CFL Betting Notes – Week 4
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
Last week’s slate of games in the CFL started on Thursday night with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers edging Edmonton 28-21 as five-point home favorites to stay perfect on the year. Hamilton moved to 3-0 straight-up with its 41-10 rout over Montreal on Friday night closing as a heavy 12 ½-point favorite at home.
In a wild one out west on Saturday, Calgary came from behind to beat the British Columbia Lions 36-32, but the Stampeders could not cover as 10 ½-point home favorites. In the matchup between Toronto and Saskatchewan to celebrate Monday’s Canada Day, the Roughriders rolled to a 32-7 victory closing as 11 ½-point favorites at home.
Thursday, July 4
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS) at Montreal Alouettes (0-2 SU, 1-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -12 ½
Total: 56 ½
Game Overview
The Tiger-Cats come into the backend of this home-and-home series with a trio of wins both SU and against the spread by a combined score of 128-41. They rolled up 64 points against Toronto on the road in Week 2 after getting past Saskatchewan 23-17 in their season opener as five-point favorites at home.
Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has thrown for 924 yards and five touchdowns against four interceptions. He has completed 72.2 percent of his first 90 passing attempts. Brandon Banks leads the CFL in receiving yards with 20 catches for 334 yards and one touchdown.
Montreal held Hamilton scoreless for the first quarter of Friday’s game before falling apart at the seams. The defense gave up 417 yards through the air and 112 yards on the ground and the offensive line gave up six sacks.
Vernon Adams Jr. took the majority of the snaps at quarterback and threw for 173 yards and one score. Matt Shiltz completed six of his eight throws for another 64 yards through the air. The Alouettes have scored a total of 35 points in their first two games while giving up 73 points in the pair of losses.
Betting Trends
-- Hamilton has covered ATS in four of its last five games against Montreal and the total has gone OVER in four of the last six meetings between these two division foes. The Alouettes have lost four of their last five home games SU against the Tiger-Cats.
Friday, July 5
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) at Ottawa RedBlacks (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Ottawa -3 ½
Total: 54 ½
Game Overview
The Blue Bombers have now won eight of their last 10 games both SU and ATS with last Thursday’s victory in their home opener. The total stayed UNDER 57 ½ points in that game and it has stayed UNDER in five of their last seven outings. Wide receiver Lucky Whitehead made the most of his CFL debut in front of the hometown crowd with a 75 yard catch for a score in the first half of that game followed by a 41-yard catch and run in the third quarter.
Quarterback Matt Nichols completed 13 of his 21 passing attempts for 200 yards and three touchdowns against one interception. He has thrown for 384 yards and six scores in his first two games this year.
Ottawa is coming off a bye week after scoring a combined 76 points in its first two games against Calgary on the road and Saskatchewan at home. It failed to cover as a 4 ½-point home favorite in the three-point win against the Roughriders in Week 2 and the total went OVER the closing line in each of the RedBlacks’ wins.The total has gone OVER in four of their last five home games. Dominique Davis has thrown for 630 yards and three scores so far, but he has been picked off four times as well.
Betting Trends
Winnipeg has covered the closing spread in six of its last seven games against Ottawa and the total has gone OVER in four of the last five meetings. The Blue Bombers also have 6-2 SU edge in their last eight road games against the RedBlacks.
Saturday, July 6
British Columbia Lions (0-3 SU, 1-2 ATS) at Toronto Argonauts (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS)
Point-spread: BC -6 ½
Total: 57.5
Game Overview
The Lions’ defense has been torched for 108 points in the unexpected 0-3 start. It has given up at least 33 points in each of those first three games. Quarterback Mike Reilly has completed 72 of his 108 passing attempts for 827 yards and four touchdowns against three interceptions.
John White has anchored BC’s running game with 92 total yards rushing on 26 carries. Bryan Burnham had a big game catching the ball against Calgary with 10 receptions for 94 yards. Reilly completed at least one pass to seven different players in the losing effort.
Toronto is picking up where it left off last season after posting just four SU wins in 2018. The offense was shutout for three of four quarters with James Franklin taking most of the snaps at quarterback. He completed 20 of his 28 passing attempts for 224 yards, but he only tossed one touchdown against two interceptions. The Argonauts gained 97 yards rushing on 18 carries with James Wilder Jr. leading the way.
Betting Trends
-- Toronto has the slight 4-2 edge ATS in the last six meetings with the total staying UNDER in six of the last seven games in this inter-division tilt. BC has won four of its last five home games against the Argonauts both SU and ATS.
Calgary Stampeders (1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-2 SU, 2-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -3 ½
Total: 51
Game Overview
The Stampeders won for the first time this season following a loss to Ottawa in Week 1, but they may have lost their quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell for this contest. He left Saturday’s game in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury and is playing status for this Saturday is up in the air.
Nick Arbuckle took his place and led the game-winning scoring drive. He went a perfect 9-for-9 throwing the ball for 93 yards, including a touchdown throw to Eric Rogers with less than a minute left on the clock. Rogers ended the game with nine receptions for 100 yards and three scores.
Saskatchewan posted its first SU victory of year behind quarterback Cody Fajardo, in place of an injured Zach Collaros. He made a strong case to retain the starting role even if Collaros was healthy with 430 yards passing and two touchdown throws.
He completed 24-of-31 passing attempts highlighted by four completions to Kyran Moore for 127 yards and a score. William Powell ran the ball 15 times for 77 yards as the team’s leading rusher.
Betting Trends
-- Calgary has won nine of its last 12 games SU against Saskatchewan and it has covered the closing spread in six of the last nine meetings in this West Division clash. The total has gone OVER in six of the last eight matchups in Saskatchewan.
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