CFL Betting Notes – Week 17
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
Saturday’s action got underway with the Hamilton pasting British Columbia 40-10 as a 6 ½-point home favorite to even this home-and-home series at one game apiece. Later that night, Winnipeg made a statement in the West Division playoff race with an impressive 30-3 victory against Edmonton as a 5 ½-point underdog on the road.
Week 16 in the CFL carried over to Sunday with Saskatchewan slipping past Montreal 34-29, but failing to cover as a 6 ½-point road favorite.
Friday, Oct. 5
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7-7 SU, 7-6-1 ATS) at Ottawa RedBlacks (8-5 SU, 6-7 ATS)
Point-spread: Ottawa -1
Total: 52 ½
Game Overview
The Blue Bombers have won their last two games both straight-up and against the spread to move into a tie for third in the West standings. The total has stayed UNDER in both contests after going OVER in their previous four games. They have benefitted from much better play on the defensive side of the ball the last two games. During its previous four-game losing streak, Winnipeg had allowed at least 31 points in each of the four losses.
Ottawa is a game and half ahead of Hamilton in the East coming off last week’s bye. It brings a modest two-game winning streak (SU and ATS) into Friday’s inter-division clash and the total has stayed UNDER in four of the RedBlacks’ last six games. They are 2-4 ATS at home this season and 2-4 ATS in six previous games closing as favorites. Trevor Harris is fourth in the CFL in total passing yards and he has tossed 14 touchdowns. Despite the bye, he is still listed as questionable on the latest injury report.
Betting Trends
-- Winnipeg has covered ATS in eight of its last 12 games against the RedBlacks, but it lost the first meeting this season 44-21 as a 6 ½-point home favorite. The total has gone OVER in four of the last five meetings in Ottawa.
Saturday, Oct. 6
Toronto Argonauts (3-10 SU, 5-8 ATS) at British Columbia Lions (6-7 AU, 8-5 ATS)
Point-spread: BC -7
Total: 51 ½
Game Overview
Toronto’s straight-up losing streak reached five games with Friday night’s loss. The defending Grey Cup Champions continue to play their way out of this season’s playoffs. They have only covered the spread once in this current slide and the total has gone OVER the closing line in their last four games with a points-allowed average of 36.5 points in those four losses. Toronto gave up 24 unanswered second-half points against Calgary after trailing by just four points at the half.
The Lions recent three-game winning streak (SU and ATS) came to an end with Saturday’s loss. That total ended as a PUSH on a closing line of 50 after staying UNDER in five of their previous seven games. BC lost to Toronto 24-23 in August with Travis Lulay at quarterback. It closed as a three-point road favorite with the total staying UNDER 50 ½ points. Jonathan Jennings and Cody Fajardo split time at quarterback in Saturday’s loss with a combined 215 yards passing, one touchdown throw and three interceptions.Betting Trends
-- Toronto has won four of its last five road games against the Lions SU and it has a 5-1 edge ATS in its last six trips to BC. The total has stayed UNDER in five of the last six meetings overall.
Monday, Oct. 8
Calgary Stampeders (11-2 SU, 8-5 ATS) at Montreal Alouettes (3-11 SU, 7-7 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -12
Total: 50 ½
Game Overview
The Stampeders have had a few hiccups along the way, but they have once again positioned themselves for a deep run at this year’s Grey Cup title. This will be the 14th-straight season they advanced to the playoffs, but the memory of two-straight losses in the title game as favorites is still fresh in their mind. Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed 20 of his 34 passing attempts against Toronto on Friday night for 307 yards and two scores. He has now tossed 29 touchdowns on the year.
Give credit to the Alouettes for covering against one of the hottest teams in the CFL in the loss to Saskatchewan, but you get the feeling that Montreal fans are counting the days for this season to be over. Johnny Manziel tossed a pair of touchdowns in Sunday’s loss against no interceptions, but he ended the day with just 138 yards passing to go with a team-high 45 yards running the ball.
Betting Trends
-- Montreal has been able to cover in seven of its last eight games against Calgary including a 25-8 loss in July as a heavy 19 ½-point road underdog. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last nine meetings.
Edmonton Eskimos (7-7 SU, 6-8 ATS) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-5 SU, 7-7 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -4
Total: 52 ½
Game Overview
Behind Mike Reilly as the CFL’s most prolific passer and CJ Gable as the third leading rusher in the league, the Eskimos had been able to average 28.3 points through the first 13 games of the season. This is what made the recent three-point effort against Winnipeg so stunning at this point of the season. It never helps when you turn the ball over seven times resulting in 20 points for the opposing team.
Saskatchewan has a golden opportunity to take a firm grip on the second spot in the West Division playoffs while posting its seventh SU win in its last eight games if it can get past Edmonton on Monday. The Roughriders have failed to cover in their last three outings. The total has gone OVER in their last five games and they have scored at least 30 points in four of those contests.
Betting Trends
-- Edmonton has a 4-2 edge against its West Division rivals in its last six trips to Saskatchewan and it has gone 5-2 ATS in its last seven road games against the Roughriders. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the last five meetings in Saskatchewan.
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