The Canadian Football League returns Thursday, Aug. 5, after more than a 600-day hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot has changed around the CFL to set up what could be one of its most exciting and unpredictable seasons, even in a league built on upsets. Below, we look at the 2021 Grey Cup odds, and make our best CFL picks, predictions and bets.
The Grey Cup will be played Sunday, Dec. 12, at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, ON. The title game will come after a slightly condensed 16-week regular season. There were no preseason games played.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers enter the 2021 campaign as the long-reigning 2019 Grey Cup champions. They topped the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-12 Nov. 24, 2019, to win their first Canadian championship since 1990.
2021 Grey Cup odds, picks and best bets
Odds via Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, Aug. 5, at 10 a.m. ET.
Favorite: Hamilton Tiger-Cats (+300)
The Tiger-Cats cruised to a 15-3 record to finish the 2019 campaign as East Division champs before their Grey Cup loss to the Bombers. They had to play the title game without No. 1 QB Jeremiah Masoli (knee) and backup Dane Evans struggled in his place.
Hamilton had both the top offense and defense in 2019 and outscored the opposition 551-344 over the regular season. It went 9-0 at home and 7-1 against soft East Division competition. The division improved over nearly two years, but the Ti-Cats remain the team to beat with Masoli back at the helm of the offense.
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Contender: Montreal Alouettes (+900)
Speaking of the East Division improving, look no further than the Alouettes, who finished second in 2019.
Though they were outscored 485-479 on the season, they went 5-3 against the division. QB Vernon Adams Jr. passed for 3,942 yards and 24 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in his first full season under center, and he added another 394 yards and 12 TDs on the ground. His supporting cast was improved and RB William Stanback is still in tow to help shoulder the load.
Montreal also has the Week 1 bye and will get an early look at the rest of the league with a little more prep time.
Long shot: Edmonton Elks (+1200)
The changes in Edmonton over the extended offseason included a name change and rebranding. QB Trevor Harris remains in charge of the offense and will provide the required stability while being able to make a run at the league’s Most Outstanding Player award.
Things didn’t go quite according to plan in Harris’ first season in Edmonton after signing a lucrative free-agent deal. The team went 8-10 and finished fourth in the West Division but outscored the rest of the league 406-400. The young defense will be well-equipped to handle the lengthy layoff.
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