Patriots, Panthers betting favorites to meet in Super Bowl 50

The New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers are Las Vegas’ betting favorites to meet in Super Bowl 50.

The New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers are betting favorites to meet in Super Bowl 50.

In the AFC championship game on Sunday, the Patriots are 3.5-point favorites to beat the Denver Broncos in multiple Las Vegas sportsbooks. The Panthers are 3-point favorites to beat the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC championship game.

“If we would have put this line up before the week, it probably would have been [Carolina] minus-2.5,” said Ed Salmons, head football oddsmaker at the SuperBook, according to ESPN. “But we just thought three was the right spot.”

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The Panthers topped the Seattle Seahawks, 31–24, on Sunday to advance to a conference championship game for the first time since losing the NFC title to the Seahawks in 2006.

On Saturday, New England knocked out the Kansas City Chiefs with a 27–20 win to advance to their fifth consecutive championship game. Last year’s Super Bowl winners will seek the chance to repeat against the Broncos in the 17th meeting between quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

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The Patriots and Broncos will kick off at 3:05 p.m. ET on Sunday. The Panthers and Cardinals will follow at 6:40 p.m. ET.

- Erin Flynn