During the kick-off of the 2023 NFL season, Jared Goff led his underdog Detroit Lions to a shocking victory against none other than the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs, on the road no less. The Lions haven't exactly been regulars in the playoffs lately,  they've only made it there a measly three times since the turn of the millennium.

But against all odds, they pulled off the most epic upset against Patrick Mahomes and his dynasty-status-approaching Chiefs. And they have since built on that earth-shattering victory, improving to a record of 6-2 after nine game weeks. We're smack bang in the middle of the 2023 NFL season so it's time to buckle up and assess the current standings while playing the crystal ball game. Who's going to reign supreme in their divisions two months down the line? Let's find out!

NFC East - Philadelphia Eagles

The NFC East is a supercharged division. Just last season, a whopping three out of the four teams made it to the playoffs, with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants wowing everyone. But this year, oh boy, the Giants have capitulated, and their performances? Not so impressive anymore.

The MetLife Stadium team is currently struggling with a measly 2-7 record. To put things in perspective, only the Arizona Cardinals and the Carolina Panthers have fared worse in the entire league. On the other hand, the Eagles and the Cowboys continue to soar, the former currently leads the division with eight wins and just one loss. The latter meanwhile is trailing behind with three fewer wins but having played one less game.

The Cowboys are making strides to reclaim their powerhouse status, but let's be real, they've still got a way to go before catching up to the Eagles. With Jalen Hurts at the helm, the Lincoln Financial Field crew has a QB who can single-handedly snatch victories. The reigning NFC Champions will go toe-to-toe with the Buffalo Bills and the Chiefs - the team that crushed their dreams at Super Bowl LVII in February - before the season is out, however. Despite these challenging games, we fully anticipate them to triumph over the hurdles and reign as champions of the NFC East for the second consecutive season.

NFC West - San Francisco 49ers

The 2023 season started with a bang for the San Francisco 49ers, kicking off the campaign with five straight victories. But as of late, it seems like their luck has taken a nosedive, as have their chances of success. Despite being the favorites for the Lombardi greatness not too long ago, three consecutive losses have prompted Super Bowl odds providers to push them all the way out to +525, only good for third in the pecking order.

But while they have been stumbling, their divisional foe, the Seattle Seahawks, have shown off their skills and announced their return as genuine contenders. They have gone about their business quietly, amassing an impressive record of 6-2 to claim the top spot in the NFC West. However, despite this, deep down, we can't help but believe that the Californians will find a way to reclaim their rightful position.

Brock Purdy, the once dubbed "Mr. Irrelevant," is proving to be quite the sensation as a quarterback, though he hasn't quite hit his stride just yet. And if that wasn't enough, McCaffrey's return to full fitness in just a few short weeks is eagerly anticipated. With these factors in play, it's safe to say that the 49ers possess enough prowess to reign supreme in their division once more.

NFC North - Detroit Lions

As we highlighted earlier, the Detroit Lions pulled off an absolute shocker in this year's opener, taking down the reigning champions on the road. But let's be real, maybe we shouldn't have been so surprised. They showed their party-pooping skills on the final day of last season by beating their arch-nemesis Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, crushing the hosts' dreams of making the playoffs.

This season, these guys have put together a whopping 6-2 record and have become a real force to reckon with in the NFC. When it comes to their division, they don't even break a sweat against the Packers or the Chicago Bears. The only thing that can potentially rain on their parade is the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately for them, their starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, took a tumble and that might just be the end of the line for their Super Bowl dreams.

The Lions are sitting pretty with the division in their paws. They've got a sweet schedule ahead, including not one, but two matchups against the lowly Bears. It wouldn't be a surprise if they gave the Eagles a run for their money and snag that top-seed spot in the conference by the end of the year.

NFC South - Atlanta Falcons

If we're talking about tough NFL divisions, it's safe to say that the NFC East takes the cake. But when it comes to the NFC South, well, let's just say it's not exactly top-tier. Out of the four teams in the division - the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Carolina Panthers - only one can boast a winning record. That honor goes to the Louisiana outfit, but that record is still just 5-4 and is hardly eye-opening.

It looks like the second half of the season might get tough for everyone. But if we had to choose a winner, we'd go with the Falcons. They seem to have a slightly better schedule than the Saints.

Betting is a popular hobby that millions around the globe regularly practice. It’s adventurous and simply lets people enjoy sports more. Every new game is an exciting opportunity not only to cheer for your team but potentially win some money. One of the most popular sports globally is NFL. That’s why you’ll find the sports available on online casinos real money platforms. They are easily accessible from both desktop and mobile devices and offer a wide range of NFL betting features. In this article, we’ll answer the question of how to bet on NFL games at casino. Keep reading to learn a couple of valuable tips.

Pick the Right Platform

The starting step is finding the right platform for NFL betting. There are several things to take in mind. Luckily, you can explore them without even creating an account, which makes things simple. Take a look at the following:

• What’s the welcome bonus? - A good welcome bonus will help you get started with a bonus bet or a deposit match bonus that you could use. Compare bonuses offered by other brands and pick your best bet. Pay attention to playthrough requirements as these show how realistic is that you will withdraw winnings from bonus funds.
• What are the casino NFL odds? - This is a crucial thing when you take a look at the whole picture. Picking a platform with competitive odds will work well for you in the long run. You can potentially win more money if a brand is offering great NFL casino odds. Also, check whether there is any NFL casino sponsorship deal, as it might mean that the casino will offer boosted odds when that team is playing.
• What types of bets are available? - The bigger the range of available bets, the better. It only means that you have more chances to show off your knowledge and potentially make money.
• Are live streaming and betting available? - You can have it all in one platform. While you’ll find that many are offering live betting features, not many support live streaming. This is a great way to watch the game and place in-play bets while watching.
• Is the platform reputable? - Last but not least, you want a platform that will pay out your wins. So pick a reputable online casino that holds licensing from the relevant gambling authorities.

Now, let’s look at things to learn to increase your chances of winning the next bet.

Follow the Latest News

Keeping up with the latest news opens an opportunity for smarter bets. The more information you can gather, the better. This usually refers to any player injuries. If someone important is not able to play the next game for any reason, the team will not be as good as it usually is. That needs to be reflected in the bet you’re placing.

On the other hand, if a player is having some kind of challenges in his life off the pitch, there’s a chance that they might not be able to focus fully on the game. All these little things have a big role in betting. Experienced bettors are well aware of this, and that’s why you’ll find them reading about the lives of the players all the time. They are gathering more information to use when they’re betting next time.

Doing your research regularly will turn a bet into a winning one just because you were able to better predict an outcome.

Casino NFL Betting Types

As mentioned above, you want a platform that has all the popular bet types available. That way, you can combine different bets and establish strategies to increase your chances of winning. The most popular betting markets include:

• Point spreads - With a point spread, you’re placing one team at a disadvantage. So one team has to win against the other by a certain amount of points. If you score this type of bet, the reward is usually high.
• Moneyline - This is the simplest form of betting, you’re simply picking who’s going to be a winner.
• Total - This bet guesses whether the teams will score over or under the number of points proposed by the sportsbook.
• Parlay bet - Parlay bets combine multiple other bets and place them on a single bet slip. While it’s much harder to win, it’s really rewarding.
• Futures bet - This bet lets you guess the outcome of an important event in the future. For example, who’s going to win the Super Bowl, months before it happens.
• Prop bet - Prop bets are more custom, meaning that you can bet what a certain player will do in the game.

The key is to combine the knowledge gathered from the team’s previous games and news and make smarter assumptions when betting. These different bets will allow you to create a compelling strategy that might lead to a higher win chance.