Panthers Bucked Betting Trends in Outrageous Fashion During Cinderella Season

The Carolina Panthers were a bettor's worst nightmare in 2025. They seemed to always pull out an upset win when people least expected it. They also turned in dud losses whenever people least expected it.

It ended up being a wild, rollercoaster ride of a season that could not have been very enjoyable for anyone with monetary investment in the games. The Panthers made no sense this season. In fact, according to one analyst, they were outrageously nonsensical in that regard.

Panthers defied betting odds in unfathomable ways in 2025

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) with the ball as Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers seemed to be one of the most upset-happy teams in the NFL. If nothing else, their big wins over playoff teams seemed to indicate that they were capable of it.

However, upon further glance, one insider found out that they were actually way better than the odds expected, and that was one of the 60 wildest stats from the 2025 season.

"The Panthers were favored in the same number of games as the Jets and Giants this year (two). Carolina made the playoffs and they still haven't won a game as a favorite since 2021," CBS Sports' Douglas Clawson wrote.

Of course, there is a bit of an asterisk with that factoid. The Panthers ended up favored on some sportsbooks against the New York Jets and they ended up winning. However, they opened up as underdogs, so that's why that fact remains true.

The Panthers were also the only team to win as double-digit underdogs. Never mind just covering the spread, the Panthers won outright (at Green Bay and home vs. the Rams). They nearly pulled off that same feat in the playoffs against the Rams.

Regardless, oddsmakers felt that the Panthers were on par with the New York Jets and Giants. Those two teams combined for seven wins. The Panthers alone won eight, and while they did it in ugly fashion (-69 point differential), they proved they have what it takes to beat any team in the NFL.

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