Super Bowl 50: Panthers vs. Broncos Live Stream, Odds and Prediction Guide

Peyton Manning enters Super Bowl 50 the underdog.

A few years back, anyone slinging such a suggestion might have been the subject of ridicule.

Now? A soothsayer. Manning and the Denver Broncos, at least in the eyes of Las Vegas, stand as dogs against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.

There seems to be an overwhelming amount of evidence to support the stance, though as seasoned bettors can tell you: There's always wiggle room for a bargain, and things might not always be what they seem. After all, just a few weeks ago, Manning wasn't even the starter.

Before things get underway, here's a final look at an odds guide with predictions.

Game Details

When: Sunday, February 7, 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Television: CBS

Live Stream: CBS Sports (supported on multiple devices, more info in link)

Over/Under: 44.5

Spread: Carolina (-5.5)

Moneyline: Carolina (-190), Denver (-165)

Odds Prediction Guide 

This Super Bowl has a little bit of something for everyone, especially from a betting standpoint.

Just look at the list of prop odds available at Odds Shark. There, even casual bettors can get in on the action and make this one more meaningful, a necessary element considering 30 fanbases don't have much in the way of a rooting interest.

There, folks can go crazy on the coin toss, a Lady Gaga-belted national anthem, a halftime featuring Coldplay, Beyonce and Bruno Mars and plenty of other oddball things related to the game itself.

For example, props want to know if Newton will break Steve McNair's Super Bowl quarterback rushing record of 64 yards. "Yes or no" (+275 vs. -450) makes for a pretty simple bet, as does who scores the game's first touchdown and who wins the MVP, two categories led by Newton.

Those props wrap nicely into the overarching game analysis. For visualization's sake, here's a great breakdown:

Go figure the over/under looks so low, right?

These are two defenses that finished ranked in the top 10 at less than 20 points per game allowed before the postseason. Von Miller's defense, which totaled 52 sacks, held a Tom Brady-led New England Patriots offense to 18 points in the AFC Championship Game.

Josh Norman's opportunistic defense, which led the NFL in interceptions, bullied the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game, surrendering just 15 while Newton's offense posted 45.

The onus of production falls on the quarterbacks, with one having a distinct advantage over the other.

Like it or not, Manning is the gunslinger at a disadvantage. Look at the graphic provided by USA Today:

Stats aren't everything by any means, but Manning isn't the Manning most have watched over the course of his career.

This Manning tossed two touchdowns against the Patriots, but perhaps more notable were the throws he missed, which have been a trend since his return in Week 17. Denver continues to win regardless, but it's more a product of the defense. Given the numbers and film, it's not hard to see why Las Vegas seems to think Manning will struggle against a turnover-happy defense. 

Newton would be at the advantage. The league's MVP, according to ESPN.com's David Newton, put on a magical season despite missing No. 1 wideout Kelvin Benjamin.

The MVP's ability to escape a messy pocket, elude rushers and make plays down the field better positions him than most to counter Miller and the elite Broncos defense. Many figured Arizona's elite defense in the NFC title game would keep things competitive. Newton totaled four scores.

Feel free to call Newton the latest evolution of the quarterback position. Want another reason as to why he and the Panthers have a serious perceived advantage in the minds of oddsmakers? Check a note by ESPN Stats & Info: 

Long story short, Denver won't be able to keep this one close enough for a full four frames. When Newton isn't doing the work himself, he has Jonathan Stewart (989 yards, six scores) in the backfield and Greg Olsen (77 catches, 1,104 yards, seven scores) to hit over the middle.

For Olsen, he sees the obvious reasons as to why the Panthers have made it this far. He told Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times that the team catches opponents off guard because it isn't the typical air-it-out approach:

"

We've got a quarterback who's going to run it as good as anybody in the league. We're going to hand the ball off 20-plus times a game.... We've got guys coming in motion. We've got guys going all over the place in our run game. I just don't know if people have wrapped their head around it yet.

"

Not that Manning doesn't have a nice allotment of weapons. It's been a down year statistically for Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, but they remain one of the league's most dangerous one-two punches.

But the nice supporting cast producing enough to keep up with Newton hinges on how well Manning can play in what might be his farewell game.

It's a tad boring and not as attractive as betting the dogs, but bettors should feel comfortable with riding the Panthers outright and against the spread with these two generational talents pushing the game slightly toward the over.

When it comes to props, the Panthers are the way to go, too.

Prediction: Panthers 28, Broncos 20 

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of Sunday. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus. All betting information courtesy of Odds Shark.