Grey Cup 2022: What Sports Books Say As New Season Looms

It’s an exciting time of year to be a CFL fan. With preseason games getting underway and June 9^th steadily appearing on the horizon, fans can start looking ahead to the new season. We know, of course, that CFL is a little more equitable when it comes to the talent spread across teams compared to other sports leagues, so that allows fans of all nine teams to look forward with at least some sense of optimism.

But there are perceived strengths and weaknesses that differentiate the teams, and experts are always keen to parse out those differences in preseason. Sports books will also have their say, of course, and we are going to look at how they rank the potential Grey Cup winners. Please note that the odds supplied are taken as an average from major sports books.

Let’s dive in:

 

Winnipeg Blue Bombers – 5/2 (+250)

The current Grey Cup champions start as the favorites to retain the championship, which most analysts will agree makes sense. But things can change quickly. From the moment the new season starts, you’ll see the live betting markets evolve as some teams start hot, and others cold.

 

Saskatchewan Roughriders – 11/2 (+550)

The team with that horrendous 4-15 record in Grey Cup Finals is given the nod as second favorite (joint with Toronto on many sports books). Topping Winnipeg in the West Division would throw down a good marker that they can go all the way this time around.

 

Toronto Argonauts – 11/2 (+550)

Toronto fans will be hoping that the team’s defense can improve on last season, as poor defending cost the team dearly a lot in the previous campaign. Still, their position as co-second favorites feels about right.

 

Hamilton Tiger-Cats – 13/2 (+650)

Last season’s beaten finalists are tipped to do well once again this year. But being the only team not to win a Grey Cup this century is starting to look like a bit of a curse for Hamilton.

 

Calgary Stampeders – 15/2 (+750)

Would it be a surprise if the Stampeders made it all the way to the Grey Cup Final? They ran Saskatchewan oh-so-close in the Division Semi-Finals last year, narrowly losing out in OT. They can go at least one better this term.

 

Montreal Alouettes – 9/1 (+900)

Montreal isn’t widely fancied to win it all this season, but there is still plenty of hope among Alouettes fans. Montreal has the longest active drought of Grey Cup wins after Hamilton.

 

Edmonton Elks – 12/1 (+1200)

The Elks finished last season with a 3-11 record, the joint worst in CFL (with Ottawa), so there’s a mountain to climb to turn that into Grey Cup-winning form. Still, sports books have not ruled out Edmonton. Making the postseason would be judged a success, though.

 

Ottawa Redblacks – 14/1 (+1400)

The Redblacks were the worst team in the CFL last season, with the lowest number of points scored and the highest number of points conceded. Head coach Paul LaPolice will be looking to see some improvement first and foremost. But finishing bottom of the East Division looks likely again.

 

BC Lions – 16/1 (+1600)

Not the worst team last season, but far from the best. Can the BC Lions show any kind of improvement? Perhaps. But sports books rate them as the least likely of all teams to be crowned champions.