The Bum's 2016 Canadian Football League Picks-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Betting Recap - Week 1
June 26, 2016

League Betting Notes

-- Underdogs went 4-0 SU in Week 1

-- Underdogs went 4-0 ATS in Week 1

-- Road teams posted a 3-1 SU record in Week 1

-- Road teams posted a 3-1 ATS record in Week 1

-- The 'over/under' went 2-2 in Week 1



Team Betting Notes

-- Ottawa (1-0) opened with a high-scoring 45-37 win at Edmonton (0-1) in a Grey Cup rematch. A big part of the RedBlacks' success last season was their ability on the road, going 4-1 SU in their final five games on the road last season, while covering five of their past six away from home.

-- It was a rare loss at home for the Eskimos. The last time the Esks suffered a home loss was Aug. 21, 2015 against the Tiger-Cats. The finished the 2015 campaign with six straight victories at home, including the postseason, going 4-2 ATS during the span. They'll try again next week when Saskatchewan (0-0) comes to town for their first game of the season.

-- Winnipeg (0-1) was tripped up at home against Montreal (1-0). The Blue Bombers also lost their opener last season against the Tigers-Cats, but rebounded to win their next two on their home field.

-- The Alouettes didn't win on the road last season until Aug. 20 against the Lions, so this was a great start for Montreal. They were just 3-6 SU on the road in 2016, but a respectable 5-4 ATS.

-- Speaking of Hamilton (1-0), they hit the QEW and went up to Toronto (0-1) and humbled the Argonauts by a 42-20 count for an easy road win and cover, cashing +190 on the moneyline. The Ti-Cats were a thorn in the side of many last season, especially Toronto. They went 3-0 SU/ATS in the regular season, and they also won and covered against the Argos in the division semifinals. In fact, Hamilton is 6-0 ATS against Toronto dating back to Sept. 1, 2014.

-- The BC Lions (1-0) were the only CFL team to hold serve at home, edging Calgary (1-0) in a 20-18 defensive slog. It must've been a good feeling for the Lions, as they went 0-3 SU/ATS against the Stampeders last season, including a loss in the division semifinals. The wins snapped a 5-0 SU/ATS run for the Stamps against the Lions dating back to Aug. 1, 2014.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 2
June 27, 2016


A new season of CFL football got off to an exciting start on the field and anyone betting underdogs got off to a profitable start against the books with a perfect 4-0 record both straight-up and against the spread.

Hamilton kicked things off last Thursday with a 42-20 pounding of Toronto as a 3 ½-point road underdog. Montreal kept things going on Friday with a tight 22-14 victory on the road against Winnipeg as 2 ½-point dogs.

Saturday’s double-header started with Ottawa stunning Edmonton 45-37 in overtime as 6 ½-point underdogs on the road and British Columbia prevailed against Calgary in a 20-18 win as a three-point underdog at home.

Thursday, June 30

Ottawa RedBlacks (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) vs. Montreal Alouettes (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Point-spread: PICK
Total: 54

Game Overview

Ottawa successfully avenged last season’s loss to Edmonton in the Grey Cup title game with Saturday’s win, but it came at a price with quarterback Henry Burris leaving that game in the third quarter with a hand injury. He is currently listed as questionable for Thursday night and head coach Rick Campbell has already gone on record stating that he expects Trevor Harris to get the start.

Montreal has to be happy with its fast start after posting just one straight-up win in the last seven games of the 2015 regular season. Quarterback Kevin Glenn was impressive in his debut for the Alouettes with 332 yards passing and one touchdown throw while completing 30-of-42 passes. Duron Carter was his favorite target with eight catches for 96 yards.

Betting Trends

These two have met six times over the past two seasons and the RedBlacks are now a perfect 3-0 both SU in the last three meetings and 4-0 ATS in the last four games. The total has gone OVER in the last two contests.

Toronto Argonauts (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -2 ½
Total: 51 ½

Game Overview

The Argonauts will try and win their first game of the year on the road after coming-up short at the brand new BMO Field on opening day. Ricky Ray got the start at quarterback for Toronto in Week 1 and while he ended the game with 282 yards passing and a pair of touchdown throws to Vidal Hazelton, he was pressured all game long and sacked five times. He also fumbled the ball once to go along with an interception.

This will be Saskatchewan’s season opener after last week’s bye. It will quickly try and erase the memory of last season’s three-win disaster with quarterback Darian Durant back at the helm after missing the majority of 2015 due to injury. The Roughriders were also a good team to go against last season with just five victories ATS in 18 games.

Betting Trends

Toronto has gone 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10 road games against the Roughriders and the total has gone OVER in six of the last seven meetings between the two. The Argonauts won both meetings in 2015 SU.



Friday, July 1

British Columbia Lions (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -7 ½
Total: 51

Game Overview

The Lions have to be happy with their fast start after getting hammered by Calgary 35-9 as nine-point road underdogs in last season’s CFL playoffs. Chris Rainy was the hero this time around with two touchdowns including the go-ahead score on a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown. Jonathan Jennings got the start at quarterback and threw for 248 yards while completing 24-of-42 attempts.

Hamilton looked pretty sharp in its season opener behind Jeremiah Masoli passing the ball and Andrew Fantuz catching it. These two hooked-up seven times for 99 yards and a score. Masoli ended the game with 318 yards passing and three touchdown throws while completing 27 of his 37 passing attempts. CJ Gable added 48 yards on the ground on 11 carries.

Betting Trends

The home team in this inter-division matchup has won the last six meetings SU and the total has gone OVER in five of those six games. They have split the season series 3-3 ATS over the past three years.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS) vs. Calgary Stampeders (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -8 ½
Total: 49 ½

Game Overview

The Blue Bombers have picked-up where they left off losing six of its last seven games SU in 2015. They were shutout in the first half against Montreal in a game that stayed well UNDER the closing 48 ½-point total line. Drew Willy did throw for 303 yards and a score and Andrew Harris added 80 yards rushing the ball on 13 carries, but Winnipeg could only find the end zone once in this game.

Calgary will look to bounce back after getting stunned as a road favorite. It was in position to tie that game in the fourth quarter, but veteran kicker Rene Paredes missed a field goal from 31 yards out. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell ended the day with 233 yards passing and the Stampeders were only able to add 50 yards on the ground.

Betting Trends

Winnipeg is 1-4 SU in the last five meetings but it has a 3-1-1 edge ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in the last four meetings in Calgary and it has stayed UNDER in four of the last six meetings overall.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Dunkel

Week 2


Thursday, June 30

Ottawa @ Montreal

Game 301-302
June 30, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ottawa
114.585
Montreal
117.069
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 2 1/2
57
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ottawa
by 1
54
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(+1); Over

Toronto @ Saskatchewan

Game 303-304
June 30, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
113.687
Saskatchewan
111.069
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 2 1/2
46
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Saskatchewan
by 4
51 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+4); Under


Friday, July 1

BC Lions @ Hamilton

Game 305-306
July 1, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
BC Lions
111.132
Hamilton
119.513
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Hamilton
by 8 1/2
45
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Hamilton
by 6
50 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Hamilton
(-6); Under

Winnipeg @ Calgary

Game 307-308
July 1, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
107.615
Calgary
114.464
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary
by 7
55
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
by 10
49
Dunkel Pick:
Winnipeg
(+10); Over




CFL
Long Sheet

Week 2

Thursday, June 30

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OTTAWA (14 - 6) at MONTREAL (6 - 12) - 6/30/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) versus division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 3-2 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 3-3 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TORONTO (9 - 10) at SASKATCHEWAN (3 - 15) - 6/30/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) in games played on turf over the last 3 seasons.

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

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Friday, July 1

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (7 - 12) at HAMILTON (11 - 9) - 7/1/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 53-28 ATS (+22.2 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 87-61 ATS (+19.9 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 35-18 ATS (+15.2 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points since 1996.

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WINNIPEG (5 - 13) at CALGARY (15 - 5) - 7/1/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 117-88 ATS (+20.2 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1996.

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

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CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 2

Not a lot to go on early in the CFL season, but we'll do what we can..........

Week 2 CFL games
Ottawa (1-0) @ Montreal (1-0)-- Ottawa pulled upset in OT at Edmonton last week, after tying game with 0:01 left; RedBlacks had 590-442 edge in yardage, overcoming -2 turnover ratio. Montreal won its opener at Winnipeg, leading 12-0 at half in 22-14 win. RedBlacks swept Montreal LY, winning by 3-4-22 points after going 0-3 vs Alouettes year before- they split two visits here. Four of six series games stayed under; under is 7-2 in Alouettes' last nine home games.

Toronto (0-1) @ Saskatchewan (0-0)-- Argonauts opened their new stadium last week with 42-20 loss to Hamilton; they were down 18-6 at half in game where they were outgained 379-296. Toronto won four of last five games with Saskatchewan, winning LY's games 42-40/30-26. Roughriders had bye LW; they started 0-9 LY, wound up 3-15, with two three wins vs Alouettes. Argonauts won three of last four visits to Regina. Six of last seven series games went over total.

British Columbia (1-0) @ Hamilton (1-0)-- Both teams opened with upset wins; Lions beat Calgary at home, kicking winning FG with 3:43 left. TiCats won easily at Toronto, leading 18-6 at half-- they've lost last three visits to Hamilton by 8-2-30 points. Home side won last six series games, with five of those six games going over the total. Last year's meetings were one-sided; Hamilton won 52-22 at home in first meeting, then lost 40-13 in Vancouver in rematch.

Winnipeg (0-1) @ Calgary (0-1)-- Stampeders are 13-1 in last fourteen games vs Winnipeg, sweeping the Bombers LY, by 1-28-3 points. Winnipeg lost its last 12 visits to Calgary, going 3-2-2 vs spread in last seven. Under is 4-1-1 in last six series games. Stamps were 9-1 at home LY, covering five of last six. Winnipeg got upset at home by Montreal LW, its 11th loss in last 13 games, dating back to LY- they lost seven of last eight road games (3-5 vs spread).




CFL

Week 2

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, June 30

7:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. MONTREAL
Ottawa is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 6 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Montreal is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Montreal's last 9 games at home

10:00 PM
TORONTO vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Toronto is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 7 games when playing Toronto
Saskatchewan is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing Toronto

Friday, July 1

7:00 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. HAMILTON
British Columbia is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Hamilton
British Columbia is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games when playing Hamilton
Hamilton is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games when playing British Columbia
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Hamilton's last 12 games when playing at home against British Columbia

10:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. CALGARY
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Winnipeg is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Calgary's last 11 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Calgary's last 8 games

[StarDust Bum]

WLT PCT UNITS RANK

ATS Picks 1-3-0 25.00% -1150

O/U Picks 3-1-0 75.00% +950

THURSDAY, JUNE 30

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

OTT at MTL 07:00 PM

OTT -1.0

U 53.5


TOR at SSK 10:00 PM

TOR +4.0

O 51.5

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

-- Indians won their 13th straight game last night; last time the Tribe won 13 games in a row, the Rochester Royals (now Sacramento Kings) were NBA champions.

-- Clayton Kershaw goes on the DL with a bad back. Dodgers acquired Bud Norris from Atlanta for two low-level minor league relief pitchers. Dodgers are desperate for starting pitching.

-- Marlins acquired closer Fernando Rodney from San Diego.

-- Giants didn't use a DH in Oakland last night; they let Madison Bumgarner hit.

-- Bronx pushed CC Sabathia's next start back to Monday; they don't want him to hit in San Diego this weekend and risk having him run the bases and get hurt.

-- Happy Canada Day to all of our friends north of the border.

**********

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Looking at SEC football teams.....

Alabama-- 39-5 SU in last 44 conference games, 27-17 vs spread. +63 in turnovers last nine years, but allowed 40+ points in three of last four bowl/playoff games- they are 3-2 in last five bowl/playoff games.

Arkansas-- Won last three bowl games, all by 13+ points; are +14 in turnovers last two years, after being -28 the two years before that. Razorbacks are 18-7-1 vs spread last two years, 11-4-1 in conference play.

Auburn-- Have eight new assistant coaches this year, after going 15-11 last two years. Scored 31+ points in last four bowls, but split those games. 7-19 vs spread in last 26 games, 3-9 in last 12 tries as a home favorite.

Florida-- Went 10-4 in McIlwain's first year, after going 29-23 under Muchamp, who is now the coach at South Carolina. Gators are 6-14 as home favorites since 2012; they covered six of last eight as a road favorite. Have two transfer QBs battling for #1 job; from Oregon State, Purdue-- one is Jack Del Rio's son.

Georgia-- Why did they fire Mark Richt? Dawgs are 50-17 last five years, have a +41 turnover ratio last five years. Since '13, are 9-17 vs spread coming off a win. Special teams coach in new regime is Shane Beamer, who spent last fuve years working for his father at Virginia Tech.

Kentucky-- Last bowl was 2010, last bowl win in '08. Wildcats are 14-6 as favorites at home since '10, but are 1-9-2 in last 12 tries as a home underdog. Cats are 7-18 as a road dog since 2010-- last time they were favored on the road was five years ago.

LSU-- In 2011-12, Tigers were +36 in TOs, went 23-4. Last three years, Tigers have a +10 TO ratio, are 27-11 and Les Miles barely kept his job. Last two years, LSU QBs completed 50%/53.6% of their passes- that has to go up. Tigers are 4-11 against the spread in true road games the last four years.

Ole Miss-- Favorites covered their last five bowl games; Rebels won five of them, are 13-7-1 as home favorites under Freeze, 11-4 as underdogs. Ole Miss lost four of its top six tacklers from LY. Kelly threw for 4,042 yards, 31 TDs last year.

Mississippi State-- Six straight winning seasons, are 19-7 last two years. Mullen is 15-8-1 vs spread in SEC last three years, 6-2 as road underdog, 18-10 in last 28 games as a home favorite. Six straight winning years in Starkville is no small feat.

Missouri-- Will miss underrated coach Pinkel. Won last three bowl games, all by 10+ points, scoring 35 ppg. Tigers are +24 in turnovers last three years. Mizzou is 16-6 vs spread off a loss, but 2-6 in last eight games as a home underdog.

South Carolina-- Spurrier is tough act to follow, especially with only nine starters back. Gamecocks are 9-15 vs spread in SEC last three years- they're 1-5-1 in their last seven games as a road favorite. Won last four bowls, were underdog in last two.

Tennessee-- Vols are 3-9 vs spread in last dozen games where spread was 4 or less points-- Jones isn't a good game manager, but he can recruit- they won 45-28/45-6 in last two bowls. Hae senior QB who needs to improve on 59.3% completion % from last year-- with 22 starts under his belt, Dobbs should be better than he is. .

Texas A&M-- Were minus in turnovers six of last seven years (-33 total), are 6-12 vs spread as home favorite last three years (6-17-1 vs spread in SEC games), covered just four of last 13 as a dog. Aggies have won four of their last five bowl games.

Vanderbilt-- 7-17 since James Franklin left, with -24 turnover ratio. Commodores are 10-5 as home underdog since '11, 11-6 as road dogs since '12, 22-13 overall in last 35 games when getting points. Won three of last four bowls, with average total of 64 in last three-- their last bowl was in 2013, Franklin's final year as coach.

[StarDust Bum]

Five truly Canadian bets to make this Canada Day

This July 1, celebrate Canada Day by wagering a few Loonies and Toonies on these All-Canadian bets.

I’ve had possibly the most Canadian week ever leading into the July 1 holiday, better known as “Canada Day”.

After subduing the football shakes with a couple bets on Week 1 of the CFL season (underdogs are now a perfect 8-0 ATS the last two opening weeks), I proceeded to injure my ankle playing Ultimate Frisbee and needed a trip to the hospital - a trip that didn’t cost me jack squat since we have kick-ass health care in Canada.

Once my foot felt better, I spent an evening mowing my lawn. And, after finishing up and briefly heading inside to grab an ice-cold Moosehead, I returned to my freshly-coiffed backyard to find a big-ass wild turkey confidently strutting about like Mike Reno, the lead singer for “Loverboy”.

My first instinct, since I’m a red-blooded Canuck, was to find out if it was turkey hunting season. It is not. And my second instinct, since I’m a red-blood Canuck, was to politely ask the turkey to leave – for which I’d immediately apologize for. Sorry.

But my third instinct, and one that speaks to the sports bettor in all of us, was to get that turkey something to eat. I grabbed whatever I thought a turkey would care to snack on and threw it at the big dumb bird. If I feed this turkey all summer long and keep him coming back for more, by the time the fall rolls around (AKA turkey season), he’ll be fatter than a garbage bag full of Tim Horton’s day-olds.

You see: risk a little to get a lot. That’s a gambler’s Holy Grail.

So, after being served a big slice of Canadiana this week, it only seems fitting to return the favor to my fellow sports bettors in the Great White North, and even those of you outside our vast borders. With Canada Day kicking off the weekend Friday, here are my favorite Canadian inspired bets for July 1:

Toronto Blue Jays

When the Red Sox are winning, Boston is buzzing. When the Cubs are cruising, Chicago is jumping. But when the Blue Jays are rolling, the entire nation is losing their frickin’ minds.

Take last season’s incredible second-half run and postseason appearance by Toronto. Jose Bautista’s infamous bat flip against the Rangers actually made Canadian sports fans forget about hockey for a few minutes. If you had immediately lobbied for the silhouette of Bautista barbarically discarding his bat to replace the maple leaf in the middle of the Canadian flag, it would have passed with a unanimous vote.

This Canada Day, the Jays are home to the red-hot Cleveland Indians. Toronto will be sporting their special red attire for the nation’s birthday, giving the nod to Marcus Stroman for the matinee start. The Blue Jays, who are currently -118 favorites, have won the last three July 1 outings and have outscored opponents 23-6 in those games.

CFL

It just doesn’t feel like Canada Day without some three-down football, am I right? It's like seeing Tom Cochrane without a jean jacket on. Last year, July 1 was void of any CFL action but the schedule makers have more than made up for that with a “double double” of Canadian pigskin Friday.


The BC Lions are visiting the Hamilton Ti-Cats, moving from touchdown dogs to 5.5-point pups in the early game. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are on the road facing the Calgary Stampeders later in the day, with Calgary moving from -8.5 to -10.5 – a rare double-digit CFL favorite.

Parity is the name of the game in the Canadian Football League. Last season, there were only five double-digit spreads all year, with those big faves going 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS. The Stamps were responsible for two of those double-digit covers.

Wimbledon tennis

Both Canadian tennis stars, Milos Raonic on the men’s side and Eugenie Bouchard on the women’s, have advanced to the third round at the All England Club.

Bouchard, seeded 16th, faces 19th-seed Dominika Cibulkova next, with oddsmakers setting Genie as a +133 underdog despite defeating Cibulkova in both of their career meetings, including earlier this year at the Hobart Open. You can be sure that Covers' own Andrew “Taco” Caley will have a ticket on Bouchard, to go with his creepy shrine to Canada’s resident tennis goddess.

Raonic, who has yet to drop a set at Wimbledon, takes on American Jack Sock in the third round. Books have the Thornhill, Ontario native priced at -720 to advance. If swallowing that amount of juice feels like chugging a warm can of Labatt Maximum Ice (or even an ice-cold Maximum Ice... yuck), then perhaps you can cool down the vig by taking Milos at -103 to win in three straight sets.

MLS soccer

Is the quality of the Euro Cup just too good for you to wager on? Do you need a watered-down version of the beautiful game in which you know none of the players, nor did you realize half of the teams in the league even existed? Major League Soccer is begging you to bet on it. No, really. It is. On both knees.

There are three Canadian clubs in the MLS: Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. And according to our standings, none of them are really great – and none of them actually play on the Canada Day holiday.

However, Montreal hosts New England Saturday, as a +117 favorite in the three-way betting, and Toronto takes on visiting Seattle as a -139 three-way fave to win. Say what you want about the quality of the play, but I’ve heard it’s quite the party in the stands for a MLS game. Throw a long-weekend rager in the middle of those wagers, and I’m sold!

NHL futures

Hockey fans from East to West were extremely pissed off Wednesday when two massive trades by Canadian NHL clubs left puck faithful scratching their heads in Montreal and Edmonton. You would have thought they were outlawing the use of Muskoka chairs at the end of lake-view docks with the way Canadians (and Canadiens) were losing their shit.

Montreal dealt face of the franchise P.K. Subban to Nashville for fellow blueliner Shea Weber, while Edmonton packed up leading scorer Taylor Hall and sent him to New Jersey for defenseman Adam Larsson.

I have friends in both camps and let me tell you, Facebook was not a pretty place once those guys vented their frustrations. If anything fellas, you can get the Habs and Oilers at juicy odds to win the Stanley Cup next year with Montreal going off at +2,500 and Edmonton at +5,500.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, July 1

BC Lions @ Hamilton

Game 305-306
July 1, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
BC Lions
111.132
Hamilton
119.513
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Hamilton
by 8 1/2
45
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Hamilton
by 6
50 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Hamilton
(-6); Under

Winnipeg @ Calgary

Game 307-308
July 1, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
107.615
Calgary
114.464
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary
by 7
55
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
by 10
49
Dunkel Pick:
Winnipeg
(+10); Over

-------------------
CFL
Long Sheet

Week 2

Friday, July 1

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (7 - 12) at HAMILTON (11 - 9) - 7/1/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 53-28 ATS (+22.2 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 87-61 ATS (+19.9 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 35-18 ATS (+15.2 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points since 1996.

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

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WINNIPEG (5 - 13) at CALGARY (15 - 5) - 7/1/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 117-88 ATS (+20.2 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1996.

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 2

British Columbia (1-0) @ Hamilton (1-0)-- Both teams opened with upset wins; Lions beat Calgary at home, kicking winning FG with 3:43 left. TiCats won easily at Toronto, leading 18-6 at half-- they've lost last three visits to Hamilton by 8-2-30 points. Home side won last six series games, with five of those six games going over the total. Last year's meetings were one-sided; Hamilton won 52-22 at home in first meeting, then lost 40-13 in Vancouver in rematch.

Winnipeg (0-1) @ Calgary (0-1)-- Stampeders are 13-1 in last fourteen games vs Winnipeg, sweeping the Bombers LY, by 1-28-3 points. Winnipeg lost its last 12 visits to Calgary, going 3-2-2 vs spread in last seven. Under is 4-1-1 in last six series games. Stamps were 9-1 at home LY, covering five of last six. Winnipeg got upset at home by Montreal LW, its 11th loss in last 13 games, dating back to LY- they lost seven of last eight road games (3-5 vs spread).

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CFL

Week 2

Trend Report

Friday, July 1

7:00 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. HAMILTON
British Columbia is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Hamilton
British Columbia is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games when playing Hamilton
Hamilton is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games when playing British Columbia
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Hamilton's last 12 games when playing at home against British Columbia

10:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. CALGARY
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Winnipeg is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Calgary's last 11 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Calgary's last 8 games

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CFL

Friday, July 1

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Friday's CFL doubleheader betting preview and odds
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Drew Willy and the Blue Bombers visit the Stamps in the second half of a Canada Day doubleheader.

B.C. Lions at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (-6, 50.5)

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats look to win their fourth straight home opener when they welcome the BC Lions to Tim Hortons Field on Friday. The Tiger-Cats opened the season in impressive fashion as they posted a 42-20 victory over Toronto, and hope to pick up where they left off by beating the Lions for the fourth consecutive time at home.

Jeremiah Masoli proved to be an adequate replacement for injured star quarterback Zach Collaros, throwing for 318 yards and three touchdowns against the Argos, and looks to pick apart a Lions' defence that struggled in Hamilton's 52-22 win on Aug. 15, 2015. Wally Buono made a triumphant return to the sideline as he guided BC to a 20-18 comeback victory over Calgary. Buono, who is the winningest coach in CFL history, seemed to be heading for a defeat in his first game back since winning the Grey Cup with the Lions in 2011, but Chris Rainey returned a punt 72 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and BC hopes to ride that momentum to its first win at Hamilton since July, 18, 2014. "When you look at Rainey's return that was the difference maker," Buono told reporters. "Going into Hamilton is always going to be tough but if we want to be a championship calibre team we need to win those kind of games."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN

LINE HISTORY: The Tiger-Cats opened this matchup favored by a converted touchdown at home. They have been bet down slightly to the current number of -6. The total has also been bet down slightly, going from the opening number of 51 to the current number of 50.5. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE LIONS (1-0, 1-0 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Jonathon Jennings, who was expected to share snaps with veteran Travis Lulay, played every down but missed several throws downfield as he finished 24-of-42 for 248 yards and no touchdowns in the win over Calgary. Linebacker Solomon Elimimian - the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2014 - recorded three tackles in his first game since rupturing his Achilles tendon on Aug. 15, 2015. Special teams ace Rainey, who had two 103-yard kick-return scores against Calgary last season, scored two touchdowns, including a 1-yard jet sweep en route to 157 total yards in Week 1.

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (1-0, 1-0 ATS, 1-0 O/U): Hamilton added former Notre Dame and Florida State quarterback Everett Golson to the practice squad Monday after third-string QB Jacory Harris was placed on the six-game injured list last week. "He's a talented athlete with a strong arm and can also pull down the ball and run," Hamilton coach Kent Austin told reporters. "He played at a high level in college and we'll see how quickly he can pick things up." Simoni Lawrence was named one of the CFL Top Performers of the Week after recording seven tackles, two sacks and an interception return for a touchdown in the win over the Argos.

TRENDS:

* Lions are 1-7 ATS in their last eight Week 2 games.
* Tiger-Cats are 1-5 ATS in their last six games versus a team with a winning record.
* Under is 4-0 in Lions last four games overall.
* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings.

CONSENSUS: The public is siding with the favorite in this all-cat matchup with 63 percent of wagers backing the Tiger-cats. As far as the total is concerned, bettors think it will be a high scoring affair with 57 percent of wagers on the Over 50.5.



Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Calgary Stampeders (-10, 49)

The Calgary Stampeders look to bounce back from their first season-opening loss in five years when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday. The Stampeders blew an 11-point lead in the 20-18 setback against BC to spoil Dave Dickenson's coaching debut, and they hope to avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time since July of 2012.

"This is my first time losing a season opener since I've been here," Calgary defensive back Fred Bennett told reporters. "It should be a wakeup call and I hope this loss puts some fire behind us and we go in the right direction from here." Winnipeg's slew of free-agent signings failed to produce the desired results as they dropped a disappointing 22-14 decision to Montreal in Week 1. The Blue Bombers created a buzz around the league with the additions of all-stars Andrew Harris, Weston Dressler and Justin Medlock but the new-look offence failed to live up to the pre-season hype and Winnipeg fell to its 22nd loss in its last 28 games dating back to 2014. "Of course you want to come out with a win but I don't think there's any dampening of enthusiasm," Winnipeg defensive end Jamaal Westerman told reporters. "It's only a damper that we didn't get the win."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN2

LINE HISTORY: The Stamps opened as big 8.5-point home favorites, but bettors still didn't think that was enough with the line moving all the way to -10. The total has been bet down slightly, moving from 49.5 to the current number of 49. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (0-1, 0-1 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Dressler caught three passes for 22 yards before being knocked out of the game in the first quarter with a head injury but Winnipeg coach Mike O'Shea is hopeful that he will be cleared to face the Stampeders. Harris, who was born in Winnipeg, was one of the lone bright spots as he rushed for 80 yards in his Blue Bombers' debut and Medlock connected on a 58-yard field goal in the loss to the Alouettes. Winnipeg added former New Orleans Saints' defensive back Terrence Frederick to the practice squad on Monday in an attempt to shore up the secondary.

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (0-1, 0-1 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Calgary kicker Rene Paredes, who made 41-of-47 attempts last season, missed two field goals including a potential game-tying kick from 43 yards with 3:43 remaining in the fourth quarter against the Lions. Kamar Jorden had the most productive game of his CFL career as he caught three passes for 73 yards and a touchdown while Lemar Durant had two receptions for 56 yards before suffering an ankle injury in the third quarter. Former Oklahoma Sooners' star Roy Finch impressed in his debut as he finished with 89 kick return yards, including a 59-yard sprint that set up a touchdown in the third quarter.

TRENDS:

* Blue Bombers are 4-0 ATS in their last four versus Western Division opponents.
* Stampeders are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games.
* Under is 4-0 in Blue Bombers last four games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings in Calgary.

CONSENSUS: Another game where the public is backing the big favorite, with 57 percent of wagers on the home side Stampeders. As for the total, 56 percent of wagers are on the Over 49.


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CFL

Friday, July 1


Stampeders first double-digit faves of CFL season, -10.5 vs Winnipeg. There were only 5 double-digit faves in 2015 (4-1 SU/3-2 ATS).

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 2

Friday, July 1

British Columbia Lions (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -7 ½
Total: 51

Game Overview

The Lions have to be happy with their fast start after getting hammered by Calgary 35-9 as nine-point road underdogs in last season’s CFL playoffs. Chris Rainy was the hero this time around with two touchdowns including the go-ahead score on a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown. Jonathan Jennings got the start at quarterback and threw for 248 yards while completing 24-of-42 attempts.

Hamilton looked pretty sharp in its season opener behind Jeremiah Masoli passing the ball and Andrew Fantuz catching it. These two hooked-up seven times for 99 yards and a score. Masoli ended the game with 318 yards passing and three touchdown throws while completing 27 of his 37 passing attempts. CJ Gable added 48 yards on the ground on 11 carries.

Betting Trends

The home team in this inter-division matchup has won the last six meetings SU and the total has gone OVER in five of those six games. They have split the season series 3-3 ATS over the past three years.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS) vs. Calgary Stampeders (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -8 ½
Total: 49 ½

Game Overview

The Blue Bombers have picked-up where they left off losing six of its last seven games SU in 2015. They were shutout in the first half against Montreal in a game that stayed well UNDER the closing 48 ½-point total line. Drew Willy did throw for 303 yards and a score and Andrew Harris added 80 yards rushing the ball on 13 carries, but Winnipeg could only find the end zone once in this game.

Calgary will look to bounce back after getting stunned as a road favorite. It was in position to tie that game in the fourth quarter, but veteran kicker Rene Paredes missed a field goal from 31 yards out. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell ended the day with 233 yards passing and the Stampeders were only able to add 50 yards on the ground.

Betting Trends

Winnipeg is 1-4 SU in the last five meetings but it has a 3-1-1 edge ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in the last four meetings in Calgary and it has stayed UNDER in four of the last six meetings overall.

[StarDust Bum]

6/30 - Yesterday's Results - 3 - 1

July's Record: 0 - 0

Overall : WLT PCT UNITS RANK

ATS Picks 3-3-0 50.00% -150

O/U Picks 4-2-0 66.67% +900

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, JULY 1

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

BC at HAM 7:00 PM

HAM -5.5

O 50.5


WPG at CGY 10:00 PM

WPG +10.5

U 49.5

[StarDust Bum]

7/1 - Yesterday's Results: 0 - 4

July Results - 0 - 4

Overall: WLT PCT UNITS RANK

ATS Picks 3-5-0 37.50% -1250

O/U Picks 4-4-0 50.00% -200

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Betting Recap - Week 2
July 2, 2016


League Betting Notes

-- Favorites/underdogs went 2-2 SU in Week 2

-- Favorites/underdogs went 2-2 ATS in Week 2

-- Road teams posted a 3-1 SU record in Week 2

-- Road teams posted a 3-1 ATS record in Week 2

-- The 'Under' went 3-1 in Week 2

Team Betting Notes

-- Ottawa (2-0) have opened with two impressive road victories. Last week they won a Grey Cup rematch on the road, this week it was a 28-13 dismantling of Montreal (1-1). The RedBlacks are 2-0 SU/ATS, cashing as a one-point favorite in Montreal. Ottawa has won four straight in this series, and they have covered five in a row against the Alouettes dating back to Sept. 26, 2014.

-- The Alouettes are 0-4 SU/ATS in their past four home games dating back to a win and cover against the Blue Bombers Sept. 20, 2015. They'll try to rectify that when Hamilton (1-1) pays a visit Friday.

-- The Tiger-Cats were humbled at home by a 28-3 count, as the BC Lions (2-0) have fired out of the chute. Hamilton is 1-4 SU/ATS over their past five regular season home outings.

-- The Lions are averaging 24.0 points per game on ofense, and allowing just 10.5 points per game allowed on defense. The 'under' has hit in each of their two games, and they have won straight up and covered despite being underdogs in both.

-- Canada Day was very enjoyable if you are a fan of Calgary (1-1) or a side bettors for the Stamps. They rebounded after their road loss in Week 1 to pound Winnipeg (0-2) by a 36-22 count. The game was actually a bit closer than the final score might indicate, too, as the Bombers outscored the Stamps 15-0 in the final quarter.

-- Saskatchewan (0-1) was tripped up at home by Toronto (1-1), as the Roughriders fell 30-17. Saskatchwan is 0-3 SU/1-2 ATS against the Argos dating back to July 26, 2014. Keep that in mind for later in the season when the sides meet again in Toronto Oct. 15.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Dunkel

Week 3


Thursday, July 7

Winnipeg @ Hamilton

Game 121-122
July 7, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
106.688
Hamilton
113.654
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Hamilton
by 7
56
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Hamilton
by 10
51 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Winnipeg
(+10); Over

Toronto @ BC Lions

Game 123-124
July 7, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
109.775
BC Lions
121.870
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
BC Lions
by 12
45
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
BC Lions
by 5
50
Dunkel Pick:
BC Lions
(-5); Under

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CFL
Long Sheet

Week 3

Thursday, July 7

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WINNIPEG (0 - 2) at HAMILTON (1 - 1) - 7/7/2016, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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TORONTO (1 - 1) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (2 - 0) - 7/7/2016, 10:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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


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CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 3

Winnipeg (0-2) @ Hamilton (1-1)-- Bombers allowed 29 ppg in losing first two games; they've lost 8 of last 9 games with Hamilton, losing four of last five visits here, with three of four losses by 10+ points. TiCats split pair of one-sided games to open season, with road team winning both. they're 3-5 in last eight home games. Under is 12-6 in last 18 series games.

Toronto (1-1) @ BCLions (2-0)-- Lions allowed 10.5 ppg to win its first two games, upsetting Calgary in its home opener. after going 4-5 at home LY. Argonauts lost eight of last 11 games with BC, with visitors winning last four; Toronto won 40-23/30-27 in last two visits to Vancouver. Argos also split pair of one-sided games to open season, with road team winning both.

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CFL

Week 3

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Trend Report
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Thursday, July 7

7:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. HAMILTON
Winnipeg is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Winnipeg is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Hamilton is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Hamilton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home

10:00 PM
TORONTO vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
Toronto is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of British Columbia's last 25 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of British Columbia's last 5 games

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CFL

Thursday, July 7

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Thursday's CFL doubleheader betting preview and odds
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The Lions hope to stay hot by opening the season with three consecutive victories for the first time since 2007.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (-9, 52)

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats look to bounce back from a humbling Week 2 loss when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday. The Tiger-Cats failed to score a touchdown in the 28-3 defeat to BC and were held to their lowest point total at home since a 20-2 setback to Toronto on Aug. 12, 2006.

Hamilton has dropped five of its last seven home games since winning its first nine contests at Tim Hortons Field - which opened on Sept. 1, 2014 - and hopes to get back on track by beating the Blue Bombers for the fourth consecutive time in the series. Winnipeg is still searching for its first win of the campaign following a 36-22 loss to Calgary. The Blue Bombers loaded up on free-agent talent during the winter and expectations were sky high heading into the season, but they have failed to deliver any on-field results and head coach Mike O'Shea is starting to feel the heat. Winnipeg is 12-26 since O'Shea took the top job in 2014 and he hopes to turn things around in a hurry with a daunting top-heavy schedule, which includes meetings with Calgary and defending Grey Cup champion Edmonton (twice) over the next three weeks.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN2

LINE HISTORY: There have been no line moves on this game at the time of publication of this preview. Hamilton opened as 9-point favorites and the total opened at 52. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (0-2, 0-2 ATS, 1-1 O/U): Defensive back Johnny Adams, who recorded six interceptions in his rookie season in the CFL, is likely to make his first appearance of 2016 after recovering from an undisclosed injury and provide a much-needed boost to a defence that gave up over 500 yards in the loss to Calgary. "We weren't playing football out there," O'Shea told reporters. "We didn't tackle at all and we weren't swarming to the ball." Drew Willy threw for 358 yards and two touchdowns but a huge chunk of his production came in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach.

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (1-1, 1-1 ATS, 1-1 O/U): Jeremiah Masoli struggled against a fierce BC pass rush as he was sacked four times and threw his first two interceptions of the season while Brett Maher missed three field goals in the loss to the Lions. "I have to do better with the guys as we made a lot more mistakes than we've probably had in a long time," Hamilton coach Kent Austin admitted to reporters. "The good news is that it's all correctable and it's also early in the season so we have time to correct it." Veteran Geoff Tisdale, who was an all-star in 2013, was released to make room for fellow defensive back Chris Davis on the practice squad.

TRENDS:

* Blue Bombers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Tiger-Cats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 3.
* Under is 6-1 in Tiger-Cats last 7 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings in Hamilton.

CONSENSUS: At the time of publication of this preview, Winnipeg is picking up 52 percent of the wagers and Over 52 is grabbing 51 percent of the action.




Toronto Argonauts at BC Lions Lions (-5, 50)

The BC Lions look to continue their strong start to the season when they host the Toronto Argonauts on Thursday. The Lions came from behind to beat Calgary 20-18 in Wally Buono's return to the sideline in Week 1 before shutting down Hamilton 28-3 on Friday, and they hope to stay hot by opening the season with three consecutive victories for the first time since 2007.

"Other people are surprised but we're not surprised as we know we have a good team and it's just a tipping point," star linebacker Solomon Elimimian told reporters. "We're going to keep getting better, stay humble, stay hungry and just keep getting better." The Argonauts notched their first victory of the season after downing Saskatchewan 30-17 on the road in Week 2. Ricky Ray rebounded from a subpar showing against Hamilton by throwing two touchdown passes and he hopes for a repeat performance against a ferocious Lions defence that tops the league in fewest points allowed at 10.5 per game. Toronto split the season series with the Lions last year but have had some recent success at BC Place as the Argos hope to win three consecutive games in Vancouver for the first time since the late 1990s.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN2

LINE HISTORY: The spread for this one opened with the Lions pegged as 4.5-point favorites and by Tuesday afternoon the line had been bumped up to -5 at most books. The total opened at 49 and was nudged up a point to 50. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (1-1, 1-1 ATS, 1-1 O/U): Toronto acquired defensive end Shawn Lemon, who recorded six sacks in nine games with Ottawa last season, from Saskatchewan in return for offensive lineman Matt Sewell and quarterback Mitchell Gale. Vidal Hazelton continues to make big plays as he caught two passes for 69 yards and a touchdown while Andre Durie added a TD reception in the win over the Roughriders. "Great teams rebound properly and that's what we did," Durie told reporters. "We eliminated our mistakes and we took advantage of our opportunities."

ABOUT THE LIONS (2-0, 2-0 ATS, 0-2 O/U): Jonathon Jennings had his most productive game of the young season, throwing for 228 yards and a touchdown while Shawn Gore continued his impressive start as he hauled in four passes for 116 yards in the win over Hamilton. Ryan Phillips recorded the 47th interception of his career against the Tiger-Cats and needs four more picks to equal the franchise record. Elimimian had six tackles and looked like his pre-injury self in his first game in Hamilton since rupturing his Achilles in the 52-22 loss at Tim Hortons Field last season.

TRENDS:

* Argonauts are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 3.
* Under is 7-1 in Argonauts last 8 games overall.
* Under is 8-2 in Lions last 10 games in July.
* Under is 17-7 in the last 24 meetings.

CONSENSUS: At the time of publication of this preview, the Lions are picking up 54 percent of the wagers and Over 50 is grabbing 53 percent of the action.

[StarDust Bum]

STANDING

WEST DIVISION

RK TEAM GP W L T PTS F A HOME AWAY DIV

1 BC 2 2 0 0 4 48 21 1-0-0 1-0-0 1-0-0

2 Calgary 2 1 1 0 2 54 42 1-0-0 0-1-0 1-1-0

3 Edmonton 1 0 1 0 0 37 45 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-0-0

4 Saskatchewan 1 0 1 0 0 17 30 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-0-0

5 Winnipeg 2 0 2 0 0 36 58 0-1-0 0-1-0 0-1-0


EAST DIVISION

RK TEAM GP W L T PTS F A HOME AWAY DIV

1 Ottawa 2 2 0 0 4 73 50 0-0-0 2-0-0 1-0-0

2 Hamilton 2 1 1 0 2 45 48 0-1-0 1-0-0 1-0-0

3 Montreal 2 1 1 0 2 35 42 0-1-0 1-0-0 0-1-0

4 Toronto 2 1 1 0 2 50 59 0-1-0 1-0-0 0-1-0

[StarDust Bum]

ELIMIMIAN ON THE 2-0 LIONS: ‘WE’RE NOT SURPRISED’

HAMILTON – If you haven’t bought stock in the 2016 BC Lions yet, you may just be running out of time.

The Lions continued their hot start to the season on Friday night, not just defeating but dominating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28-3 at Tim Hortons Field in a Canada Day showdown.

Don’t look now but the Lions are 2-0 and sit atop the CFL West Division through two weeks, something almost no one could have seen coming – almost no one.

“We’re not surprised,” linebacker Solomon Elimimian, who made six tackles in the win, told BCLions.com. “Everybody else is surprised, but we’re not surprised.

“We know we have a good team and this is just the tipping point.”

The Lions were at the top of their game in every facet, holding the Ticats to just three single points while winning the time of possession battle by a 35:53 to 24:07 margin.

Winners of just seven games last season, the Lions may have been the least-talked about team in the West Division coming into this year.

The Stamps and Eskimos both went 14-4 last season while Riderville was rocked by the addition of Grey Cup-winning coach Chris Jones, who wasted little time knocking down the foundation and rebuilding the Riders. Then there were the Bombers, projected to improve after the additions of Weston Dressler, Andrew Harris and Ryan Smith, among others.

But the Lions made some key changes as well, including bringing Wally Buono, the CFL’s all-time leader in wins, back to the sideline. So far the early returns couldn’t be better.

“It was huge,” said Jonathon Jennings, who protected the football in throwing for 228 yards and a touchdown on 16-of-27 passing. “It was huge for our offence. It all starts with the offensive line, we always talk about it and we were intense in practice all week and they came out and busted their tails and got it done.”

An electrifying player in his rookie 23-year-old season a year ago, Jennings hasn’t been flashy but has done all of the little things, including sustaining drives and avoiding turnovers. The Lions managed only seven points and a five-point lead through the first 30 minutes but their patience on offence allowed them to pull away later.

Shaq Murray-Lawrence and Emmanuel Arceneaux scored second-half touchdowns as the Lions’ offence continued pressing. Meanwhile, Elimimian and his battery mate Adam Bighill wouldn’t give the Ticats’ anything, stopping the run and throwing different looks at Jeremiah Masoli all evening.

“I don’t want to talk about the defence, I want to talk about the whole team,” Buono said afterwards. “This was a great team victory and the offence did a great job of possessing the football, giving us momentum.

“It was a combination of all three facets of our team and to come on the road and win, to come into Hamilton and win is always very impressive.”

If one thing’s certain it’s that no one will take the Lions lightly – not after the last two weeks. The Lions didn’t just beat anyone, they beat a Stampeders team that has lost only seven games over the last two seasons and a Ticats team that is next to impossible to topple at home.

Another test comes back at home next week against Ricky Ray and the Argos.

“To battle another undefeated team this early in the season – we were both 1-0 – but to beat a team like this at their place is huge,” said Jennings. “It makes a statement and allows everybody to know, we’re here for real.”

“There’s lots to build on, but a lot of people are on the fence wanting to see what kind of football club this is,” added Buono. “Hopefully they’ve seen that this club’s going to play hard, it’s going to play physical and hopefully it’s going to play enough exciting football to get BC Place full again.”