The 2020 Carolina Panthers have been written off by the majority of the football world, and they’re getting some of the highest futures odds in the NFL at DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook. Below, we’ll break down all the main betting terms you need to know before diving into those odds for the Panthers’ 2020 win total and their chances of winning the NFC South and Super Bowl LV.
We’ll also take a look at the Panthers’ offseason moves to date and revisit their disastrous 2019 campaign. Former MVP QB Cam Newton was cut after missing the bulk of last season due to injury. New head coach Matt Rhule will look to lead QB Teddy Bridgewater and highly-paid RB Christian McCaffrey to the postseason.
Panthers schedule and odds
| Week | Date | Time | Opponent | Opening spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Sunday, Sept. 13 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Las Vegas | Raiders -1 |
| Week 2 | Sunday, Sept. 20 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at Tampa Bay | Buccaneers -8 |
| Week 3 | Sunday, Sept. 27 | 4:05 p.m. ET | at LA Chargers | Chargers -5.5 |
| Week 4 | Sunday, Oct. 4 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Arizona | Cardinals -1.5 |
| Week 5 | Sunday, Oct. 11 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at Atlanta | Falcons -7 |
| Week 6 | Sunday, Oct. 18 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Chicago | Bears -3.5 |
| Week 7 | Sunday, Oct. 25 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at New Orleans | Saints -13.5 |
| Week 8 | Thursday, Oct. 29 | 8:20 pm. ET | vs. Atlanta | Falcons -3.5 |
| Week 9 | Sunday, Nov. 8 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at Kansas City | Chiefs -16 |
| Week 10 | Sunday, Nov. 15 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Tampa Bay | Buccaneers -8 |
| Week 11 | Sunday, Nov. 22 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Detroit | Panthers -0.5 |
| Week 12 | Sunday, Nov. 29 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at Minnesota | Vikings -8.5 |
| Week 13 | Sunday, Dec. 6 | BYE | ||
| Week 14 | Sunday, Dec. 13 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Denver | Broncos -3 |
| Week 15 | TBA | TBA | at Green Bay | Packers -9 |
| Week 16 | Sunday, Dec. 27 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at Washington | Panthers -0.5 |
| Week 17 | Sunday, Jan. 3 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. New Orleans | N/A |
Panthers odds: Futures
Super Bowl LV odds
The Panthers opened the off-season at +10000 to win the Super Bowl and still sit at that number. Only the Jacksonville Jaguars have longer Super Bowl odds than the Panthers. Meanwhile, the Saints are +1200 and the Buccaneers are +1400 to win it all. A $10 bet on the Panthers’ current number would return a profit of $1,000 if they were to win the Big Game next February.
The odds will continue to be adjusted through the offseason based on league news, training camp developments, and injuries. Once the season starts, the odds will closely reflect the league standings but can also be swayed by public betting action, injuries and trades.
NFC South odds
No team has longer odds to win its division than the Panthers at +2000, where a $10 bet returns a profit of $250 with an NFC South crown. Those odds are set not only on the Panthers’ low hopes for the 2020 campaign but are also influenced by the heavily favored Saints and Buccaneers.
The odds for all four teams in the division will generally move in unison as teams fall and rise. An early-season winning streak can drop odds for a team while inflating those of the other three. The two head-to-head matchups between each set of opponents will also greatly influence the odds as bettors react to recent outcomes.
Panthers 2020 team win total
The Panthers have one of the league’s lowest projected win totals at 5.5. Both the Over and Under are priced at -110 for a profit of $9.09 on a $10 bet. Playing in a tough division hurts the Panthers, as they’re expected to be used as a punching bag by the Saints and Panthers. The two division favorites are both projected for 10 wins.
The projection may change as the regular season nears or once games have finally begun. An early-season winning streak would see the projection increase, while a losing streak would have an opposite effect. As the line moves, the odds are likely to move in the opposite direction to steer betting action as the books hedge against potential losses.
How to bet on the Carolina Panthers
If you truly believe in the Panthers outperforming their expectations in 2020, there is tremendous value to be found at the sportsbooks. Catch up on all the key betting terms you need to know and how to work the odds in your favor before placing your futures bets for the 2020 season.
Moneyline
Generally the first odds released for each game every week and the first stop of both beginner and experienced sports bettors. Team A and Team B are given separate odds based on their perceived chances of winning the game. Odds will be impacted by the NFL standings, player injuries, and recent outcomes. Historical data pertaining to head-to-head matchups can also play a large role, especially for division rivals.
Odds will generally range from -200 for favorites to +200 for underdogs and will adjust throughout a game week based on public betting action, and any news pertaining to injuries or player usage. Lopsided mid- or late-season matchups can see odds extend from -500 to +500.
A $10 bet at -200 odds for a favorite will return a profit of $5. The same bet on a +200 underdog fetches a profit of $20. Most experienced bettors will avoid any odds lower than -200. Deemed a chalk play, the profit potential just isn’t worth the risk of the initial investment.
Any game with a winner will result in a win for that side of the bet. A tie ends in a push and all moneyline bets are refunded.
Spread
Lopsided matchups are best bet against the spread. Here, each team will be assigned a line representing how many points it will need to either win by or stay within in a loss for the bet to cash. Lines are most commonly set at 2.5, 3.5, 6.5 or 7.5 points, representing scoring margins of either a touchdown or a field goal.
Close matchups can see the spread set at +/-0.5 or +/-1 points. These are referred to as a pick’em and the more profitable odds for at least one side are likely to be on the moneyline. A line set at a whole number such as 3 or 7 without the half-point hook opens the door for a push. If the Panthers were -3 favorites at home against the Falcons (+3) and were to win 24-21, all bets would be refunded. Spread odds will almost always range from -120 to +120 and are usually equal on both sides.
While the odds on underdogs aren’t nearly as lucrative, the spread is usually the best place to bet a favorite, as they’re being handicapped by needing to win by a certain amount of points. Heavier favorites late in the season could see a spread as large as -14.5 or -17.5 points.
Total
The projected final score of an NFL game can range from the mid-30s to high 50s and will be set similarly to a spread. Instead of betting either team to cover, bettors back either the Over or the Under. Conservative odds will range from -120 to +120 for a profit of $8.33 or $12 on a $10 wager.
Odds are influenced by the caliber, health, and appeal of the two teams involved. The weekly TV time slot can also play a large role. A Sunday or Monday night contest will typically come with an inflated total due to an increased viewership looking for touchdowns and big plays. Thursday night games typically carry the lowest projections of the week with teams on short practice weeks and dealing with more injuries.
Like with spreads, a game can result in a push if the line is set at a whole number.
The moneyline, spread, and total can be bet for a full game, each half, or each quarter. Alternate lines for the spread and total allow bettors to get higher, more profitable odds by taking on a riskier line. Safer lines require bettors to give up some of their profit potential.
Props
The best way to get betting action on a game without having to worry too much about the final outcome is with player or team props. Over/Under or Yes/No lines are set for statistical accomplishments such as receiving yards or touchdowns.
Odds will generally be constrained within a range of -130 to +130 with only two possible outcomes. Props with a broader range of odds will have a larger pool of possibilities such as the exact outcome of a game (i.e. Panthers to win by 3 points).
Futures
Futures odds come out a year or more in advance of the outcome being decided and allow bettors to go shopping for early values. The odds will be adjusted throughout the offseason and regular season based on league news such as free agency, the NFL draft, trades, or injuries. Public betting action also influences the oddsmakers and teams with large fanbases such as the New England Patriots or Dallas Cowboys will almost always see lower odds than they maybe should.
Team futures look at projected win totals as well as odds to win a division, conference or a Super Bowl. Player futures focus on end-of-year awards but will also set statistical projections for yardage totals or touchdowns, similar to game props.
The larger the pool of possibilities, the more profitable odds can be. With over 100 players up for the MVP in the middle of the offseason, the biggest long shots are priced at +30000 for a $3,000 return on a $10 investment. Monitor the odds regularly and be ready to hop in when the value seems right.
McCaffrey is the Panthers’ lone representative in the season-long props. His rushing yards total is set at 1,350.5 with equal -110 odds on either side resulting in a profit of $9.09 on a $10 bet.
He is also the team’s top contender to be named MVP with +5000 odds returning a profit of $500 on a $10 wager. Bridgewater is +8000 for an $800 return. No Panthers are up for Defensive Player of the Year or Comeback Player of the Year. Rhule is +4000 to be Coach of the Year in his first season on the sidelines.
Teasers
If a spread or total line looks too risky, “buy” some points to get a safer, more achievable number with lower, less profitable odds. Not risky enough? “Sell” points for a higher or lower number and to get higher odds.
These teased or adjusted lines from the same game or multiple different games can then be parlayed together into a single bet with higher odds. The risk goes up significantly the more individual wagers involved, as each one will need to play out correctly for the bet to cash.
In-play/live
Coupled with mobile betting, fans can get action on a game wherever they are after the opening kickoff. Lines are continuously adjusted to reflect the current score, amount of time remaining, and field position.
Injuries and big plays in a game can drastically sway the odds, even making a pre-game favorite an underdog. It’s a race against the books to get the value before lines are adjusted. It’s rarely a bad idea to back the initial favorite at plus-money if they fall down by a couple of early scores.
Panthers 2019 season in review
Newton’s 2019 season, and Panthers’ tenure, came to an end after just two starts. The team then finished the season at 5-11 (5-9 without Newton) and fourth in the NFC South behind a league-high 2,392 total yards and 19 touchdowns from McCaffrey. Neither QB Kyle Allen or Will Grier were determined to be the QB of the future, and Bridgewater was brought in from the New Orleans Saints.
The Panthers averaged just 21.3 points per game and 341.8 yards per game on offense. They allowed 29.4 PPG to rank 31st in the NFL and their 374.5 yards allowed per game ranked 23rd. Only the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers had a worse turnover differential than Carolina’s minus-14.
While going 5-11 straight up, the Panthers managed to go just 6-9-1 against the spread. They lost by an average of 8.1 PPG and failed to cover by 6.2 PPG. Their 11-5 record against the Over/Under was an indictment of the woeful defense. Their games topped the projected totals by an average of 4.7 PPG. They were one of just six teams to go 1-5 or worse straight up in divisional play.
Panthers 2020 offseason moves
Key trades: QB Kyle Allen to WAS for 2020 fifth-round pick, G Trai Turner to LAC for OT Russell Okung
Key re-signing: WR DeAndrew White (one year, $825K)
Key free agent losses: QB Cam Newton (to NE), CB James Bradberry (to NYG), LB Mario Addison (to BUF), TE Greg Olsen (to SEA after release), DT Gerald McCoy (to DAL, DT Vernon Butler (to BUF)
Key free agent signings: QB Teddy Bridgewater (three years, $63 million), WR Robby Anderson (two years, $20 million), QB P.J. Walker (two years, $1.6 million), DE Stephen Weatherly (two years, $12.5 million), CB Juston Burris (two years, $8 million)
The Panthers went all-in on a roster overhaul after replacing former head coach Ron Rivera with Rhule. The defense lost key pieces in retired LB Luke Kuechly, Bradberry, McCoy, Butler, and more, while Olsen joined Newton in his departure. Anderson joins a talented receiving corps, but it’s unknown whether Bridgewater will be able to make proper use of the speedster. It was an overall downgrade for a Panthers team clearly looking beyond the 2020 campaign.