SportsLine football expert Emory Hunt has selected his best bets for Week 5 of the 2026 UFL season
By James Holliman Apr 22, 2026 at 11:00 am ET • 2 min read
Imagn Images The Orlando Storm enter Week 5 of the 2026 UFL season as the only unbeaten team, and all eight teams are in action this week. The D.C. Defenders (3-1), who have won their past three games, visit the 1-3 Birmingham Stallions to get UFL Week 5 started on Friday at 8 p.m. ET. On Saturday, the Storm (4-0) host the St. Louis Battlehawks (2-2) at 7 p.m., while Sunday has the Columbus Aviators (1-3) visiting the Houston Gamblers (1-3) at noon ET and the Dallas Renegades (3-1) hosting the Louisville Kings (1-3) at 3 p.m. ET.
If you're interested in wagering on UFL games, you have to see what SportsLine football expert Emory Hunt is betting. Born and raised in New Orleans, Hunt played running back at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and coached high school football before starting Football Gameplan, an in-depth analysis site. Over the past three seasons, Hunt is 132-111-2 on NFL bets. Here's a look at his picks for Week 5 of the UFL season.
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UFL Week 5 bets
- Birmingham +6.5 vs. D.C.
- Orlando -3 vs. St. Louis
- Houston +4.5 vs. Columbus
- Louisville +7.5 vs. Dallas
Birmingham +6.5 vs. D.C.
The Stallions will be making a QB change this week, moving on from Matt Corral via trade and bringing in Dorian Thompson-Robinson. That should add much-needed energy to the offensive attack. The concern in this matchup will be the Stallions' defense versus the Defenders' high-powered vertical attack. I do foresee the offense improving, which will yield many points and thus make this a much closer game than the Defenders will bargain for on the road. I'm taking Birmingham and the points and leaning Over 45.5 on the total.
Orlando -3 vs. St. Louis
You have to love the scrappy nature of the Battlehawks. They do a great job of just staying in the fight for 60 minutes and consistently finding ways to make game-changing plays. Orlando is the UFL's most balanced team, capable of running the ball and playing fundamentally sound defense. One thing's for sure; the Storm do not beat themselves. This spread feels just about right for a scrappy team versus a more disciplined one. I'm laying the points with Orlando and leaning to Under 45.5 points.
Houston +4.5 vs. Columbus
This game features two unpredictable teams and that makes the matchup intriguing. Columbus is coming off its first win of the season, achieving it by showing much more offensive consistency than it has all season. It really looks like things are starting to come together on that side of the ball. Houston's special teams were a major reason for their upset victory last weekend. I love how Coach Sumlin just consistently took the points, which ultimately gave him the win. Expect a close game between two highly inconsistent teams that'll come down to the wire but I expect Houston to cover and lean to Under 45.5.
Louisville +7.5 vs. Dallas
In a surprise move, the Kings traded QB Jason Bean and will start Chandler Rogers for the rest of the season. To be honest, don't expect much of a drop-off, as Rogers can legitimately play well. What will be interesting to watch is how defensive coordinator Jamie Sharper will dial up the pressure to frustrate red-hot QB Austin Reed in the pocket. What will keep this game close is the unknown nature of how the game plan will change for Rogers, coupled with the Kings' aggressive defense. I'm taking Louisville and the points and leaning Under 47.5 points.
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