The XFL is Actually Putting Spreads and Over/Unders on the TV Scoreboard

The (second) debut of the XFL on Saturday featured a unique broadcast detail that will certainly be of interest to gamblers. In the score bar, where most broadcasts would show record and/or ranking, the XFL showed the game's point spread and over/under.

The perk made its first appearance in the XFL's inaugural game between the D.C. Defenders and Seattle Dragons on ABC. The Defenders opened the first ever XFL games as -9.5-point favorites with the over/under set at 51.5.

While point spreads are generated for all sports, the XFL is the first to truly embrace the Vegas line directly in its broadcast. It's a detail that channels the gambling allure of its viewership.

Vince McMahon, the owner of the XFL's parent company, Alpha Entertainment, signed a multiyear deal with the London-based betting company Genius Sports last month. The deal is meant to protect the league from improper sports betting, and suggests that regulated sports gambling will be central to the XFL's market potential.

Since the Supreme Court lifted a ban on sports betting two years ago, 19 states and the District of Columbia have legalized it, obviously making it more widespread. Gambling experts say the U.S. will soon become the biggest legal sports betting market in the world.

The growth of sports gambling may be what even allows for products like the XFL to exist, and thrive on the back of its growing revenue and participation. It might not be long before other leagues start to embrace the audience's appetite.