CFL Grey Cup Online Betting Opening Lines

Canadian Football League Outright Odds

CFL Football is back and 2017 has a lot to live up to. Last year, the Ottawa Redblacks came out of nowhere to upset the powerhouse Calgary Stampeders in overtime to win their first Grey Cup trophy. The Redblacks' win signifies that any team no matter how flawed can win it all given the league's small size and playoff format. This season, the Stamps return as the favourites while the BC Lions and Edmonton Eskimos trail as the Eastern Conference has a tie between three teams.

Calgary: the Stampeders have the makings of a dynasty but have only one Grey Cup to show in the last eight years. John Hufnagel's squad finished first in both offense and defense last season and looked like runaway champions. Bo Levi Mitchell continues to be the best quarterback bar-none and the resurgence of veteran RB Jerome Messam and DE Charleston Hughes helped. Sounds cliche but the only thing preventing the Stamps from winning it all are themselves - or a truly inspired underdog. At +260, they are juicy favourites.

British Columbia: the Lions are second to the Stamps but are considerably better than the rest on paper. The prolific Jonathon Jennings is just 24 and primed to be elite if last season wasn't a fluke. He's aided by the best slot receiver in Emmanuel Arceneaux as well as breakout talent Bryan Burnham. The addition of speed demon Chris Williams helps. The stout defense returns with Solomon Elimimian and Craig Roh. If BC is to realize their championship potential, the secondary must step up. +500 for the second most viable option is a decent bet.  

Edmonton: following a dominant 2015, the defense dropped to fifth and surrendered 155 more points. The team's linemen and linebackers remain productive but the secondary needs to be better. Pivot Mike Reilly had a career year in passing but lost one-half of the best receiving duo in Derel Walker. Adarius Bowman is still one of the best slotbacks and should eclipse 100 catches again. At +600, the Eskis are considered the third-likeliest champions but even a slight improvement to their secondary could mean a second Grey Cup in three seasons.

Winnipeg: the Bombers returned to prominence in a big way led by new quarterback Matt Nichols. With a full season under him, the sky's the limit. Joining him on offense are three-time All-Star RB Andrew Harris who continues to be a threat on both ground and air and rising receiving threat Darvin Adams. While the Bombers went from second-last to a tie for third they'll still need to improve on pressuring the opposing quarterback and forcing turnovers. Dark horses at +700, don't count out the Bombers who should continue to improve.

Hamilton: the only thing preventing the Ticats from reaching their full potential are injuries. Last year, injuries to quarterback Zach Collaros, receiver Andy Fantuz, and running back C.J. Gable slowed the team down and yet they still managed to score the most points in their conference. Their secret weapons are the receiving duo of Luke Tasker and Terrence Toliver. If Collaros and Tasker stay healthy and the defense continues to kill it on the pass-rush, Hamilton should be the East's Grey Cup favourites and +750 is more than substantial.

Ottawa: last season's unexpected champions lost heart-and-soul Henry Burris who willed the team to a Grey Cup despite an 8-9-1 regular season record.His departure is a big loss although Trevor Harris is just as capable and played better for the most part last year. Ottawa lost more than Burris. Ernest Jackson and Chris Williams, two of their leading receivers were free agency casualties as well as defensive backs Abdul Kanneh and Mitchell White. Despite the losses, Ottawa remains a solid team and +750 is generous especially in the wide-open East.

Saskatchewan: it's strange how a team that finished last in offense and second-last in defense and is in a semi-rebuild can be tied with the rest of the East in Grey Cup odds (+750). Quarterback Kevin Glenn is in his third stint as a Roughrider and is consistent enough to make the team respectable especially if Naaman Roosevelt stays healthy. Duron Carter adds more star power to the receiving corps. The defense added pieces but still, have plenty of work to do to catch the upper-tier of their deadly conference.

Montreal: even with the addition of two-time Grey Cup winning quarterback Darian Durant, the Alouettes still look like one of the league's worst offensive teams. Durant is still just 34 but hasn't played a full season since 2010. Their receivers are led by an aging Nik Lewis and they'll go with a runningback-by-committee approach. Their defense remains their focal point returning most of their key pieces although most, like Durant and Lewis, are well into their 30s. Even +750 is a stretch for the Als especially considering the inexperience of new GM Kavis Reed.

Toronto: the Argonauts are a rebuilding franchise but still have future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray at center. If he's healthy, the Argos will at least be competitive and can make the Grey Cup even with a losing record, considering their conference. With Jim Popp now as GM and offensive guru, Marc Trestman as head coach, this young Argos team will have their moments but it may be too early to really challenge the likes of the Redblacks or Tiger-Cats. +1250 is a shot in the dark but crazier things have happened.

Canadian Football League Online Betting

To find these betting opportunities, proceed to the Futures section of the sportsbook of your choice. Most books offer these odds - which allow you bet which team you think wins a championship. But because your money will be tied for a long time, it's best not to put too much. Odds change depending on roster moves, injuries, and team progress. It's best to keep updated with each team's beat writers and to sniff out potential trades and players coming back from injury. With enough foresight and research, you may score big on these types of bets.

Category : Online Betting News

Tag : cfl , Football

More articles...