Two points separated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from hoisting a third straight Grey Cup last November, and while the Toronto Argonauts enter the 2023 campaign as defending champs, coach Mike O’Shea’s squad is the clear favorite to leave Hamilton on Nov. 19 atop the mountain of the Canadian Football League.
CFL Grey Cup Winner Odds
CFL odds are current as of Tuesday, May 30, and were found at DraftKings Sportsbook.
See how the nine Canadian Football League teams across the East and West divisions rank as favorites to win the Grey Cup:
- Winnipeg Blue Bombers (+225)
- Toronto Argonauts (+500)
- Hamilton Tiger-Cats (+550)
- BC Lions (+550)
- Calgary Stampeders (+650)
- Saskatchewan Roughriders (+1200)
- Montreal Alouettes (+1200)
- Ottawa REDBLACKS (+1200)
- Edmonton Elks (+2000)
Clearly the favorite to gain a third title in four years, the Bombers remain the class of the CFL. Winnipeg was a solid 11-7-0 against the spread in the 2022 regular season and added 2021 CFL All-Star Kenny Lawler in the offseason.
The Tiger-Cats made one of the bigger offseason splashes when they signed longtime Calgary icon Bo Levi Mitchell to orchestrate the offense. However, bettors must hope Mitchell returns to his 2014-19 peak rather than the aging pivot who lost his starting job last season.
If there is a team capable of living up to its odds (+550), it’s BC. Gunslinging QB Vernon Adams Jr. and a trio of 1,000-yard receivers (Keon Hatcher, Dominique Rhymes, Lucky Whitehead) are the biggest threat to loosen Winnipeg’s grip on the West Division.
Losing All-Star receiver Eugene Lewis to Edmonton was a massive hit to Montreal, which is a team banking on new quarterback Cody Fajardo to forget a brutal 2022 in Saskatchewan that saw him fail to throw a touchdown in five of his starts.
CFL Grey Cup Best Bet
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (+225)
QB Zach Collaros, who has thrown a combined 57 touchdown passes the past two seasons, is bidding to become the first player since Doug Flutie to win three straight Most Outstanding Player Awards. With 2022 Most Outstanding Rookie Dalton Schoen and West Division All-Star Nic Demski reuniting with Lawler at receiver, the Bombers are in an excellent position to continue their recent dominance of the league, making them an easy play as our CFL bet of the day.
CFL Grey Cup Favorites
Toronto Argonauts (+500)
Don’t count on the Argos to collapse similar to what happened in 2018 when the team fell to 4-14 a season after winning the Grey Cup. Chad Kelly has just one career start entering the 2023 campaign but offers the presence of a dual threat that will further enhance an offense that finished last in rushing yards per game in 2022 (81.7).
Grey Cup MVP and Most Outstanding Canadian Hénoc Muamba anchors a defense that got stronger with the addition of free-agent defensive lineman Folarin Orimolade from Calgary.
CFL Grey Cup Contenders
BC Lions (+550)
Despite losing potential superstar QB Nathan Rourke to the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, the Lions possess ample firepower to make the West Division race interesting. Only Calgary (562) and Winnipeg (538) scored more points last season than BC’s 525, and only the Blue Bombers (63) tallied more touchdowns than the Lions (58).
The one position keeping BC from being a more serious contender is at running back, as Taquan Mizzell and Antonio Williams were the only two backs entering the final week of the preseason.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (+550)
Like the classic Sheryl Crow song suggests, a change will do Bo Levi Mitchell good after spending the first 10 years of his career with the Stampeders. Mitchell wasn’t the only big name to arrive at Tim Hortons, as 1,000-yard rusher James Butler also headed east along with Mitchell’s former Calgary teammate Richie Sindani.
Duke Williams held true to his word of following Mitchell as the former All-Star pass catcher looks primed for a season similar to his 2018 campaign when he caught 88 passes for 1,579 yards and 11 touchdowns with Edmonton.
Calgary Stampeders (+650)
As long as Dave Dickenson patrols the sidelines at McMahon Stadium, the Stamps are going to be Grey Cup threats. The team will be more run-heavy offensively behind All-Star OT Derek Dennis and RB Ka’Deem Carey, who led the league with 1,068 rushing yards.
QB Jake Maier completed nearly 75 percent of his pass attempts but ended the season with just six passing majors in his last five games. The traditionally stout defense welcomes back All-Star DT Mike Rose and LB Cameron Judge, both of whom are in the prime of their careers.
CFL Grey Cup Sleeper
Montreal Alouettes (+1200)
A case can be made for any East Division team to reach the Grey Cup, so why not the Als? Even with the devastating departure of receiver Eugene Lewis, Montreal can pull a Toronto and make a deep run so long as RB William Stanback is healthy and new QB Cody Fajardo benefits from playing behind an offensive line that can actually keep him upright.
A franchise that is in a 13-year Grey Cup drought is also an interesting longshot if someone (looking at you, Tyson Philpot) emerges as the go-to receiver.
