CFL TNF With A Risk FREE BetMGM Play

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Week 5 of the CFL Season starts tonight with a West Division matchup as the 3-0 (1-2 ATS) Calgary Stampeders head to Edmonton and a match with the 1-3 (2-2 ATS) Elks.

Looking at the early standings in the two CFL divisions offers quite a contrast. The four East teams have a combined 2-12 record while the five clubs that make up the West still include three undefeated teams and have an overall record of 14-4. So much for CFL Parity.

Updated on 12/12/2024
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On the board the Elks are a 3.5-point home underdog, with both sides at -110. If, after reading this, you’re thinking of using your BetMGM $1,000 Risk FREE bonus code VIBONUS to bet on the Money Line, it’s -170 for Calgary and +150 for Edmonton. Today’s total is 50. And that’s also -110 both ways. 

Let’s Look At The Visitors

So far this season, Calgary is an undefeated, consistent, offensive machine. They scored 30 in the opener, put up 33 in game two and in the last game, before their bye, dropped another 30 on the same team they’ll be lining up against tonight. That puts them 2nd in the league for points per game, only behind that Nathan Rourke led BC club.

The 387 yards a game that they’re averaging is coming from all pages of the playbook. Bo Mitchel is one of the only four QBs in the CFL that have thrown more TDs (4) than interceptions (2) this season. Malik Henry is accounting for almost 20 yards every time he makes a catch and Ka’Deem Carey has scored 3 times for a running game that is gaining over 90 yards a game.

If the Stampeders want to stay perfect, they’ll have to improve on the defence where they’re allowing almost 400 yards per contest. Those 93 points they’ve scored in the 3 games so far isn’t as impressive of a number when you look at their points allowed. Every opponent has scored at least 23 against them and those 80 points given up puts them near the bottom of the league average.

Are The Elks Worthy Of Using That BetMGM $1,000 Risk FREE Bet?

When every team you play drops 25 or more on your defence, it’s going to be a long season. Especially when you’re averaging Less than 20 points on offence. That’s the situation Edmonton finds themselves in after four games.

Nick Arbuckle is in the majority of CFL QBs that have more picks (6) than touchdown passes (2) and only Hamilton is averaging fewer rushing yards each game than the home team tonight. Kenny Lawler, Jr. is the main passing target, and his 24 receptions are tied for the lead league. When the Elks are on defence, teams are averaging over 5 yards a carry and they are last on the league’s rushing stat sheet giving up 148 rushing yards every game.

So, What’s Gonna Happen Tonight?

On paper, that field goal and a hook that the Stampeders are giving away doesn’t look like quite enough. Giving up 5.7 yards a carry is a recipe for disaster. Even in a league where you only have two downs to move the chains.

When these two met a couple games back, Calgary took over the game in the 2nd Half outscoring the Elks 20-10. Kickoff is 9pm ET and the weather is showing a 40%-60% chance of participation with the risk of a thunderstorm. It’s hard to play catch when it’s raining. That’s enough to make to make playing that OVER a little sketchy.

Look for the Calgary Stampeders to take control of this game early. Stopping a decent running team is always harder later in the game. This contest is screaming a Money Line Mania play. Whatever you’re laying on the visitors on the ML, using that VIBONUS on BetMGM to get a Risk-Free Bet, you could put at least ¾ of that laying the 3.5. Sometime around 10:30pm ET, when BetMGM releases that 2nd Half line, it's possible to make that same play all over again.

Why cash one ticket, when you can cash many?

Written by Chas Filardi, our US sports betting industry expert. Check him out at The Sports Betting Channel.