So here we are, spring 2025, and football looks different. The XFL and USFL merged, creating the United Football League. New rules, new teams, and chaos, the type of chaos that live betting feeds on.
Kickoffs used to be the boring part, but now the system looks much better. Teams are lined up closer, more returns happen, and suddenly we’ve got movement right off the boot. Nearly 80% of kicks are being returned. That’s not just a number, it means action. Odds swing, the field position gets wild, and bettors love it. There’s a real sense that anything can happen in every single play, which keeps people locked in.
What makes all this even better is that betting apps adapted almost instantly. A few years ago, you’d have to wait forever for lines to update. Now, you’ve got live props, shifting totals, and even real-time alerts. ESI’s picks by Brett Curtis lay them out clean. It’s not a list of every app. Just the ones that actually work with how the UFL plays. Some even let you build custom bet slips based on live drives.
Forget the old onside kick. It’s out. If a team scores and wants the ball back, they can try a fourth-and-12 from their own 28. Do or die. No middle ground. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, the crowd loses it, and so do the betting odds. The markets light up with next-score bets, time-of-possession props, you name it.
Extra points? Gone. You don’t kick anymore. Now it’s one, two, or three points depending on how far you want to go. The team decides. Adds pressure, and for gamblers, it adds decision points. The kind you can put money on. Will they risk the three? Will they go conservative? It’s a guessing game wrapped in a football play.
Coaches get an extra challenge now, too. But only if they win their first one. That second one can be used on anything, even penalty calls. It might seem minor, but it’s not. Game calls matter, especially to bettors with late wagers hanging on a flag.
The league isn’t hiding from the betting angle, either. It’s front and center. Lines show up during the game. Broadcasters mention point spreads like they’re giving weather updates. Betting isn’t the side dish anymore, it’s part of the main course, and fans seem okay with that.
Still catching up on the rule changes? Then be sure to check out trustworthy sources that break them down comprehensively so that you can properly inform your betting decisions.
End of the day, these aren’t gimmicks. They’re changes that actually make the game more exciting. Faster pace, more weird plays, less waiting. You’re not just watching, you’re in it. And if you’ve got skin in the game? Even better. This is what spring football should’ve been years ago. The UFL figured it out.