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2022 USFL Betting Guide – Rules, Teams, Championship Odds, And More

Ian Wharton Thu 4/14 10:05am PT

The United States Football League, or USFL, kicks off its inaugural 2022 season on April 16, 2022. The eight-team league will play a 10-week season with two playoff rounds in order to determine a champion. The season will end July 3, 2022.

The fourth reboot of the USFL brand is the latest attempt at creating a quality spring football product. We at SAO fully support this endeavor after seeing the success the XFL enjoyed in 2020 before the nation shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Even the Alliance of American Football showed promise before closing up shop after their 2019 season.

More football equals an opportunity for our favorite former collegiate stars to shine again and for sports bettors to continue to profit after the NFL season ends.

USFL Keys to Success

The pro league benefits from learning where others have fallen short before them. All of the USFL’s games will be played in Birmingham, Alabama at either Protective Stadium or Legion Field for the 2022 season. Between 32 and 35 games will be played at Protective Stadium, and Legion Field will pick up the remaining 8 to 11 contests.

Limiting travel, the number of teams, roster sizes, and games, and reeling in both familiar coaches and players will all help the bottom line.

This page is your guide to everything you need to know about the USFL, its history, where it’s headed, and how to cash in while betting on it.

History of the USFL

The original USFL was founded in 1982 and lasted three seasons until the league folded in 1986. The idea of playing a schedule in the spring into summer and luring former NFL coaches, team executives, and future players was a solid one. Original designer David Dixon had the right idea when he wanted the USFL to play in premier TV markets in NFL-quality stadiums and play on national broadcasts.  

Financial difficulties buried the league despite success on the field. There was never a hard salary cap implemented and player payrolls swelled despite promises from owners to keep spending in check. Franchises also had issues finding homes in NFL stadiums because NFL owners of course flexed their muscle to strong-arm USFL teams.

Beginning of the End

In 1984, the USFL sued the NFL as part of a movement started by New Jersey Generals owner Donald Trump and other owners. The goal was to prove the NFL had created a monopoly, and the USFL wanted to move from a spring schedule to the fall in 1986. This proved to be disastrous and led to the end of the USFL.

The USFL boasted future NFL stars Hershel Walker, Reggie White, Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Doug Flutie, and Brian Sipe. There was always room for another league but the USFL became greedy when they wanted to be more than a developmental, second-tier organization.

Positive Changes in 2022

Fast forward to now. The new USFL only shares the same name, and has hired Brian Woods as an experienced vice president after his experience with the Fall Experimental Football League and The Spring League. Fox Sports and NBC Sports have notably invested into the USFL, guaranteeing quality broadcast opportunities.

Unique USFL Rules

The XFL was willing to get creative in order to provide an exciting product, and the USFL has followed suit as they attempt to carve their own niche out in the football world. The relaunched spring league announced their unique rule changes on their social media platforms earlier this year. Let’s go through each of the critical differences between the NFL and USFL so you’re ready to see the differences.

Overtime

The USFL’s overtime period will more closely resemble hockey’s playoff tie-breaker method of a shootout. If the scoreboard is knotted up at the end of regulation, teams will have the chance to convert three scores from the opposing defense’s 2-yard line. The team with the most scores in their three tries wins.

If the shootout leads to another tie, say both offenses score all three times, then the two-point attempts become a sudden death affair. This comes on the heels of a dramatic NFL playoffs that saw the Buffalo Bills lose to the Kansas City Chiefs on the first drive of overtime. The NFL saw the issue with this limited format and initiated a change for their playoff overtime process.

Clock Stoppages

Just like how we’re used to seeing the clock stop on first downs with less than two minutes in the second and fourth quarter in college, the USFL will feature the same perk to their offenses. The goal is simple: create more play opportunities for offenses in the game’s most crucial moments. The NFL’s method is more punitive and often zaps the potential of exciting plays as seconds tick away.

One aspect where other spring leagues struggled was to promote scoring with less-than-elite quarterbacks. Allowing offenses to gather themselves inside two minutes can help negate some of the talent difference from the NFL. Scoring is entertaining, so pushing the ball across the goal line must be encouraged.

Extra Points

Tired of just extra points or two-point conversions? The USFL threw that old set up to the curb by adding a three-point attempt to the traditional set of options. Here are the ways offenses can cap off their touchdown drive:

The inclusion of a three-point play makes every game more competitive. We could see a team come back from 18 points in just two possessions if they can pull off two 3-point plays.

Double Forward Pass

The most exciting and unique rule change for the USFL is the legality of two forward passes on one play. The NFL carefully watches to see whether the ball goes behind the first intended receiver, effectively increasing the risk of a fumbled lateral and turnover. The USFL allows the ball to travel forward twice so long as both passers are behind the line of scrimmage.

USFL Playoff Format

After each team plays their 10-game schedule, the playoffs will feature a playoff semifinal game for both the North and South Division. The winners will proceed to the championship game.

The schedule set up is balanced to ensure fairness for all eight teams. Every team will play teams in their own division twice in addition to one game against an opposite divisional foe.

USFL Teams and Championship Odds

All odds courtesy of DraftKings (as of 4/13/22)

Tampa Bay Bandits +425

Michigan Panthers +450

New Orleans Breakers +500

Philadelphia Stars +600

Pittsburgh Maulers +600

New Jersey Generals +750

Houston Gamblers +750

Birmingham Stallions +900

How to Bet the USFL

As always, Scores and Odds has you covered for the best sportsbook reviews and promo codes to bet on the USFL. Check out our latest online sports betting breakdown to get the latest news. We always recommend signing up with each provider so you can take advantage of every welcome offer available.

You’ll be able to bet on the USFL the same way you bet on the NFL and college football. Sportsbooks such as FOX Bet, Caesars, FanDuel, BetRivers, BetMGM, and PointsBet will offer you the opportunity to wage on everything from game spreads, point totals, moneylines, prop bets, and future picks.

We’ll have you covered for weekly predictions, tips, and best plays throughout the 10-week USFL season.

2022 USFL Betting Tips and Predictions

Let’s break down the teams a little more to find out if the futures odds line up with the expected performance on the field.



Tampa Bay Bandits

Led by former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley, the Bandits invested heavily into athletic upside on both sides of the ball. This investment has made Tampa Bay (+425) the favorite to win the title because of their deep passing prowess with quarterback Jordan Ta’amu and speedy receiving corps.

Another eye-catching name is former “Last Chance U” star quarterback John Franklin III. Now a receiver, Franklin has been a tantalizing talent but controversial personality since his Netflix debut.



Michigan Panthers

The favorite to win the 2022 USFL championship is none other than the team that had the top overall pick. The Michigan Panthers (+400) selected former Michigan Wolverines star quarterback Shea Patterson to build their offense around. Head coach Jeff Fisher wisely snapped up several former NFL players at receiver, including Lance Lenoir and Jeff Badet.

It’s clear Fisher has opted for big, powerful bodies in the trenches. This should pay off handsomely after seeing teams in past spring leagues struggle to overcome physical disadvantages.

New Orleans Breakers

New Orleans grabbed quarterback Kyle Sloter with their first round pick, a surprisingly available talent considering his NFL resume and pedigree out of college. Sloter is surrounded by quicker receivers who can maximize his fast release and short accuracy. The offense should have quality blocking as well thanks to bookend tackles Donnell Greene and Paul Adams.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Breakers’ defensive line holds up since they took several developmental talents who didn’t produce especially well in college. They seem a bit overvalued at +500 considering Larry Fedora is one of the less successful coaches in recent times.

Philadelphia Stars

The biggest wildcard in the USFL this season is Philadelphia (+600) quarterback Bryan Scott. The former Occidental College star was unknown to many before being selected with the third overall pick. But Scott was the Spring League MVP and showed he has NFL upside.

Head coach Bart Andrus opted for some impressive Big Ten stars to anchor his defense. Former Illinois pass-rusher Carroll Phillips and Michigan corner Channing Stribling are standout talents.

Pittsburgh Maulers

The USFL roster bearing the least household names and familiar faces for most fans is Kirby Wilson’s Pittsburgh Maulers (+600). That doesn’t mean they’ll be out of the championship race, but their unheralded talent must be ready to show up the more proven former college and NFL contributors. That starts with quarterback Kyle Lauletta, who showed a relatively weak arm in his previous stops.

New Jersey Generals

New Jersey (+700) arguably has the most balanced roster, stacked with former NFL draft prospects and Spring League contributors. Head coach Mike Riley will need to be creative to get the most out of an offense with serious speed between Kavontae Turpin and J’Mon Moore. The Generals are a darkhorse option with high upside. It would not be a surprise if they end up winning the title.

Houston Gamblers

The marriage between former Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin and quarterback Clayton Thorson will be most interesting storyline to follow in the 2022 USFL season. Thorson isn’t an especially accurate passer, and someone more experienced in an Air Raid system made more sense for Sumlin and the Gamblers (+750). We could see backup Kenji Bahar earn some playing time if Thorson doesn’t fit in Sumlin’s system.

Houston accumulated some solid talent in the trenches and in the secondary, though. Expect the Gamblers to live up to their nickname and play fast.

Birmingham Stallions

The local Birmingham Stallions (+750) opted for an interesting blend of accomplished NFL journeymen like Alex McGough and college football stars like Victor Bolden Jr. and Scooby Wright, in addition to small-school talents. They’re more of an unknown than any team because their trench players have unknown pedigrees for most evaluators. We’ll see if Skip Holtz can bring this group of talent to the next level.

How to Watch the USFL

The USFL received substantial investments from Fox Sports and NBC Sports, giving each entity exclusive access to stream the league’s games. From Saturday, April 16 through Sunday, July 3, 2022, the 10-week season will be played at either Protective Stadium or Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.

You can watch these games by tuning into NBC, Fox, or by streaming on Peacock using your favorite smart device (Roku, Apple TV, etc.). Peacock has a free subscription that features some content. They also have a premium upgrade for $4.99 to unlock all of their content, and a premium plus upgrade for $9.99 per month that cuts out even more ads.

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