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USFL Championship Futures: Preseason Favorites and Values

Rodrigo Villagomez

Last Updated: April 8, 2022 12:58 PM EDT • 3 min 8 sec read.

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 30: Shea Patterson #2 of the Michigan Wolverines looks for running room in the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Gregory Shamus / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

On April 16th a new era of the United States Football league will kick off with eight teams looking to be crowned the 2022 USFL champions. We give you our top USFL championship odds and picks before the start of the season.

Spring football makes its return next weekend. For the first time since the league folded in 1986, the United States Football League will take the field on April 16 for a regular-season game. Not only will game one be broadcast by its owner FOX Network but it will be simulcast on NBC and its Peacock streaming service.

All of the teams will play their 10 game regular season schedule in the hub city of Birmingham, AB this year. That means there is no home-field advantage for anyone else but the Stallions. Yet, surprisingly enough, that is not enough to put Birmingham in the conversation as a favorite to win it all at home.  

Here are my outright picks for the USFL Championship (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, and BetMGM).

USFL Championship Odds Analysis

You can find odds now on most of our top-rated sportsbooks. Of course, with the limited amount of information we have and the roster fluctuation that continues to happen, these odds are a moving target. They can, and they will change between now and the start of the season.

One constant across the books though is the Michigan Panthers who find themselves at the top of the list. Their best price is currently being offered on both Caesars and FanDuel where they are listed at +450. DraftKings has them at +400 currently, while BetMGM splits the middle at +425.

USFL Championship Picks

Michigan Panthers (+450 via FanDuel)Philadelphia Stars (+650 via BetMGM)New Jersey Generals (+900 via Caesars)

SEE ALSO: 2022 NFL Draft Odds and Picks

Who Will Win the USFL Championship?

Panthers (+450)

Name recognition plays heavily into why Michigan enters the season as the favorite to win. Their head coach, Jeff Fisher, is by far the easiest for new fans to identify. Fisher spent 15 seasons as the head coach of the Tennessee Oilers/Titans. He then finished as the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams head coach for four seasons. He is known most for his .500 football teams though and ended his NFL head coaching stint with a .512 win percentage.

He is now responsible for a young, but talented team. With the first pick in the USFL draft, the Panthers shocked the world by taking former Michigan Wolverine quarterback Shea Patterson. They later added former Denver Bronco QB Paxton Lynch to compete for the job.

The rest of their team is composed of varied professional and Spring League experience. While the books may have them as favorites, it will be an uphill battle for them to stay that way throughout the season.

Stars (+650)

Despite what oddsmakers are saying here, there is a lot to be optimistic about in Philadelphia. It all starts with their QB, Bryan Scott. In 2020, Scott led the Generals of The Spring League to an undefeated championship season. He is the only QB in The Spring League to throw for 1,000 yards. He was also named MVP of the league and the title game.

He’ll be joined by running back Paul Terry, his Spring League teammate. Terry had 39 carries for 240 yards and three touchdowns with the Generals in 2020. Also in that backfield is Matt Colburn II who played for the Blues in the 2020 Spring League season. Colburn II had 47 carries for 305 yards and a touchdown that season.

Their defense may be what is driving the odds train currently. Youth and inexperience may make for a rocky start for the squad. That said, this team has all the tools to top the standings when it's all said and done.

Generals (+900)

As one can imagine, laying odds on these teams is as much guesswork as fact-gathering. The proof is in Caesars giving New Jersey the longest odds to win the title while all of the other books have them in the middle somewhere. DraftKings has them priced at +600 in fact. So, grabbing a piece of them at Caesars odds is a steal.

They are led by two-time Grey Cup champion head coach, Mike Riley. Along with his CFL coaching experience, Riley has served as head coach of the San Antonio Riders of the World League of American Football, the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football, and was the offensive coordinator of the Seattle Dragons of the XFL.    

His Generals have two competent signal-callers. Former "Last Chance U" De’Andre Johnson played last with the Sea Lions of The Spring League and was New Jersey's second QB selected. They recently added Luis Perez who has recent AAF and XFL experience. They may put up more of a fight than most people are giving them credit for this season.

Where to Bet on the USFL

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

FanDuel SportsbookCaesars SportsbookDraftKings SportsbookPointsBetBetMGM

SEE ALSO: All picks, odds, and sports betting news. Be sure to check out SportsbookReview.com’s community forums and betting tools.

Written By:
Rodrigo Villagomez
Rod Villagomez has been a sports writer, broadcaster, and podcaster for over 15 years. He has a passion for football whether it’s the NFL, CFL, USFL, XFL, IFL, X League, or Fan Controlled. He’s also been a fan of NASCAR for almost 20 years and enjoyed watching his favorite driver, Jimmie Johnson win seven Cup Series Championships. As a betting analyst for Sportsbook Review, Rod brings his passion for the sports betting community to any assignment be it football, stock car racing, horse racing, or even, the Oscars. If you can bet on it, he is ready to break down the odds for you.