The USFL begins a new season this Saturday with a four-game card on tap. Two games will kick off on Saturday then two more on Sunday. Here are the top USFL betting picks and predictions and bets for Week 1’s action.
Best USFL Betting Picks & Predictions | Week 1
Philadelphia Stars vs. Memphis Showboats
The Philadelphia Stars face the Memphis Showboats as 2.5-point favorites in a game with a 38.5 total. The Stars finished the 2022 with a 6-4 record before losing in the championship to Birmingham by a score of 33-30. The Stars ended the year as one of the hottest teams in the USFL. Initial starting quarterback Bryan Scott went down with an injury early in the year and was replaced by Case Cookus. Once Cookus settled, Philadelphia won four of its last five regular season games, losing only to New Jersey 26-23 in the season finale. They then defeated New Jersey the following week 19-14 in the playoffs, before losing a hyper-close game to the Stallions in the championship.
On the other side, the Showboats (formerly the Tampa Bay Bandits) went 4-6 last year. They met Philadelphia once last year, losing by a score of 35-28. They retained Todd Haley as head coach, but the rest of the roster has seen plenty of turnover. First of all, the team has not settled on a clear starting quarterback, with Brady White, Cole Kelley and Ryan Willis all on the roster. White expects to start, but he played poorly in a limited sample last year. This could make it tough to run Haley’s preferred vertical offense. Some believe Memphis may use multiple quarterbacks, which does not bode well here.
On the other side, Philadelphia has no issues with continuity. Cookus returns at quarterback, along with running back Matt Colburn and four of their top five pass catchers. Both defenses were outside the top half last year, making edges tough to draw on this side of the ball. One potential edge could be the Philadelphia pass rush. The stars ranked third in sacks last year, while Memphis allowed more sacks than any other team.
With continuity working in their favor, backing the Stars here makes sense.
Best XFL Bet: Stars -2.5 -110 at FanDuel
Pittsburgh Maulers vs. New Orleans Breakers
These teams are undergoing a rebuild to various degrees, and the New Orleans Breakers enter this game as 4-point favorites over the Pittsburgh Maulers in a game with a 37.5 total. The Maulers disgraced themselves last year with a 1-9 record, but they have since hired new head coach Ray Horton. Horton retained John Tomlinson as his offensive coordinator, which does not look good after this team scored the fewest points in the USFL.
On the other side, New Orleans also made some changes. They brought in John DeFilippo as head coach. DeFilippo coordinated numerous successful offenses in the NFL before falling out of favor in the last few years. On top of that, New Orleans retained defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta after the team allowed the fewest yards per game in the league. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh’s defense allowed the third-most yards passing per attempt and fourth-most yards rushing per attempt.
As for offensive continuity, both teams should be improved. Pittsburgh brought in former fourth-round pick James Morgan, while New Orleans attracted NFL/CFL veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson. New Orleans should have the rushing edge behind an offensive line that allowed the fewest sacks last year. However, both teams return two of their top three receivers, which could lead to enhanced efficiency for both teams. For those concerned by the climbing spread, going over 37.5 might not be a bad idea either.
Best XFL Bet: Breakers -4 -110 at FanDuel
