Who says Super Bowl 53 is the only option on the NFL betting platter? Sportsbooks may not offer the extensive [player and entertainment props](https://www.betchicago.com/super-bowl-53-props-betting-commercials-president-trump-national-anthem) of the Super Bowl, but the odds on Sunday's Pro Bowl have already seen swift action since opening on Thursday -- and history says AFC and the UNDER are the smart plays. __MORE:__ [Our favorite Super Bowl 53 props](https://www.betchicago.com/super-bowl-53-props-vegas-offshore-patriots-rams) Sure, the two conferences have split the glorified scrimmage nearly down the middle since the 1950s, with the AFC holding a 23-22 edge. But there's money to be had fading the favorite: 12 of the past 15 underdogs covered the spread, with nine outright wins. Cue the action on the AFC, which opened as a 2-point underdog (the game is currently a pick). There are strategic reasons to pick the AFC, too, shocking as it may seem for a game mostly devoid of game plans. The Pro Bowl has historically catered to downfield passing and explosive offenses, while the running game is all but abandoned. Advantage: AFC. <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1088422438935908352" class="embedly-card" data-card-width="100%" data-card-controls="0">Embedded content: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1088422438935908352</a> Apologies to Mitch(ell) Trubisky, but the AFC's quarterbacks are better, deeper and more equipped for the backyard style of a game like this. The AFC also boasts a stronger pass rush and arguably a better secondary, too, for whatever it's worth. Even so, don't expect the aerial assault quite to the level that Pro Bowl diehards remember from the [glory days](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/probowl/index.htm) of the late 2000s and early 2010s. In the three years from 2011-2013, both teams combined for an average of nearly 100 points. In the five years since? Just 51.8 points. __NFL:__ [Super Bowl odds, values, previews](https://www.betchicago.com/nfl-betting) So what changed? After backlash for sloppy play and absurd final scores, the NFL implemented a [round of reforms](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000224052/article/2014-pro-bowl-features-new-format-for-nfl-allstar-game) in 2014 -- including a running clock after incompletions and sacks and new rules that allowed Cover 2 and press coverage, when only man coverage was allowed to that point. It worked right away. The 2014 Pro Bowl was a 22-21 nail-biter, and only one team (Team Irvin in 2016) has scored five touchdowns or more. What does that mean for bettors this year? The total opened at 60 an has been driven down to 55-56, depending on the book. Only five games this millennium have gone UNDER 55, but three were since 2014 -- including the past two years. If traditional [Super Bowl props](https://www.betchicago.com/super-bowl-53-mvp-odds-first-player-to-score-prop) aren't enough, swallow perception and bet the UNDER. If you're feeling lucky, back the AFC, too. ### NFL Pro Bowl betting lines, odds Odds provided by BetOnline; all times Central ### AFC vs. NFC 2 p.m. on ESPN __Point spread:__ PK __Total:__ 56 __Moneyline:__ AFC -110, NFC -110 __$10,000 up for grabs:__ [Free-to-enter Super Bowl 53 props contest](https://betchicago.chalkline.com/games/10k-big-game-blitz)