[1] The original Houston Gamblers, who competed in the USFL from 1984 to 1985, finished with a winning record in both of their seasons, and won one Western Conference championship.
[2][3] The identical team names were the subject of a lawsuit brought to Fox by the owners of the original USFL, who claimed trademark infringement and false advertising on the part of the new league.
[8] Beaty joins the team having most recently served as a consultant at Texas, before which he spent four years as the head coach at Kansas.
[9] The defense will be led by Tim Lewis, a former first-round NFL draft pick who played in the league for four seasons before starting his coaching career and has since served as an assistant at the high school, college, and professional ranks (including the NFL and XFL) and as the head coach of the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football.
[11] Because the regular season is being held in its entirety at Protective Stadium and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, the Gamblers would technically play all of their games as a traveling team.
For a second time in as many weeks, Stallions quarterback J'Mar Smith led Birmingham to three consecutive second half drives that ended with touchdowns.
Houston, who took an 18–13 halftime lead on the strength of Will Likely's 63-yard pick-six, made it a one-possession game when Clayton Thorson connected with Tyler Simmons for a 44-yard touchdown with 12:24 left.
[14] at Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama The Gamblers will play against division rival Tampa Bay Bandits.