CFL Week 20 Odds Preview: Lopsided Matchups in Must-Win Scenarios
Penultimate Week Has Wide Odds With Playoffs Still Being Sorted
Blowouts or Big Upsets? Week 20’s Odds Allude To It
It’s the week before the final week of the 2023 CFL regular season. And there is still a playoff spot up for grabs with the two contenders, the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders playing this weekend. Both are facing long odds to win their games as Edmonton, already eliminated, makes it a trio of wide lines per the CFL Week 20 odds. With playoffs on the line, will a team pull off the upset?
CFL Week 19 Review: Lions Get Bad Beat as Favorites Go 4-0
Last week was straightforward, given the CFL scores: all four favorites won, and three covered. The one fave that didn’t? The Lions. They edged the Tiger-Cats 33-30 and failed to cover their 3.5-point spread. This one went down to a final field goal with the score tied. But Lions kicker Sean Whyte hit the 48-yard field goal to simultaneously win the game and clinch the spread for Hamilton.
The week was also a high-scoring one. Calgary-Saskatchewan was the only game that fell below its total, and it only did so by two points. The rest all went over with an average total of 62. This is the first time since Week 15 that three or more games trended in this direction.
🏈 Stampeders vs Lions 🏈
Day/Time:
Location: BC Place, Vancouver, B.C.
Records: Stampeders (5-11)/Lions (12-5)
Streaming: CFL+, CBS Sports Network
The good news is that the Stampeders saved their playoff lives by beating the Roughriders last week. The bad: they now have to beat the Lions to stay alive. And the CFL Week 20 odds have them as +345 underdogs with a +8.5-point spread. BC has won five of its last six games against Calgary. That includes their two meetings this 2023, with the Lions winning both by double figures.
On top of that, Calgary is also just 1-5-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last seven road games. Fortunately, the Roughriders face even steeper odds in hosting Toronto.
🏈 Argonauts vs Roughriders 🏈
Day/Time:
Location: Mosaic Stadium, Regina, SK
Records: Argonauts (14-2)/Roughriders (6-11)
Saskatchewan has lost six straight games, beginning with that 51-6 embarrassment in the Banjo Bowl. With 522 points allowed, the Roughriders have the CFL’s worst defense. It’s no wonder that Toronto, who has won three straight against Saskatchewan, is favored by 9.5 points. And the total is 50.5. Nine of Saskatchewan’s last 10 games have gone over the total.
But Saskatchewan can still make the playoffs by winning this game. The team is third on the West Division’s CFL standings to emphasize how much the Albertan teams have struggled.
🏈 Elks vs Blue Bombers 🏈
Day/Time:
Location: IG Field, Winnipeg, MB
Records: Elks (4-11)/Blue Bombers (12-4)
The final game of the week still has playoff implications. Winnipeg has not clinched the West Division, so it will have to beat Edmonton and hope BC gets upset by Calgary. The CFL Week 20 odds don’t see this as an issue, as Winnipeg is favored by 11.5 points or -710 on the moneyline.
Winnipeg has won nine straight games against Edmonton. The last time Edmonton beat Winnipeg was in November of 2018, when most of the Bombers’ roster was different. Since then, the Bombers have become the best CFL team and look to make its fourth straight trip to the Grey Cup.
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