As the United Football League gears up for its inaugural season, the top betting sites have their 2024 UFL odds up! This gives me a good reason to focus on the league, analyze the top teams, and share my predictions.
The eight-team UFL is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, March 30. Following ten weeks of regular season action, four teams will participate in the conference championships, and then the UFL Championship game in St. Louis, MO, on Sunday, June 16.
Let’s check out the latest odds at UFL betting sites and figure out what the best bet for the winner is.
2024 UFL Championship Odds
The following UFL betting odds are courtesy of Bovada:
Team | Odds |
---|---|
Birmingham Stallions | +300 |
St. Louis Battlehawks | +350 |
D.C. Defenders | +375 |
Arlington Defenders | +450 |
Houston Roughnecks | +650 |
Memphis Showboats | +800 |
Michigan Panthers | +900 |
San Antonio Brahmas | +1000 |
The Birmingham Stallions (+300) have the shortest odds to win the 2024 UFL Championship. The 2023 USFL champions are seeking to win championships in two different leagues in only two years!
However, multiple teams are only a step behind, so it should be a very competitive experience. Let’s see what the favorites have to offer next.
Birmingham Stallions (+300)
The Birmingham Stallions enter the first season of the UFL with high expectations. After winning back-to-back USFL titles, head coach Skip Holtz brings another championship contender with him to the UFL.
2023 Season Recap and Record
The Stallions finished atop the regular season standings with a record of 8-2. They edged out the 7-3 New Orleans Breakers to clinch the South Division title.
The North Division was incredibly uncompetitive, with the 4-6 Pittsburgh Maulers claiming the divisional title. Therefore, Birmingham was a heavy favorite to win the 2023 UFL Championship.
As -275 favorites, the Stallions defeated the Maulers, 28-12, to capture their second consecutive title.
Key Players
Stallions’ 2023 QB Alex McGough played himself onto an NFL roster with the Packers after a strong campaign and four touchdown passes in the championship game. Now, the team is looking for a new starting quarterback in 2024.
Birmingham’s quarterback room includes Matt Corral, J’Mar Smith, and Adrian Martinez. Corral was one of the most notable UFL signings in the offseason. The former Ole Miss star is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who should thrive in the open field.
Smith is the most experienced spring quarterback of the group. When McGough had to sit with injuries over the last two years, Smith played serviceable football as his replacement. Note that Holtz hasn’t ruled out a two-quarterback system in 2024.
Regardless of the quarterback, they will have a dynamic player to hook up with in the passing game. Wide receiver Deon Cain was one of the most explosive players in the USFL, and he is expected to do the same this season for the Stallions.
However, it could take a few weeks for this offensive to operate at optimal speed. There may be some initial growing pains with a new quarterback under center. As the betting favorite to win the UFL, there is stronger value elsewhere than on the Stallions.
Head Coach
The 60-year-old Holtz’s head coaching resume dates back to 1994 with the Connecticut Huskies. The son of Lou Holtz, Skip was the head coach of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs from 2013 to 2021. He had mixed results, with a 10-3 season his best effort in 2019.
As the head coach of Birmingham, Holtz has led the Stallions to a cumulative regular season record of 17-3 and two USFL championships since 2022.
St. Louis Battlehawks (+350)
Much to the disappointment of football fans, the Rams NFL franchise exited St. Louis for Los Angeles following the 2015 season. Professional football returned to the city with the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2020.
Heading into the 2024 season, the Battlehawks’ UFL 2024 odds, available at most sports betting sites, suggest another competitive season for A.J. McCarron’s squad.
2023 Season Recap and Record
St. Louis’ final season in the XFL was filled with more ups than downs. With a regular season record of 7-3, the Battlehawks finished third in the XFL’s North Division. They were a victim of playing in the ultra-competitive North.
The 7-3 Seattle Dragons and 9-1 D.C. Defenders were also featured in the same division. Funny enough, the South Division’s 4-6 Arlington Renegades won the 2023 XFL Championship.
Key Players
St. Louis returns a strong core of proven offensive playmakers. McCarron is back at the controls of an offense that could be the most dangerous in the first year of the UFL.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide and Cincinnati Bengal spent seven years in the NFL, including spot duty in Cincinnati last season. McCarron is back playing spring football following success with the Battlehawks in 2023.
The 33-year-old passed for 2,150 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He completed 68.8% of his passes on an average of 238.9 passing yards per game. Although McCarron didn’t win the Offensive Player of the Year award, he was named the 2023 XFL regular season MVP.
McCarron has several toys to work with in the passing game this season. The Battlehawks’ leading receivers from a season ago return in 2024.
In addition to Hakeem Butler and Darrius Shepherd, the Sea Dragons’ reliable receiver Blake Jackson signed with the Battlehawks in the offseason.
Head Coach
Former St. Louis Rams tight end, Anthony Becht, is staying with the Battlehawks for his second consecutive season as head coach. Following a 12-year NFL career from 2000 to 2011, Becht made his head coaching debut in St. Louis in 2023.
In Becht’s rookie year, he did well for himself, with a 7-3 season and plenty of momentum going into this season. The experience Becht gained in his first year should afford the 46-year-old an upper hand in his second go-around.
D.C. Defenders (+375)
The D.C. Defenders enter the inaugural season with the third-shortest 2024 UFL Championship odds. They are coming off a strong season, despite failing to finish the assignment in the XFL playoffs.
2023 Season Recap and Record
The Defenders finished the 2023 XFL regular season with the best record in the league. At 9-1, the team won two more games than the next closest teams.
This is despite allowing the most yards per game in the XFL. D.C. conceded an average of 341.4 yards per game, with serious issues defending the pass. The Defenders’ secondary was the worst in the XFL by a considerable margin.
Conversely, the offense did well for itself averaging 29.8 points and 343.2 yards per game. They led the league in scoring and were second in yards. Nevertheless, the Defenders were upset in the XFL semifinals with a 35-26 loss to the Arlington Renegades.
The questionable defense was ultimately the deciding factor in their season-ending early. Can the team fix the problems from last season?
Key Players
The Defenders’ prolific offense was led by former Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta’amu. The 2023 Offensive Player of the Year was responsible for 1,878 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and three interceptions.
The 26-year-old native of Pearl City, Hawaii, connected on 62.6% of his passes, with an average of 187.8 yards per game.
Although Ta’amu did not put up as impressive numbers as McCarron, he was smart with the ball in his hands. The QB did not force any balls into poor situations or lose games with a bad turnover.
The Defenders were busy signing multiple wide receivers in the offseason. Ta’amu’s top two targets from a season ago are not on the 2024 roster. Lucky Jackson signed with the Minnesota Vikings, while Chris Blair is in Atlanta with the Falcons.
Head Coach
Reggie Barlow enters his second season as the head coach of the Defenders. As a player with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003, Barlow won a Super Bowl ring with a 48-21 win over the Oakland Raiders at Super Bowl XXXVII.
Now, trying to make a name for himself as a head coach, Barlow had success in his first season with the Defenders. With so much turnover at receiver, though, he will be tested to make life as easy as possible for Ta’amu in the pocket.
If you add the poor defense, I really don’t trust the Defenders to deliver a title in 2024.
UFL 2024 Prediction and Betting Pick
In 2023, the St. Louis Battlehawks had all the components in place to find success. This season, the team is likely going to be in an even stronger position to win the UFL Championship.
Unlike the Stallions and the Defenders, St. Louis is in a much more stable, and predictable spot. The Stallions have to replace McGough’s production with a new quarterback under center.
Given they are considering going with a two-quarterback system, Holtz doesn’t appear too confident in any of his three options. In D.C., the Defenders lost two of their top receivers and have brought in a bevy of new faces. They also struggled defensively last year, and I see very few reasons for that to change.
The Battlehawks are ready to score at will with McCarron’s plethora of targets. And, most importantly, the quarterback feels comfortable in this offense with most of his receivers and offensive line returning.
I encourage you to consider backing the Battlehawks for your top 2024 UFL pick. This is the most balanced squad in the league, so getting +350 odds for them to win the 2024 UFL Championship is outstanding value!
Where To Bet On The UFL In 2024?
The UFL futures betting odds here are available at Bovada, one of the top sportsbooks for football online. The site will offer UFL odds for every matchup during the regular season and playoffs, too, so I recommend checking it out.
You can choose from a variety of convenient deposit options, including credit cards, debit cards, and cryptocurrency. There’s also a 50% match bonus of up to $250 on your first deposit. Alternatively, deposit with cryptocurrency for a 75% match bonus of up to $750!
Sources
1 Could Birmingham Stallions See Two-Quarterback System in 2024? | Athlon Sports. Retrieved From “https://athlonsports.com/nation/ufl/news/birmingham-stallions-two-quarterback-system-2024”
2 A.J. McCarron Stats | St. Louis Battlehawks | The Football Database. Retrieved From “https://www.footballdb.com/players/aj-mccarron-mccaraj01”
3 2023 XFL Team Statistics | The Football Database. Retrieved From “https://www.footballdb.com/stats/teamstat.html?group=O&cat=T&lg=XFL”
4 Jordan Ta’amu Stats | DC Defenders | The Football Database. Retrieved From “https://www.footballdb.com/players/jordan-taamu-taamujo01/”
Exclusive: TikTok Confirms Some U.S. User Data Is Stored In China | Forbes.com. Retrieved From “https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2023/06/21/tiktok-confirms-data-china-bytedance-security-cfius/?sh=510a1e863270”
Complete List – Person of the Year | TIME.com. Retrieved From “https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2019712,00.html”