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**Udog** · 06-24-2015, 08:53 PM

CFL season betting preview: How to bet the East Division

The 2015 season will begin on Thursday night, with the Montreal Alouettes hosting the Ottawa Redblacks. We didn't see a single team in the East Division finish with a winning record last year, and the bookmakers are expecting the West to be superior again this season. According to the Grey Cup odds, Hamilton is the front runner in a jam-packed East.

Here's a look at how the teams in the East Division stack up entering the new campaign.

EAST DIVISION

Hamilton Tigers-Cats (2014: 9-9 SU, 9-9 ATS)

Odds to win Grey Cup: +660

Why bet the Tiger-Cats: Hamilton lost to Calgary in the Grey Cup last year, and finished first in the division during the regular season despite a .500 record. The Ti-Cats appear to be in good hands with a young quarterback in Zack Collaros, who comes off an outstanding rookie campaign. The 26 year old showed steady improvement throughout his first season as a starter, and his coach is expecting him to be even better in 2015. “He’s got some Doug Flutie in him,” said head coach Kent Austin, comparing him to one of the greatest quarterbacks the league has ever seen.

Why not to bet the Tiger-Cats: They were terrible on the road last year, winning just two of their nine games away from Tim Hortons Field. They might struggle to improve on that record with a young defense in 2015, and they'll have a tough time replacing Delvin Breaux, who left for the NFL. C.J. Gable, Nic Grigsby and Mossis Madu gave them depth in the backfield last year, but nobody stepped up as a true No. 1 running back.

Grey Cup Outlook: Good as long as Collaros can stay healthy.

Montreal Alouettes (2014: 9-9 SU, 9-9 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +820

Why bet the Alouettes: Montreal finished last season winning eight of its last 10 games, and won its first playoff game in a 50-17 rout of the B.C. Lions. The Als are deep at running back with Brandon Whitaker, Brandon Rutley, Rainey and Logan, and they signed receivers Fred Stamps, Nik Lewis and Sam Giguere. The defense remains a strength, with Chip Cox and John Bowman both resigning.

Why not to bet the Alouettes: Jonathan Crompton took the team to the playoffs in 2014, but GM Jim Popp isn't convinced he has what it takes to be the starting quarterback. “Crompton won the job last year. The bottom line is can we win with him?” said Popp. Rakeem Cato led the Als in passing in their first preseason game, a 26-9 win over Ottawa. Brandon Bridge threw for 52 yards and a TD, while Crompton was just 2-of-6 for 17 yards. Who will start on opening night is anybody's guess.

Grey Cup Outlook: Fair. If they can find themselves a capable quarterback, they should be as good as anybody in the East.

Toronto Argonauts (2014: 8-10 SU, 7-11 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +950

Why bet the Argos: While the Argos will begin the season with Trevor Harris filling in for Ricky Ray at quarterback, he'll have a stout offensive line protecting him. He's looked capable so far in the preseason. The receiving corps looks strong with Chad Owens and Andre Durie returning and a handful of veterans all competing for a roster spot. Rookie Tori Gurley impressed with seven catches for 188 yards and a TD in his first appearance of the preseason.

Why not to bet the Argos: Toronto hopes to make improvements on the defensive side of the ball, but it has a long way to go as its secondary allowed the most touchdowns in the CFL last season. The Argos’ success will likely depend on how Ricky Ray recovers from offseason shoulder surgery, and we saw last season how Travis Lulay struggled for B.C. coming off the same injury. Top it all off with a nightmare of a schedule to start the season, and the Argos have plenty to overcome.

Grey Cup Outlook: Poor. There are too many question marks surrounding this team, and if Ray has any setbacks returning from injury, the season will likely be a disaster.

Ottawa Redblacks (2014: 2-16 SU, 7-11 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +3550

Why bet on the Redblacks: Ottawa added a lot of star power on offense heading into this season, with Maurice Price, Ernest Jackson and Greg Ellingson coming into to bolster the receiving corps. Ellingson has established chemistry with veteran quarterback Henry Burris from their time together in Hamilton. Chris Williams returns after spending the last two seasons in the NFL, and he'll give them a boost on offense as well as special teams.

Why not to bet on the Redblacks: While improvement appears inevitable for Ottawa, its got a long way to go after winning just two games all of last season. The prognosis on the defensive side of the ball is a lot less positive than it is on offense, and there’s a lot riding on the 40-year-old arm of Burris.

Grey Cup Outlook: Poor. This team should be vastly improved but they've still got a long way to go before they can expect to complete with the best teams in the league.

**Udog** · 06-24-2015, 08:54 PM

CFL season betting preview: How to bet the West Division

The 2015 Canadian Football Season kicks off this week. In the West, the Calgary Stampeders are favored to repeat as Grey Cup champions, with Alberta rivals Edmonton not far behind.

West Division

B.C. Lions (2014: 9-9 SU, 8-9-1 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +625

Why bet the Lions: Quarterback Travis Lulay was the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2011, but he's struggled through shoulder injuries in recent years. If Lulay can stay healthy, he's almost certain to put up big numbers for the Lions. He gave Lions fans plenty of reason for optimism throwing for 121 yards and a touchdown on 8-of-13 passing in two quarters in the Lions 18-13 loss to Edmonton on June 19.

Why not to bet the Lions: A healthy Travis Lulay is far from a guarantee, and the offense will suffer if he has any setbacks in his return from injury. The Lions will also have a rookie head coach in Jeff Tedford, who was a coordinator for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. History tells us that the transition from the NFL to the CFL is not an easy one.

Grey Cup Outlook: If everything goes right for the Lions, they certainly have the talent to get back to the Grey Cup.

Calgary Stampeders (2014: 15-3 SU, 12-5-1 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +$375

Why bet the Stampeders: Last year's champs might have the best quarterback in the league in Bo Levi Mitchell, and the 25 year old is likely only going to get better with more experience. Jon Cornish was the league's leading rusher last year, despite only playing half the season. That's right, he ran for 1,082 yards in just nine games.

Why not to bet the Stampeders: They lost a pair of offensive linemen, with Stanley Bryant signing with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Brett Jones making the move to the NFL. They also lost a couple of key players on a defense than was only mediocre last year. Calgary should face stiffer competition from the likes of B.C., Saskatchewan and Edmonton, which have all improved.

Grey Cup Outlook: Calgary is a well-deserved favorite, but keep in mind that only one team has won consecutive championships over the last 17 seasons.

Edmonton Eskimos (2014: 12-6 SU, 12-6 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +$495

Why bet the Eskimos: They say that defense wins championships, and the Eskimos defense ranked first in the CFL in both yards allowed and points allowed in 2014. Much of the credit goes to head coach Chris Jones, and he's expected to take the team to the next level here in 2015. With Mike Reilly at quarterback, the offense has plenty of potential.

Why not to bet the Eskimos: The road to the Grey Cup goes through Calgary and Edmonton lost all three regular season meetings versus its provincial rivals last year, and then it was shellacked by a score of 43-18 at Calgary in the playoffs.

Grey Cup Outlook: Not good. Defense may win championships in the NFL, but in the CFL you need a stud at QB, and Bo Levi Mitchell is still better than Mike Reilly.

Saskatchewan Roughriders (2014: 10-8 SU, 7-11 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +$560

Why to bet the Riders: Saskatchewan lost quarterback Darian Durant to an injury last year, and went on to lose six of its final eight games without him. Durant is back at 100 percent heading into the 2015 season and the Riders have also added an insurance policy with the addition of backup Kevin Glenn.

Why Not to bet the Riders: With the departure of star offensive lineman Ben Heenan to the NFL, protecting the QB might be a bit of an issue. Glenn is certainly a great backup QB, but there's a reason why he's not the starter.

Grey Cup Outlook: Good. The Riders have what it takes to be considered a serious contender, but they are just one of several strong teams in the West Division.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2014: 7-11 SU, 8-8-2 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +$1,175

Why bet the Blue Bombers: Winnipeg showed some promise last year, winning five of its first six games. While the Bombers suffered a second-half collapse and missed the playoffs, this is still a team that is trending in the right direction. Head coach Mike O'Shea will enter his second season with Drew Willy vying to become the quarterback of the future.

Why not to bet the Blue Bombers: Winnipeg allowed a whopping 71 quarterback sacks last season - an area that desperately needs improvement. The offensive line looks better on paper, but it remains to be seen if that will translate to performance on the field.

Grey Cup Outlook: Not good. This team should be improved, but will likely be a few years away from becoming a true contender.

**Udog** · 06-24-2015, 08:54 PM

How much will CFL rule changes impact betting totals in 2015?

The CFL is throwing a little gas on the fire this coming 2015 season, trying to spark scoring with revamped rules that it hopes will boost point production after a down year for the league.

The two biggest rule changes are the new defensive pass interference rule, not allowing defenders to make any contact with receivers whatsoever after five yards from the line of scrimmage, and a new punt coverage rule that gives returning teams much more running room.

These changes could have a big impact on scoring, especially if teams continuously gain solid field position from softer defense, penalties and punts, but it won’t be reflected in the CFL betting totals. At least not yet.

According to Randall “The Handle”, renowned CFL oddsmaker for a number of sportsbooks, he’s taking a wait-and-see approach with these adjustments before tacking on any extra points to the CFL Over/Unders.

“It’s more of a case of monitoring,” Randall tells Covers. “It’s a big smoke screen, in my opinion. Scoring was down and there was a knee-jerk reaction to it. There’s just not a lot of good players in the league right now… I think the league is trying to give itself a shot in the arm (with these rule changes).”

The 2014 CFL campaign was a downtick in offensive production compared to the year prior, with teams averaging 22.74 points per game last summer compared to 26.21 in 2013.

That power outage showed up at the sportsbooks last summer, when CFL action went 5-15 Over/Under through the first five weeks of the schedule – cashing in for the Under at a 75 percent rate. And because the CFL isn’t the most popular wagering option on the board, many books didn’t even notice that one-sided lean to the Under early into 2014. On the year, CFL games finished 34-51 O/U with a 60 percent winning clip for Under bettors.

The CFL, which has hung its helmet on its explosive scoring prowess when trying to sell the product to new markets, is putting in a hands-off policy when it comes to defensive backs trying to slow down receivers.

And unlike the NFL, teams can have multiple receivers in motion when the ball is snapped, giving defenders even less time to slow down opposing targets. Oh, and head coaches can also challenge pass interference calls/no calls in the CFL, so it looks like defenders could have their hands tied in 2015.

Randall specifically mentions the decline in the passing game when noting these new rules, pointing out that there were only three receivers with more than 1,000 yards in 2014 compared to seven in 2013, and that there were only two quarterbacks who threw for 20-plus touchdown in 2014 when there were four the previous season.

As for the running game, the CFL had just one 1,000-yard rusher in 2014 – Calgary RB Jon Cornish (1,082 yards in just nine games) – after having two in 2013, four in 2012, three in 2011, five in 2010, and seven in 2009.

The new punt rule forces the five interior linemen on the punting team to stay at the line of scrimmage until the ball is punted, limiting the amount of defenders downfield. The rule is estimated to give punt returners about an extra 10 yards of running room and put more space between the defending team’s first wave – the gunners - and second wave of tacklers.

The 2014 CFL season featured nine punt return touchdowns, three scores on kickoffs and three TDs off missed field goals returns.

These amendments to the rulebook may be a change in the right direction, in terms of getting the CFL back to its high-scoring status, but are far from difference makers, says Randall, who doesn’t see teams making major adjustments to these changes, on either side of the ball, out of the gate.

“Defensively, they’ll stick to what they’ve been doing, with the same special teams coverages,” he says. “From what I’m reading, coaches really don’t know what to do, and they’ll adjust if they need to. On offense, they’re always looking for that speedster guy that can run it back, so that won’t be any different.”

Week 1 features four games with an average current total of 49.25 points. Last season, Week 1 totals closed at an average of 54 points and finished 1-3 Over/Under. Over the past 10 CFL seasons, Week 1 contests have produced a 16-24 O/U record – playing below the total 60 percent of the time.

**Udog** · 06-24-2015, 08:55 PM

CFL
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 25

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OTTAWA (2 - 16) at MONTREAL (10 - 10) - 6/25/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 14-30 ATS (-19.0 Units) in road games since 1996.
OTTAWA is 14-30 ATS (-19.0 Units) in road lined games since 1996.
OTTAWA is 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) in road games in games played on turf since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 2-0 against the spread versus OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 3-0 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Friday, June 26

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HAMILTON (10 - 9) at CALGARY (16 - 3) - 6/26/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) in games played on turf over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 3-2 against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 5-0 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Saturday, June 27

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EDMONTON (13 - 7) vs. TORONTO (8 - 10) - 6/27/2015, 5:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 3-1 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 3-1 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WINNIPEG (7 - 11) at SASKATCHEWAN (10 - 9) - 6/27/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-2 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
SASKATCHEWAN is 4-1 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 06-24-2015, 08:56 PM

CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 1

Week 1 CFL games
Not lot of info in Week 1 games, but we'll give you what we have........

Ottawa @ Montreal-- Alouettes won all three series games LY, beating expansion rivals by 10-8-6 points, with all three games staying under total. RedBlacks lost 20-10 (+5) in their one visit here LY. Ottawa covered only two of last nine road games. Montreal covered its last six home games.

Hamilton @ Calgary-- Stampeders won last seven games with Hamilton, last of which was a 20-16 (-7.5) win in LY's Grey Cup game. Last five series games stayed under the total. TiCats lost last ten visits here, but covered four of last six. Hamilton covered its last five road tilts.

Edmonton @ Toronto-- Argos won four of last five series games; eight of last nine in series went over total. Eskimos lost 36-33/33-32 in last two visits here. Eskimos covered 11 of last 16 road games, eight of last 10 games overall. Edmonton covered five of last six visits here. Toronto QB Ray is still hurt, will miss first few weeks......

Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan-- Riders won 14 of last 16 games vs Winnipeg, sweeping three games LY, by 6-5-6 points. Blue Bombers lost last 11 visits to Regina, covering only twice in last seven visits here (last three here went over). Winnipeg struggled last year because they moved to the much stronger Western Division, with Ottawa re-joining CFL.

**Udog** · 06-24-2015, 08:57 PM

CFL

Week 1

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Trend Report
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Thursday, June 25

7:30 PM
OTTAWA vs. MONTREAL
Ottawa is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Montreal is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games

Friday, June 26

9:00 PM
HAMILTON vs. CALGARY
Hamilton is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Hamilton's last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Calgary is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Calgary's last 23 games at home

Saturday, June 27

5:00 PM
EDMONTON vs. TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Edmonton's last 5 games when playing Toronto
Edmonton is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Toronto is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

8:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. SASKATCHEWAN
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Winnipeg's last 8 games when playing Saskatchewan
Winnipeg is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Winnipeg
Saskatchewan is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Winnipeg

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**Udog** · 06-24-2015, 08:58 PM

CFL

Thursday, June 25

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CFL need-to-know Week 1 betting stats and trends
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The 62nd Canadian Football League season kicks off north of the border this week with four games on the board. Sportsbooks have released their odds on these opening matchups and Covers has dug into the Week 1 trends over the past 10 CFL seasons, hoping to give you some insight and edge into the first slate of three-down matchups:

Ti-Cats’ troubles

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats can’t seem to get off on the right foot and enter the 2015 campaign on a 10-year Week 1 losing skid. To make matters worse, Hamilton is 1-9 ATS in those contests. The Ti-Cats are 0-6 SU and 1-5 ATS on the road in Week 1, which is where they open 2015 – at Calgary to play the defending Grey Cup champion Stampeders as 6.5-point underdogs Friday. Hamilton has been outscored by an average of 34.4-17.9 over the past decade of season debuts.

Easy Riders

Saskatchewan, unlike Hamilton, has been quick out of the blocks each year over the past decade. The Roughriders are an impressive 8-2 SU and ATS in their season opener since 2005, including a 5-1 SU and ATS count at home during that span. The Riders play host to rivals Winnipeg as 7.5-point home favorites Saturday.

Saskatchewan is also 7-3 Over/Under in those last 10 openers, going 4-2 O/U at home in that stretch. The Roughriders have scored an average of 34.3 points while allowing 24.1 points against during those Week 1 outings. Saturday’s total is set at 48.

Stamp this parlay

The Grey Cup champs are 7-2 SU and ATS in their last Week 1 appearances (unlike the NFL, not every team plays in Week 1) and have managed to cover in seven of those nine contests as well. Calgary, as mentioned above, is a 6.5-point home favorite versus Hamilton this coming Friday, and has not opened on the road in any season since 2005.

If you’re betting the Stampeders, you might as well parlay it with the Under in Week 1. Calgary has stayed below the betting total in seven of those nine opening week matchups. Friday’s total is set at 53 points.

Home sweet dome

The Edmonton Eskimos travel to the “Big Smoke” to take on the Toronto Argonauts in Week 1 Saturday, with Toronto set as a 4.5-point underdog in the Rogers Centre. The Argos have actually been a solid play at home during Week 1, going back to 2005, with a 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS mark in that span. However, the Eskimos are 5-1 ATS in their last six trips to Toronto, so take that trend with a grain of salt.

The Argonauts are also a profitable 2-8 Over/Under in Week 1 games the last 10 seasons, with a 1-3 O/U count at home. Toronto has scored an average of 23.6 points in those games while giving up 25 points against. Saturday’s total is set at 49.5 points.

Opening night

The other game on the CFL sked is Thursday’s opening night matchup between the Ottawa RedBlacks and Montreal Alouettes, with the Als pegged as 8-point home chalk. This is the first Week 1 matchup for an Ottawa team since the Renegades back in 2005 – the team’s final season. Ottawa was blown away 41-16 at Edmonton that year.

As for Montreal, it’s been a solid winner but bad bet in Week 1, boasting a 6-4 SU mark but a 4-6 ATS record in that span. The Alouettes were 3-1 SU but 1-3 ATS (1-3 O/U as well) at home during that time frame. Montreal has just edged Week 1 opponent over the past decade with an average score of 27.5-27.1.

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**Udog** · 06-24-2015, 08:59 PM

CFL

Thursday, June 25

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Game of the day: Redblacks at Alouettes
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Ottawa Redblacks at Montreal Alouettes (-8, 47)

The Montreal Alouettes host the Ottawa Redblacks to kick off the 2015 CFL season on Thursday. The Alouettes started the 2014 campaign 1-7, but won eight of their next nine games to clinch a playoff spot before eventually falling to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Division final.

Montreal hopes the additions of veteran receivers Fred Stamps and Nik Lewis will add offensive punch to a unit that finished eighth in the league at 294.5 yards per game. The Redblacks look to bounce back from a difficult opening season in the CFL after losing a league-worst 16 games in 2014. Ottawa lost all three meetings to Montreal last season and dropped a 26-9 decision to the Alouettes in preseason play on June 13. Ottawa was held to 10 points or fewer in eight games last year and hopes the addition of electrifying wide receiver/kick returner Chris Williams, who spent two seasons in the NFL, will energize the offence.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS

LINE HISTORY: The Als were initially -7.5 before moving up to -8. The total has jumped a full point from 46 to 47.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (2014: 2-16): Veteran quarterback Henry Burris passed for 3,728 yards and 11 touchdowns, but threw 14 interceptions and was largely ineffective behind an inept offensive line. "We need trust and have to be on the same page," Burris told reporters. "We have an opportunity to get our season off to a good start against a very good team that was in the East final last year." The Redblacks boast a revamped receiving corps with five new faces, including Williams and Brad Sinopoli, who played collegiately at the University of Ottawa.

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (2014: 9-9): Jonathan Crompton hopes to build off an encouraging second half of the season after throwing for 2,482 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tyrell Sutton and Brandon Rutley will get the bulk of the carries after the Alouettes recently released Brandon Whitaker, who led the team in rushing with 764 yards last season. "Sutton has come on over the last couple of years," Montreal general manager Jim Popp told reporters. "Rutley has continued to develop."

TRENDS:

*RedBlacks are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 road games.
*Alouettes are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 vs. East.
*Under is 5-1 in RedBlacks last 6 vs. East.
*Under is 17-3 in Alouettes last 20 games in June.

CONSENSUS: 50.83 percent of the public are behind the Als with 50.4 percent backing the over.

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**Udog** · 06-25-2015, 10:47 AM

CFL

Thursday, June 25

Home favorites were a risky wager ATS last season

Home favorites may have dominated their underdog visitors on the scoreboard last season, but they did not fare too well at the betting. Home faves went 46-14 to achieve a 76.67 winning percentage straight up last season, but were just 32-28 against the spread, cashing in at a rate of 53.3 percent.

The Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Redblacks will get the season underway north of the border with the Als presently 8-point home faves.

The Als were 3-2 SU and ATS when pegged as home favorites last season

**Udog** · 06-25-2015, 11:07 AM

CFL

Thursday, June 25

Alouettes were top Under play in 2014

The Montreal Alouettes open the CFL season at home against the Ottawa RedBlacks Thursday evening, and die-hard CFL bettors will remember that the Als were the top Under play last season, tied with the Edmonton Eskimos with a 5-13 Over/Under mark.

The Als were 4-5 O/U at home last season, but did finish under the total in all three meetings with the RedBlacks last year (one meeting in Montreal).

The total for Thursday's opener opened at 46 but currently sits at 47 or 47.5 depending on the book.

**Udog** · 06-25-2015, 12:06 PM

CFL
Dunkel

Week 1

Thursday, June 25

Ottawa @ Montreal

Game 121-122
August 15, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ottawa
104.283
Montreal
116.983
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 12 1/2
42
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal
by 8
46 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(-8); Under

Friday, June 26

Hamilton @ Calgary

Game 123-124
August 15, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Hamilton
112.992
Calgary
126.545
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary
by 13 1/2
47
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
by 6 1/2
53
Dunkel Pick:
Calgary
(-6 1/2); Under

Saturday, June 27

Edmonton @ Toronto

Game 125-126
August 15, 2015 @ 5:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Edmonton
113.270
Toronto
119.065
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 6
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
by 4 1/2
49 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+4 1/2); Over

Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan

Game 127-128
August 15, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
110.492
Saskatchewan
115.026
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Saskatchewan
by 4 1/2
53
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Saskatchewan
by 8
48
Dunkel Pick:
Winnipeg
(+8); Over

**Udog** · 06-25-2015, 09:18 PM

CFL

Friday, June 26

Last season's best bet hits the gridiron Friday

The Calgary Stampeders are not only the CFL's defending Grey Cup Champions, they were also the best bet against the spread in 2014.

The Stamps went 12-5-1 ATS in 2014, but were just 5-4 ATS at home, which is where they begin their season Friday night.

Calgary hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the team they defeated in the Grey Cup, and are currently 6.5-point home favorites.

**Udog** · 06-25-2015, 09:24 PM

CFL

Friday, June 26

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Game of the day: Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Calgary Stampeders
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Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Calgary Stampeders (-6.5, 52)

The Calgary Stampeders begin defense of their Grey Cup title against the team they defeated when they open the 2015 CFL season versus the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday. Calgary won its last seven meetings with Hamilton, including both regular-season contests in 2014 before posting a 20-16 triumph for the league title Nov. 30.

"It's a great start to the season and will get us ready for the rest of the year," Stampeders coach John Hufnagel told reporters of the rematch with the Tiger-Cats. Grey Cup MVP Bo Levi Mitchell was named one of the team's four captains in 2015 and remains at the helm of a potent offense with running back Jon Cornish, who ran for a league-best 1,082 yards last year before being held to 25 by Hamilton in the title game. The Tiger-Cats are attempting to return to the Grey Cup final for the third straight time and look for quarterback Zach Collaros to grow more comfortable in his second year in coach Kent Austin's offense. Collaros' task in the season opener was made all the more difficult as wide receiver Luke Tasker (team-leading 937 yards) has been ruled out after suffering a knee injury last week.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS

LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Stamps as 6.5-point home favorites and the total at 52.

INJURY REPORT: Tiger-Cats - WR Luke Tasker (Questionable, lower body). Stampeders - OL Shane Bergman (Questionable, head), LB Karl McCartney (Out, knee), DL Brandon Boudreax (Out, knee), WR Kamar Jorden (Out, undisclosed), OL Karl Lavoie (Out, undisclosed), DL Corey Mace (Out, back), RB Tim St. Pierre (Out, undisclosed), DL Shomari Williams (Out, undisclosed).

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (2014: 9-9 SU, 9-9 ATS, 6-12 O/U): Hamilton was in position to return 22 of 24 starters, with the only departures being All-Star cornerback Delvin Breaux's shift to New Orleans of the NFL and slotback Sam Giguere moving on to Montreal. Unfortunately for the Tiger-Cats, injuries have played a significant role already - most notably defensive end Eric Norwood (team-leading 13 sacks) being placed on the six-game injured list. "Our guys are good," Austin told reporters. "They understand it's next guy up, and the expectations for everybody who plays are the same."

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (2014: 15-3 SU, 12-5-1 ATS, 8-10 O/U): The NFL also improved at Calgary's expense as 2014 CFL Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Brett Jones is now with the New York Giants while defensive lineman Shawn Lemon (team-high 13 sacks) was signed by Pittsburgh. Pierre Lavertu, who was the first overall pick of the 2014 draft, is expected to replace Jones at center. Calgary also made news in the offseason by signing former BC Lions standout Tim Brown, who logged 27.6 yards per kick return and 11.4 yards on each punt in 2014.

TRENDS:

* Tiger-Cats are 0-5 ATS in their last five games in June.
* Stampeders are 4-1 ATS in their last five games in Week 1.
* Under is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
* Tiger-Cats are 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings in Calgary.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-four percent of users are backing the Stampeders.

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**Udog** · 06-26-2015, 12:09 PM

CFL

Friday, June 26

Ti-Cats are historically awful on the road in Week 1

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have been slow starters out of the gate in recent seasons, a trend that's carried over to the betting window.

In their last six Week 1 games on the road, the Ti-Cats are an ugly 0-6 straight up and 1-5 ATS. They open the 2015 regular season in Alberta versus the Calgary Stampeders Friday.

Hamilton began the 2014 campaign on a five-game losing streak away from home - a skid that lasted nearly two months. They finished 9-9 in the weak East division but were only able to record two wins outside of Tim Hortons Field all year.

Sportsbooks are currently dealing the Tiger-Cats as 6.5-point road underdogs. The total opened at 52 but has since risen to 53.5 as of this writing.

Announcement

CFL Trends and Indexes - Week 1 (Thur., June 25 - Sat., June 27)

CFL Trends and Indexes - Week 1 (Thur., June 25 - Sat., June 27)

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