How to bet on CFL | LeoVegas Sports Blog

Canadian Football League (CFL) Betting Guide

Summary:

Explore the Canadian Football League (CFL) betting world with this comprehensive guide. Learn how to bet on CFL games with LeoVegas Sport, covering simple steps from searching for CFL to selecting markets and placing bets. Delve into various betting options, including Championship Winner, Moneyline, Point Spread, Total Points, Touchdown Scorer, and Game Touchdown.

Table of Content:

How to Bet on CFL

It’s as easy as pie on mobile and desktop devices, simply follow the steps laid out below!

  1. To bet on the CFL with LeoVegas Sport, simply head to our attuned search function and type in CFL.

  2. Select the game you would like to wager on - for example an upcoming fixture between Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Redblacks. Alternatively, you can bet on any future/outrights from this area.

  3. Find the best market for you! Whether you want to simply follow the moneyline by betting on the result, or you prefer betting on the spread, LeoVegas has multiple markets for you to choose from.

  4. Once you’ve selected the bet for you, add it to your betslip, and stake your preferred amount.

  5. Best of luck and enjoy the games!

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CFL Betting Lines

The CFL represents hundreds of pre-match and live betting action options and opportunities for Canadian football fans, and a healthy dose of ante post bets too.

Check out some examples of the types of CFL betting trends below.

Championship Winner (outright)

The Championship winner market refers to backing who you believe will win the Grey Cup at the end of the season.

CFL Moneyline

Probably the most simple way to bet on the CFL is the moneyline. You wager on the result of the game, and if the team you backed successfully wins, your bet lands.

CFL Point Spread

In this market, the favourite is given a points handicap, while the outsider gets a head start. For example, if the Stampeders are -4.5 point favourites over the Elks, the Stampeders would have to win by 5 or more points. While the Elks would need to avoid defeat by five or more if you backed the +4.5 market.

Total Points

Usually coming with an over/under total, the total points market relates to how many points in the game. So, if the bookmaker set the total at 45.5, you’d predict whether the total points in the match will go over or under that amount. The actual result of the game has no impact.

Touchdown Scorer

Predict a player to score a touchdown at any point in the match or back them to get into the end zone on multiple occasions. The odds will vary according to the market.

Game touchdown

Rather than betting on a specific player to score a touchdown, you can wager on which team will score the first touchdown. For example if the Tiger-Cats are playing the Argonauts, and you believe the Argonauts will get on the board first, you can back them as the first touchdown scorers and land your bet if they do.

CFL Betting Odds

You can find the latest odds for all CFL games on LeoVegas Sport!

What is the Canadian Football League (CFL)?

The Canadian Football League represents the highest level of football outside of America and has been a mainstay on the Canadian sporting scene since 1958.

A total of nine franchises, one from each city in Canada, participate in the CFL and are divided into two conferences. Four teams do battle in the Eastern Conference and five teams in the Western Conference.

The entire premise of the competition is to win the Grey Cup - all nine teams begin the season aiming to get their hands on the prestigious trophy. To find out more about CFL betting lines, the history of its teams, and much more, check out our CFL betting breakdown below.

What is the main difference between NFL and CFL?

There are several notable differences between the NFL and CFL - however, we have broken down the top three discrepancies below:

A change in the number of players - CFL teams can field 12 players on the pitch at any one time. That’s opposed to the NFL, where only 11 players can take to the field.

On the offensive side, this extra player is usually an additional slot back. As for defence, this extra position is usually a defensive back, creating two halfbacks and one safety.

Scoring - The sole difference in scoring between the CFL and NFL is known as the ‘Rouge’. It occurs if a field goal is missed or the football is punted and the receiving team cannot exit their end zone. This is known as a single point.

Three downs rather than four - The NFL allows for four downs per possession, while the CFL limits teams to three downs. Fewer opportunities to score a touchdown makes for more aggressive tactics from both teams.

Difference in field size - While most of these distinctions between CFL and NFL relate to the rules, some are as simple as field size. The CFL’s pitch is 110 by 65 yards with the midfield line at 55 yards and the endzone is twenty-yards deep.

This contrasts the NFL pitch which has a ten-yard deep endzone and a 100 by 53 1/3 yards field with a midfield line at 50 yards.

There are several other nuances between the two - including the CFL not having a fair catch rule, different overtime rules, and an extremely varied schedule, but these are the clear contrasts between the NFL and CFL

How many teams play in the CFL?

There are nine franchises in the CFL - each from a different city. Check out the full list below:

  • Edmonton Elks
  • Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • Hamilton Tiger-Cats
  • Toronto Argonauts
  • Calgary Stampeders
  • Winnipeg Blue Bombers
  • BC Lions
  • Montreal Alouettes
  • Ottawa Redblacks

    CFL Teams

We have cherry-picked three facts to give you a brief overview of every CFL team.

Edmonton Elks

  • They have won the Grey Cup 15 times, including a three-peat and a record five consecutive wins between 1978 and 1982.
  • They set a North American sports record by making the playoffs for 34 seasons in a row between 1972 and 2005.
  • The kit is green, gold and white.

Saskatchewan Roughriders

  • A winner of the Grey Cup on just three occasions - in 1966, 1989, and 2007.
  • Their rivalry with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers is considered the most heated in the division.
  • They sport green, white, black, and silver colours.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

  • The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are the result of a merging of two separate clubs - the Hamilton Tigers and Hamilton Flying Wildcats.
  • They have won eight Grey Cups under the Tiger-Cats pseudonym.
  • In 2003, they lost a record 17 games in one season.

Toronto Argonauts

  • A record 17 Grey Cup wins means the Argonauts are the most successful team in the history of the competition.
  • They have been in existence for 148 years, having been founded in 1873.
  • They have had the lowest attendance record in the division since 2015.

Calgary Stampeders

  • They are an eight-time Grey Cup winner.
  • Despite their name and logo revolving around horse imagery, the team’s mascot is a dog.
  • The team’s colours are red, white, and black.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

  • They have won the Grey Cup on 12 occasions.
  • They are the defending champions, after beating the Tiger-Cats 33-25 in 2021.
  • The mascot is referred to as the Buzz and Bomber.

BC Lions

  • The oldest professional sports franchise in the city of Vancouver and in the province of British Columbia.
  • They are six-time Grey Cup winners.
  • After the Edmonton Elks, they have the second-longest streak of reaching consecutive playoffs - a run that stretches from 1997 to 2016.

Montreal Alouettes

  • Seven-time Grey Cup winners.
  • Nicknames include the Larks and the Als.
  • Participate in the Eastern Conference.

Ottawa Redblacks

  • The 2016 Grey Cup triumph for Ottawa Redblacks was the first time in 40 years that the city of Ottawa could celebrate a team from the city lifting the trophy.
  • The 2016 win was the only time in their short 12 year history that they have won the Grey Cup.
  • They are the third team from the city of Ottawa to play in the CFL.

CFL Regular Season

The CFL Regular Season runs from June and lasts for 21 weeks, including 18 games and three bye weeks. The goal is to finish as high as possible in the league to garner the best advantage heading into a six-team Playoff scenario.

Teams can climb their respective divisions by improving their season win totals and percentage. The higher the win percentage, the likelier they are to finish at the top of the pile.

CFL Playoffs

Once the regular season has finished, teams do battle in the CFL Playoffs for a chance to make the Grey Cup final.

The Playoffs comprise the top two teams from each division qualify and two teams with the next two best records, regardless of division. The top two teams in each division will bag the first and second seeds respectively. The team with the next-best record gets the third seed in the home division, while the final qualifier gets the third seed in the remaining division.

The first seeds in each division receive free passage to the semi-finals.

What is a CFL Grey Cup?

The CFL Grey Cup is the most prestigious trophy as part of the CFL - it crowns the overall champions. It’s Canada's largest annual sports and television event and attracts millions of viewers.

CFL Schedule

The regular CFL season runs from June until to October, while the Playoffs run in November.

The final will take place in November as well.

Last year’s Grey Cup champions, the Toronto Argonauts, will be the team to watch throughout the campaign. They begin their campaign in week two against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and conclude the regular season against the Ottawa Redblacks.

However, the standout fixture is the rematch of last season’s final between the Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. It was a thrilling 24-23 result the last time they met, will we see a similar drama in week 17?

Other integral games throughout the campaign include the Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs BC Lions in week 3, Calgary Stampeders vs BC Lions in week 10, and Edmonton Elks vs Saskatchewan Roughriders in week 15.

All-Time CFL Champions

Here is the list of all-time CFL champions since the tournament was launched back in 1909. Please note, we are not including champions that are no longer active in this list.

  • Toronto Argonauts: 17 times (1914, 1921, 1933, 1937, 1938, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1983, 1991, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2012, 2017)
  • Edmonton Elks: 14 times (1954, 1955, 1956, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1993, 2003, 2005, 2015)
  • Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 12 times (1935, 1939, 1941, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1984, 1988, 1990, 2019, 2021)
  • Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 8 times (1953, 1957, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1986, 1999)
  • Calgary Stampeders: 8 times (1948, 1971, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2008, 2014, 2018)
  • Montreal Alouettes: 7 times (1949, 1970, 1974, 1977, 2002, 2009, 2010)
  • BC Lions: 6 times (1964, 1985, 1994, 2000, 2006, 2011)
  • Saskatchewan Roughriders: 4 times (1966, 1989, 2007, 2013)
  • Ottawa Redblacks: Once (2016)

CFL Games Betting FAQs

Is CFL as good as NFL?

The NFL is viewed as the premiere footballing organisation in the world, however, the CFL still displays plenty of talented individual players.

While the CFL is the highest level of football in Canada, it isn’t quite as popular as the NFL. Although, the CFL season takes place during the NFL’s offseason and keeps football fans entertained in the meanwhile.

What is the most valuable CFL team?

In 2022, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were given the highest valuation in CFL history - reportedly worth around $50 million.

How many CFL players are actually Canadian?

Many of the players from the CFL are Canadian. On a gameday, the CFL teams dress 44 players, at least 21 of which are ‘nationals’ (mainly referring to Canadians), and the rest is made up of ‘internationals’

Who was the highest-paid CFL player ever?

Zach Collaros, quarterback of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, became the highest-paid player in CFL history in 2022. He signed a contract worth $550,000 after winning the 2021 Grey Cup MVP award.

Has there ever been a 1-0 CFL game?

There’s been one game in CFL history that has ended 1-0 - a game between the Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Rough Riders in 1966.

Which league is older, CFL or NFL?

The NFL is older than the CFL. Being formed in 1920, the NFL officially took its common name in 1922, whereas the CFL was born in 1958.

Which CFL player has won the most Grey Cups?

Jack Wedley (Toronto, Montreal Navy), Bill Stevenson (Edmonton) and Hank Ilesic (Edmonton, Toronto) are all tied for the most Grey Cups by a CFL player with seven each.

Has anyone won a Grey Cup and NFL Finals?

Multiple players have won both the Grey Cup and NFL Finals. Some of the most famous names include Barry Wilburn (cornerback for the BC Lions and Washington Redskins - as they were then known), Bobby Singh (St. Louis Rams, BC Lions, and even has an XFL winners medal), and Harald Hasselbach (Calgary Stampeders and Denver Broncos).

Has anyone gone from CFL to NFL?

Similar to the question above, lots of players have transitioned between the CFL and NFL. Once players continue to impress in Canada’s top league, they may move to the NFL after being offered a contract.

Who has won 3 GREY cups in a row?

Two teams have won the coveted Grey Cup on three-straight occasions. The Toronto Argonauts were reigning champions between 1945 and 1947, while the Edmonton Eskimos (now known as Elks) won three consecutive titles between 1954 and 1956. However, the Eskimos also won FIVE in a row between 1978 and 1982.

How do I place a bet on the Grey Cup?

It’s extremely simple to bet on the Grey Cup with LeoVegas. Type ‘CFL’ into the search function on desktop or mobile, find our outright/futures markets, and simply place your wager on who you believe will lift the trophy.

What are the odds for the Grey Cup?

Odds on who will lift the Grey Cup vary and will change throughout the season. However, the Blue Bombers lead the way with 3.00 odds, while the Argonauts and BC Lions are joint-second favourites at 6.00 odds with LeoVegas

*CFL Odds are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change

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