The 2022 CFL season kicks off on Thursday night and we'll forgive you if you haven't been keeping on top of the offseason news.
After all, with the always hectic NFL free agency period, and exciting NHL, NBA, and MLB seasons underway, you might not have been scouring the back pages of the sports section for football news north of the border.
You're going to want to be all caught up before you dive into CFL betting for Week 1, so check out our Canadian Football League betting primer below for a quick preview of every team's offseason along with a breakdown of the new rules, plus check out the full CFL odds for every game.
Click the links below to jump to a specific section:
Rule changes for the 2022 CFL season
After much speculation, the league didn't move from three downs to four in order to emulate their neighbors south of the border, but there were still several changes made to improve game flow and increase scoring.
For a full breakdown of all the changes check out the CFL website but the most important rules for bettors to note are that the hashmarks have been moved closer to the center of the field and teams will begin play with better field position.
The hashmarks will now be 28 yards from the nearest sideline (as opposed to 24), giving offenses more room to operate.
Following a field goal or single, offenses will now start from the 40-yard line rather than the 35. Meanwhile, teams kicking off to start a game or after a touchdown will do so from the 30-yard line rather than the 35.
Scoring was down across the league last year but there were some out-of-the-ordinary reasons for that. The cancellation of the 2020 season and a lack of preseason meant offenses took a while to gel. And, by the time those offenses got in sync, the delayed start of the year meant that the messy autumn weather in Canadian was ready to make games cold and windy.
Those boosts to offense have resulted in money pouring in on Overs for Week 1. All the games have seen a sharp rise in the Over/Under numbers including a pair of contests where the total jumped five points.
CFL team-by-team breakdown
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Preseason Grey Cup odds: +250
2021 season: 11-3 SU, 8-6 ATS, 4-9-1 O/U. Won Grey Cup 33-25 vs Tiger-Cats.
The Bombers enter the season as betting favorites to win their third-straight Grey Cup. Although they lost four Western All-Stars (wideout Kenny Lawler, guard Drew Desjarlais, cornerback DeAundre Alford, and defensive back Alden Darby) along with three-time CFL rushing leader Andrew Harris, they have the depth to keep rolling.
Brady Oliveira and Johhny Augustine both ripped off 100-yard games when Harris was injured last year and since they're both Canadian running backs, they give the Bombers flexibility to use imports at other positions. They also added receiver Greg Ellingson from Edmonton, which helps soften the losses of Lawler and Darvin Adams.
Winnipeg's defense was nothing short of dominant last year, holding foes to just 287.6 yards and 13.4 points per game. The departures of Alford and Darby, along with the early-season absence of Brandon Alexander (recovering from ACL surgery), will be felt in the secondary.
That said, so long as linebacker Adam Bighill is patrolling the middle while defensive ends Jackson Jeffcoat and Willie Jefferson bring the heat on the outside, the Bombers' defense shouldn't miss a beat.
Meanwhile, their offense will keep humming along so long as reigning CFL Most Outstanding player Zach Collaros is slinging the ball behind an offensive line that returns three Western All-Stars from 2021.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Preseason Grey Cup odds: +500
2021 season: 8-6 SU, 8-5-1 ATS, 4-10 O/U. Lost Grey Cup 33-25 vs. Blue Bombers.
Hamilton has been the runner-up in each of the last two Grey Cups and will be looking to finally win the big one with a familiar lineup. Dane Evans is now the unquestioned No. 1 quarterback in the Hammer and although the Ti-Cats lost wideout Brandon Banks, National receiver Lemar Durant is a younger target with more size.
Defense was the strength of this Ti-Cats team last year and should be even better this season, after adding three-time All-Star Micah Johnson to the line and getting back DB Richard Leonard, who was named an All-Star with Hamilton in 2019.
The #Esks look to go deep, RIchard LEonard (@trey4six) had other ideas.#CFLGameday #Ticats pic.twitter.com/tArZSJWPV4
— CFL (@CFL) October 4, 2019
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Preseason Grey Cup odds: +550
2021 season: 9-5 SU, 6-8 ATS, 4-10 O/U. Lost Western Division Final 21-17 vs. Blue Bombers.
The Riders would like nothing more than to win the Grey Cup at home this year after falling to the Bombers in the division final last season. Quarterback Cody Fajardo was a bit inconsistent over the course of the year but he's a proven passer who can also pick up yards on the ground.
Fajardo struggled to throw downfield for much of the season but after star wide receiver Shaq Evans recovered from a broken foot and Duke Williams was signed in Week 12, Saskatchewan started making more big plays in the passing game.
The Riders had one of the better defensive lines and secondaries in the CFL last year but end Jonathan Woodard (10 sacks) left for the NFL, while defensive backs Louchiez Purefoy and Ed Gainey departed via free agency. However, they will have much better depth at linebacker after signing Darnell Sankey and Derrick Moncrief, while Larry Dean could be back in the fold after missing 2021 with a season-ending injury.
Toronto Argonauts
Preseason Grey Cup odds: +600
2021 season: 9-5 SU, 6-7-1 ATS, 8-6 O/U. Lost Eastern Division Final 27-19 vs. Tiger-Cats.
The Argos will need more consistency from quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson but at least he won't be looking over his shoulder anymore.
They had a talented squad last year and added some big names to a lineup that squandered a halftime lead in the Eastern Division Final. They pillaged their QEW rivals for 2019 MOP winner Brandon Banks and pass rusher Ja'Gared Davis (19 sacks over the last two seasons) while adding the ageless Andrew Harris at running back.
How on earth did Brandon Banks (@speedybanks87) make this catch?? ????@Ticats extend their lead.#CFLGameDay pic.twitter.com/yMeXxRxdCt
— CFL on TSN (@CFLonTSN) September 8, 2018
Calgary Stampeders
Preseason Grey Cup odds: +600
2021 season: 8-6 SU, 9-5 ATS, 5-9 O/U. Lost Western Division semifinal 33-30 vs. Roughriders.
After being a perennial Grey Cup contender, Calgary had its second-straight early playoff exit last year. Things could be a lot better for the Stampeders this year, especially if two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player Bo Levi Mitchell is healthy. Mitchell was banged up for much of last season, but at least backup Jake Maier got valuable experience and the running game, receiver corps, and offensive line will all be experienced and reliable.
Stability will also be the name of the game on defense, where Calgary returns almost all the key pieces to its stop unit from a year ago while adding National linebacker Cameron Judge.
Montreal Alouettes
Preseason Grey Cup odds: +900
2021 season: 7-7 SU, 7-7 ATS, 5-8-1 O/U. Lost Eastern Division semifinal 23-12 vs. Tiger-Cats.
The Als should be just as explosive on offense as they were a year ago. Vernon Adams Jr. returns under center and he'll air the ball out to Eugene Lewis and Jake Wieneke, while Mario Alford is one of the most exciting returners in the league.
Adams will once again be handing the ball off to William Stanback, who is arguably the top back in the CFL after back-to-back seasons of over 1,000 rushing yards and more than 6.0 yards per carry.
Montreal led the league in offense last year (376.6 yards per game) but its defense had cracks and will likely be even worse this season. The Als lost two starting defensive linemen while also saying bye to four defensive backs, and replacements in the secondary will largely have to come from inside the organization.
????????The William Stanback show! There is even a former Alouette trying something weird to stop him????????...in vain of course! 203 yards! #Lightupthestadium #Montreals pic.twitter.com/9RzjKNdjVA
— Alouettes de Montréal (@MTLAlouettes) October 24, 2021
Ottawa Redblacks
Preseason Grey Cup odds: +1,200
2021 season: 3-11 SU, 5-9 ATS, 4-10 O/U. Last place in East Division.
After back-to-back seasons at the bottom of the league standings, the Redblacks finally have some playmakers on offense for Paul LaPolice to work with. Jeremiah Masoli comes over from Hamilton to give them much-needed stability at the QB position while running back William Powell returns to the Ottawa backfield after a couple of seasons in Saskatchewan.
The Redblacks have also revamped their wide receiver corps and offensive line, while adding Patrick Levels, and Money Hunter gives their secondary and linebacker group a boost. Too much change can sometimes be disruptive, but this is a team that needed a big-time infusion of talent and that's exactly what it got.
Edmonton Elks
Preseason Grey Cup odds: +1,600
2021 season: 3-11 SU, 6-8 ATS, 7-7 O/U. Last place in West Division.
The Elks finished fifth in the league in both offensive yards per game and yards allowed. However, internal issues, poor execution, and sloppy play saw them stumble to a league-worst 3-11 record (including 0-7 at home).
Gone are first-year head coach Jaime Elizondo and GM Brock Sunderland, both of whom have been replaced by Chris Jones. Jones led Edmonton to a 14-4 record and a Grey Cup title in 2015 before heading to Saskatchewan where he was named CFL Coach of the Year in 2018. After two and a half years outside of the league (including time spent as an assistant with the Cleveland Browns), he returned as a consultant for the Argos last September.
Jones should provide stability for an Elks team in need of direction but there are still major questions at quarterback, where Nick Arbuckle will look to prove himself as the starter.
BC Lions
Preseason Grey Cup Odds: +1,600
2021 season: 5-9 SU, 7-7 ATS, 9-5 O/U. Second-last place in West Division.
Four-time CFL passing leader Michael Reilly retired in the offseason, so the QB position is now in the hands of 24-year-old National Nathan Rourke. Rourke has potential but he was up-and-down last year, and the Lions' offense had issues with consistency even with the proven Reilly at the helm.
B.C. has a nice stable of receivers, but the line is shaky (especially following the retirement of Ryker Matthews), and the toothless running game won't take pressure off Rourke.
At the very least, the Lions were able to take the big money that they were spending on Reilly and use it on addressing their pathetic pass rush. They added defensive lineman Woody Baron, David Menard, and Mathieu Betts in free agency, while All-Star cornerback Delvin Breaux returns to the secondary after sitting out last season.
Recommended bets
Blue Bombers Over 11.5 wins (-120 at DraftKings)
Winnipeg, predictably, has the highest regular-season win total of the season but still looks like a good bet to go Over that number.
The Bombers won 11 games in 2021 and that was in an abbreviated 14-game regular season, as opposed to the typical 18-game schedule that the league is returning to this season. Not to mention, they sat most of their starters and lost their final two games of the regular season with first place already wrapped up.
Sure, it won't be easy for the Bombers to repeat their dominance from a year ago, but even if they take a step back, they should be able to get at least 12 wins, especially with seven games against the three worst teams in the league in the RedBlacks, Elks, and Lions.
As long as Zach Collaros is healthy under center, the rest of the team is more than good enough to cruise to a dozen victories.
Tiger-Cats to win the Grey Cup (+700 at FanDuel)
While we like the defending champs to go Over their win total, there's better value in the futures market on the team they beat in the Grey Cup last December.
When CFL.ca released its list of the Top-50 players in the league this week, Hamilton had a whopping nine players make the cut. That includes three members of its secondary, and we all know how important that position group is in the pass-happy CFL. In addition, the Tiger-Cats arguably have the top linebacker duo in the league in Simoni Lawrence and Jovan Santos-Knox, and have the best group of interior defensive linemen in Micah Johnson, Dylan Wynn, and Ted Laurent.
The only question about the Ti-Cats is whether their play-callers can take advantage of their skill-position players on offense and create more big plays. However, they have talent on that side of the ball and made major strides during the second half of last season, especially once their offensive line began to gel and their ground game got going.
Hamilton will also have an easier path to the Grey Cup in the East Division while Winnipeg and Saskatchewan will likely beat the tar out of each other out West.
CFL Week 1 odds
Montreal Alouettes at Calgary Stampeders
Opening Line: Stampeders -3.5, O/U 43.5
Date: Thursday, June 9
Kickoff: 9:00 p.m. ET
TV: TSN, RDS
Ottawa Redblacks at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Opening Line: Blue Bombers -11.5, O/U 42.5
Date: Friday, June 10
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: TSN
Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Saskatchewan Roughriders
Opening Line: Roughriders -1.5, O/U 42.5
Date: Saturday, June 11
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: TSN, RDS
Edmonton Elks at BC Lions
Opening Line: Lions -3.5, O/U 45.5
Date: Saturday, June 11
Kickoff: 10 p.m. ET
TV: TSN
CFL Season Preview FAQs
There are nine teams in the CFL for the 2022 season.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the betting favorites, after winning back-to-back Grey Cups.
