Allegiant Stadium, in Las Vegas, will host the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games this weekend in what should be an entertaining couple of days filled with skills competitions and a flag football showdown.
It’s not the first time that the NFL has included skills competitions and flag football in its Pro Bowl festivities. However, it will be the first time that these events decide the winner between the AFC and NFC squads.
Through the 2000s, skill challenges were part of the NFL Pro Bowl experience before being abandoned along with flag football. Part of the reason that these competitions were cancelled was due to an increased risk of injury.
The infamous 1999 NFL Pro Bowl rookie flag football game saw promising rookie Robert Edwards suffer a devastating injury that almost required amputation below the knee1
Bovada has a wide assortment of Pro Bowl odds and prop bets to choose from. We’ll take a look at these offerings and tell you which are the best NFL bets to make for the newly formatted NFL Pro Bowl Games.
2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games Format
There is no traditional game in full pads, as eight skills competitions and three flag football games will be played to determine a winning team.
The skills competitions include the following:
- Dodgeball
- Lightning Round
- Longest Tee Drive
- Precision Passing
- Best Catch Round 1
- Best Catch Round 2
- Gridiron Gauntlet
- Move the Chains
- Kick Tac Toe
Three points are awarded for winning a team skills competition and six for each flag football game to determine an NFL Pro Bowl Games winner.
There are 24 points available for the skills events and 12 points total for the first two flag football games. The points earned from these competitions and games will be totaled prior to the third and final flag football matchup where another six points will be on the line.
Peyton Manning is the head coach of the AFC, while his brother Eli Manning is running the show for the NFC.
NFL Epic Pro Bowl Dodgeball Odds and Pick
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| AFC | -120 |
| NFC | -120 |
Have you ever been a member of a dodgeball team? Phys Ed class in high school is probably the last time most people have played dodgeball. Everyone has seen the movie Dodgeball, though, right?
The NFL is taking you back to high school with a dodgeball competition as part of the 2023 Pro Bowl Games. It isn’t the first time dodgeball has been involved in the Pro Bowl, but never before has it counted for points.
The Pro Bowl Dodgeball event features two different segments. The AFC offense will take on the NFC defense, and then the NFC offense will take on the AFC defense. Each team will be comprised of five players.
Speed, agility, and accuracy are the most important skills when it comes to dodgeball. Which side possesses these traits the most? Both teams have all three, so finding an edge is going to require some homework.
“With a name like Sauce you just know he’s a stud in dodgeball.”
Peyton Manning is confident in his team for dodgeball at the #ProBowlGames.
📺: 2023 #ProBowlGames live from Vegas — Feb. 2-5 on ESPN pic.twitter.com/PSKQMerjhE
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 2, 2023
Tyreek Hill and Ja’Marr Chase should be strong assets for Team AFC in this spot. Sauce Gardner might be the MVP of NFL dodgeball, though. Gardner is competitive no matter the challenge. He should be tough for the NFC offense to tag.
For our first NFL Pro Bowl prop bet, we are betting on Team AFC to win the Epic Pro Bowl Dodgeball match.
NFL Pro Bowl Games Best Catch Odds and Pick
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| AFC Player | -135 |
| NFC Player | -105 |
Everyone has seen the NBA Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star festivities. The NFL is looking to do something similar at the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games.
The Pro Bowl Games Best Catch competition will feature public voting online. Two players from the AFC and NFC will record a highlight reel catch across landmarks in Las Vegas on Thursday.
The public will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite catches online. The player from the best catch from each conference will advance to the final round on Sunday.
The AFC has Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams, and Ja’Marr Chase. At least two of these wide receivers are going to have the motivation to impress. Hill and Chase are going to want to show off. And as competitive as Diggs is, he can’t be disregarded by bettors.
On Team NFC, Justin Jefferson is going to be a threat to win. Jefferson is a long shot to win the NFL MVP award, but is in excellent standing for Offensive Player of the Year. CeeDee Lamb, Terry McLaurin, and Amon-Ra St. Brown join the NFC receiving core.
JUSTIN JEFFERSON WITH THE BEST CATCH OF ALL TIME 😱
🎥: @NFL pic.twitter.com/uw8dvp8rqA
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) November 13, 2022
AFC is favored to win, but the way we see it, Jefferson has the tools to win the Pro Bowl Games Best Catch. He can elevate and come down with a circus catch better than any of the receivers in this group. With odds to win at -105, the NFC is a good value pick.
Remember, fans will be voting for the best catch. So, keep that in mind when betting on this wager.
NFL Pro Bowl Games Lightning Round Odds and Pick
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| AFC | -115 |
| NFC | -125 |
Do you like water balloon fights?
The NFL is taking you back to your childhood again with the Pro Bowl Games Lightning Round which involves:
- water balloons
- JUGS machines
- buckets of water
There are multiple stages of the Lightning Round, which involves 16 players from each team. The first phase will feature players passing water balloons back and forth. The distance between each player will increase as the contest progresses.
The next round of the Lightning Round (High Stakes), features players catching passes from a JUGS machine. Then finally, the final round (Thrill of the Spill), has players throwing at targets over the heads of coaches.
For each target hit, a bucket of water will be released on each coach. The team to complete this phase the fastest will be declared the NFL Pro Bowl Games Lightning Round winner.
Our advice, is to select the best odds for this bet considering there are numerous factors that could come into play during the competition. We like the AFC, which should have the more accurate passers and a slight advantage in the final round.
While this is not the most highly anticipated bet on the NFL Pro Bowl odds board, it should nevertheless be highly entertaining.
NFL Pro Bowl Games Longest Drive Odds and Pick
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| AFC | -135 |
| NFC | -105 |
Three points are up for grabs in the Pro Bowl Games Longest Drive competition. Four players from each conference will tee up on the golf course for their team. The player that drives the furthest within the boundaries notches three points for their team.
Kirk Cousins and Derek Carr have to be captains for this NFL Pro Bowl prop contest. Cousins recently purchased his own golf course2. While this does not necessarily make him the best golfer, he is a regular player alongside teammate Adam Thielen.
.@KirkCousins8 now owns a golf course.
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) November 10, 2022
The best golfer in the Longest Drive competition is probably Carr, though. Without Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes at the Pro Bowl, Carr is the most experienced tournament player. In fact, Allen is playing the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this weekend.
Carr has experience in celebrity golf tournaments. It was only two years ago when Carr put together a solid showing at the American Century Championship3. Carr finished a respectable T30 against some of the best celebrity golfers.
With Carr, the most likely winner of the Pro Bowl Games Longest Drive contest, write Peyton Manning’s team down for three more points.
NFL Pro Bowl Games Kick Tac Toe Odds and Pick
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| AFC | -135 |
| NFC | -105 |
The Pro Bowl Games Kick Tac Toe is a challenge for the kickers in Las Vegas. The team’s kickers, punters, and long snappers compete on a giant Tic Tac Toe board for three points.
The first team to complete a connecting line or hit five squares wins the game. It’s nice to see the members of the special team units having a chance to shine in a skills competition as they are people too. Which team will score three points from the Kick Tac Toe?
The AFC is favored with Morgan Cox, AJ Cole, and Justin Tucker. The NFC counters with Andrew DePaola, Tress Way, and Jason Myers. This should come down to the kickers: Ravens’ Tucker and the Seahawks’ Myers.
Tucker is the most well-respected kicker in the NFL. However, he did not have a strong campaign for his standards. Tucker made 86% of his field goal attempts, which is his lowest success rate since an 82.5% field goal percentage in 20154.
Myers converted 34 of 37 field goal attempts for a 91.9% field goal percentage. He connected on 24 of 24 field goals in 20205. Tucker is respected, but Myers was the better kicker this year.
Also worth noting is that the AFC is playing with a replacement punter. Cole is a fill-in for Tommy Townsend of the Kansas City Chiefs. Consider the better odds on the NFC in the Kick Tic Tac Toe competition.
NFL Pro Bowl Games Gridiron Gauntlet Odds and Pick
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| AFC | -105 |
| NFC | -135 |
The Pro Bowl Games Gridiron Gauntlet is another multifaceted competition at the 2023 Pro Bowl. It gives bettors yet another opportunity to cash in on the NFL Pro Bowl odds board.
The Gridiron Gauntlet includes six players from each team. This is a relay race across 40 yards for each phase of the competition. Included in the relay race are:
- tire run
- climbing over walls/under tales
- breakaway walls
- offensive linemen sled across the finish line
There is a lot going on in the Gridiron Gauntlet. It mixes speed, agility, and strength into one grueling contest. You could toss a coin as to which team is going to win this event.
The AFC and NFC teams have some of the best athletes in the world dueling on an obstacle course of sorts. Laying -135 on this type of Pro Bowl prop bet is not smart gambling.
Side with the AFC at -105 to win the Gridiron Gauntlet this weekend as it provides better value when considering the athletes on both teams are similar in athleticism and strength.
NFL Pro Bowl Games Move The Chains Odds and Pick
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| AFC | -105 |
| NFC | -135 |
The NFL Pro Bowl Move The Chains competition is designed for the strongest men at the Pro Bowl. The linemen should be a big help for this contest. While linemen are not that important in a game of flag football, they will be asked to do the bulk of the work here.
There are two teams representing each Conference (four total) in a weighted wall pull by using first-down chains. Each member of the team is responsible for pulling their own chains as quickly as possible over 10 yards.
The NFC is going to be tough to beat with some of the unmovable objects they have on their side. Trent Williams, Tristan Wirfs, and Penei Sewell are all going to get through this fast if they participate. Zack Martin of the Dallas Cowboys should be a quality asset for this contest, too.
Nick Bosa might be the MVP for the NFC in the Move The Chains contest, though. He was invited to the NFL Pro Bowl Game after the 49ers were knocked out of contention in the NFC Championship.
Bosa may not be in the Super Bowl, but he can lead his team to Pro Bowl glory in this contest.
NFL Pro Bowl Games Precision Passing Odds and Pick
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| AFC Player | -125 |
| NFC Player | -105 |
The NFL Pro Bowl Games Precision Passing competition is the most self-explanatory prop game. Whichever quarterback racks up the most points by hitting targets is the winner. There is a 1-minute time limit.
Accuracy is the greatest asset in this competition. Being the best quarterback is not necessarily important. There is a lot more than accuracy when it comes to playing quarterback in the NFL.
The most accurate quarterback from this season at the NFL Pro Bowl Games is none other than Geno Smith. The Seahawk QB completed 399 of 572 passes for a 69.8% completion percentage. He threw for a total of 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions6.
Vegas! We here. Perfect Timing. 🏁 pic.twitter.com/tCXWfSDlyA
— Geno (@GenoSmith3) January 31, 2023
The next highest completion percentage belongs to Tyler Huntley. Huntley connected on 75 of 112 passes for a 67% completion percentage7. However, he only played in six games as a backup to Lamar Jackson.
The AFC quarterbacks are all replacements for Mahomes, Allen, and Joe Burrow. To cap off a comeback season for Smith, look for Geno to lead the NFC to three points in the Precision Passing contest.
NFL Pro Bowl Games Winning Team Odds and Pick
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| AFC | -130 |
| NFC | -110 |
The NFL Pro Games will almost certainly be decided by the three flag football games. The flag football matchups are the most valuable competitions at the 2023 Pro Bowl. Each game is worth six points, while the skills competitions are worth three points.
Flag football games are dominated by quarterback play. It doesn’t matter the level of flag football. The team with the better quarterback almost always wins.
With that said, the better pure pocket passers are going to win at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday. While we like Lawrence on Team AFC, Huntley and Carr could be a liability for the AFC in the flag football games.
Huntley and Carr should be on vacation instead of at the Pro Bowl. Huntley’s best asset is his legs, but this is flag football. He will not be able to run around and show off his scrambling ability as much.
Jared Goff was one of the most underrated quarterbacks throughout this season. The Lions were one of the hottest teams in the NFL in the second half. Goff passed for 4,438 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions8.
Look for Geno and Goff to be the unlikely saviors of the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games for the NFC. Throwing it up to the best wide receiver in the NFL (Jefferson) won’t hurt either.
There is better value to be had on the NFC. Laying -130 in an All-Star event does not garner our attention. Consider betting on Team NFC to win the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games in Las Vegas.
Sources
1. Edwards returns to Patriots after near amputation. Retrieved From https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edwards-returns-to-patriots-after-near-amputation-1.201862”
2. Kirk Cousins purchases golf course, is living his best life. Retrieved From https://www.golfdigest.com/story/kirk-cousins-minnesota-vikings-purchases-golf-course-living-his-best-life”
3. Derek Carr has impressive showing in celebrity golf tournament. Retrieved From https://www.raiders.com/news/derek-carr-had-an-impressive-showing-in-celebrity-golf-tournament”
4. Justin Tucker Career Stats. Retrieved From https://www.nfl.com/players/justin-tucker/stats/career”
5. Jason Myers Career Stats. Retrieved From https://www.nfl.com/players/jason-myers/stats/career”
6. Geno Smith Career Stats. Retrieved From https://www.nfl.com/players/geno-smith/stats/career”
7. Tyler Huntley Career Stats. Retrieved From https://www.nfl.com/players/tyler-huntley/stats/career”
8. Jared Goff Career Stats. Retrieved From https://www.nfl.com/players/jared-goff/stats/career”
