The Best USFL Betting Sites

The United States Football League (USFL) is a minor-league football tournament that is billed to become one of the most popular football tournaments in the country. With more than half of the United States having introduced legal sports betting in some form or the other, the tournament is also an exciting new way to bet for punters.

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The United States Football League

The USFL’s modern avatar is starkly different from any of its previous editions and the ambition behind the revamped tournament is to create a fast-paced, offense oriented minor league tournament. The legalization of sports betting in several states serves to only add to what is already the most exciting period in the tournament’s storied history.

If you’re a bettor looking to splash the cash on some USFL betting sites, perhaps the best place to start would be to learn about the complicated history behind this tournament and why the stakes were higher in the 2022 season than ever before.

The United States Football League has an interesting – albeit tumultuous and short-lived – history that spanned all of three years from 1983 through 1986. The tournament was conceived by businessman David Dixon, who saw the potential for a football tournament that took place during the NFL’s off-season. Dixon found a consortium of investors who bought into his vision – famously known as the “Dixon plan” – and the tournament took off with its maiden season in 1983.

On the pitch, the USFL ticked all the right boxes. It was played at the perfect time, when audiences were craving any possible football action after the National Football League season ended. The USFL was always played in Spring, and was largely successful on the face of it. The franchises had coaches and support staff that had NFL experience, the stadiums weren’t empty, there was significant TV coverage, and a number of future stars whose names would eventually feature in the Pro Football Hall of Fame were minor-league players in USFL teams.

The tournament looks to be a success in most regards, but the story behind the scenes was quite different. The Dixon plan aimed to emulate the NFL’s model of prioritizing sustainability and profitability above all else in the initial stage, but a number of USFL franchises reneged on their responsibilities and weren’t fiscally responsible. With no salary cap officially instated by the league, franchises lost control of their mounting wage bills with irresponsible offers to numerous players. As a result, franchises faced instability right from the get-go.

These difficulties were compounded by difficulties in securing stadiums, and while a number of franchises stayed faithful to the Dixon plan, they were adversely affected by the ripple effect of the actions of teams that didn’t. The fatal flaw in the Dixon plan was that it was too rooted in good faith – the assumption that every franchise would work towards its implementation.

The 1986 USFL Season: The End

The nail in the coffin for the USFL was when the league decided that they were, indeed, big enough to play the USFL season during the same months as the NFL. The USFL didn’t intend to directly clash with the NFL despite playing in the same weeks, instead opting to play on Sunday nights – which the NFL didn’t play – during the planned 1986 season.

At the insistence of Donald Trump – owner of the New Jersey Generals – the USFL went ahead with this plan of playing the season simultaneously with the NFL. However, a part of this plan involved filing an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL. The USFL successfully moved the jury to declare that the NFL had violated anti-monopoly laws in trying to hinder the USFL from playing the season at the same time.

This court verdict was also unfortunately damning to the USFL. While they did win the case, the judge only gave them a symbolic victory worth $3. We didn’t miss any zeroes there. With no money left to even water the pitch, the USFL cut their $163 million losses and called it a day. Accounting for inflation, that’s a loss of close to $400 million in 2022 money.

Meanwhile, the NFL started the famous “Sunday Night Football” segment the following year – presumably to deter anyone else who dared to plot such misadventures. Guess we have the USFL to thank for all the great Sunday night memories.

2022: The Return of USFL Games

Speaking of 2022 money, FOX Sports spent a lot of it to bring the USFL back for a completely fresh start in 2022. This is an interesting time for the media giant to have made such a move, considering how FOX itself has become both a broadcasting and betting behemoth.

The USFL played its initial season after the NFL season in 2022, going back to its roots of not competing directly with the NFL calendar. True to form, it is a spring football minor-league tournament that features some exciting young talent and highly experienced coaches with NFL experience. For instance, as many as 13 ex-New York Giants players and coaches participated in the inaugural USFL season in 2022.

The game on the pitch, however, clearly shows the intent to go toe-to-toe against the NFL in creating a game that’s attack driven and exciting to watch. Several differences in rules have been created specifically for the USFL to make the game more exciting and action-packed for TV and stadium audiences alike.

The young footballing talent and the quality of football they play is so exciting that an NFL team has already contracted a USFL star despite the league only existing for one season. The move we’re talking about is that of Isaiah Zuber moving to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Eight USFL Teams to Bet On

The United States Football League has effectively started entirely from scratch in 2022, completely free from the baggage of its failure in the 1960s. With the legalization of USFL gambling in a number of states, it’s probably a good idea to know the names of the teams before you start checking out the betting lines. While the USFL is relatively new in terms of football betting, many of the principles that apply to traditional leagues remain the same.

Here are the eight teams playing in the USFL, and their head coaches. Some of these USFL head coaches will be familiar names from the NFL like Jeff Fisher. In a completely new league where historical results don’t exist to help you plan your betting decisions, a familiar head coach could contribute to your decision on which team to bet on.

North DIVISION USFL TEAMS

  1. Michigan Panthers

    • Head Coach: Jeff Fisher

  2. New Jersey Generals

    • Head Coach: Mike Riley

  3. Philadelphia Stars

    • Head Coach: Bart Andrus

  4. Pittsburgh Maulers

    • Head Coach: Kirby Keyes Wilson

South DIVISION USFL TEAMS

  1. Birmingham Stallions (reigning champions)

    • Head Coach: Skip Holtz

  2. Houston Gamblers

    • Head Coach: Kevin Sumlin

  3. New Orleans Breakers

    • Head Coach: Larry Fedora

  4. Tampa Bay Bandits

    • Head Coach: Todd Haley

The Inaugural USFL Regular Season

You don’t need to be a gambler from Houston to bet on the Houston Gamblers, or a bandit at the betting lines to bet on the Tampa Bay Bandits, especially considering that the inaugural USFL season did not see the new league traveling between eight home stadiums.

The inaugural USFL regular season was played entirely at the Protective Stadium and Legion Field stadium – basically seeing all the games played in Birmingham. The season was played in April 2022 and came to a head with the USFL championship game taking place in the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Texas.

The USFL doesn’t seem to have plans of going toe-to-toe with the NFL yet, which is why the tournament will likely start in March-April every year after the NFL season ends.

The Biggest USFL Games: USFL Playoffs and the USFL Championship Game

Once the USFL finishes its regular season, the top teams play the USFL playoffs and the last two teams standing finally play for it all in the USFL championship game, which is the biggest of all the games played.

The Birmingham Stallions recently made history, beating the Philadelphia Stars 33 points to 30 to become the first USFL team to win the championship. As the seasons go by, the USFL championship game is almost certain to be one of the biggest days of the year not just for USFL gambling but sports betting in general.

The Best USFL Betting Sites in 2022

The USFL betting scene is still nascent, considering the new league is less than a year old. But if one didn’t know better, one would think that USFL betting has been a mainstay on all USFL betting sites considering how quickly they’ve started to embrace it.

At the moment, you can bet on any of the eight teams in the USFL on some of the best USFL betting sites – with each offering timely USFL betting lines with highly competitive odds. These are largely the same bookmakers who have dominated the world of NFL betting and have an excellent track record in terms of the overall experience.

The new tournament couldn’t have started at a better time since so many Americans can now legally bet on USFL games. While the betting scene remains nascent, surely it’s only a matter of time before the league embraces big-name USFL betting partnerships.

Without further ado, these are some of the best USFL betting sites to start your USFL gambling journey.

1. DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKings Sportsbook has always arguably been the best sportsbook to bet on the NFL, and is the natural favorite to become the best USFL betting site too. The platform has been quick to embrace USFL, providing a considerably large array of betting options with great USFL betting odds.

As more and more information about the USFL becomes clearer, expect DraftKings to develop on its already impressive betting menu to include USFL odds for player prop bets and more. As far as DraftKings goes, one thing is clear – we may not know which team and players are going to dominate the USFL, but DraftKings is almost destined to be the biggest player in the USFL betting scene.

  • DraftKings USFL deposit methods: Wire transfer, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Play+ Prepaid Card, PlayNearMe, Cash at DraftKings retail outlets
  • DraftKings USFL withdrawal methods: Wire transfer, Play+ Prepaid Card, PayPal, Cash at DraftKings retail outlets, Checks

2. Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars may be one of the oldest and probably the biggest name in the world of gambling, but they’re far from slow when it comes to including new leagues on their stellar platform. The platform is known for their mammoth welcome bonuses and weekly promotions that are too good to refuse. It also goes without saying that their exemplary customer support team continues to set the industry standard in trustworthiness.

Apart from also being liberal with the occasional risk free bet, the platform is also known for being generous with odds boosts that rival those of any other platform. Expect the platform to start introducing these boosts once more information about the league and players is available.

3. BetMGM Sportsbook

BetMGM is one of the most trusted platforms in the business, and that’s a reputation that will continue to serve them well as they integrate the USFL into their slick platform.

The platform was always known for including off-beat games and lesser-known leagues, so it was only natural that they were quick to include the USFL in their spectacular roster. Not only have they included the sport, but also enabled all the standard BetMGM traditional betting options and their epic live betting feature with great live USFL odds. Everything else – from the spectacular USFL odds to the free bets and generous welcome bonus is a given with BetMGM.

  • BetMGM USFL deposit methods: Wire transfer, Visa, Mastercard, Neteller, Play+, Paypal, Skrill, Cash deposits at MGM properties, PayNearMe
  • BetMGM USFL withdrawal methods: Wire transfer, Play+, PayPal, Skrill, Cash withdrawal at MGM properties, Checks

4. PointsBet Sportsbook

We absolutely love PointsBet for the PointsBetting feature, which we feel is one of the most creative ways to bet that we have seen in recent years. PointsBetting has always been about high risk and even higher rewards, and there’s nothing quite like it. The feature rewards players for the margins by which your USFL team wins, but also accordingly takes an equally high cut if your team loses by a huge margin. While this is just a theory, we feel that there is potential to win big on PointsBetting in the early days of the USFL when there’s still a dearth of information for bookmakers to truly wrap their heads around the league.

  • PointsBet USFL deposit Methods: Wire transfer, Visa, Mastercard, PointsBet Card, PayPal
  • PointsBet USFL withdrawal Methods: Wire transfer, Mastercard, Visa, PointsBet Card, PayPal

5. FanDuel Sportsbook

A list involving football betting sites with the USFL would be incomplete without mentioning FanDuel – one of the most popular sports betting sites in the United States. The platform is currently still in the early stages of integrating USFL games on its stunning website and app, however all forms of traditional sports betting are now available. A feature that we are keenly waiting for is FanDuel’s famous same-game parlays, which allow a user to combine multiple different types of bets from the same event to engineer their chances at winning an even bigger payout. We’re sure the feature will reach USFL betting on the site soon.

  • FanDuel USFL deposit methods: Wire transfer, Visa, Mastercard, PayNearMe, Venmo, PayPal, FanDuel Prepaid Card, Cash at FanDuel retail outlets
  • FanDuel USFL withdrawal methods: Wire transfer, FanDuel Prepaid Card, Venmo, PayPal, Cash at retail outlets

Are there USFL Betting Apps?

Yes there are! All the the aforementioned USFL sportsbooks offer betting apps so that you can carry the USFL betting action on the go, wherever you go.

Best USFL Betting Sites Promo Codes 2022

The aforementioned USFL betting sites are also known for their spectacular promos, which are summarized below:

PointsBet Sportsbook Promo Codes

  • Up to $2,000 in risk free bets
  • Claim on sign-up

Caesars Sportsbook Promo Codes

  • Use promo code: [Placeholder]
  • Bonus: Risk free bet up to $1,500

DraftKings Sportsbook

  • 100% Match on your first deposit: Use code [Placeholder]
  • >Bonus: Up to $2,000 in bonuses and $50 in casino credits

BetMGM Sportsbook

  • Get up to $1,000 in bonuses>
  • Use code: [Placeholder]

BetRivers Sportsbook

  • Get up to $250 in bonuses for new users
  • Use code: [Placeholder]

FanDuel Sportsbook

  • $1,000 no-sweat first bet for new users
  • Claim on sign-up

USFL Online Betting: Types Of Bets

The lack of a historic precedent makes this a complex (read: mouth watering) challenge for bettors to figure out. Familiarizing yourself with the USFL draft and some of the achievements of the head coaches and individual players is a decent place to start preparing before you bet on the USFL online. At the end of the day, it isn’t just important to understand the betting lines but to also have some notion as to why they are that way.

There are a few basic options that you might want to consider for your first bet on the USFL. The following types of bets may be basic compared to the depth of the betting menu in many a USFL sportsbook, but they’ll still hit the spot when you start your USFL gambling journey.

1. Moneyline Bets

These kinds of bets are as simple as betting gets, and are a classic bet on the winner or loser of a football match. These are likely to be the only kind of bet that first-timers would initially make, but they’re also one kind of bet that is in even the most experienced gambler’s arsenal. For example, the Michigan Panthers at +120 would be the underdogs to win a particular game.

2. Point Spread

These kinds of bets are a little more interesting because they’re a gambler’s first entry into betting on the margins by which a game is won or lost. For example, the New Orleans Breakers at -2.5 against the Michigan Panthers implies that the Panthers are the favorites to win. If you bet on them, they must beat the New Orleans Breakers by over 2.5 points for your point spread to be a winning bet.

3. Over / Unders

Another popular form of betting on a USFL game is over / under betting. This form of betting takes into account the total score of the game, with an over / under limit being set for the game. For instance, if the limit is 59.5 points, then the total score needs to exceed 59.5 for over bets to win, while it needs to be less than 59.5 for under bets to win.

4. USFL Futures Bets

USFL futures bets are a bet on the overall outcome of the championship or other individual awards at the end of the season. Online sportsbooks will release the odds for the eventual winner of the USFL championship, based on which you can place a ‘basket’ of bets based on the odds and what betting strategies you can use to mitigate risk. For example, if the Houston Gamblers have +800 odds of winning the USFL championship, that makes them serious underdogs – and any futures bet on them ought to be counterbalanced by a bet on one or two teams that look more poised to win.

5. Prop Bets

If futures are a bet on the bigger picture, prop bets go into an individual player’s performance in a single game or the entire season. For instance, one can bet on how many yards a defender runs back, or how many passing yards are made by a quarterback, and win based on simple odds. DraftKings is the leading provider of USFL gambling. We use it regularly for all our wagering requirements.

Ranked: The Top USFL Betting Apps for 2022

  • BetMGM Sportsbook
  • Unibet
  • WynnBET
  • PointsBet
  • Betrivers
  • Caesars Sportsbook
  • DraftKings Sportsbook
  • Betway
  • bet365
  • PlaySugarHouse Sportsbook

The apps selected above are pioneers in the online betting landscape. Those situated in our top 3 have the best overall product for thos wanting to bet on the USFL. The apps all have a sleek user interface for smartphones and tablets, guaranteeing a smooth betting experience.

Best USFL Online Betting Sites for Daily Fantasy Sports

The USFL is a league that is still in its infancy, and hence football betting around the USFL is even more nascent. With that said, traditional sports betting has largely taken the USFL into its fold, though daily fantasy still has miles to go. You can bet on the USFL on FanDuel and DraftKings – two of the best DFS platforms that have already dominated both the NFL DFS and betting scene. One would be hard-pressed to find other alternatives for USFL DFS at the moment, apart from these two excellent websites.

Get up to $500 deposit bonus for DFS 4.7/5 Start Betting! T&Cs apply. Must be 18+ and only valid for new DFS players.

FAQs

Does FanDuel offer betting on the USFL?

Yes. FanDuel, amongst other legal sportsbooks, has already opened up the full list of traditional betting options for the USFL, and is poised to release its outstanding same-game parlay betting feature in the near future too.

Is the USFL coming back?

You could say that the USFL has well and truly returned. Fox Sports has restarted the USFL but with a completely clean slate, so it's more like a completely new tournament except in name.

How does prop betting work in the USFL?

Prop betting in the USFL involves betting on individual players and the milestones that they would achieve over a specific game or a season. For example, the number of passes a quarterback makes or the number of yards that a defensive person tracks back, are two examples of statistics that one can bet on. There is a growing list of betting options for USFL fans to try.

Ben Brown is a diehard football fan who has been watching since he was a kid. After college he focused on his career, but never gave up his passion for the game. Now in his 40s he is the proud owner of thehogs.net.