CFL odds are back on the board, with the most popular futures bets coming on CFL championship odds. The Grey Cup betting favorite shouldn't come as a surprise (hint: it's not the defending Grey Cup champions). While the 2020 CFL season was canceled last August, the 2021 season is scheduled to begin play on June 10, 2021.
With the season on track, Grey Cup futures odds will take shape through the offseason. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers, coming off of their first Grey Cup win in 29 years, will have to overcome several favorites to defend.
As we look ahead to the 2021 CFL season, here are the Grey Cup favorites.
Favorite to win the 2021 Grey Cup
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats won a league-high 15 games and advanced to the Grey Cup in 2019, mostly doing so without star quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who had suffered a torn ACL. An already-talented Hamilton roster getting back one of the CFL's premier quarterbacks means they have the best odds to win the Grey Cup at +328.
Holding down the second spot is the Saskatchewan Roughriders (+446), who won the West Division in 2019 after going 13-5 behind one of the league’s best defenses. They fell to Winnipeg in the West Division finals, but with that defense, plus All-Star QB Cody Fajardo who led the league in passing, they should be a threat once again.
It’s difficult enough to defend a title – no CFL team was won back-to-back Grey Cups since the Montreal Alouettes did it back in 2008 and '09 – and the Blue Bombers will have to do so without super-utility quarterback Chris Streveler, who was signed by the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. The dual-threat QB, while not the starter, threw for 14 touchdowns and rushed for another 12 in the Bombers’ championship campaign. Losing such a key offensive weapon hurts, but Winnipeg is still considered a threat to repeat with the third-best odds at +502.
The Calgary Stampeders are perennial contenders and land fourth on the odds board at +503. The Stamps have made the trip to the Grey Cup in four of the past six seasons and are hoping a healthy season from QB Bo Levi Mitchell will see them return to the title game.
In a league this small, with plenty of player movement, odds can drastically change from week-to-week, so be sure to check back for the latest CFL odds updates.
CFL 2021 Grey Cup odds
| Team | Odds to win the Grey Cup (as of Feb 20) |
|---|---|
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | +328 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | +446 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | +502 |
| Calgary Stampeders | +503 |
| Toronto Argonauts | +637 |
| B.C. Lions | +900 |
| Montreal Alouettes | +900 |
| Edmonton Football Team | +1,000 |
| Ottawa Redblacks | +1,000 |
Odds courtesy of Sports Interaction
Past Grey Cup winners
As noted above, having such a small league and lots of player movement promotes a lot of parity among the teams. Eight of the nine current CFL clubs have won a Grey Cup over the last 10 years, while every team has made at least one Grey Cup appearance over that stretch.
The Toronto Argonauts have the most Grey Cup titles in league history with 17, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lead the CFL with 25 Grey Cup appearances.
| Season | Grey Cup Champion | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | N/A | N/A |
| 2019 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 2018 | Calgary Stampeders | Ottawa Redblacks |
| 2017 | Toronto Argonauts | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2016 | Ottawa Redblacks | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2015 | Edmonton Eskimos | Ottawa Redblacks |
| 2014 | Calgary Stampeders | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 2013 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 2012 | Toronto Argonauts | Calgary Stampeders |
| 2011 | B.C. Lions | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 2010 | Montreal Alouettes | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
Understanding CFL futures
Sportsbooks release CFL futures odds shortly after the end of the previous football season. Picking the outright winner of the Grey Cup is one of the only other ways to wager on CFL futures. During the offseason and preseason, you'll be able to get a nice plus-money price on basically any team in the CFL as there is so much uncertainty around what will happen next year, particularly in a league with only nine teams.
CFL futures odds will usually look like this:
- Hamilton Tiger-Cats +285
This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to profit $285 should Jeremiah Masoli and co. capture their first Grey Cup title since 1999. If it's close to the end of the season or one team is simply that dominant, you might see a minus sign (-) ahead of their odds.
- Saskatchewan Rough Riders -175
This means that you would need to bet $175 to win $100 if Saskatchewan wins the Grey Cup.
Of course, futures odds are a fluid market. They can change every day based on news, injuries, suspensions, etc. And they will certainly change based around big CFL events, such as free agency or the draft.
All the odds seen above are in American format. If you find decimal format or fractional format easier to read, simply convert the odds using our simple odds converter tool.
Where can I bet on CFL futures odds?
Despite being one of the smaller professional leagues in North America, many online oddsmakers at the very least offer CFL futures on who will win the Grey Cup. However, when choosing an online sportsbook, it's important to choose one that can be trusted, so check out our list of the top online sportsbooks in your region. You'll also want to shop around a bit before placing a futures bet. It's not uncommon to find odds that could profit you a few extra dollars (or hundreds of dollars, depending on your wager size) when comparing futures odds.
Find more great betting strategies in our How to Bet section and join the conversation with thousands of serious football bettors in our CFL Betting Forum.
