2018 Grey Cup Betting Odds

Four teams remain in the hunt for the 2018 Grey Cup and, as they have been since last year’s final whistle, the Calgary Stampeders are the betting favorite to win the CFL championship. The Stampeders have odds of -115 to win their two remaining games and return to the top of the league for the fourth time since the turn of the millennium.

Blue Bombers +300

If the Stampeders are going to realize their favorite status, they’ll have to get past the second-favorite on the odds table, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, in the West final this weekend. Mike O’Shea’s team is rolling along nicely, especially after eliminating the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina, one of the toughest places to win a game in the CFL. 

Winnipeg and Calgary played not long ago on October 29, in Manitoba, with the home team winning 29-21. In the only game these teams played in Calgary this season, Calgary won 39-26 back in August as the Bombers were going through their worst stretch of the season.  

Oddsmakers Not Expecting a Champ From the East

The Ottawa Redblacks (+450) and Hamilton Tiger-Cats (+650) are currently the longest odds to win the Grey Cup even though one of those teams is guaranteed to be in the game. Ottawa has handled Hamilton each time these teams have met in 2018 and the Redblacks will have home-field advantage after a bye week coming into the East final. 

It could be argued that the Ticats had a bye week in their lopsided playoff victory over B.C., but regardless they had to play the game. 

If I was making a CFL futures bet at this point in the season, I would be perfectly OK taking both the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Ottawa Redblacks at plus-odds as a hedge. Undoubtedly, should either team make the final, bettors won’t get that kind of value on a Grey Cup moneyline. 

Here’s a look at the full odds table for the 2018 Grey Cup:

Odds as of November 13 at Bovada

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It’s playoff time in the CFL and six teams still have a chance to hoist the Grey Cup in 2018. As they have been all season, the Calgary Stampeders are the betting favorite and are better than EVEN money to win their first championship since 2014 when they beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at B.C. Place.

This year’s game is in Edmonton and while we know for sure that the Eskimos won’t be there, that’s about all anyone can bank on as each and every one of the remaining teams has been both brilliant and brutal at times this season. 

While Calgary is the betting favorite, I’m not sure that I’ll be placing a bet on the Stamps based on the way that they’ve finished the season and the rash of injuries they’ve been dealing with. 

Loving the Redblacks at +650

Ottawa is one of a few teams riding a hot streak coming into the playoffs and even easily handled the Argonauts with its B team in their regular-season finale. The Redblacks will have this week off and play the winner of B.C. and Hamilton in the East final. 

Ottawa dominated Hamilton in the regular season, going 3-0, but it’s probably not going to be Hamilton that advances, as the Ticats are in an ultra-tailspin since losing Brandon Banks a few weeks ago. 

Saskatchewan at +400

A lot of folks are liking Saskatchewan as a Grey Cup futures bet but the Riders have a really tough path to get there. They have to play Winnipeg in the West semifinal in a matchup of two of the hottest teams down the home stretch in the CFL. If they’re able to get past the Blue Bombers, they’ve then gotta beat a Calgary team at McMahon that will be coming off a bye.

Here’s a look at the full odds table for the 2018 Grey Cup:

Odds as of November 6 at Bovada

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With one week remaining in the CFL regular season, the Calgary Stampeders are on the verge of going wire-to-wire as the championship favorite even though they’re stumbling toward the finish line, losing their last three after a 12-point effort against Montreal four games ago. 

The Stampeders need a win in Vancouver this weekend to clinch a bye in the West.

Roughriders Could Still Get Bye

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have unexpectedly put themselves in a position to be the West Division regular-season champion with 12 wins and they hold the tiebreaker over Calgary. Saskatchewan is off this week and could be off next week as well, or, if Calgary beats B.C., then the Riders will host the Blue Bombers in the West Division semifinal. 

Ottawa Locked up the East

The Ottawa Redblacks went 3-0 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, including sweeping a home-and-home over the last two weeks, and have clinched top spot in the East. The injury-riddled Ticats will host the B.C. Lions in the East Division semifinal on November 11 but must first play a meaningless game in Montreal in Week 19. 

I expect Ottawa to play the B side this week as they will await the winner of the Hamilton-B.C. game in the East final. Needing a win over B.C. or Hamilton to get into the dance looks good to me and I really like the Redblacks at +600 to win the Grey Cup. 

Odds as of October 30 at Bovada

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The Calgary Stampeders have lost their last two games but remain the betting favorite for the 2018 Grey Cup at +140. However, if you still believe that Calgary is going to overcome its injury trouble and win the Grey Cup, the best strategy might be to wait until the end of the regular season to make your bet. Here’s why:

Calgary finishes its regular-season schedule on the road against Winnipeg and B.C., two of the hottest teams in the CFL. It’s likely that the Stamps lose at least one if not both of those games, which will give bettors better odds on them as they enter the playoffs. 

Why I Don’t LIke Saskatchewan at +325

Saskatchewan’s recent success and resulting climb up the odds table is just as much a reflection of the Roughriders’ schedule as their on-field play. Sure, the Riders have won eight of their last 10 games, you can’t take that away from them, but let’s examine that run a little more closely.

Three of those wins came against Toronto, Edmonton and Montreal, the three worst teams in the league. Two more of the wins came against Winnipeg during a midseason meltdown for Matt Nichols. They defeated a banged-up Calgary team in Week 19. 

I think they’re overvalued and not getting past one game in the playoffs. 

Ottawa vs Hamilton in the East

The Redblacks and Tiger-Cats are neck and neck in the East Division and also on the Grey Cup odds table. It’s fair to expect that one or the other will actually be in the Grey Cup game, which is half the battle to being the winning futures pick. You gotta be in it to win it.

Ottawa is 2-0 vs Hamilton as the clubs approach their third and final meeting this weekend at Tim Hortons Field in the Hammer. Either team, Hamilton at +650 or Ottawa at +700, is a very good futures pick at this point in the season. 

Below you can find the full Grey Cup betting odds after Week 18:

Odds as of October 23 at Bovada

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Just when you think you have the CFL figured out a little bit, the entire week goes topsy-turvy on you and you have to rethink your entire belief system. 

OK, that might be a little dramatic. But the truth is that things shifted pretty dramatically on the CFL futures board after Week 18 play. 

B.C. Stuns Calgary

The Calgary Stampeders are trying not to blame their fortunes on injuries but they’d better hope injuries are the only thing going wrong because after scraping out a win vs Montreal, the top-ranked team in the league lost to B.C. at home in Week 18.

The Lions have looked better of late, but until this win were in danger of missing the playoffs. Now they’re in the thick of things and it’s going to be very interesting to see how things settle in the West.

Riders Lose Big

Just when I was starting to become a believer in the Saskatchewan Roughriders, they got absolutely dismantled by the surging Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Since hitting a lull midway through the season, Winnipeg has rattled off four consecutive victories and is looking like a decent bet to win the Grey Cup at +550.

Hamilton Gaining More Traction with Oddsmakers

With a big win over the Toronto Argonauts in Week 18, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are finally getting back to the vicinity of their preseason odds to win the Grey Cup. They look like the best team in the East right now but if they finish in first place after the regular season, they may not have to worry about playing another East team as the second-place finisher will get a test from the team crossing over from the West. 

There’s still plenty to be determined over the next few weeks. The East will be decided by a home-and-home between Ottawa and Hamilton and who knows how the West will shake out.

Below you can find the full Grey Cup betting odds after Week 18:

Odds as of October 16 at Bovada

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The Calgary Stampeders put up a less than stellar effort in Week 17 but still managed to get past the Montreal Alouettes and retain their status at the top of the oddsboard when it comes to the Grey Cup. Calgary is the odds-on favorite to win the Grey Cup at -110. 

Other winners on the weekend were Winnipeg, B.C. and Saskatchewan, while the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were idle. 

Roughriders Running Through Their Schedule

It’s impossible to deny the run that the Saskatchewan Roughriders are on over their past eight games. They’re 7-1 and just four points behind Calgary for the West Division lead with one game left vs the Stamps. Calgary does have a game in hand and both teams actually have the same opponents to close the season – each other plus Winnipeg and B.C.

Who Will Represent the East? 

Ottawa and Hamilton have the exact same odds to win the Grey Cup as we enter Week 18. In fact, they are the only two East Division teams left on the oddsboard as both Toronto and Montreal have been officially eliminated from playoff contention.

The Redblacks and Tiger-Cats play each other in a home-and-home in Week 19 and 20, and those games will determine who gets the bye to the East final. The team that finishes second will play a crossover team, the fourth-place finisher from the West Division.

If you’ve been following this column during the season, you know that I think Hamilton will win the East and play in the Grey Cup game, and I stand by that assertion. 

There’s still plenty to be determined over the next four weeks. Below you can find the full Grey Cup betting odds after Week 17:

Odds as of October 9 at Bovada

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The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are getting no respect from oddsmakers in the most recent Grey Cup betting odds. Hamilton, with top receiver Brandon Banks back in the lineup in Week 16, dispatched the visiting B.C. Lions 40-10.

Despite a dominant performance, the Ticats saw their odds to win the Grey Cup drop from +800 to +850. With an upcoming bye week and then a game vs Toronto, there’s no time like the present to get in on the Tabbies.

Roughriders Overvalued at +500

I believe the Saskatchewan Roughriders are overvalued at +500 in the latest odds. With the West Division-leading Calgary Stampeders at -110, I don’t know that Saskatchewan even has a chance to get to the Grey Cup game, let alone win it.

Granted, the Roughriders did give Calgary one of its losses this season, but back-to-back one-score victories over the two worst teams in the CFL doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in Chris Jones’ squad. However, they have won six of their last seven, and in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world of sports betting, they’re getting respect from the book. 

Any Other Options Out There? 

The Edmonton Eskimos (+1000) and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (+900) are priced just a little too low for my liking. At +1200 to +1500, either of these teams would be a reasonable bet heading into the CFL playoffs where anything can and usually does happen. 

Both teams have looked like world-beaters one week but then looked like a Pop Warner squad the next week. Sometimes the change has taken place from quarter to quarter instead of game to game.

For that reason, it’s hard to back either of these clubs, but keep an eye on them heading toward the playoffs. If they start to find consistency, there’s no reason they can’t make a run. 

Check out the complete, most recent Grey Cup odds below:

Odds as of October 2 at Bovada

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The Calgary Stampeders saw their odds shift ever so slightly from EVEN to +110 entering Week 16 and a home date with the Toronto Argonauts. The Stamps were off last week after handling Hamilton on the road in Week 14. Everything appears to be status quo in Calgary as the Stamps seem to be well on their way to finishing atop the West Division.

Redblacks Up to +550

The Ottawa Redblacks have improved their Grey Cup odds to +550 with back-to-back wins over Edmonton and Saskatchewan. They’ll be forced to sit and cool their jets this week with a bye before hosting Winnipeg in an important Week 17 game. 

Even though Ottawa has pulled off a couple of wins recently, the team might be overvalued here at +550. The Redblacks have been inconsistent this season but could be hitting their stride at the right time. Two of their final three regular-season games are against the Ticats and those contests should give us some excellent insight into who is the best in the East.

Hamilton an Excellent Bet at +800

Hamilton lost again this week in B.C., yes, but the Tiger-Cats are an injured team right now as they battle through the grind of the season. I still believe that Jeremiah Masoli’s offensive ability will be the difference when the chips are on the table in the playoffs and that we’ll see Hamilton represent the East in the Grey Cup.

Hamilton is still first in the CFL in yards per game and second in yards allowed. The only team to allow fewer first downs is Calgary.

I’m actually more confident in Hamilton’s ability to get to the Grey Cup game than I am in Calgary’s, as Mike Reilly and the Eskimos or even a good game from Winnipeg could knock the Stamps off. 

Check out the complete, most recent Grey Cup odds below:

Odds as of September 25 at Bovada

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Sure, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats lost to the Calgary Stampeders in a potential Grey Cup preview this past weekend in the Steel City, but bettors need to look deeper into the reasons why and you’ll see that the Ticats are actually severely undervalued in the latest Grey Cup futures. 

Tiger-Cats Played Without Brandon Banks

One of the top receivers in the entire CFL was a late scratch for Hamilton vs Calgary and the timing of the change left Hamilton without time to game-plan to replace Brandon Banks’ 79 receptions and 1,033 receiving yards before kickoff. It’s no coincidence that Jeremiah Masoli had his second-lowest passing yards total of the season and didn’t throw for a touchdown for the first time in six weeks.

With Jalen Saunders still out and Chris Williams recovering from surgery, Luke Tasker was the No. 1 option and didn’t have much support, allowing Calgary to focus on him. Sure, the Ticats lost, but they were missing three of their top four receivers in a pass-heavy offense. 

The Tiger-Cats are still the best team in the East and are a very good bet to advance to the Grey Cup and get their third shot at the Stampeders this season. Calgary has won the first two meetings, but as the old adage in sports goes, it’s hard to beat a team three times in a row.

Roughriders Finally Lost

It looked like the Green Riders were going to extend their four-game winning streak the way things were going heading into Week 14 at home against struggling Ottawa. However, in true CFL fashion, the Redblacks did what not many teams are able to do: they marched into Regina and won a game on Saturday night. 

Can Any of the Other Teams Actually Make a Run? 

Toronto? No. B.C.? Probably not. Montreal? Definitely not. Winnipeg? Maybe. Maybe, just maybe the Winnipeg Blue Bombers can right the ship and get on a roll going into the playoffs. A week off followed by a home date against the last-place Alouettes in Week 15 could be the tonic that the Bombers need. It’s been a turbulent couple of weeks, but with a chance to get away from the field after the Banjo Bowl, maybe Matt Nichols can take a fresh approach here on the home stretch. 

Check out the complete, most recent Grey Cup odds below:

Odds as of September 18 at Bovada

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The Calgary Stampeders, as they have been since before the 2017 Grey Cup, remain atop the oddsboard to win the Grey Cup in November. This week they head to Hamilton, a potential 2018 Grey Cup foe, with +125 odds to win the whole thing. There’s plenty of movement below them on the board and nobody has been hotter than the Saskatchewan Roughriders over the past month.

Prairie Fire 

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have been on an absolute tear since upsetting the first-place Stampeders back in Week 10. They’ve won six of their last eight games and four in a row (including a home-and-home sweep of their hated rivals from Winnipeg) and now sit just two games out of first place in the West Division.

Oddsmakers have noticed this mid-late season movement and have rewarded Saskatchewan with +450 odds to win the Grey Cup. The Riders have an excellent chance to move closer to first this weekend when they host the Redblacks at Mosaic.

Still Time to Get in on the Tiger-Cats

This is where I make my weekly argument that in order to win the Grey Cup, you first must advance to the Grey Cup game. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, in my opinion, are the class of the East Division. Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal, while showing intermittent flashes, all have too many glaring inconsistencies in their game. 

With that said, and the Tabbies at +550 to win the Grey Cup, taking them as a futures bet today will give you a much better payoff in the event that they do win the league. I can guarantee that you won’t get them at +550 if you wait and pick them as an underdog on November 25. 

Check out the complete, most recent Grey Cup odds below:

Odds as of September 11 at Bovada

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The Calgary Stampeders won their ninth game of the season in Week 12 and have moved to EVEN odds to win the Grey Cup in 2018. With the playoffs looming, Calgary has handled pretty much everything thrown its way during the first 12 weeks. The Stamps continue to dominate defensive statistical categories and allowed just 20 points vs Edmonton on Monday. 

Roughriders are Finding Themselves

Chris Jones’ Roughriders have won three games since their bye week (and three games since parting ways with Duron Carter). It’s not like they had walkovers either. First, they handed Calgary its first loss of the year three weeks ago at Mosaic Stadium. Then, they went to Vancouver where the Lions were undefeated this season at B.C. Place and won there too. Finally, they vanquished their biggest rival, the Blue Bombers, in the first game of a home-and-home.  

Less than a month ago, you could have gotten the Riders at +1600 to win the Grey Cup, but now they’re second on the oddsboard.

Best of the Rest

Despite losing to Montreal in Week 12, Ottawa is still listed at +650 on the odds table. I don’t think there’s enough value in that bet to consider putting money down on the Redblacks at that number. You’d be better off putting your money on red OR black on the roulette wheel. 

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are available at +800 and if I had to choose a team to represent the East in the Grey Cup, it would be the Tabbies. Do I think they win the Grey Cup? Probably not. However, at +800 if they’re the East representative in the game, then they’ve got much better odds than you’re going to get come Grey Cup Week. 

Check out the most recent Grey Cup odds below:

Odds as of September 4 at Bovada

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The Calgary Stampeders won their eighth game of the season in Week 11 and move slightly closer to even odds to win the Grey Cup in 2018. As we get closer to the home stretch and enter the league’s most exciting weekend, the traditional Labour Day games, some teams are hitting their stride while others are hitting an oil slick. 

RedBlacks Sitting at Second on the Odds Table

Trevor Harris and the Ottawa Redblacks are opening up a lead in the East Division and that’s given them +450 Grey Cup odds heading into Week 12. The Lumberjacks have won four of their past five games, defeating B.C., Hamilton, Montreal and Winnipeg in the process. Ottawa hosts Montreal in Week 12 and looks to extend its lead in the East. 

Roughriders are Finding Themselves

Chris Jones’ Roughriders have won two games since their bye week (and two games since parting ways with Duron Carter). It’s not like they had walkovers either. First, they handed Calgary its first loss of the year two weeks ago at Mosaic Stadium. Then, they went to Vancouver where the Lions were undefeated this season at B.C. Place and won there too. 

Entering Week 12, the Riders have back-to-back games against the imploding Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Bombers have lost two straight and, almost inexplicably, Matt Nichols is losing his cool and the Winnipeg fans are losing their patience. If Saskatchewan wins one, maybe both of these games, their odds will certainly move up from +750. 

Check out the most recent Grey Cup odds below:

Odds as of August 28 at Bovada

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The Calgary Stampeders finally lost a game last week, but they are still the favorite to hoist the Grey Cup in 2018. At least the horsemen don’t need to worry about a perfect season and can focus on the task at hand: rebounding for a win in a huge Week 11 matchup with Winnipeg at McMahon Stadium.

RedBlacks Sitting at Second on the Odds Table

Trevor Harris and the Ottawa Redblacks are opening up a lead in the East Division and that’s given them +450 Grey Cup odds heading into Week 11. The Lumberjacks have won four of their past five games, defeating B.C., Hamilton, Montreal and Winnipeg in the process. They have the bye in Week 11 and will host the Als in Week 12. 

Argos and TiCats Make for Good Long Shots

The Argos have cost me money two weeks in a row, enough to make me a believer in their newest quarterback, McLeod Bethel-Thompson. MacBeth has started his CFL career 2-0, with back-to-back wins over Ottawa and B.C. It’s less about winning the games and more about how he won them. Calm under pressure and confident in his abilities, Bethel-Thompson has brought stability to an Argos team that was desperate to start the season. He’s 43-for-56 for 562 yards and five touchdowns in two games. 

The Ticats were the favorite to win the East before the season started and they shouldn’t be counted out yet in this wide-open division. Hamilton is home to Edmonton in Week 11 before a home-and-home with the Argos. All three are winnable games for Jeremiah Masoli and the Cats. 

Check out the most recent Grey Cup odds below:

Odds as of August 21 at Bovada

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The Calgary Stampeders are the only undefeated team in the CFL as the league enters Week 10 play. The Stampeders sit as a +100 favorite to win the 2018 Grey Cup which will be contested in Edmonton in November. The Stampeders were favorites in last year’s Grey Cup too, before a snow-bound loss to the Toronto Argonauts. 

Calgary has been just shy of dominant in its 7-0 run to open 2018. The Stamps have allowed an average of just 12.3 points per game, half of the league average of 24.5. Consistent with their low points against, they’ve also allowed the lowest average net offense, 255.3 yards per game, and are the only CFL team with a number under 300 in that stat. While keeping points off the board, Calgary is scoring an average of 29.4 points, second only to Winnipeg.

Bombers, Esks Tied For Second in the West, Second on the OddsBoard

Winnipeg (5-3) and Edmonton (5-3) are both +450 to win the Grey Cup entering Week 10. Winnipeg is coming off a big win at home over Hamilton in Week 9 while the Eskimos took a tough loss in B.C. to Travis Lulay and the Lions. 

The Blue Bombers have scored more points and allowed fewer points than Edmonton and have really found their stride since Matt Nichols returned to the lineup. This is starting to look more and more like a possible West Division semifinal game. If and when that time comes, take the OVER on totals as they are two of the top-scoring teams in the league. Winnipeg might have the advantage here, though, as it has a more balanced offensive attack and statistically better defense. 

Don’t Count Out the Lions at +2200

The B.C. Lions are a definite sleeper pick in the CFL at +2200. Since returning to the team, Travis Lulay has led the Lions to wins over Edmonton and Winnipeg while narrowly falling to Calgary. The Lions have had an issue keeping points off the board, surrendering an average of 26.9 points and 396.6 yards in net offense against. The fact that they have longer odds than the Argos at this point in the season is borderline ludicrous. 

Check out the complete list of odds to win the 2018 Grey Cup below:

Odds as of August 13 at Bet365

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Depending on which side of the fence you sit on, Hamilton's cringe-worthy win over the Montreal Alouettes in Johnny Manziel's CFL debut was either exciting or painful to watch. Manziel certainly has his detractors both above and below the 49th parallel, but all could agree that Montreal's performance at home on Friday was a huge disappointment. When the dust settled, Hamilton came away with a 50-11 win and Montreal's odds to win the Grey Cup ballooned to +5000.

Many analysts believe that it was marketing over methodology in the Als' decision to start Manziel after being on the roster for just over a week. Sure, every No. 2 jersey in the Red Zone, Montreal's team store, sold out, but even a football novice could see that his play options were limited and there was no familiarity with his receivers. 

In Manziel's defense, the Alouettes were dismal as a unit. The former NFL star never had a chance to go to work because he spent the majority of the night running for his life from the Hamilton rush. Stay tuned to this situation because although it seems like it can only go up from here, don't be so sure. 

Edmonton Emerging as Calgary's Biggest Threat 

The Edmonton Eskimos sit second on the odds table at +450 to win the Grey Cup. Watching Mike Reilly go to work every week is a pure joy. In Week 8, Reilly threw for 257 yards and a touchdown as the Eskimos got past a very game Saskatchewan Roughriders team. Every time the Riders pushed, Edmonton had an answer as they were able to extend their record to a respectable 5-2, good for second in the West behind the undefeated Stampeders. 

Edmonton leads the league in first downs and has the fewest two and outs of any team. It's no surprise, then, that they are among time of possession leaders with 31:45 per game. Penalties have been the Achilles' heel for Edmonton so far in 2018, an area where they cleaned it up a bit in Week 8, taking just seven penalties for 59 total yards. Much better than the 117 yards in penalties per game they had been averaging. 

is Hamilton undervalued at +1000?

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats opened the season at +350, just slightly behind Calgary, and now have odds of +1000 to win the Grey Cup. Hamilton is arguably the best team in the East Division. After seven games they sit at 3-4 and are in second place behind the Ottawa Reblacks, who defeated them in Week 7, however, Ottawa might be the worse of the two teams. 

The Ti-Cats started the season with five straight games against the powerful West Division and hung in there. They will get a stiff test in Week 9 vs the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg, but if they win that game, you can be sure they will climb back up the odds table. 

Remember, the Grey Cup is played between the winner of the East Division and the winner of the West Division. You can't win the Grey Cup unless you're in it, and Hamilton's chances of being in that game are pretty good. Once you're in, then it's an Any Given Sunday scenario.

Check out the complete list of odds to win the 2018 Grey Cup below:

Odds as of August 7 at BetOnline

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Johnny Manziel will start in Week 8 for the Montreal Alouettes and, to steal a football reference, will have a long field ahead of him as he tries to bring Montreal back into contention with just over half a season to work with.

The Als, Argonauts and Lions are all +2200 at Bovada to win the CFL’s top prize in 2018. The undefeated Calgary Stampeders remain the betting favorite, but there’s a couple of teams who have proven they may be able to challenge the Stamps when the chips are on the table.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (+500)  

The Blue Bombers are coming off back-to-back dominant wins over the Toronto Argonauts and will get a well-deserved week off in Week 8. The Bombers have survived starting the year without their No. 1 QB, Matt Nichols, and have thrived since he’s returned to form.

Winnipeg has climbed up the oddsboard steadily since Week 3. CFL watchers are looking forward to Week 11 when Calgary and Winnipeg will finally meet for the first time this season. Winnipeg leads the league in average points (34.1), touchdowns (27) and average rushing yards (161.6).

Edmonton Eskimos (+500)

If you’re not a regular CFL watcher, you really need to tune in to an Edmonton Eskimos game and watch Mike Reilly pick apart a secondary. His arm should be a registered weapon. The former Central Washington quarterback is in his ninth year in the CFL and has found a permanent home in Oil Country.

Reilly, like Classy Freddie Blassie, is the CFL’s fashion plate, but he’s also the league’s reigning Most Outstanding Player. The six-foot-three QB from Kennewick, Washington has thrown for an average of 343.8 yards per game in 2018, just ahead of Hamilton’s Jeremiah Masoli for tops in the league. He has a superlative 96.7 QB rating, completing an unbelievable 48.8 percent of passes of more than 20 yards.

WR D’haquille Williams has been the biggest beneficiary of Reilly’s arm, as he leads the league with 672 receiving yards and an average of 19.2 yards per reception.

Check out the complete list of odds to win the 2018 Grey Cup below:

Odds as of July 31 at Bovada

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Through six weeks of the 2018 CFL season, it looks like the West Division is going to reclaim the Grey Cup from Ontario - where it has resided since 2016. The Calgary Stampeders are undefeated at 5-0 and no team has shown that they’re at a comparable level at this point.

Stamps are the Class of the CFL

Calgary has not only won, they’ve done it convincingly with 145 points for and just 46 against. This is why odds continue to creep closer to even for them to win the 2018 Grey Cup, moving from +190 to +160 this week at Bovada.

Until one of the league’s other eight teams proves they can play a full 60 minutes against the Stampeders, they are the runaway favorite.

Bombers Looked REALLY Good in Week 6

Winnipeg made the Toronto Argonauts look like a Pop Warner squad at BMO Field, dismantling the defense and stifling the offense. In the process, they saw their championship odds move from +800 to +700.

Chris Streveler looked really good in relief of the injured Matt Nichols early in the season, but Nichols has returned with a vengeance to solidify his spot as the No. 1 pivot in Winnipeg.

The QB from Redding, California has gotten better each time out through three games, and was his best against Toronto in Week 6, throwing for 245 yards on 19/27 pass attempts. After being picked off three times vs B.C. in Week 5, Nichols threw only to his receivers in Week 6 and found them in the end zone twice.

Does Manziel to Montreal Matter?

Apparently, it does. Despite losing their fourth game in five outings to fall to 1-4, Montreal’s odds to win the Grey Cup actually jumped from +3300 to +2800 after the acquisition of Johnny Manziel.

How does a team that has won four of its last 23 games acquiring an unproven CFL quarterback make them more likely to win in the eyes of oddsmakers? By playing in the CFL’s East Division, that’s how. With 13 games remaining on its schedule, Montreal is only two wins from being in first place in the East.

East division-leading Ottawa had to steal a game from the visiting B.C. Lions in Week 6. Trevor Harris didn’t look good at all in the first half but was able to capitalize on a fragile Lions' defense in the second half.

Meanwhile, as affable as James Franklin is, the Argos offense was a disaster in Week 6. It’s hard to put it all on Franklin because the offensive line was repeatedly proven to be permeable, but 151 yards in the air just doesn't cut it in the pass-happy CFL.

If Johnny (Three Down) Football can reclaim some of his Heisman winning form there’s no reason the Alouettes can’t make a playoff push. And, hey, once you’re in the playoffs, anything is possible.

Check out the complete list of odds to win the 2018 Grey Cup below:

Odds as of July 24 at Bovada

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The undefeated Calgary Stampeders (4-0) remain the betting favorite (+190) to win the 2018 Grey Cup. The Stamps are coming off a 27-3 romp of Ottawa in Week 5 and appear to be getting stronger each time out. Through four games the Stampeders have allowed just 38 points, an average of 9.5 per game.

The stellar Redblacks defense was overshadowed by Calgary’s defense is this game. Ottawa was held to just 13 net yards in the first half and trailed 20-0 at halftime. Calgary QB Bo Levi Mitchell left the game with the score 17-0 after suffering a lower-body injury. He didn’t return vs Ottawa and is questionable for Saturday’s game against Montreal (1-3) at McMahon Stadium.

Masoli Continues to Crush

Johnny Manziel really should have tried to catch on with another team. The way Jeremiah Masoli is playing in 2018, Manziel is on pace to get as many snaps as the author of this article. Once again in Week 5 Masoli threw for over 300 yards and is averaging 344.5 passing yards per game, tops in the CFL.

As good as Masoli and the offense has been, Hamilton’s 84 points allowed is second in the CFL behind Calgary. The Tabbies D has knocked down 10 passes and forced four fumbles to go with their seven sacks. Hamilton has held opposing offenses to 326.3 net yards per game, also second in the league and tops in the East.

The Ti-Cats are decent value at +450 to win the Grey Cup. Week 6 sees Hamilton (2-2) looking to avenge a close loss to Saskatchewan (2-2) in Week 4.

Right now, Hamilton is the favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference as the top seed.

Grey Cup Champs Hitting Their Stride?

The Toronto Argonauts, who started the season very slowly, have seemed to turn things around during a home and home with Edmonton in Week 4 and 5. Futures bettors can still get the Argos at +900 and this could be as much value as Toronto will offer for the rest of the season.

After defeating the Esks at home in Week 4, Toronto dropped a one-point decision at Commonwealth Stadium in Week 5. Most impressive in these two games is Toronto help Most Outstanding Player and QB stats leader Mike Reilly to just three passing touchdowns in two games. Make no mistake, Reilly still had a massive impact in these games, but he did not dominate the Argos. Reilly’s former understudy, James Franklin, is getting increasingly comfortable since taking over the reins from the injured Ricky Ray.  

Toronto (1-3) hosts Winnipeg (2-3) in Week 6.

Week 6 sees Edmonton get a well-deserved bye week. That gives Terrell Owens until July 26 in Montreal to get up to speed.

Here’s a look at the odds to win the 2018 Grey Cup entering Week 6:

Odds as of July 18 at Bovada

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Bo Levi Mitchell and the Grey Cup betting favorite Calgary Stampeders (+190) are the only perfect team in what appears to be shaping up as a very competitive CFL season in 2018. In Week 3 the Stamps hosted the Ottawa Redblacks in Calgary and finally wore down the stingy Ottawa defense, scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter en route to a 10-point victory. Eric Rogers caught his third touchdown pass of the season while lineman Ja’Gared Davis led the Stampeders defense with six tackles and a sack. Calgary has a bye week in Week 4 while Ottawa makes the short drive to Montreal on Friday Night Football.

TiCats Roaring, Manziel Whimpering on the Bench

After losing their season opener on the road in Calgary, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have clawed back with two straight wins over Western Conference opponents, most recently posting a 31-17 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Ticats’ home opener this past weekend. Hamilton QB Jeremiah Masoli, with Johnny Manziel breathing down his neck, is thriving under the pressure of having a former Heisman Trophy winner on the sideline.

As media and fans are growing ever impatient to see Manziel in game action, Masoli continues to impress, going 31-for-41 in the air for 369 passing yards while adding a touchdown. Masoli leads the league after three weeks with 1,045 total passing yards. Meanwhile, Manziel remains on the bench. Ticats receiver Brandon Banks leads the league with 21 receptions, but only one of those has come in the end zone.

Hamilton is paying +375 to win the Grey Cup at Bovada.

In Week 4, the Tiger-Cats will play their fourth straight game vs a Western Conference opponent as they travel to Regina for Thursday Night Football. The Bombers welcome the Lions on Saturday night.

Eskimos Playing Run-and-Gun

Edmonton has both scored and allowed the second-most points in the CFL after three weeks and sits with a 2-1 record. Entering Week 3 the Esks were +700 to win the Grey Cup and after Week 3 are paying +500 futures odds.

Through three weeks, Mike Reilly has thrown for six touchdowns and run for another four, leading the league in both categories. Reilly and the Eskimos will have an excellent opportunity to move to 3-1 as they head to Toronto this week to play the winless Argonauts, who have a new starting QB after a season-ending injury to Ricky Ray in Week 2. The Argos are coming off a bye week.

REDBLACKS Offering Value to Bettors at +1000

The Ottawa Redblacks are +1000 to win the Grey Cup after Week 3. Their defensive corps has proven to be a tenacious bunch, causing plenty of problems for the Stampeders after wreaking havoc on Saskatchewan in Week 2. While Ottawa isn’t as deep on the offensive side of the ball as many of the favorites, an appetite for upsets combined with a hungry fan base make the Redblacks a team to watch this CFL season. The Ottawa defense is ranked second in the CFL in points allowed, interceptions and pass knockdowns.

Here’s a look at the odds to win the 2018 Grey Cup entering Week 4:

Odds as of July 3 at Bovada

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To quote former Calgary Stampeder Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the Stamps “laid the smack down” on the Toronto Argonauts in a Week 2 Grey Cup rematch Saturday night at BMO Field. Bo Levi Mitchell threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns while completing 20 of 22 passes to lead Calgary to an emphatic 41-7 win. Two of those touchdowns were caught by Eric Rogers, who was unbelievable in this one, making five catches for 131 yards. With the result of the game already decided, Argos veteran QB Ricky Ray was injured on a sack that saw him leave the game with a suspected head/neck injury. Thanks to the beatdown at BMO, the Stamps are now +210 favorites to win the Grey Cup, while Toronto slipped from +650 to +900.  

REDBLACKS Open Some Eyes

In Ottawa on Thursday night the Redblacks rode a dominant defensive performance and a 345-yard, two-touchdown gem from Trevor Harris to a 40-17 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Redblacks defense was a force in this game, earning four turnovers, including three picks.

In the process, Ottawa saw its odds to win the 2018 Grey Cup go from +900 to +800. The Redblacks will travel to Calgary for a big test in Week 3, which, if they win, is likely to decrease their betting odds once again. Getting them at +800 on Bovada in a weak-looking Eastern Division is very good value for CFL bettors.

Rookie QB Streveler Is Making The Most Of His Opportunity

Keep an eye on Chris Streveler, the six-foot-one rookie backup quarterback in Winnipeg. Streveler comes to the CFL after two years at the University of South Dakota where he was the 2017 Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year. The rookie was pressed into action after incumbent Bombers signal-caller Matt Nichols suffered a knee injury before the start of the season. Nichols is on the six-game injured list which means this is Streveler’s team for the time being. Streveler threw for three TDs in a 33-30 Week 1 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos and followed up his debut with three more touchdown passes and 246 yards passing against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 2.

With Streveler at the helm, the Blue Bombers have climbed above the Eskimos in the odds table and sit at +600 for the Grey Cup title after Week 2. The Bombers remain on the road in Week 3 and will visit Hamilton on Friday evening. The Ticats’ championship odds have moved to +350 from +600 after an offensive outburst in Edmonton in Week 2. Jeremiah Masoli threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns while adding 59 yards on the ground, further cementing his role as starter over Johnny Manziel.

Here’s a look at the 2018 Grey Cup odds entering Week 3:

Odds as of June 25 at Bovada