TLDR The Carolina Panthers gave NFL bettors the best return on investment last season at 60.48%, according to a Sports Illustrated study. Carolina finished 8-9 but still won the NFC South and lost to the Rams 34-31 in the Wild Card round. Quarterback Bryce Young posted career highs in passing yards and touchdowns but also threw a career high in interceptions. The Panthers will start the season without both starting offensive tackles due to injury. DraftKings has set Carolina’s 2026 win total at 7.5, with the team facing the NFL’s third-toughest schedule.
The Carolina Panthers were the most profitable NFL team for bettors last season. A Sports Illustrated study found the team delivered a 60.48% return on investment for anyone who bet on them to win every game with a $100 moneyline wager.
That works out to a profit of $1,028.24 over the course of the season. No other team came close to that return.
The Panthers finished the regular season with an 8-9 record. Despite the losing record, they won the NFC South division title.
Carolina’s season ended in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The team lost to the Los Angeles Rams 34-31 after a late touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Stafford.
Bryce Young’s Progress and the Panthers’ History
Quarterback Bryce Young was selected first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. His performance has been mixed since then.
Last season, Young threw for 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns. Both numbers were career highs for him.
He also threw 11 interceptions, another career high. Carolina finished 27th in the league in scoring, averaging 18.3 points per game with Young starting 16 of 17 games.
The Panthers have never had back-to-back winning seasons since the franchise began in 1995. Since David Tepper became owner eight years