Written by Graeme & Scott on Friday, June 21st, 2013Follow @BetCFLLast year saw the BC Lions win the CFL West Division. The Calgary Stampeders however were the ones that marched on to the Grey Cup, only to lose to the Toronto Argonauts. The other two teams in the CFL West are the Saskatchewan Roughrigers and the Edmonton Eskimos, both of whom were not very competitive last year allowing BC & Calgary to walk it.
But what about the 2013 season? Who is going to win it?
Let’s check out the odds courtesy of Bovada:
CFL Betting Odds: To Win The West Division
BC Lions: 2.25
Calgary Stampeders: 3.00
Saskatchewan Roughriders: 5.00
Edmonton Eskimos: 5.50
Quick Summary: We like the Stampeders a LOT. Those odds are fantastic, and we believe in Tate. Bet this at Bovada.
For a full preview of each team, continue reading:
BC Lions Betting Preview:
There’s a lot of changes to the BC Lions this year. A LOT. I mean this is a huge revamp. So many players released or left like Bruce III, Parker and of course Geroy Simon. Also quite a few new players such as the returning Emmanuel Arceneaux, and re-signed the likes of Oliafoye and Elimimian.
Considering how solid they were last season, we’re not sold on requiring a revamp this big. They were unlucky last season, and this could upset the team.
Recommendation: The odds of 2.25 are just too short for us. Avoid.
Calgary Stampeders Betting Preview:
Grey Cup finalists last year, Calgary were unlucky not to pick up the trophy. They’ll be starting Drew Tate of course as QB – which is obviously a concern due to his injury proneness.
However – we like the Stampeders. One reason is the odds. The Grey Cup is being held in Saskatchewan, and a LOT of money is going on the Roughriders this year due to that. That’s affected the odds of the Stampeders in a good way – they opened at 2.5 odds and dropped to 3.00 which is a huge price.
We also think Tate can step up this year and stay injury-free. Even if he doesn’t, the backups are there to cover him. Glenn was fantastic last year. They’ve kept some of their top players like Cornish, Lewis and Hughes, and with Hefney added to the squad we really like the Stampeders taking it this year.
Recommendation: With the excellent odds of 3.00, bet the Stampeders to win the West at Bovada.
Saskatchewan Roughriders Betting Preview:
This is one team to stay away from. They should be the least expected team to win the West, but the odds have changed due to everyone betting on the Roughriders. Our CFL Linesmaker tells us this is where the money is going.
If you know much about sports betting, you know the “never bet on Notre Dame” rule and that’s the same here – the odds have changed due to people betting on The Roughriders purely due to the Grey Cup being in Saskatchewan, and they don’t represent value.
They have made some nice pickups, and Geroy Simon could be huge for them; but we think the BC Lions let him go for a reason. The consistent hamstring injuries are not something that are going to go away, and we think it will blow up in their faces.
Recommendation: Don’t follow the money.
Edmonton Eskimos Betting Preview:
Honestly, we think the Eskimos could be the sleeper hit of the West. Reilly is a big pickup, and the Eskimos also were fantastic last year at interceptions. Really it all comes down to Reilly. They couldn’t sort their QB position after trading Ray last season, but we think Reilly could be a big change for them.
Their offense was a bit of a mess last season, and they’ve made quite a few changes.
Recommendation: We don’t think they’ll win the West, but they should challenge the Lions for 2nd spot. Might be worth a small bet with the 5.50 odds available at Bovada.
CFL Betting to Win the East Summary:
We’d highly recommend staying away from the Lions and the Roughriders due to the odds.
We personally like the Stampeders to dominate the East. Eskimos could be a sleeper hit and may be worth a small bet, but we are sticking with the Stampeders to win the East. Bet that at Bovada.
