PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Las Vegas line makers have made the Steelers two-and-a-half point underdogs to the Green Bay Packers.

In Las Vegas, odds makers say the Packers are favored because they’ve become the darlings of bettors who’ve made a lot of money on them in the playoffs.

“The money came in on the Packers the last few weeks like there was no tomorrow and they were right,” Jimmy Vaccaro, with Lucky’s Sports Books, said. “And when you get people who fall in love with something and they’re giving them dividends on their returns, they simply keep betting on them every week.”

Vaccaro, who is originally from Trafford, says as the week goes on, the Steelers will begin to look more attractive to bettors and may end up drawing the most money.

“Don’t get disjointed for all my cousins back in Pittsburgh that we opened the game Packers-Steelers even, early money on the Packers, but don’t be surprised if the Steelers end up a small favorite Super Bowl Sunday.”

The job of a Las Vegas line maker is not to gamble, but to try to draw equal amounts of betting on both teams. In that case, since bettors on both sides pay a premium to bet, the house will make money no matter which team wins.

“But if I had to make a choice, I think the Steelers will go off a one-point favorite. You can mark me down for a 30-24 final, the Black and Gold.”