Cincinnati Bengals are favored to win — most books list Cincinnati as the pick (typically around -6 to -8 moneyline/spread in recent Week 17 lines) because the Bengals have been notably stronger on offense and in form this season while Cleveland struggled with injuries and a 3-12 record going into late 2025; DexWin - Best Odds on Your Favourite Sports.

The match kickoff is 6:00:00 PM UTC on January 4, 2026 (that converts to 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT).

The game is scheduled at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio — a 65,515-capacity stadium with a natural grass playing surface, modern locker-room facilities and a loud home-field environment that favors the Bengals’ offense.

Prediction: Bengals to win (moneyline favored, implied win probability consistent with a -6 to -8 spread); expect Cincinnati’s offense to outscore Cleveland given Bengals’ superior recent form and home advantage, with market totals commonly around 50–54 points so game projection: Bengals 27–20 with moneyline/spread aligned to that result.

Head-to-head: In recent meetings the Bengals have held the edge, winning the majority of the last 10 matchups — Cincinnati typically leads the H2H series in the 2020s with multiple wins across AFC North contests, while Cleveland’s wins have been intermittent; recent season results favored Cincinnati.