Orlando vs. Cleveland AFL Playoff Betting Preview

[Shame About Ray]

AFL playoff betting continues on ESPN Monday night with a National Conference Wild Card game when the (9-7) #5 Orlando Predators head to Quicken Loans Arena to lock horns with the (9-7) #4 Cleveland Gladiators. This will be the first playoff game for the Cleveland Gladiators franchise, and the first playoff game for the franchise since 2003 as the Las Vegas Gladiators.



They only have one playoff victory in its history coming back in 1998 as the New Jersey Red Dogs. Meanwhile, one of the AFL’s best franchises, the Orlando Predators take their 22-14 all-time playoff mark into this, their AFL record 17th consecutive playoff appearance.

The Predators enjoyed a well-deserved bye in Week 17, and got to punch their ticket to the postseason when New Orleans choked at home against Grand Rapids. In their last outing, they beat the VooDoo by a mere two-points, which cost AFL bettors as they failed to cover the three-point spread. The Preds are just 1-5 ATS in their L/6, and are limping into the playoffs losing four of those six games SU. QB Shane Stafford leads an offense that struggled mightily in the turnover department. Orlando was worst in the AFL with 41 turnovers, setting many team and league turnover records in the process. If these problems weren’t fixed throughout their bye week, they’ll enjoy a small cup of coffee with the Gladiators before heading home with their tails between their legs.

The same can’t be said about the Gladiators, who are playing with house money at this point of the season. They clinched a playoff birth with a 47-35 victory against their in-state rivals from Columbus, but failed to cover the lofty 14.5-point spread for the betting public. Head Coach Mike Wilpolt has to be up for Coach of the Year honors after turning around a franchise that only won two games a year ago and was largely accepted as one of the biggest jokes in league history. QB Raymond Philyaw leads the Glads into battle sporting the 2nd best passer rating in the AFL (126.5). WR Otis Amey finished 2nd in the league with 48 receiving touchdowns, but was injured in the final game of the regular season. He’s a gamer though and should be ready to go come Monday night.

There obviously isn’t much history to look at for betting trends from Cleveland’s standpoint, but Orlando can be traced back several seasons. The Preds have played in an AFL record seven ArenaBowls (2-5 SU in those games). They’re 16-10 ATS since 1996 in the playoffs, but are just 2-3 ATS in their L/5. Last year, they crashed out of the playoffs with a 41-26 defeat to the Philadelphia Soul. When they visited the “Q” earlier in the season, Cleveland knocked off Orlando 62-43 as 2.5-point home underdogs. Dating back to their days in Las Vegas and New Jersey, the Gladiators/Red Dogs have no luck against Orlando, going 3-7 both SU and ATS.

Oddsmakers tagged the Gladiators as 2-point home favorites at the open in this Wild Card showdown, but the line has since moved up to 3.5. The ‘total’ in this game now sits at 111.

You can find these lines and all of the Wild Card Arena Football betting lines at BetUS.com, so be sure to login and get your wagers down in what should be a heated clash between the powerhouse Predators and upstart Gladiators!!!

Go to the BetUS.com online sportsbook today to bet on Arena Football.