN Analytics, the Rams have the sixth-best chance (10.2%) of reaching Super Bowl LX. In the NFC, only the Philadelphia Eagles (18.3%) and Detroit Lions (14.3%) have better chances.
The Seahawks won 10 games last season but enter 2025 with a new QB (Darnold) and new OC (Klint Kubiak) and no longer have DK Metcalf.
The Cardinals won eight games last season, doubling their win total from a season prior in the second season under head coach Jonathan Gannon. They are -125 to win at least nine games this season at ESPN BET.