Panthers Topped NFL Bettors’ ROI Last Season, Odds Say Skip the Repeat in 2026
A Sports Illustrated study found Carolina delivered the NFL's best betting return in 2025. DraftKings lines suggest a rockier 2026 for backers.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited by the ON360 newsroom.
The Carolina Panthers gave NFL bettors the best return on investment of any team last season, according to a Sports Illustrated study cited by Gambling Insider. A $100 moneyline wager on Carolina in every game would have returned a 60.48 percent profit, the top mark in the league.
Carolina finished 8-9, won the NFC South and pushed the Los Angeles Rams to the wire in the Wild Card round before falling 34-31 on a late Matthew Stafford touchdown pass. The Panthers’ profit for a $100-per-game bettor sat at just over $1,000 for the season, per the study’s figures.
The teams that paid off backers in 2025
New England ranked second with a 46.90 percent ROI, followed by Jacksonville (43.06 percent), Chicago (38.82 percent) and Pittsburgh (36.70 percent). Denver, Houston, San Francisco and Seattle rounded out the top nine, all posting returns above 29 percent for anyone who backed them straight-up all season.
None of last year’s payouts guarantee anything for 2026. Books have already reset the numbers.
This year’s line tells a different story
DraftKings has Carolina’s 2026 win total at 7.5, with the over priced at +115. The Panthers sit at +350 to win the NFC South, behind Tampa Bay (+164) and New Orleans (+255), and ahead of Atlanta (+400) in what oddsmakers view as the league’s weakest division.
Quarterback Bryce Young threw for 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns last season, career highs, but also 11 interceptions. Carolina finished 27th in scoring at 18.3 points per game with Young starting 16 of 17 games. He opens 2026 without both regular starting tackles, Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu, who are recovering from a blood clot and a ruptured patellar tendon, respectively.
There are pieces to like. Rookie of the Year receiver Tetairoa McMillan caught 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven scores as a rookie, and the defence added Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd from Jacksonville and pass rusher Jaelan Phillips, who had five sacks last season across Miami and Philadelphia.
Sharp Football Analysis rates Carolina’s 2026 slate as the third-toughest in the NFL, with six games against last year’s playoff teams, including Super Bowl champion Seattle. The Panthers also get three primetime games this year after just one over the previous two seasons combined.
What it means for bettors
A team’s payout history says little about what comes next, and Carolina’s tougher schedule and offensive-line injuries argue for caution on backing the over on 7.5 wins. DraftKings and other operators licensed through iGaming Ontario offer the same NFL markets to Canadian bettors that drove last season’s U.S. figures.
Ontario-regulated sportsbooks are required to provide deposit limits, self-exclusion and other responsible-gambling tools for anyone placing wagers on the new season. Players who want support can reach ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600 for confidential help.