USFL Week 8 Best Bets, Picks & Predictions (Saturday)
Week 7 of the 2023 USFL season is in the books. Last week's set of games was arguably the best batch this year. All four games were decided by six points or less.
The Birmingham Stallions kept their winning streak alive, defeating the New Orleans Breakers 24-20. New Orleans has now lost three in a row after starting the year on a four-game winning stream. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Stars got their third consecutive win last week, defeating the Pittsburgh Maulers 37-31.
On Sunday, we had the best matchup of the week between the Houston Gamblers and Memphis Showboats. The Gamblers thought they had the game-winning touchdown with under two minutes left. However, the Showboats scored a 64-yard touchdown from Cole Kelley to Derrick Dillon, giving Memphis the 23-20 win. Meanwhile, the Michigan Panthers got the 25-22 victory over the New Jersey Generals.
While the 2023 regular season is winding down, we still have three exciting weeks of football left. Furthermore, all eight teams are still in the playoff race. Every team in the South division has a 4-3 record or better, while the Stars are the only team in the North division with a winning record.
Hopefully, the four matchups this week are again competitive. However, there are always bets to make regardless of the matchup, so let's look at some potential USFL bets you should make this week.
USFL Best Bets: Week 8 (2023)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Houston Gamblers vs. Pittsburgh Maulers
After starting the year with an 0-2 record, the Gamblers had a four-game winning streak before losing in heartbreaking fashion last week to the Showboats. However, the team has arguably been the top team in the USFL over the past few weeks, averaging 28.5 points per game during their four-game winning streak. Furthermore, Houston has an average margin of victory of 10.5 points per game in their wins this year.
While most of the league could contend for the championship this year, the Maulers have struggled. They have a 2-5 record, the worst in the USFL. Furthermore, their two victories have come against teams with losing records. More importantly, Pittsburgh has been embarrassed the past two weeks. They were shut out 22-0 by the Showboats in Week 6 and then the Maulers gave up a season-high 37 points to the Stars last week.
The spread for this game should be more than three points. While last week's loss hurt their chances of winning the South division, the Gamblers are still one of the top teams in the USFL. Meanwhile, the Maulers have the worst record in the league and have struggled on offense. Houston keeps pace with the other teams in the South division, winning by at least four points.
Bet: Gamblers -3 (-110)
Philadelphia Stars vs. Birmingham Stallions
Philadelphia won the North division last year, yet, they were awful to start the 2023 season. They won their Week 1 matchup over the Showboats but then dropped three games in a row by an average of 15.7 points per game. However, the team has recently found its footing. The Stars are on a three-game winning streak, pulling out three one-possession victories. Furthermore, they have averaged 25.7 points per game during their winning streak.
Meanwhile, the Stallions had high expectations this year after winning the championship in 2022. They started the year on fire, winning their first two games by a combined 69-12. Unfortunately, Birmingham lost two of its next three games. However, the Stallions have put together back-to-back impressive victories. They defeated the Panthers by 14 before beating the Breakers last week.
This matchup features the top teams in the North and South divisions. It is also a rematch of last year’s championship game. While the Stallions should be favored in this matchup, six points are too many. The Stars will see their winning streak end but cover the six-point spread.
Bet: Stars +6 (-110)
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.