The Ultimate XFL Betting Guide

XFL Origins

That version of the XFL played its only season in early 2001. While the league initially drew strong attendance and television viewership, those numbered plummeted as the season went on. The league folded in May 2001, soon after its first championship game.

The XFL announced a relaunch in 2018. The new version of the league began play in 2020. This time, the league was designed to be gambling-friendly while also offering faster, more streamlined play than the NFL. The league experienced success on television, and XFL betting proved popular at sportsbooks.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the season after five weeks, forcing the league to cease operations. However, in October 2020, the XFL announced that it would return to action in the 2022 season under new ownership.

XFL Owners

The original version of the XFL was a joint venture owned by the WWF (now WWE) and NBC. After the league ceased operations, WWE owner Vince McMahon took full control of the XFL brand. That allowed him to launch the 2020 version of the XFL under the ownership of his Alpha Entertainment business.

After the 2020 season was halted, the XFL filed for bankruptcy. In August 2020, Dwayne Johnson – better known to wrestling fans as “The Rock” – and business partner Dany Garcia led a group in conjunction with RedBird Capital that purchased the league for $15 million. The new ownership group, Alpha Acquico, LLC, will now control the XFL heading into its 2022 season.

XFL Teams

In the 2020 season, the XFL was made up of eight teams divided into East and West divisions. These teams and divisions may change heading into the 2022 season, though the league has not announced any specific plans as of yet. In 2020, the divisions were as follows:

The XFL also employed a “Team 9” that served as a practice squad for the entire league. Teams could sign players from the Team 9 squad, which was practicing and preparing to be ready to play if one of the eight XFL teams needed a player to fill a roster spot.

XFL Season Structure

Before its 2020 season, the XFL held an inaugural draft to fill out the rosters of the league’s eight teams. It’s unknown exactly how the XFL Draft will look in future seasons. But that first draft took place on October 15, with a supplemental draft in November. Generally speaking, XFL teams choose from players with high-level college football experience who were not on NFL rosters.

If the XFL holds another initial or supplemental draft before the 2022 season, it might use the same format. That saw players assigned to various phases of the draft based on their position. After each team was assigned a quarterback, teams selected 10 rounds of offensive skill players, followed by offensive linemen, defensive front seven players, defensive secondary players, and finally 30 rounds of open drafting.

The XFL implemented a 10-week regular season in 2020. Each team played two games each – one home, one away – against its three divisional opponents, as well as one game against each team in the other division. There were no bye weeks. Most games were played on Saturdays and Sundays.

At the end of the regular season, the top two teams moved on to the XFL playoffs. The two qualifying teams in each division were to play against each other for a divisional championship. The two winners would then move on to the XFL Championship Game.

Moneyline

The moneyline is probably the simplest bet for a new bettor to understand. Simply pick which team you think will win a given game, and if you’re right, you’ll win at the stated odds.

• St. Louis Battlehawks: -170
• New York Guardians: +150

In this example, the Battlehawks are favored to win the game. Betting $170 on St. Louis would return a profit of $100 if they win. A bet of $100 on New York would return a profit of $150 if the Guardians win.

Point Spread

The point spread is a type of bet designed to offer approximately equal odds on either team winning. This is done by giving the weaker team a handicap of a certain number of points.

A bet on the underdog wins if that team either wins the game outright or ‘covers the spread’ by losing by less than the handicap amount. A bet on the favorite only wins if they win by more than the handicap. For instance:

• Houston Roughnecks (-6.5): -110
• Dallas Renegades (+6.5): -110

In this example, a bet on Houston only wins if the Roughnecks win by at least seven points. A bet on Dallas wins if the Renegades win, or less by six points or less. In either case, a $110 bet would return a profit of $100.

Totals (Over/Under)

A totals bet is one on the combined number of points both teams will score in a game. You can bet on whether the total score will be above or below the listed number. Here’s an example:

Seattle Dragons vs. Los Angeles Wildcats

• Over 42.5: -110
• Under 42.5: -110

In this example, the over bet wins if the Dragons and Wildcats combine for at least 43 points; the under hits if they combine for 42 or less. Either way, a winning $110 bet would earn you a profit of $100.

Teasers

Teaser bets use a modified point spread, but require you to hit two or more bets to win. For instance, in a “six-point teaser,” you can move the point spread six points in your favor on each game. Teasers typically come in 6.0, 6.5, and 7.0-point varieties.

For instance, imagine you wanted to bet on the following two teams:

• Houston Roughnecks (-6.5)
• DC Defenders (-3.5)

If you took those two teams with a six-point teaser, you would now be betting on the Roughnecks (-0.5) and the Defenders (+2.5). You would have to win both games to win your bet. Typically, a two-team, six-point teaser would pay out at +100, or even money.

Futures (XFL Championship)

Not all forms of XFL betting are based on a single game. You can also bet on futures markets, such as which team will win the XFL Championship. A typical futures market might look like this:

• Los Angeles Wildcats: +300
• Tampa Bay Vipers: +400
• Seattle Dragons: +450
• DC Defenders: +700

And so on, with all teams listed. If your team wins the XFL title, your bet will pay out at the listed odds. Odds in futures markets vary throughout the season, with odds tightening and lengthening based on the outcome of each game, injuries, and other factors.

Run a Play From Scrimmage

Rather than kick an extra point after a touchdown, teams must run a play from scrimmage in an attempt to score additional points. A team can attempt a two-yard conversion for one point, a five-yard conversion for two points, or a ten-yard conversion for three points. This means that “key numbers” like seven-point spreads aren’t nearly as crucial in XFL betting.

Tied Games Result in a Shootout

In the case of overtime, the two teams compete in a shootout. Each team alternates taking two-point conversions for five rounds, with the team succeeding the most times winning the game. If the teams are tied after five attempts each, teams will take one conversation attempt each until there is no longer a tie. For betting purposes, be aware that each successful conversion counts for two points.

Two Forward Passes on Same Play

Teams may throw two forward passes on the same play. However, this is only possible if the ball doesn’t cross the line of scrimmage before the second pass is thrown. This encourages more creativity in offensive play calling, and benefits teams with more versatile skill players.

Clock Runs Continuously

For most of an XFL game, the clock runs continuously, stopping only during a change of possession. This only changes after the two-minute warning of each half, during which time the clock stops until the ball is spotted, and otherwise uses standard NFL timing rules. This generally lowers scoring a bit, but especially in the first and third quarters, which play much quicker than the second and fourth quarters.

Kickoff Rules

The XFL implemented several unique kickoff rules. Kickoffs are taken from the 30-yard line. However, everyone on the kicking team (except the kicker) lines up at the receiving team’s 35-yard line, while all blockers line up at the receiving team’s 30-yard line. These players cannot move until the ball is caught, or three seconds after it hits the ground. These rules are designed to encourage kickoff returns – potentially meaning a better chance of return touchdown prop bets hitting – while limiting severe collisions from players running downfield.

Know Your XFL Rules

As we covered above, the XFL rules are markedly different from those used in the NFL and college football. That means that certain players and styles of play are more (or less) effective than in those more traditional formats. It also means that standard tips for betting on football point spreads don’t apply, as the scoring system means teams can score many different numbers without anything particularly unusual happen in a game.

Follow Roster Changes

No matter what sport you’re betting on, it’s important to follow injury news to make sure no key players are missing from action. But the XFL comes with additional challenges. New players may join the league after being released from other professional teams, while other players might leave if they get offers from the NFL. Keep abreast of changes, as these moves can quickly alter the strength of an XFL team.

Look for Expert Advice

Since betting on this league was so popular in 2020, many sites and experts began offering XFL betting predictions. While not everyone has insider knowledge of the league, it can still pay to read these articles and listen to the advice being given. You might learn about an injury, trade, or roster change that impacts how you think about an upcoming game.

Find the Best XFL Betting Lines

As always, it pays to open an account at multiple XFL betting sites. This will allow you to shop around for the best point spreads and odds every time you want to bet on a game. If you constantly seek out the best payouts, this can make a major difference for your bankroll at the end of each season.