The 2024 United Football League season is almost here and the new UFL has a ton of excellent squads set to duke it out from March to June. Per a report from MyBookie, the site has selected its favorites to win the 2024 UFL Championship. As noted on the website, the St. Louis Battlehawks are the odds-on favorite to win the UFL title in 2024 at +300. However, the Birmingham Stallions are following close behind at +300 as well to win the championship this year. Meanwhile, two other squads to keep an eye on are the D.C. Defenders (+380) and the Arlington Renegades at +550. This will be a historic year for the UFL as this will be the first season of the league following the merger of the XFL and USFL and the fifth in the combined history of them.
For this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest news coming from the world of MyBookie and also some more notes about the website.
As noted above, the 2024 season will be the first one after the combined merger of the XFL and USFL. This is following the 2020 XFL season, 2022 USFL season, and separate 2023 seasons for both the USFL and XFL. For this campaign, the UFL features eight active teams along with 43 games as well. Four teams from each former league are set to represent the new one in 2024. This includes the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Roughnecks, Memphis Showboats, and Michigan Panthers from the USFL. Additionally, the four former XFL squads include the Arlington Renegades, DC Defenders, San Antonio Brahmas, and the St. Louis Battlehawks.
Of the returning squads, the Stallions might be one of the most successful. Skip Holtz returns for his third season as the head coach of Birmingham after compiling a 17-3 (.85) record in 2022-23 winning the USFL Championship game in both seasons. Meanwhile, another squad to keep an eye on from the XFL side is the DC Defenders. Reggie Barlow returns for his second season with DC after compiling a 9-1 record last year and reaching the XFL Championship. A rather peculiar squad to also focus on is Bob Stoops’ Arlington Renegades. The former Oklahoma head man returns for his third season with the squad after compiling a 6-9 mark over the 2020 and 2023 seasons and winning the 2023 XFL Championship.
As noted in one article, the league was created as a “merger of equals” with the respective leagues’ owners assuming 50% ownership of the newly formed UFL. The season is set to start on March 30, 2024, and end on June 2, 2024. In the first game of the new season, the matchup will feature the 2023 XFL champion Renegades and the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions.
During the 2023 USFL season, the Stallions and New Orleans Breakers were among the top two teams in the league during the regular season. The former finished with a record of 8-2 while the latter notched a mark of 7-3. Meanwhile, Arlington with a record of 4-6 last year upset the favored 9-1 DC Defenders in the 2023 XFL Championship Game.
In terms of additional team merger movement, four teams came from the XFL, three came from the USFL, and each league’s Houston-based team was merged with its counterpart to create one team. The NFL’s Roughnecks take the Gamblers’ place in the USFL while keeping the Roughnecks brand and the Gamblers’ player rights and coaching staff. Per the same report, the XFL and USFL brands will remain as individual conferences.
Per the MyBookie rankings, the Battlehawks have shot up to the top of the ranks perhaps thanks to a strong roster. This includes former Alabama standout A.J. McCarron at quarterback along with another national champion in Wayne Gallman at running back. Their head coach is former NFL tight end Anthony Becht and the coaching staff is filled with former NFL standouts like La’Roi Glover (defensive line) and Chris Claiborne (linebackers). Moreover, the squad has multiple notable players above the two mentioned like running backs Matt Jones and Christine Michael to the excellent punter Marquette King.
With a record of 7-3 last year, St. Louis has an opportunity to build on a strong 2023 campaign and keep the good times rolling into the 2024 UFL season. Of course, there are multiple teams capable of making a championship run as evidenced by the 4-6 Renegades winning it all last year in the XFL.
Once you are all squared away regarding the latest gaming news and notes coming from the world of MyBookie, make sure to also tap into the awesome array of resources for you only at SBS. Of course, for even more insights on the topic at hand, the MyBookie sportsbook review guide has you covered with all of the latest updates coming from the outlet. Conversely for those on the go, our best betting apps rundown is here to help with all the nuances regarding mobile betting sites and more. Finally, for those interested in diversifying their payment options, look no further than the payment methods breakdown. On this page, you can find options from crypto to more traditional banking routes as well.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.
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