Often referred to as the toughest division in football, the AFC North is the only one of the AFC’s current divisions that does not contain a charter member of the AFL. The Cincinnati Bengals were an AFL expansion team in 1968, only joining the AFL once the 1970 AFL-NFL merger was assured because owner Paul Brown, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, had no interest in being an AFL club. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns were moved from the NFL’s Century Division into what was then known as the AFL Central in 1970.
The Browns relocated to Baltimore to become the Ravens in 1996 and a second Cleveland Browns team was born in 1999.
Including its time as the AFC Central, the Pittsburgh Steelers are far and away the most dominant team in the group, with 21 division titles.
The Steelers own six Super Bowl wins and an NFL-leading 33 winning seasons since 1970. The Ravens have won a pair of Super Bowls, while the Bengals are 0-2 in Super Bowl appearances. The Browns are the only AFC North team yet to appear in the Super Bowl.
The Browns are also the only one of the four AFC North franchises that has never won a division title. The second coming of the Browns are a dismal 78-177 since their rebirth.
Best AFC North Betting Lines
We provide the best AFC North betting lines below so keep your eye on them and find the game that is most appealing. Don’t forget to take into account the variety of betting types.
What Are The AFC North standings
This is where the AFC North standings can be located. The AFC North is one of the NFL’s most hotly-contested divisions. Three different teams have won the title in the last five years.
How To Win AFC North Bets
The AFC North has frequently proven to be a hotly contested division, and Bovada's future book odds on who might win the division in 2017-18 emphasize that. The defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers (+110) are favorites to repeat, with the Baltimore Ravens (+175) and Cincinnati Bengals (+250) also given good chances to usurp Pittsburgh. After a 1-15 campaign, it's no surprise to see the Cleveland Browns at +3,300 to win the division.
When it comes to the Super Bowl, Bovada doesn't see it as even. At +1,200, the Steelers are also Bovada's co-third choice to win the Super Bowl. The Ravens (+4,000), Bengals (+5,000) and Browns (+20,000) aren't given much chance at all to be in the big game.
Some of the best playoff games in NFL history involve AFC North teams. Fourteen times two AFC North teams have squared off in the postseason, including the 2005-16 Bengals-Steelers wildcard tilt which had an accompanying wild finish.
Overall, Pittsburgh is 10-1 when facing a divisional opponent in the playoffs, including a 3-0 mark in the AFC Championship Game. The Steelers have beaten all three of their current division rivials in a postseason game.
The Baltimore Ravens are 2-3 in intra-divisional playoff games, while the Bengals are 1-2 and the Browns bring up the rear at 0-1.
More competitions
