Guide To NFL Playoffs: Format, Number of Teams & Seeding

The NFL playoffs are upon us and before Super Bowl Sunday gets underway, it’s important to learn the format and rules of the playoff bracket. Teams are separated based on their performances in the regular season, with the top sides receiving an advantage in the playoffs while the lower teams are eliminated before the Wild Card round even begins.

On this page, you can find a comprehensive guide to the NFL playoffs, looking at the format, the number of teams, how sides qualify, and seeding. For anyone looking to bet on the action, we have a comprehensive range of Super Bowl odds to choose from, alongside a variety of other markets for each game in the playoffs!

Structure of the NFL Playoffs

The NFL Playoffs feature a single-elimination tournament structure following the conclusion of the regular season. Teams are separated by conferences, with an allocated number of teams from each conference competing in various rounds leading up to the Super Bowl.

Number of Teams Involved

Fourteen teams participate in the NFL playoffs, a figure that came into effect in 2020. This expansion allows for seven teams from both the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC) to compete.

Out of the league’s total 32 teams, this distribution means almost half get a shot at postseason glory each year.

Historical changes have seen the playoff format grow from four teams in 1967 to its current setup. Each expansion reflected the growing competitiveness and size of the league, moving through stages of allowing eight teams in 1970, then ten in 1978, twelve by 1990, and reaching fourteen by 2020.

These adjustments have made room for more thrilling matches and unpredictable outcomes during every playoff season.

Separation by Conferences

Another crucial aspect is to understand how the NFL divides these squads for playoffs. The league separates them into two main conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC).

Each conference hosts 16 teams, divided across four divisions. This division plays a key role in determining who makes it to the postseason. This structure ensures a balanced competition and allows teams from both conferences a fair shot at reaching football’s most coveted match.

How Teams Qualify for the Playoffs

Teams qualify for the playoffs by securing division titles or earning wild card spots based on their regular-season performance. Division winners automatically secure a playoff berth, while additional spots are determined through wild card qualification.

Conference Winners

Teams that finish at the top of the AFC (American Football Conference) and the NFC (National Football Conference) secure a spot in the playoffs, while also being awarded a BYE for the first week of action. This means that both teams will reach the Divisional Rounds, as explained later, at the very least.

Division Winners

Four division leaders arise from each conference, taking their positions as the highest rankings in the playoff standings. These teams secure seeding ranks 1–4 aligned with their regular-season records.

This arrangement decides their contenders in the postseason, with higher-ranked teams benefiting from home advantage during the initial rounds.

Wild Card Teams

Wild card teams play a crucial role in the NFL playoffs. Each conference sends three wild card teams to the postseason. These spots go to the teams with the best records that didn’t win their divisions.

Including these teams, playoff contenders from each conference amount to seven. Wild card teams receive seeds 5 through 7, based on their final standings.

Seeding and Its Importance

The rankings, known as seeds, establish the matchups for each round of the playoffs. Seeding not only affects a team’s path to the Super Bowl but also their chances of making a run in the playoffs.

How Seeds Are Determined

Officials determine seeds in the NFL playoffs by looking at the teams’ records. Division champions get seeds from 1 to 4. They base these rankings on which teams have the best win-loss records.

This system started in 1975 and helps decide which teams face off against each other in the postseason. Seeds help create a hierarchy for the matchups and give higher-rated teams well-deserved advantages.

Wild card teams receive seeds 5 through 7. Their seeding follows after division winners, based on their overall performance during the regular season. This placement method ensures that all qualifying teams know their ranking and potential opponents as they head into the playoff competition. Naturally, as soon as these seeds are confirmed, the NFL betting and Super Bowl odds can change in accordance with the likelihood of different matches.

Impact of Seeding on Matchups

Seeding bears considerable importance in defining matchups during the NFL playoffs. The structure ensures that the premier seed confronts the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round, fostering competitiveness by providing teams rewards based on their performance in the regular season.

Home-field advantage based on seeding can transform the entire dynamics of playoff games, too. The boon from playing at home is undeniable, as teams with upper seeds have the potential to play against possibly less-positioned opponents and also enjoy the advantage of familiar surroundings and crowd support.

Rounds of the NFL Playoffs

The NFL playoffs comprise four main stages: the Wild Card Round, Divisional Round, Conference Championships, and the ultimate event, the Super Bowl. Each round showcases fierce competition as teams strive to progress towards the top prize in American football.

It’s worth mentioning that all of the different rounds mentioned below follow a standard knockout format and are often completed over the course of a weekend, immediately following the NFL regular season.

Wild Card Round

The Wild Card Round marks the start of the NFL playoffs, featuring exciting matchups between teams fighting for a spot in the next round. After the 2020 season, officials named this opening weekend “Super Wild-Card Weekend.” It includes six games where teams ranked 7th face those in 2nd place, 6th play against 3rd, and 5th go head-to-head with 4th in each conference.

Divisional Round

In the Divisional Round, four teams from each conference compete against one another, in an attempt to progress to the Conference Championships. It operates according to a specific seeding system, pitting the highest remaining seed against the lowest remaining seed in both conferences.

Conference Championships

In the NFL Playoffs, the Conference Championships are pivotal semifinal matchups that determine the AFC and NFC champions. The winners from the Divisional Round face off in these critical contests to secure a place in the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is the ultimate game between the AFC and NFC champions, culminating the NFL season, and showcasing high-stakes American football on the day of the Super Bowl.

Set for the 6th of February 2025, Super Bowl LIX has the potential to be one of the most-watched sporting events in this year’s calendar. Not only will it have a clash of giants competing, but a variety of global superstars will be performing at the Halftime Show, with Kendrick Lamar scheduled to headline it.

Bet on the NFL Playoffs Online with BetVictor

When it comes to betting on the NFL Playoffs, BetVictor is the best place to be. We have a huge range of markets to choose from, including Super Bowl odds and other American Football betting options. Each game throughout the Playoffs will be listed in our catalogue and as soon as it gets underway, odds will be available through our in-play betting page.

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Frequently Asked Questions About the NFL Playoffs