Carolina Panthers Home Favorite Betting Trend

The Panthers' struggles as home favorites stem from a franchise caught between rebuilding cycles and unrealistic market expectations. Carolina has rarely possessed the consistent offensive firepower or defensive dominance needed to justify laying points, yet oddsmakers and the betting public continue to overvalue their home field advantage at Bank of America Stadium. This creates a classic case of inflated lines driven more by perception than reality. The team's quarterback instability has been particularly damaging in favorite situations, where they're expected to control games and cover spreads. Whether it's been Cam Newton's inconsistency post-injury, Sam Darnold's limitations, or rookie growing pains, Carolina has lacked the reliable signal-caller needed to justify confidence when laying points. Their offensive line struggles compound this issue, making it difficult to establish rhythm against opponents playing loose as underdogs. Carolina's defensive identity, while occasionally formidable, hasn't translated to the dominant home performances that would support consistent favorite status. Teams playing with nothing to lose have found success exploiting the Panthers' tendency to play down to competition levels. This trend matters most early in seasons when optimism is highest and in divisional games where familiarity breeds closer contests than the spread suggests.