There is going to be a ton of cash being thrown down at the counters of sportsbooks all around the country for the AFC and NFC Championship games this weekend. These are two of the most wagered on sporting events of the entire year, and we aren’t even out of the month of January in 2025. Many people will be taking shots trying to get some large payouts, and one way they do that is by betting on some 1st touchdown scorer player prop bets.
Over at BetMGM, our friend John Ewing was kind enough to share the data from his sportsbook on where the action is going for this particular category. These are the 1st touchdown scorer props that are receiving the most tickets for the games this weekend.
Eagles RB Saquon Barkley 1st Touchdown vs. Commanders +375
This is about as shocking as discovering that water is wet. Barkley was always going to be the most bet 1st touchdown scorer at +375, as it is far too hard to resist with how he has been playing as of late. He just ripped the Rams for over 200 yards on the ground, and in two games against the Commanders this season, he’s rushed for nearly 300 yards and four scores. He has destroyed them on the ground, but so has everyone, as Washington ranked 30th in the league against the run. This is a fantastic matchup for Barkley in every sense of the word, and bettors know that, so they are willing to take a shot he scores first at +375 odds.
Bills QB Josh Allen 1st Touchdown vs. Chiefs +700
This one also was a pretty easy one to guess would be here, and indeed, Allen is the second most popular bet to score first on championship weekend. He’s been a monster on the ground, and we all know he is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL at escaping the pocket and breaking free. When the Bills get down to the goal line, it is almost a given that they are running a QB sneak with Allen’s frame, and they succeed most of the time in pushing the football across with him. At 7/1 odds, many bettors are finding it irresistible to wager on him to score first against the Chiefs, although this won’t be an easy matchup. Kansas City ranked 8th against the run, and 8th in the Red Zone as well.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce 1st Touchdown vs. Bills +850
Staying in this game, another player that is getting a lot of attention is veteran tight end Travis Kelce, who is the third most popular 1st touchdown scorer of the weekend. He had a vintage performance against the Texans last weekend in the Divisional Round, generating 117 yards through the air and a score. It seems like he takes it easy during the regular season, and then amps it up for the postseason, which makes sense. He’s 35 years old now, and he doesn’t have the same kind of stamina he had in his prime. Still, it is a great matchup, with Buffalo being just 24th against the pass this season.
Bills RB James Cook 1st Touchdown vs. Chiefs +850
I am actually a bit shocked that Cook isn’t higher on this list considering his nose for the endzone in 2024. He led the league in rushing touchdowns with 16 of them, and already has a postseason score against the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card Round. I guess his subpar performance against Baltimore last weekend is turning people away, having just 67 yards and no touchdowns. This is also a difficult matchup, as stated, because the Chiefs are 8th against the run this season.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts 1st Touchdown vs. Commanders +525
I would have thought this would be higher too, but I guess because of his reported knee injury, people are much more skeptical to take any of his running props. That makes sense, but Hurts has been a phenomenal runner throughout his career, and is a serious threat at the goal line to run it in. As I talked about earlier, Washington has had some serious problems stopping the run this season, ranking 30th. If his knee is healthy and he can use his legs, there is some serious value here at +525 with all the attention being paid to Barkley in the backfield.
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