Most sportsbooks offer CFB (Canadian Football Buffalo) betting, which is essentially the same as betting on the American Football sides (minus the red jerseys). Simply pick the winning team, and the payout should be pretty close to what you would get if you had placed the same wager on an American Football game.
Before you begin betting on these games, you should know what you are getting into. The payout for a typical CFL game is generally a little less than it is for an NFL game, but the vigorish (vigorish is short for bookmaker’s commission) is generally a lot higher. Vigorish is the extra fee that the bookmaker charges to make up for the lower payout, and it can vary from 1% to 10% of your total wager (but is usually around 3% for a CFL game). If you were to bet $100 on an American Football game, the sportsbook would take $3 out of your winnings and tack on $7 in vigorish, for a total payout of $10, rather than the $7.80 you would receive for a CFL game.
How Do I Place A CFB Bet?
To bet on a Canadian Football game, you will need to visit the leagues’ websites and click on the ‘place a bet’ links located on the left-hand side of the homepage. You will then be presented with several options for Canadian Football matches, as shown in the image below.
Each option will have its perks and perks. For example, you can get up to a £25 bonus bet if you place a £5 bet within a 24-hour period on a Rugby Union game. You will also have to be okay with the fact that the matches are played on Saturdays and Sundays, and often on Mondays and Tuesdays as well. Finally, you will have to be in the right jurisdiction to place a bet on these games. Residents of Ireland and New York are not allowed to wager on Canadian Football due to laws against gaming and sports wagering respectively.
What Is The Best Time To Place A CFB Bet?
The best time to place a CFL bet is between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on a Saturday, when the odds are generally at their lowest and the vigorish is at its peak. On a weeknight, the odds will generally be higher and the vigorish will be less.
On Thursdays and Sundays, when there is no competitive football activity, the odds are generally higher and the vigorish is much lower. On these days, you might get a better overall return by placing bets earlier in the day, as the odds will generally be higher later in the day, and the variance in the vigorish will make up for some of the difference in the odds.
Will The Spread Influence My Decision To Place A CFB Bet?
The spread is the money line in American Sports wagering, and it is also the same in CFB betting. This is the amount of money (in this case, either way) that one sports team will win the game. For example, if the spread is 3 points and the visiting team wins by 5 points, you will get a payout of 2.3 to 1, or approximately 66% return on your wager. If the spread is 3 points and the home team wins by 4 points, you will get a payout of 1.7 to 1, or 50% return on your wager.
Some people believe that the spread influences the house’s edge, or the advantage that the sportsbook has over you as a gambler. If a game is closer than 3 points, it might be worth a shot, but if the spread is larger than 3 points then you are generally better off avoiding it.
How Is The Current Scenario In The CFL?
The standings for the 2017 CFL season are as follows:
- Grey Cup Champions: Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- East Division Champion: Montreal Alouettes
- West Division Champion: Calgary Stampeders
- Scotiabank Qualifier: Toronto Argonauts
- Coyotes Hot Dog Pie Eating Contest Champions: Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Interprovincial Cup: Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Rivalry Week: Edmonton Eskimos vs. Calgary Stampeders
- Playoff Bound: Toronto Argonauts
As you can see, all four of the above-mentioned teams are involved in some form of postseason play. A handful of teams are also in a state of transition, as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are undergoing a major rebuilding process after back-to-back Grey Cup victories. This will be the case for most of the NFL and CFL teams this season. It is always intriguing to see which teams will ride the momentum from a successful season to the next, and which teams will struggle to repeat their success. This year’s edition of the Grey Cup will be played on November 26, and the teams will be hitting the road to the playoffs shortly thereafter. Make sure to keep an eye on the standings this year, as predicting the future is a perilous venture at the best of times, and gambling on sports can be a lot more precarious. It’s a whole other ballgame during the off-season, when the games are canceled and the leagues are dormant. This is the time when a select few make a ton of money, as the vigorish is at its lowest and it is easier to win big on the occasional upset or error. The key is to know when to jump on the opportunity, and when to walk away. If you are looking to enter the world of CFL betting, then make sure to familiarise yourself with what to expect and when to expect it. Good luck out there.