Will the Bears Make the NFL Playoffs? Latest Betting Odds & Postseason Prediction

After the Chicago Bears won their eighth game over the last nine contests to push their record to 8-3, the Bears playoff odds expect them to reach the postseason for the first time in this NFL season.

New head coach Ben Johnson has the Bears ahead of schedule and in first place in the NFC North. Sneaking by with down-to-the-wire victories has given Chicago its best record through 11 games since 2018, the last time the Bears won their division.

But the question on everyone's mind is are the Bears for real and will they qualify for the postseason? I'm exploring their remaining schedule and offering my best bet for whether or not Chicago will make the playoffs.

🐻 Chicago Bears playoff odds

NFL playoffs odds provided by the best sports betting sites.

The Bears are favored to make the playoffs at every major sportsbook, with Chicago priced as high as -176 at FanDuel to qualify for the NFL postseason. Those odds imply a 63.77% chance that the Bears make the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

FanDuel is giving Chicago better odds to make the playoffs at this point than the Kansas City Chiefs.

Alternatively, that means FanDuel also offers the top price if you're looking to fade the Bears' chances of making the playoffs at +142, which would turn a $10 bet into a $14.20 profit if Chicago fades down the stretch.

📅 Chicago Bears remaining schedule

Lookahead lines courtesy of DraftKings.

The Athletic's NFL playoff simulator gives the Bears a 50-50 shot to make the playoffs, and that feels about right.

Despite their hot streak, the Bears are just getting into the meat of their schedule now. The only game they have remaining against a team with a losing record is a home date versus the Browns. Though Cleveland is, well, Cleveland, the Myles Garrett-led defense can be ferocious if you catch them on the wrong day.

Then five of Chicago's six remaining games come against teams with winning records (Eagles, 49ers, Lions, and Packers twice), and the Bears are currently underdogs in all of those contests.

That begins with a matchup in Philadelphia this week on Black Friday. However, Chicago would overtake the Eagles for No. 2 in the NFC playoff standings if it pulls off the upset.

🟠 Will the Bears make the playoffs?

This isn't the same-old Bears, but they're not as good as their 8-3 record indicates. In a deep NFC, they could find themselves just inside or outside the playoff bubble come January.

Six of their eight wins have come by one score, and their success has been fueled in large part by an opportunistic defense. The unit ranks 27th in scoring but leads the league with 24 takeaways.

While that may not be sustainable long-term, it's certainly a winning formula Chicago has grown comfortable with. Plus, reinforcements in the secondary are on the way, with starting cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon finally set to return after lengthy absences.

It feels like the best is still ahead for quarterback Caleb Williams in 2025. He's certainly not setting the stat sheet on fire, but the second-year quarterback is limiting negative plays much better compared to when he was a rookie. He only has four interceptions on the season and ranks 17th in sacks after taking an NFL-high 68 in 2024.

Johnson is only scratching the surface on installing the type of offense he wants in Chicago, with rookies Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, and Kyle Monangai taking on increasingly important roles week-by-week.

The most important thing to consider here is that Chicago has built itself a nice cushion in the standings, meaning the team won't have to run the table against tough competition to get into the playoffs. If they can beat the Browns, the Bears likely only have to win two of their five games against the Eagles, Packers, 49ers, and Lions to reach the postseason.

Back the Bears to make the NFL playoffs this season for the first time since 2020, though you may want to wait until after this week's road contest against the Eagles, as you're sure to get a better price if Chicago loses to the defending Super Bowl champions on Black Friday.

At the current market-best -145 odds at DraftKings, a winning bet would return $6.90 in profit with an implied probability of 59.18%.

Best bet: Chicago Bears to make playoffs (-145 via DraftKings)