Melbourne Storm vs. Penrith Panthers prediction: Panthers favored to win Thursday's NRL Round 25 matchup [8/20/2026]

NRL action continues on Thursday at 5:50 AM ET as the favored Penrith Panthers take on the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park.

Dimers' advanced NRL model projects the Panthers as the most likely winner in this Panthers vs. Storm prediction.

This article offers an expanded analysis of Thursday's matchup, including best bets and picks.

Storm vs. Panthers prediction: Who will win Round 25 game?

Using powerful machine learning and data analysis, we have simulated the result of Thursday's NRL matchup between the Panthers and Storm, forming part of our NRL predictions coverage.

Our leading predictive model currently gives the Panthers a 73.9% chance of defeating the Storm.

According to our model, the Panthers (-7.5) have a 55.1% chance of covering the spread, while the over/under total of 42.5 points has a 51.7% chance of going over,.

Panthers vs. Storm odds

We have researched the best NRL odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

• Moneyline: Panthers -263, Storm +195

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Panthers vs. Storm picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets in this matchup. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

• Spread: Panthers -7.5 @ -120 via DraftKings
• Moneyline: Panthers @ -263 via BetRivers
• Total: Over 42.5 @ -114 via BetRivers

According to our NRL best bets, the top play to make on this game is Panthers to win.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.

Storm vs. Panthers game-day updates and essential details

Thursday's Australian rugby league matchup between the Storm and Panthers at AAMI Park is scheduled to commence at 5:50 AM ET.

• Who: Penrith Panthers vs. Melbourne Storm
• Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
• Time: 5:50 AM ET/2:50AM PT
• Venue: AAMI Park

The NRL is available to bet on in the US through all major sportsbooks, with there even being games played in Vegas each season as of 2024.

Conclusion

We predict the Panthers, with a 73.9% win probability, will likely beat the Storm in Thursday's NRL matchup.

Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.