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February 22, 2023If we learned anything from the first week of the XFL season it’s that no lead is safe. And that makes for some anxious moments from a betting standpoint. We have information about the teams now so we can develop sound betting strategies. It will take at least another game or two to really know what teams are the best, though. I was unsure of my Week 1 parlay card with absolutely no knowledge and the results were about what I expected. I backed the Arlington Rengades at -3 in their matchup with Vegas and was delivered a loss, though the Renegades won the game 22-20. I also suffered a loss when Seattle failed to hold a lead and lost to DC. You would expect players with NFL experience to have a better game than what Ben DiNucci had with two picks and a lost fumble. The teams did go over the total so Week 1 wasn’t a complete loss.
As we head into Week 2 the Houston Roughnecks look like the team to beat. But as we know that can change week to week in a new league. A stifling defensive performance with seven sacks and 24 unanswered points allowed Houston to win and cover its game with Orlando, 33-12. Houston hosts Arlington on Sunday in a battle of 1-0 teams with the Roughnecks laying 4-points on the opening XFL betting line. Now that we have a game under our belt let’s break down a few wagering options to include on a winning XFL parlay at BetRivers sportsbook.
Week 2 XFL Parlay Picks
Oddsmakers agreed with my assessment of Houston installing the Roughnecks as a 4-point favorite, the largest spread in the brief history of the third go-round for the XFL. And while no game had a spread of more than 3-points last week, the three other matchups are all sitting at a field goal on the early XFL football lines. Three of the games went OVER the total in Week 1 but oddsmakers weren’t swayed. The Arlington/Houston matchup is the only game with an opening total above 38.5. Now that we have some stats and info to ponder, and knowing how the different rules can affect the outcome, let’s move ahead to our Week 2 XFL picks and parlays.
Arlington Renegades at Houston Roughnecks
The Renegades were thought to be one of if not the best team in the league. And while they may end up in that position, they weren’t overly impressive in their opening win over Vegas. They were able to overcome a rough start behind a defense that returned two interceptions for touchdowns and held the Vipers to 261 total yards. Offense was a struggle, though. Drew Plitt was 19 of 25 for 172 yards with a pick and the Renegades managed only 246 yards. I’m not sure if Houston is that good or Orlando is just bad, but the Roughnecks easily handled their opponent registering seven sacks and picking off three passes. The offense put up 337 total yards with Brandon Silvers throwing for 272 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The line is too steep for me so I’ll back the defenses to keep the score UNDER the total.
XFL Parlay Pick: UNDER 40
St. Louis Battlehawks at Seattle Sea Dragons
When they weren’t shooting themselves in the foot the Sea Dragons looked pretty good. They controlled most of their game with DC, but costly turnovers proved fatal. The run and shoot was running and shooting with DiNucci throwing 54 passes for 282 yards. Seattle outgained DC 331 to 177 and held the ball for 11 more minutes. But a pick six got DC back in the game and another DiNucci INT led to the go ahead score. DiNucci then lost a fumble on Seattle’s last possession. Eliminate the mistakes and the Dragons can be lethal. With the first game out of the way I expect a crisp effort from DiNucci this week and will back Seattle on the moneyline.
XFL Parlay Pick: Seattle ML
DC Defenders at Vegas Vipers
To say DC escaped Week 1 with a win would be an understatement. In a game they clearly had no business winning, the Defenders got huge contributions from their defense getting a pick-six and another interception setting up a short field. They also forced a turnover on Seattle’s final drive to seal the improbable victory. DC won’t get those breaks every game and the offense needs to step up. The QB combo of Jordan Ta’amu and D’Eriq King combined to go 9 of 21 for 93 yards. And they didn’t do much on the ground either averaging just 2.5 yards per carry. So you can see why the total opened at 36.5. Vegas played an inspired first half at Arlington only to cave in the second. I do see Luis Perez having a better game against a generous DC defense allowing me to back the home team minus the points.
XFL Parlay Pick: Vegas -3
Check out the latest XFL betting odds at BetRivers.