Are you a football fan who can’t wait six months for the start of the NFL preseason? Need something in between to scratch that gridiron itch? Then the XFL is your ticket to pigskin paradise. And for bettors, this means chances to bet all season long, up through the title game in May.
What are the XFL championship odds for each team? The following are based on FanDuel Sportsbook.
XFL Championship Game Odds for 2023
In larger recurring leagues, odds generally are much more disparate than what you’ll find below. But with only eight teams competing after a three-year hiatus for the league, there are many unknowns — and with it, a more condensed pack of contenders.
Keep a close eye on the Seattle Sea Dragons, whose top playmakers include former Dallas Cowboy Ben DiNucci under center and former NFL standout Josh Gordon at wideout. This doesn’t mean DiNucci and Gordon will help lead Seattle to victory. But in a league laden with green players, pay attention to squads with experience at key positions.
This contingent includes 32-year-old A.J. McCarron of the St. Louis Battlehawks. He’s earned four NFL starts since 2015 while backing up longtime starters like Deshaun Watson, Derek Carr, and Andy Dalton.
Two of the first three wideouts taken in last November’s draft were Marcell Ateman (St. Louis Battlehawks) and Martavis Bryant (Vegas Vipers). In fact, Ateman was the No. 1 wideout selected, which speaks volumes about how the XFL values former NFL talent.
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For context, Ateman caught only 20 of his 41 career NFL targets (49%). His 4.62 40-yard time puts added pressure on elite route running and great hands. The fact that he went first overall . . . well, it speaks for itself.
And Bryant displayed a much higher upside while busting onto the NFL scene in his first two campaigns, aided by 4.42 speed and a 6’4″ frame. But off-the-field issues derailed his career, which appeared to end in 2018 in Oakland (coincidentally, as Ateman’s teammate during the latter’s rookie season). Now 31, Bryant presumably has one more shot.
Meanwhile, you might recognize the names of some former NFL running backs, such as Ryquell Armstead and Kalen Ballage. Neither is expected to lead their teams, however. Instead, RB starters comprise a cast of relative unknowns, led by 2021 college standout Abram Smith, who latched on briefly with the Saints before getting cut during the preseason.
Also, keep in mind, the biggest impact players on both sides of the ball might not yet be starters. It could take a couple of weeks for several depth charts to finalize, as the coaching staffs size up strengths and weaknesses and weigh the risks/rewards of staying the course versus making big moves.
- Arlington Renegades (+430)
- Seattle Sea Dragons (+470)
- St. Louis Battlehawks (+500)
- San Antonio Brahmas (+650)
- D.C. Defenders (+650)
- Vegas Vipers (+650)
- Houston Roughnecks (+700)
- Orlando Guardians (+900)