What is the NFL Pro Bowl?

Apart from players who have much bigger fish to fry, like playing in the NFL Championship match, top NFL All-Stars gather together for the AFC vs NFC "friendly" in between Conference Championship Sunday and the Super Bowl in late January every year. Being as All-Star contests are largely "Made For TV" marketing events, across every professional sports league, they should be wagered on based on their importance. Not too high on the priority ladder, the NFL Pro Bowl is on the same level as preseason games.

Moving around to different USA cities early on “NFL All-Star Games” were played at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Gilmore Stadium in Los Angeles, Shibe Park in Philadelphia and the Polo Grounds in New York from 1938 to 1942. Due to World War II travel restrictions, the Pro Bowl was put on hold from 1943 to 1950. Renamed the NFL Pro Bowl in 1950, the match was played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from 1951 until 1972. Top online sportsbooks offer point spread, money line and game total betting options, plus LIVE in-game action and prop bets on the Pro Bowl.

Coinciding with the NFL/AFL merger, the modern day All-Star game was renamed the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl in 1970. At that point, until 2009, the Pro Bowl was played on the Sunday following the Super Bowl. In 1980 the match was moved to Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, where it was played every year (except 2010 and 2014) until 2017. Citing a need for additional exposure, the NFL moved the Pro Bowl to the US mainland, and the match on Sunday, January 27, 2019 will be the third contest played at recently renovated Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

When is the Pro Bowl?

Officially titled the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, the NFL All-Star game is a match that honours the best players following each National Football League season. The inaugural match was played in 1939, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, and the NFL Champion New York Giants defeated the NFL All-Stars 13-10. Aloha Stadium, in Honolulu, Hawaii, has hosted a record 36 Pro Bowl contests. As of 2019, TE Tony Gonzalez, QB Payton Manning, G Bruce Mathews, DT Merlin Olsen and QB Tom Brady are Pro Bowl leaders with 14 nominations each. Let's dig deeper into the NFL Pro Bowl game.

What time does the NFL Pro Bowl start?

Often an afternoon affair, the NFL Pro Bowl starts at 3:00 PM ET and betting lines are normally posted shortly after the always thrilling NFC and AFC Conference Championship contests.

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Being as there isn't much on the line, other than some extra cash for the players and Conference pride, there are special guidelines that are specific to the Pro Bowl. Meant to compliment some of the rules imposed on the defenses, the offense is not allowed to shift or go in motion before the snap and a tight end must be included in all offensive formations. Protecting the stars, quarterbacks are allowed to intentionally ground the football if them find themselves in peril.

Although minor modifications are allowed, such as Cover 2 and press coverage, the defense must play a base 4-3 scheme and blindside blocks are illegal. On special teams, players can not attempt to block punts, field goals or extra points and there are no kick-offs as teams start on their own 25-yard line after all scoring plays. Certain timing rules are also added, to speed up pace of play, and most of the new rules help keep the Pro Bowl scoreboard operator very busy.

Similar to every pro sport, the NFL Pro Bowl format is constantly being tweaked in search of a mix that will keep fans tuned in. The most recent lipstick was applied when legends of the game were brought onboard. Former Pro Bowl players, like Michael Irvin and Jerry Rice, drafted teams that played under their last names and eliminated the conference clash aspect. Players still received NFL Pro Bowl recognition but they were then all mixed together to facilitate the draft.

Crazy when you think about it. Imagine the uproar if Los Angeles Rams DT Aaron Donald (Team Rice) had popped teammate RB Todd Gurley (Team Irvin) and caused an injury during in the 2016 Pro Bowl. In the end, that experiment lasted three years (2014-16) until the NFL came to their senses and pulled the plug. A positive, poured into the foundation in 1954, the format moved back to the traditional AFC versus NFC format in 2017. Here are the Pro Bowl results.

NFL Pro Bowl MVP

Some of the best NFL players, as well as unsung hero's, have earned the Pro Bowl MVP. While it doesn't come with the same prestige as the Super Bowl MVP the winners usually receive a shinny new vehicle. Quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Phil Simms are the only players in NFL history with a Pro Bowl and Super Bowl MVP award. Manning is the only player with NFL, Super Bowl and Pro Bowl MVP trophies. A venerable NFL who's who - here is the complete MVP list.