USFL - Predictions, Picks, Betting Odds & Spreads 2023

• The USFL season in 2023 runs from April 15 to July 1. The regular season concludes on June 18. 
• There are eight teams in the USFL divided into the North and South Divisions
• The 2023 USFL season is ten weeks, then a divisional playoff and championship game

Following up its first season in 2022 since a league using the same name in 1985, the USFL is back in 2023. As for spring football, it has more competition this year with the XFL, but it did start later in the year on April 15. At that point, the XFL was nearing the end of its regular season. 

The league has eight teams, four in the North Division and four in the South Division. The league has 10 regular season weeks. After these 10 weeks, the top two teams in each division will make the playoffs, with one weekend having two playoff games before the championship takes place on July 1. 

The 2023 USFL Draft took place on February 21, 2023, with the Michigan Panthers taking Michigan State offensive tackle Jarrett Horst as No.1 overall. 

The Tampa Bay Bandits were repacked ahead of the 2023 season as the Memphis Showboats.

What Is the USFL?

The United States Football League (USFL) is a pro football league owned by Fox Sports that is scheduled to begin playing a ten-week season on April 15, 2023, with Daryl “Moose” Johnston serving as the new president after Brian Woods stepped down.

As opposed to attempting to compete with the NFL, the USFL will be more of a developmental league that will help hone and fine-tune the talented young players who are not quite ready to play in those ranks.

The USFL is considered ‘Spring Football’ and will run while the NFL is in the middle of its offseason, but it will have a bit of competition as the regular season began as the XFL regular season came to a close.

Where to Bet on USFL Legally in the US

The oddsmakers have already begun to choose their USFL favorites and underdogs, but keep in mind it’s mostly based on speculation and statistical predictions since these players and coaches and teams are relatively unproven so far.

For the best USFL odds and bet selection, check out our favorite mobile sportsbooks including DraftKings, Caesars, PointsBet, BetMGM, Hard Rock, and more, all with different odds and spreads so make sure to find the ones that make the best sense for you.

Be sure to check out our predictions article on USFL futures as well as weekly game previews that break down each matchup so you can get a better idea of which team has the best chance to win the game.

How to Watch the USFL

USFL Location

In its first season, the USFL played in Birmingham, Alabama at Protective Stadium and Legion Field. They expanded to Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, Simmons Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, and Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, OH. Legion Field will not be a site for USFL games in 2023. 

Here’s where each team will be based:

• Protective Stadium: Birmingham Stallions and New Orleans Breakers
• Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium: New Jersey Generals and Pittsburgh Maulers
• Ford Field: Michigan Panthers and Philadelphia Stars
• Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium: Memphis Showboats and Houston Gamblers

USFL Teams

There are eight teams in the USFL, and they are split into two divisions: the North Division and the South Division, and though they are all currently based out of Birmingham, Alabama, the teams represent a nominal area where their fans are expected to emerge.

Each of these eight teams revive the name and colors of teams in the 1980s version of the USFL, a situation that was allowable since the original trademarks had been abandoned at the time the current league acquired them as their own.

However, in 2023, the Tampa Bay Bandits rebranded as the Memphis Showboats. 

USFL 2023 Players

Each of the eight teams in the USFL will roster 50 players. However, 40 of those players will dress on game day. The rosters were locked in, and the teams added more talent at the USFL Draft on February 21, 2023. There were 10 rounds, and 80 players were selected. The top pick was Michigan State offensive tackle, Jarrett Horst. The final selection of the draft was Grambling State cornerback Rey Estes.

USFL Head Coaches

The USFL will serve as a bit of a developmental league for head coaches and staff, as well, and some of these men are most likely using this opportunity to showcase their leadership and game planning skills for NFL owners to see.

Here are the eight new USFL head coaches who will be vying for the championship in 2022, a list that includes such NFL luminaries as Todd Haley and Jeff Fisher as well as some known college-level names including Skip Holtz and Larry Fedora.

USFL Schedule

The USFL regular season will run for ten weeks from Saturday, April 15 through Sunday, June 17 with two games played on Saturdays and two on Sundays throughout the schedule.

The top two teams from each division will make the postseason, with games being played on June 24 and June 25. The Championship will take place on July 1.

USFL Week 7 Matchups

USFL Week 7 Odds

As mentioned, players can wager on USFL games. Below are the odds for each game, per DraftKings Sportsbook.

You can earn $150 in bonus bets after wagering just $5 by clicking our link and creating an account today.

USFL Week 7 Best Bets

Generals vs Panthers

Best Bet: Under 40 (-110)

Live from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, we get the most lopsided matchup on the USFL Week 7 slate.

The Panthers have been atrocious the last four weeks. 

After starting 2-0, they’ve lost four straight, all by double digits. 

On the other side, the Generals have lost three straight. While they lead the league in rushing yards per game, they’ve topped 20 points twice all season. A team that runs well tends to drain the clock faster, which could result in fewer points for them and their opponent.

The Panthers are playing terribly right now, so even if the Generals muster 20 points, they won’t be able to do enough to help this game reach “over” at 40. 

Stallions vs Breakers

Best Bet: Over 45.5 (-110)

Kicking off the Week 7 slate, we have the Stallions and Breakers, two of the better offensive teams in the league, at least statistics-wise.

For the Breakers, they have McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who leads the lead in passing yards (1,512); Wes Hills, who leads the league in rushing yards (500); and Sage Surratt, who leads the league in receiving yards (411). For Birmingham, Alex McGough leads the league in passing touchdowns. 

Both teams are 4-2, and it’s shaping up to be a track meet. Both teams could top 25 points here. 

USFL 2023 Salary

The coaches and players in the USFL will make relatively good money for their work, though it pales in comparison to the multi-million dollar contracts of the NFL.

There are multiple ways to earn money playing in the USFL. Let’s break down each portion of a player’s potential salary: 

• Active Player: $5,350 per week
• Housing: $400 per week
• Championship Win Bonus: $5,000
• Inactive Player: $2,500 per week
• Total max salary potential: $74,000

Additionally, $26,000 of benefits are allotted to each Player, per the Collective Bargaining Agreement. This is allocated for retirement, training camp housing, and tuition-free education for Capella University or Strayer University. 

USFL Lawsuit

Can’t launch a new league using an old name without some legal drama, and right now the original USFL is suing the latest version of the USFL for several reasons:

• trademark infringement
• false advertising
• false association related to their league name, logos, and uniforms

It gets tricky when it comes to what FOX is allowed to do while re-using the name ‘USFL,’ but Larry Csonka, the initial manager of “The Real USFL, LLC,” makes a valid point in terms of the brand’s worth when he said, “If the USFL doesn’t have any value, why did Fox want it?”

This lawsuit could delay the start of the USFL’s 2022 season, but chances are with this much money involved a compromise will be struck and Spring Football will launch on time and according to plan.