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UFL Week 2 Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Sunday (2024)

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Week 1 of the UFL season is in the books. The opening weekend resulted in two double-digit blowout victories. However, the other two games were close and competitive, including the final game.

The first matchup on Sunday was between the D.C. Defenders and the San Antonio Brahmas. The Defenders were the top team in the XFL last season, leading many to believe they would easily defeat the Brahmas in Week 1. However, San Antonio pulled off the upset, getting the 27-12 victory, thanks to Chase Garbers having two passing touchdowns and a rushing score.

Thankfully, the second game on Easter Sunday was a closer contest. The Memphis Showboats got the 18-12 victory over the Houston Roughnecks, easily covering the one-point spread. However, the Roughnecks nearly pulled off the comeback victory. Jarrett Guarantano had a rushing touchdown with over five minutes left in the game. Unfortunately, Houston failed to convert on the three-point attempt and never scored again.

However, all that happened last week. Now, it's time to move on to Week 2. Let's look at my favorite bet from both UFL matchups on Sunday.

UFL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Week 2 (Sunday)

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

Birmingham Stallions vs. Michigan Panthers

Birmingham was the back-to-back USFL Champions heading into the inaugural UFL season. Therefore, no one should be surprised they put away the Arlington Renegades after halftime in Week 1. The Stallions outscored the Renegades 16-3 in the second half, thanks to a pair of rushing touchdowns by Ricky Person Jr. and CJ Marable. The team was unbelievable on the ground, totaling 171 rushing yards in the victory. Birmingham had three players finish top-six in rushing yards last week.

The highlight of Week 1 was the Panthers. A.J. McCarron led the St. Louis Battlehawks on a likely game-winning drive, finding Marcell Ateman for a five-yard touchdown with under a minute to go. However, E.J. Perry took Michigan down the field, setting up Jake Bates for a 64-yard game-winning field goal with three seconds left in the contest. The Panthers scored all 18 points in the second half, including 11 in the fourth quarter.

While both teams were victorious in Week 1, the betting market views the Stallions and Panthers as very different squads. Birmingham has the best odds to win the UFL Championship at +220, while Michigan has the second-longest odds at +900. The Stallions dominated in their victory last weekend, totaling 117 more offensive yards than any other team in the UFL. Meanwhile, the Panthers needed a record-setting field goal attempt to get the win. This game could turn into a blowout.

Pick: Stallions -6.5 (-110)

Houston Roughnecks vs. D.C. Defenders

While they scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter and nearly pulled off the comeback win, the Roughnecks struggled on offense. They had only one touchdown in the contest. Meanwhile, Houston had to settle for a pair of long field goal attempts by J.J. Molson. The Roughnecks didn't score until 1:51 in the first half. They couldn't get the ground game going, totaling 42 rushing yards in the contest, with nearly half of the total coming from quarterback Jarrett Guarantano.

The Defenders lost only one regular season game in the XFL. Therefore, many expected them to wipe the floor with a San Antonio Brahmas team that finished with a losing record last year. Yet, D.C. had no offense in Week 1, totaling 12 points. Furthermore, they were the only team in the UFL not to score a touchdown last week, settling for four field goals by Matthew McCrane. The Defenders had an elite rushing attack in 2023 but totaled only 43 rushing yards against the Brahmas.

This matchup between Houston and D.C. has the second-lowest total this week, only 0.5 points ahead of the Brahmas and Showboats contest. The Roughnecks and Defenders each scored only 12 points last week, the lowest total for any team in the UFL. Furthermore, they combined for 12 points and zero touchdowns in the first half of their Week 1 matchups. While D.C. is a five-point favorite over Houston, bettors should take the under and expect a boring game.

Pick: Under 40.5 (-110)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday:

Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.

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