Super Bowl 2016: Updated Spread, Odds, Money Lines for Panthers vs. Broncos

With Super Bowl 50 just six days away, betting odds on the big game have gone back and forth since the original opening line.

The one-loss Carolina Panthers certainly have the edge in talent, but the Denver Broncos bring experience and the NFL's top defense. Per Odds Shark, talent trumped experience just minutes after the matchup was set, as the Panthers opened as 3.5-point favorites, with both teams at minus-110.

As of Sunday night, the spread jumped to six in favor of the Panthers, as bettors felt good about Carolina covering the opening line. Denver crept up to minus-105, while Carolina fell to minus-115.

With the game finally here, it's always interesting to look back and see how the two Super Bowl teams were projected to fare before the season began. According to RJ Bell of Pregame.com, odds were different for the two teams in September:

Those hoping to ride the Panthers to a big payday based on an outright victory will need to dig deep into their pockets. After opening at minus-177, the money line on Carolina moved to minus-210 as of Sunday. An outright win for the Broncos would pay off for those trusting in Peyton Manning, with a money line of plus-175.

It's clear oddsmakers are confident the Panthers will win the game, but let's take a look at how the teams match up on the field, per Bleacher Report:

If the saying "defense wins championships" always rang true, the Broncos would win this one going away. However, those trying to make money off the game need to realize that while Carolina's offense is one of the best in the game, its defense is better than many people think.

The Panthers' 39 takeaways were tops in the NFL, and the offense doesn't give it away often, which led to Carolina finishing first in turnover margin at plus-20. The Broncos may have allowed a stingy 18.5 points per game, but the Panthers were right on their heels at 19.3.

Another reason the safe bet is the Panthers is their success against the spread in 2015. While Denver was a decent 8-6-2, Carolina stood at 11-5, with only the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings holding better ATS records, per Vegas Insider.

At this point, it's nearly impossible to find something likely MVP quarterback Cam Newton and the Panthers don't do well, which makes sense considering they were eight points away from a perfect season. Finishing 18-1 would be better than when the New England Patriots did so after a Super Bowl 42 loss.

Even college basketball analyst Dick Vitale is weighing in on how good Carolina has been this year:

With Manning nearing 40 and relying on his brain and defense more than his arm, it's hard to believe his team will find a way to defeat a juggernaut Carolina squad with few weaknesses. It may seem like taking the Broncos on any bet is a bad idea, but that's not exactly the case. 

There are plenty of prop bets for the game, and one in particular regarding the Broncos is safer than any on-field action. Bovada lists the odds at plus-120 that announcers will mention the fact that Denver head coach Gary Kubiak was John Elway's backup (via SB Nation). Considering there are roughly 11 minutes of football action during the three-hour broadcast, the TV personalities have to fill the air somehow. And it certainly wouldn't be the first time they've mentioned that interesting factoid.

Manning, who is 1-2 in Super Bowls, provided great insight about playing for a championship, per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com: "I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be going back to a Super Bowl, and I can certainly attest that winning is a lot better than losing."

Wiser words have never been spoken. Winners will take the Panthers on Super Bowl Sunday—unless they want to spend three hours hoping Kubiak and Elway are mentioned in the same sentence.