With the 2025 NFL season officially coming to a close on Sunday night with Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks taking an impressive 29-13 victory in Super Bowl 60 over the New England Patriots, the full focus of all 32 teams is now on the 2026 campaign, with the ultimate goal for each obviously being to lift the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 61 at SoFi Stadium next February.
Now, for those unaware, next January 9 marks the 50th anniversary of the last time the Minnesota Vikings appeared in the Super Bowl, with the Purple & Gold taking a 32-14 loss to the then-Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl 11 that day at the Rose Bowl.
So, it goes without saying that Vikings fans have long been restless about their team getting back to the Big Game. And NFL oddsmakers certainly don't have much faith in that restlessness being eliminated, as Minnesota isn't being looked upon very favorably in the way-too-early odds for Super Bowl 61.
Minnesota Vikings barely crack the top 20 in early Super Bowl 61 odds
While the Vikings had one of the top defenses in the NFL this past season, ranking third in total yards per game allowed (282.6) and seventh in scoring (19.6), the offense struggled something fierce, undoubtedly due to the issues at the quarterback position, ranking 28th in total yardage (275.0) and 26th in scoring (20.2).
It's bound to be an interesting offseason for Minnesota, especially with no official GM in place until after April's draft, with Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski filling in for the fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in the meantime.
But oddsmakers clearly don't have much confidence in the Vikings' ability to improve the roster enough to genuinely compete for the Lombardi in 2026, as the early Super Bowl 61 odds have Minnesota tied for 19th alongside the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Commanders, and Indianapolis Colts at +6000.
As far as winning the NFC is concerned, the Vikings trail nine teams, sitting in a tie for 10th with the Commanders at +3000. While we didn't include the divisional odds in the table below, Minnesota didn't fare well there either.
The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions are tied with the best odds to win the NFC North at +180, with the Chicago Bears in third at +350, and the Vikes bringing up the rear at +700.
The numbers will naturally fluctuate many times over the next several months, but for now, here's a look at the early odds for Super Bowl 61.
Team | Super Bowl 61 | AFC | NFC |
|---|---|---|---|
Seattle Seahawks | +950 | — | +500 |
Los Angeles Rams | +950 | — | +500 |
Buffalo Bills | +1100 | +550 | — |
Philadelphia Eagles | +1300 | — | +650 |
New England Patriots | +1300 | +650 | — |
Baltimore Ravens | +1300 | +650 | — |
Green Bay Packers | +1400 | — | +750 |
Detroit Lions | +1400 | — | +750 |
Los Angeles Chargers | +1500 | +750 | — |
Kansas City Chiefs | +1500 | +750 | — |
San Francisco 49ers | +1700 | — | +900 |
Denver Broncos | +1800 | +900 | — |
Houston Texans | +2000 | +1000 | — |
Jacksonville Jaguars | +2200 | +1100 | — |
Cincinnati Bengals | +2500 | +1200 | — |
Chicago Bears | +2500 | — | +1300 |
Dallas Cowboys | +3500 | — | +1700 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +4000 | — | +1700 |
Minnesota Vikings | +6000 | — | +3000 |
Pittsburgh Steelers | +6000 | +2200 | — |
Washington Commanders | +6000 | — | +3000 |
Indianapolis Colts | +6000 | +2200 | — |
New York Giants | +7000 | — | +3500 |
Atlanta Falcons | +8000 | — | +4000 |
Tennessee Titans | +10000 | +5000 | — |
New Orleans Saints | +10000 | — | +4000 |
Carolina Panthers | +10000 | — | +4000 |
Cleveland Browns | +15000 | +7500 | — |
Las Vegas Raiders | +18000 | +9000 | — |
New York Jets | +20000 | +10000 | — |
Miami Dolphins | +25000 | +12000 | — |
Arizona Cardinals | +25000 | — | +12000 |
All betting odds courtesy of DraftKings. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. The content in this article should not be considered betting advice. Gambling involves risk, and one should only gamble with funds that one can comfortably afford to lose. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.