XFL 2023 Odds, News and Notes
The 2022 NFL season and 2023 playoffs and Super Bowl has ended, and the XFL picks up the slack for football bettors over the next 2-3 months. The 8-team league kicks off the season Feb. 18 and 19 with four games and here are the current betting lines along with XFL championship odds from leading online sportsbook BetOnline.
Sat., Feb. 18
- Vegas Vipers at Arlington Renegades (-3.5), Total 37
- Orlando Guardians at Houston Roughnecks (-3), Total 35.5
Sun., Feb. 19
- St. Louis Battlehawks (-2.5) at San Antonio Brahmas, Total 37
- Seattle Sea Dragons at DC Defenders (PK), Total 36.5
Championship Odds, Head Coaches and Home Stadiums
Team | Odds | Coach | Stadium |
Houston Roughnecks | +375 | Wade Phillips | TDECU Stadium |
St. Louis Battlehawks | +425 | Anthony Becht | Dome @ America's Center |
Seattle Sea Dragons | +500 | Jim Haslett | Lumen Field |
Arlington Renegades | +550 | Bob Stoops | Choctaw Stadium |
DC Defenders | +600 | Reggie Barlow | Audi Field |
San Antonio Brahmas | +650 | Hines Ward | Alamodome |
Vegas Vipers | +650 | Rod Woodson | Cashman Field |
Orlando Guardians | +1200 | Terrell Buckley | Camping World Stadium |
Divisions
North Division: D.C. Defenders, Seattle Sea Dragons, St. Louis BattleHawks, Vegas Vipers
South Division: Arlington Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, San Antonio Brahmas
"We want to be a league of opportunity and innovation," league president Russ Brandon said. "And we want to continue to advance the game of football and to develop players for it."
XFL Season and Format
The 3-year hiatus has ended after the league gained popularity in 2020. The 2023 season begins with a 40-game regular season and includes unique rule changes that were showcased previously. Check out all 2023 key rule changes, which "will increase possession and scoring options while remaining true to the spirit of the game," according to XFL President Russ Brandon. If so, it seems the game totals are too low if more scoring is expected to improve engagement and excitement while adding more winning betting interest.
Going for 1, 2 or 3 points after a touchdown instead of kicking.
- 1-point try from the 2-yard line
- 2-point try from the 5-yard line
- 3-point try from the 10-yard line
After the touchdown and extra 1, 2 or 3 point attempt, teams have two options if they hope to keep the ball and not relinquish possession.
1. Onside kick
2. The offense attempts a 4th and 15 from their own 25-yard line. If they convert, the team keeps the ball on offense. A failed attempt results in turnover and the opponent takes over.
In games that go to overtime, teams will alternate attempts from their opponent's 5-yard line. Each team will get three attempts, worth 2 points each.
The teams consist of 51 man rosters, and unlike the NFL’s lack of African American head coaches, the XFL has five black men coaching teams in the 2023 season.
Each team will play 10 regular-season games through April 23 and face the three teams in their division two times each, plus one contest against each team in the other division. Four teams will qualify for the playoff semifinal games April 29 and April 30 with the XFL Championship game May 13.
🎥 Player 54: Chasing the XFL Dream
— XFL (@XFL2023) February 15, 2023
The original series chronicles the building of the XFL and follows the unique stories of players and coaches throughout the inaugural season.
Debuts on Thursday, Feb 16 at 5PM ET on ESPN2. Episodes available to stream exclusively on ESPN+. pic.twitter.com/v4gDua3bCU
Broadcasts and Betting
The 2023 XFL season will be broadcast on the following networks:
ABC – 7 games
ESPN and ESPN – 22 games
FX – 15 games
All 43 XFL contests are scheduled to stream on ESPN+.
All teams practice in the surrounding area of league headquarters in Arlington, TX, and training camp has been going since early January. The teams will travel to games from the Arlington hub including in their home cities. While the rosters are filled with mostly unfamiliar faces and names, the league hopes betting opportunities offered on the games by top online sportsbooks will bring more interest, excitement and engagement to watch and wager on XFL 2023 games.
Players will earn approx. $60,000 at a rate of $5,000 per week plus a $1,000 bonus for each teams win. That includes pay for training camp.
Along with the XFL’s two drafts last November, approx. 50 players from NFL practice squads have joined the league for the 2023 season. Players of note include:
· WR Geronimo Allison (Vegas)
· RB Kalen Ballage (San Antonio)
· LB Vic Beasley (Vegas)
· WR Martavis Bryant (Vegas)
· QB Ben DiNucci (Seattle)
· DB Matt Elam (Orlando)
· WR Josh Gordon (Seattle)
· DB Will Hill (Arlington)
· P Marquette King (Arlington)
· QB Paxton Lynch (Orlando)
· QB A.J. McCarron (St. Louis)
· DL Caraun Reid (D.C.)
· WR Eli Rogers (Orlando)
· QB Kyle Sloter (Arlington)
· K Johnny Townsend (Orlando)
· P Brad Wing (San Antonio)
Also, the USFL, which kicked off a year ago in 2022, will begin play April 15 and run through July 2 with a 10 game regular season between 8 teams. The USFL is owned by FOX Sports and partners with NBC for additional broadcast coverage.
FairwayJay is a leading national sports handicapper and is recognized as one of the sports industry's most insightful analysts. Read more great insights from Jay here and follow him on Twitter: @FairwayJay