USFL odds Week 4: Why you should bet on the New Orleans Breakers
By Sam Panayotovich
FOX Sports Betting Analyst
It’s hard to believe we’re already in Week 4 of the USFL season.
Time flies when you’re having fun.
The New Orleans Breakers (2-1) face the Houston Gamblers (1-2) this Sunday afternoon at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium, and respected money has permeated the market on the New Orleans side over the last few days.
"The line got dummied down at a couple of sportsbooks," one professional bettor told FOX Sports. "New Orleans opened -4.5 and dipped to -3.5 at a few shops earlier this week. Hours later, it jumped to New Orleans -5 and -5.5. Somebody was clearly trying to lay a lower number on the Breakers."
FOX Bet is currently dealing New Orleans -5 with a total of 39.
It’s a little too early to put much stock into trends — except for Jeff Fisher being 2-10 SU in his last 12 games as a professional football coach — but it’s not very difficult to see a pattern forming against Houston.
The Gamblers’ defense is constantly on the field too much, and they’ve given up 1,120 yards [and a league-worst 72 points] in three games. Houston would be winless if not for Michigan turning the football over three times in the opener. It’s silly to knock a team for winning a football game, but come on, Houston’s defense is a liability right now.
This one should be a blowout if New Orleans brings its A-game and protects the football. I expect Kyle Sloter to have a big first half through the air and give way for Jordan Ellis to chew up yards and clock in the second half.
Houston better be on high alert for the play-action pass, too. Their linebackers have been far from special, and if they start packing the box to stuff the run, Sloter can really put it away with a tight spiral over the top to put it out of reach.
I don’t expect this game to be all that close. Lay the points.
Breakers 27, Gamblers 10.
PICK: Breakers (-5 at FOX Bet) to win by more than 5 points
Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and NESN. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. He'll probably pick against your favorite team. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.
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