The Montreal Alouettes and Edmonton Eskimos remain undefeated, but will their records survive Week 4?
Thanks to the NFL Lockout, mant NFL betting fans have turned their attention to the Canadian Football League (CFL) and Arena Football League (AFL).
The Canadian Football League season is already in full swing, and already profitable betting trends are already taking shape. The following is brief preview of this week’s CFL games along with the football odds provided by TheGreek.
In Week 3 of the CFL, the Edmonton Eskimos raised their record to 3-0 on the year
after hammering British Columbia 33-17 last Saturday night as a 2.5-point home
favorite. The Eskimos are now 6-1 straight-up in their last seven games dating
back to last season. Montreal also remained undefeated by cruising past East
Division rival Toronto 40-17 last Friday night as a 10.5-point home favorite.
In the two other games on the slate, Calgary edged out Winnipeg 21-20 last
Thursday night as a 3.5-point road favorite and Hamilton rolled to a 33-3
victory over Saskatchewan as a two-point home favorite on Saturday night.
Friday, July 22
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
at British Columbia Lions (-3.5)
Over/Under 49.5
Hamilton is now 1-2 both SU and against the spread this
season after last week’s win, while BC fell to 0-3 SU (1-2 ATS). Last year, the
Tiger-Cats won the first game 35-31 as a 3.5-point road underdog, but the Lions
evened the series with a 23-21 victory as a four-point road favorite in the
final game of the regular season. The total went ‘over’ the 50-point line in
Game 1, but stayed ‘under’ the 52-point line the second time they met.
Looking at the last five times these two played one another,
the Tiger-Cats are 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS overall. They are 4-1 ATS in their last
five games at Empire Field. The total has gone ‘over’ in the last two games in
BC, but has stayed ‘under’ in 10 of the last 14 meetings overall. BC
quarterback Travis Lulay has completed 66 of 125 attempts for 958 yards and
five touchdowns.
Saturday, July 23
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
at Toronto Argonauts (-3)
Over/Under 46
Winnipeg is 2-1 SU, but remained perfect ATS at 3-0. Toronto
is 1-2 both SU and ATS after suffering a 23-point loss to Montreal. This will
be the second meeting this season between the two teams. The Blue Bombers
pulled out 22-16 victory as a one-point home favorite on opening day with the
game staying ‘under’ the 47-point line. This was Winnipeg’s first SU win over
Toronto in the last four meeting between the two.
Over the last 10 meetings, the series is tied at five apiece
both SU and ATS. It is also tied 2-2 SU and ATS in the last four games played
in Toronto. The total stayed ‘under’ in these four games and in 11 of the past
12 meetings overall. Winnipeg RB Fred Reid is the second leading rusher in the
CFL with 52 carries for 237 yards.
Edmonton Eskimos at
Calgary Stampeders (-3.5)
Over/Under 53
Edmonton has covered the spread in its first three games,
while Calgary is 2-1 SU and 1-2 ATS. Last season, the Eskimos went 0-3 against
the Stampeders both SU and ATS, getting outscored by a whopping 144-40. All
three games went ‘over’ the total.
Calgary comes into this game with a seven-game winning
streak over Edmonton SU and is 6-1 ATS. The last time the Stampeders lost to
the Eskimos at home was a 37-16 setback in 2008 as a 4.5-point favorite. The
total has stayed ‘under’ in three of the last five games played at McMahon
Stadium, but has gone ‘over’ in 11 of the last 16 meetings overall. Edmonton
slotback Fred Stamps leads the CFL in receiving yards with 316 on just 17
receptions.
Sunday, July 24
Saskatchewan
Roughriders at Montreal Alouettes (-11.5)
Over/Under 56.5
Saskatchewan will look to avenge an opening day 39-25 loss
to the Alouettes as a 3.5-point home underdog. Last week’s loss to Hamilton
dropped the Roughriders to 0-3 both SU and ATS. Montreal, winners of the last
two Grey Cups, has outscored its opponents 109-68 in its first three games and
is 2-1 ATS.
The Roughriders are 1-7 SU against Montreal in
the last eight games but have the edge ATS at 5-3. The total has stayed ‘under’
in 12 of the last 16 games played at Stade Percival-Molson Stadium and in three
of the last five games of this series overall. Alouettes All-Star quarterback
Anthony Calvillo has been unstoppable so far, completing 80 of 166 attempts for
a league-high 1,038 passing yards and 10 touchdowns.