NFL bettors will have to wait two weeks for Super Bowl 54, but gamblers jonesing for pigskin action have options. The 2020 NFL Pro Bowl Game takes place on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC) at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Wagering on the Pro Bowl does not make you a degenerate. As a bettor who looks for value regardless of the situation, the Pro Bowl is an opportunity to make money before next week’s Super Bowl.
Odds as of Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET and via FanDuel, where Action Network users get a risk-free bet up to $500.
Using the Bet Labs database, we have identified the smartest ways to approach this event.
Of course, sample size is an issue but these are the spread, moneyline and over/under trends bettors need to know before placing a Pro Bowl wager.
Pro Bowl Betting Trends, Strategy
Underdogs
The Pro Bowl is an exhibition game, which means player motivation is questionable at best. As such, underdogs have been the right play. Since 2004, the team getting points in the Pro Bowl has gone 12-4 against the spread, covering by 4.8 points per game.
Moneyline
The pooches don’t just cover the spread, they win the game. In the past 15 Pro Bowls, the underdog has won nine times. A $100 bettor wagering on the dogs would have returned a profit of $711 for a 47.4% return on investment.
Over/Under
A commonly-held belief is that the Pro Bowl is all offense and no defense. You wouldn’t be wrong to think this as the games have averaged 66 points since 2004. Oddsmakers are aware of the high-scoring nature and have adjusted the over/unders.
The average total from 2004 to 2011 was 62.4 points. From 2012 to 2019 the average over/under was 73.4 points. With bookmakers adjusting the line the over is just 7-9 in the Pro Bowl since 2004.
The under has cashed in five of the past six Pro Bowls, going under by an average of 23.5 points.
