1. The XFL absolutely embraces sports betting. They have deals with various sports betting entities and feature a healthy dialogue about sports wagering throughout their broadcasts. From prop bets to traditional betting lines, the XFL is blazing a trail in how other professional sports leagues can feature sports betting.
2. The official page for all XFL pro football betting, odds, lines and picks, in partnership with The Action Network.
3. View our latest XFL sports betting articles featuring free expert picks. We offer picks for against the spread, over/unders, moneylines, futures, and more bets.

The XFL is embracing sports betting more than any other U.S. professional or collegiate league ever has.

While the NFL and other leagues spent years fighting in court to stop the spread of sports betting, the XFL kicked off its reboot by consulting with bookmakers on new rules and encouraging media partners to infuse gambling into broadcasts. The XFL may be just starting, but it appears it is already ahead of the gambling game. Now, we'll see if it pays off.

For decades, the traditional leagues in the U.S. kept their distance from sports betting, concerned gambling would tarnish the integrity of the games. At the same time, even though commissioners and owners may have been reluctant to admit it, they benefited from fantasy sports and bettors participating in the massive underground and offshore sports betting industries. Former baseball commissioner Bud Selig once testified that sports betting is 'evil, creates doubt and destroys your sport.'

XFL Week 6 Odds – Opening Betting Lines for All 4 Games The DC Defenders are a perfect 3-0 in DC and are 4.5-point favorites at home to the Dallas Renegades in XFL Week 6 action. Robert Duff sets out the.

Times have changed. Legal bookmakers now operate in more than a dozen states, and, at least to this point, sports have survived. The NBA, the NHL and MLB each have official betting partners, and the NFL is moving in that direction. None of them, however, are as all-in on betting as the newest league on the block, the XFL, which, instead of shying away from the gambling industry, is determined to 'embrace the spread.'

'This notion of embracing the spread,' XFL president Jeffrey Pollack said, 'means that our mission, our design and our business infrastructure are all geared to the sports betting future that's coming fast.

'We see a lot of pros to leaning into the sports betting world,' he added. 'It's what our fans want. We don't see cons, we see opportunity.'

Keeping the spread in play

When creating its rules and scoring system, the XFL kept the bettor in mind and even bounced ideas off Las Vegas sportsbook operators to see what worked and what didn't.

'I thought it was very interesting,' John Murray, executive director of the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas, said of the informal calls with the XFL. 'It was cool just to talk to the guys who were starting a new football league and see what kind of ideas they had.'

The XFL landed on rules aimed at condensing the game. They wanted to increase the pace of play, eliminate virtually automatic plays like kicking extra points and enhance timing rules to improve comeback opportunities and keep the spread in play longer.

• The XFL's play clock is 25 seconds (it's 40 seconds in the NFL), and the game clock stops only briefly, except for the final two minutes of each half, called 'comeback periods.' The goal was to deliver a similar number of plays per game as the NFL but in less than three hours. NFL games during the 2019 regular season averaged 126.8 offensive snaps and 45.6 points per game. The first four XFL games averaged 124 offensive plays and 38.5 points.

• After touchdowns, teams choose between going for one point from the 2-yard line, two points from the 5-yard line or three points from the 10-yard line. 'This enhances a team's ability to make a comeback,' XFL senior vice president strategy and business development John Scheler said. 'Your bet's in play longer because the team potentially has the ability to come back and cover the spread.'

• Overtime is decided by a pseudo-shootout, with teams alternating single plays from the 5-yard line. Each score is worth two points.

The rule tweaks to timing and scoring were a challenge for oddsmakers. Not knowing how coaches would handle the new options after touchdowns and their success rate on those attempts reduced the value of the traditional key numbers -- most notably three and seven -- that bettors are accustomed to in the NFL and college football. Out of the 19 touchdowns scored in the four games over the weekend, coaches elected for the 1-point option 11 times and the 2-point option eight times. They were successful on four 1-point chances and three 2-point chances.

Creating a point spread, though, was not the toughest task for oddmakers in Week 1. Setting the over/under was.

Xfl Sports Betting Calculator

Circa Sports, a new bookmaking operation in downtown Las Vegas, was the first sportsbook to put up totals on the four Week 1 games. They admitted the process of setting the totals was not sophisticated.

Xfl Sports Betting Sites

'For me, it was a huge guess,' Circa sportsbook manager Chris Bennett said with a chuckle.

Last Thursday, Circa opened at 40.5 for each game. The first wave of bets came in, all on the over in each game. In less than three hours, the totals on each game climbed into the 50s.

Three of the four Week 1 games went under the total.

Odds-infused broadcasts

For years, play-by-play announcers like Brent Musburger and Al Michaels slyly worked gambling references into broadcasts. 'Some baskets are more meaningful than others,' Musburger might say in regards to a basket that affected the spread. Michaels is known to describe a late score that pushes the game over the total as 'overwhelming.'

There were no veiled references, though, in the weekend's XFL games. Instead, announcers were overt, and the odds were front and center.

Point spreads and over/unders were displayed alongside the scores on the XFL broadcasts on ESPN and Fox, and advertisements for the sponsoring sportsbooks like Caesars and FoxBet popped up from time to time.

In the fourth quarter of the Seattle Dragons-D.C. Defenders game Saturday, ESPN color man Greg McElroy joked about the disappointment fans who bet the over must have felt when the Dragons elected to take points off the board after a running into the kicker penalty, only to squander the ensuing scoring opportunity by fumbling deep inside D.C. territory.

For many sports betting proponents, the odds-infused broadcasts were what they envisioned when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal statute in 2018, allowing states to decide whether to regulate gambling.

Joe Favorito, a longtime sports marketing consultant in New Jersey, was watching the St. Louis-Dallas game Sunday with his 21-year-old son, who asked what the 'O/U 52.5' meant on the scoreboard on the bottom of the screen.

'[He] was casually following XFL and had no idea of the floating betting lines,' Favorito told ESPN. 'He assumed it was another deep dive into stats, not gambling. He figured it was similar to when 'SOG' appeared on a hockey scoreboard for shots on goal or when MLB suddenly added 'MV' for mound visits and 'PC' for pitch count to scoreboards. ... He became more engaged immediately.'

Betting interest

At Caesars Sportsbook in Nevada, less than $10,000 total was bet on the point spread for the opening game between the Dragons and Defenders. It might not sound like a lot -- and compared to the hundreds of thousands of dollars normally bet on NFL games, it's not -- but it was notable and was more than the amount bet on many of Saturday's college basketball games and even some NBA games.

'I think there's an interest, but it's just not something I think people have confidence to bet on yet, on the public side of things,' Caesars senior oddsmaker Alan Berg said.

In New Jersey, sportsbook FanDuel said '20 times' as much money was bet on the first XFL game as was bet on the first game of the now defunct Alliance of American Football League. XFL betting increased from Saturday to Sunday by 55%, according to FanDuel.

The XFL believes it's only the beginning of the league's relationship to the sports betting industry, which unlike its predecessors, it has decided to embrace from the opening kickoff. The XFL has announced multiple betting partners, launched a new free-play gaming app (PlayXFL) and hired sports data company Genius Sports to provide integrity services.

'The XFL should be applauded for its proactive stance in engaging with the sports betting industry,' Chris Dougan, spokesman for Genius Sports, said. 'From its inception, the league has embraced best practices with operators and built strong relationships with the state regulators. By requiring all XFL players, coaches and officials to participate in our online integrity program, the league has made education a key pillar in preventing threats of betting corruption.'

The two XFL games broadcast on ABC and ESPN averaged to 2.9 viewers. There was buzz on social media and at sportsbooks. The XFL is determined to make it last by, in part, being the most betting-friendly league in the U.S.

'For a lot of our fans,' Pollack, the XFL's president said, 'free-to-play gaming, fantasy and legal sports betting have become [as] essential to the football experience as the helmet, ball and jersey.'

The XFL has made a comeback and betting looks to be a big part of it. With a failed initial attempt in the early 2000s, Vince McMahon’s crack at pro football will get a second chance as the league approaches the first season of its modern-day revival.

With football bigger now than it has ever been before, the addition of a new (and once existing) league will add more fuel to the sport’s betting fire as hardcore bettors and fans who once fit the league’s niche in the past will flock to any action that is posted.

The XFL has foreseen this, and despite its shortcomings in their original run, the revamped league has made it clear they plan for betting integrity to be a key ingredient in their follow up effort.

Nfl Sports Betting Predictions

With an integrity strategy already in motion and teams established in some of the United States most popular sports markets, the XFL has made it clear it intends to redeem itself. But what exactly happened to the ill-fated XFL and why would it have a chance on the second go around?

XFL Crash Course

Initially conceived in 2001, the XFL was a failed plan to create an additional American professional football league that could rival the NFL. Owned by WWE CEO and chairman Vince McMahon, the league showcased itself as a borderline pro wrestling- pro football hybrid, as elements of both would cross over in an attempt to present a product that paralleled dramatic sports-entertainment to legitimate, on-the-field performance.

While this entertainment model was met with strong early ratings, interest would soon plummet, and the quality of play simply did not improve. After its inaugural season, the league would fold with McMahon and television partner NBC taking a hit of $35 million.

While unanimously deemed to be a huge bust in the fallout of their demise, there has been a resurgence in interest regarding the controversial league as of late. With its precautionary approach to sports betting and team location, one could suggest the product is entering its second stint with a vastly superior concept and a far smoother approach than what was seen in 2001.

With a different branding strategy and a responsible handling of the gambling tie-ins, the XFL at least now holds an appearance that is closer to the NFL than WWE, and if it quickly picks up heavy betting activity, patrons will naturally warm up to it.

Click the buttons below to learn more about the specifics of the XFL.

XFL Betting Online

XFL is built to be extremely popular with bettors. Here are 3 reasons you’re going to love betting on the XFL Online in 2021.

Reason 1:

While any pro sports league making its debut is likely to experience a rocky start, establishing betting integrity as a part of one’s start up is always a wise move. The XFL has made it clear that football betting will be a part of their entity and that they will emphasize safe and legitimate models for it. Because of this, potential bettors can expect to get action right away on XFL football games, as bookies are sure to try and capitalize on this. With the season set to kick off in February, patrons now have the chance to develop their strategies so profit can be secured early.

Reason 2:

With oddsmakers spending so much time and effort booking just one professional football league, the introduction of another sets up an opportunity for value. Any sport first entering the gambling community will have to find its legs and the XFL will be no exception, even with it being a professional football league. This will reflect in its odds as lines on XFL action will be softer and easier to beat in the early bits of action. While it certainly will not be a cake walk and the bookies will quickly sharpen their numbers, there will at the very least be a window of opportunity for those wanting to take advantage.

Xfl Sports Betting Odds

Reason 3:

The XFL will have a 3-point conversion option for teams wanting to extend their score in the wake of a touchdown. Due to this, teams looking for a bigger deficit could in turn impact the point spreads as games will be more likely to end slightly off the key numbers (for example, 3 and 7). While this is negated in the NFL due to the tighter lines and closer final scores, it could present an opportunity for profit in the early days of XFL play. This will also have an impact on the game’s total, and those wanting to learn more regarding XFL wagering and how to partake in it will find it wise to understand the concepts of both point spread betting and over-under betting these games. While it will take newcomers a bit of time to grasp this, it could also serve as a smoother, less volatile introduction to the world of football betting.

Check out the links below for more on XFL betting online:

Types of XFL Bets

At the end of the day, football betting is football betting. The league, level, and style may vary but football will always have universal principles to apply when wagering it.

While the wagering volume may take a bit longer to pick up steam, once it finds stride the league inevitably will be bombarded with point spread, total, and moneyline bets just as the NFL and NCAA are every weekend.

The key difference though, comes with the strategy accompanying these plays. Much like the variations between professional and collegiate football gambling, the biggest point of contrast will be the “how” or “why” rather than the “what”.

Lines will be softer, totals will be loftier, and value will be a toss up with these early XFL matchups as booking them requires practice just like betting them does.

Like anything else in sports gaming, a filled-in patron will be able pick up on this notion and use it to their ability, but there could also be a unique edge in betting the XFL in year one and year one only.

While the league is avoiding the circus-like entertainment aspects of the original product, it is priding itself on a different set of rules that (in their minds) will have direct positive results on the game and spike its viewership.

With such concepts such as three-point conversions after touchdowns and no PAT kicks, a one-foot-in-bounds catch rule, a shootout-style overtime, and tweaks in runtime to ensue shorter game durations, the XFL rules are clearly geared towards excitement and high scoring.

This means that over bets and favorites may see an uptick in betting action compared to their NFL and even college counterparts, as the point-after system is likely to lead to greater variations in final score and the offensive oriented rules suggest higher combined totals.

If the XFL makes it to year two, this is likely to change, but at the very least it gives a generous window of time for any customers trying to gain an advantage in the early days of the project.

Top XFL Betting Sites

While the new-look XFL will be in its infancy, the betting interest it attracts should make itself clear fairly early. With NFL and college football betting getting bigger each passing season, one should not expect the overall betting handle for the 10-week XFL season to rival either of them; however, there certainly will be handle to track, as getting action on these games will be a popular move for online bettors who may have trouble finding a land-based shop with the odds for XFL contests.

Traditional sportsbooks usually do a fine job ok keeping up where they have to, but the first season of booking action on a new football league should be taken with a grain of salt as it will take bookies some time to get their odds making process streamlined the way they’d prefer.

An easy way of avoiding this step entirely is to flock to XFL online betting markets, as all our recommended sports betting websites will give patrons the chance to make plays on XFL games at a consistent enough rate to make profit.

Gradually, the brick and mortar sportsbooks will catch up and offer their unique contributions, but these sites will allow bettors to cash out from the season kick off in February until the inaugural season is wrapped.

Wondering where to bet on the XFL online? Click Here to see our list of the Best XFL Betting Sites on the internet today.

Betting on XFL Teams

One thing the XFL has done a good job of before action is even underway is establishing franchises in major US markets. In fact, of the seven biggest sports media markets, five of them will carry XFL teams right out of the gate.

With organizations representing New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, and Washington D.C., the XFL will at the very least build a foundation in cities that move the needle in more way than one. With a year 2 pending based off of what we see this coming Spring, there could be more popular markets or expansion teams considered for the mix.

For the first wave however, these clubs will serve as a solid crop in terms of being able to get the ball rolling. All popular sports towns, the XFL focusing on these markets at a time of year where the NFL is nonexistent can in turn be beneficial to multiple parties again depending on how the early steps go with the brand’s resurrection.

Xfl Sports Betting Predictions