CFL Betting Notes – Week 8
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
The Calgary Stampeders started last week’s CFL schedule of games with a tight 17-16 road win against Ottawa closing as six-point favorites. In the second of two Thursday night tilts, Edmonton kept Toronto winless on the year with a 26-0 shutout as an 11-point home favorite.
Friday night’s inter-division clash between Winnipeg and Hamilton ended with the Tiger-Cats pulling off a 23-15 upset as slight two-point home underdogs. Saskatchewan closed out Week 7 on Saturday night with a 45-18 rout against British Columbia in a game that closed as a PICK to sweep that West Division home-and-home series.
Thursday, Aug. 1
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-1 SU, 5-1 ATS) at Toronto Argonauts (0-6 SU, 2-4 ATS)
Point-spread: Winnipeg -14
Total: 48 ½
Game Overview
The Blue Bombers lost for the first time this season both straight-up and against the spread. It was also the first time this offense failed to score at least 28 points. Winnipeg is averaging 30.7 points per game while holding opposing teams to just 17.2 points. Matt Nichols threw for 261 yards and one touchdown while completing a pass to eight different players in Friday’s loss to Hamilton. However, he was also picked off three times. The Blue Bombers were held to 63 yards rushing on 12 carries.
Toronto is still looking for its first SU victory of the season behind an offense that is scoring an average of just 12.5 PPG. The Argonauts’ defense has allowed a combined total of 214 points in those six losses. Mcleod Bethel-Thompson gave way to Dakota Prukop at quarterback in the team’s latest loss. Prukop put the ball up 13 times against Edmonton and he completed eight passes for 68 yards. The two players combined to throw three interceptions. Running back Branden Burks averaged 4.7 yards a carry on nine rushing attempts.
Betting Trends
-- Winnipeg has won six of the last seven meetings SU in this inter-division matchup and it has covered ATS in the last five games. The total has gone OVER in six of the last seven meetings in Toronto.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-1 SU, 5-1 ATS) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-3 SU, 4-2 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -3
Total: 50 ½
Game Overview
The Tiger-Cats will be without quarterback Jeremiah Masoli for Thursday night. He left last week’s game against Winnipeg late in the first quarter with a season-ending knee injury. Dane Evans took his place and completed 13-of-25 passing attempts for 94 yards. Five different players ran the ball in that game for 82 yards and two scores on 17 rushing attempts. The Tiger-Cats have scored an average of 35 PPG which is the highest total in the CFL. Their defense has only allowed an average of 19.2 PPG.
The Roughriders’ two-game sweep over BC both SU and ATS has them just two games off the pace in the West Division standings. They are 4-1 ATS in their last five games with the total going OVER in three of those contests. Cody Fajardo played one of his better games of the season with 169 yards passing and another 46 yards running the ball. He completed an efficient 21-of-26 passing attempts while averaging 6.6 yards a carry on the ground. William Powell led the rushing attack in Saturday’s lopsided win with 146 total running yards and three scores on 21 carries.Betting Trends
-- Saskatchewan has won 17 of its last 19 home games against Hamilton SU and it has covered ATS in six of the last seven meetings at Mosaic Stadium. The total has stayed UNDER in eight of the last 11 meetings overall.
Friday, Aug. 2
Ottawa RedBlacks (2-4 SU, 2-4 ATS) at Montreal Alouettes (3-2 SU, 4-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Montreal -7
Total: 53
Game Overview
Ottawa’s current four-game losing streak SU includes a 36-19 loss to Montreal on July 13 as a nine-point home favorite. The total went OVER 51 ½ points in that game, but it has stayed UNDER in the other three losses. Jonathon Jennings made his second-straight start at quarterback for an injured Dominique Davis. He did complete 83.3 percent of his 18 passing attempts in the loss to Calgary, but he only gained 125 yards through the air with one touchdown pass and two interceptions.
The Alouettes went into last week’s bye with a SU three-game winning streak while closing as underdogs in all three contests. They were 13 ½-point underdogs against Hamilton at home on July 4 and 5 ½-point home underdogs against Edmonton in Week 6. Vernon Adams Jr. has taken the majority of the snaps at quarterback and he has thrown for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions.
Betting Trends
-- Ottawa has won its last five road games against Montreal both SU and ATS. It has a 10-3 SU edge in the last 13 meetings overall and the total has stayed UNDER in the last five meetings at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.
Saturday, Aug. 3
Edmonton Eskimos (4-2 SU, 3-3 ATS) at Calgary Stampeders (4-2 SU, 1-5 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -1
Total: 48
Game Overview
The total stayed UNDER 52 points in Thursday’s shutout against Toronto and it has stayed UNDER in the Eskimos’ last four games. They are 1-2 SU and ATS on the road this season with the total staying UNDER in all three contests. Trevor Harris completed 27-of-39 passing attempts for 298 yards his last time out. He is currently ranked first in the CFL in total passing yards (1,931) and he has tossed eight touchdowns against two interceptions. Shaquille Cooper had a big night running the ball against Toronto with 128 yards and a score on 22 rushing attempts.
Calgary has quietly moved itself to just one game off the pace in the West Division standings with back-to-back wins against Toronto at home and Ottawa on the road. It has failed to cover the closing spread in its last three games and the total has stayed UNDER the closing line in its last four contests. Nick Arbuckle has played well at quarterback in place of an injured Bo Levi Mitchell. He has thrown for 1,284 yards and five touchdowns while completing 73.9 percent of his 138 passing attempts.
Betting Trends
-- Calgary has gone 18-5 SU in its last 23 games against Edmonton, but the Eskimos have covered ATS in the last five meetings. The total has gone OVER in six of the last nine matchups in this heated West Division rivalry.
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