Heading into a new season, BC, Saskatchewan offer better futures value than Grey Cup favourite Montreal
Another Canadian Football League (CFL) season is upon us. It’s been a while since there’s been this feeling of newfound hope and optimism around the league.
By far the big reason for that was the news last week of a series of multi-year broadcasting agreements, maximizing revenue and reach while attracting new audiences, the league believes, that will pump money back into the nine franchises.
Hopefully, finally, that will end the narrative that the league was on thin ice financially. Salary cap for players will be going up in 2028.
The CFL has also announced rules changes, with new field dimensions, and a new playoff format, announced this past April. Eight of the CFL’s nine teams will qualify for the playoffs now, adding a play-in round.
The CFL extended its longstanding partnership with Bell Media while adding a subscription-based streaming partner in DAZN, that will broadcast one game per week to Canadians (Saturday Night Football at 7 p.m. EST), starting in 2027. DAZN will also be streaming live CFL games via its platform to more than 200 countries outside Canada and the U.S.
The CFL also announced a partnership with YouTube to broadcast pre-season games live, enhanced CFL Combine coverage, an All-Access unscripted series, and a steady pipeline of highlights, interviews, and analysis, and other content.
With financial details were not released, in a statement, the CFL called it the largest media rights deal in league history.
“These record-setting agreements mark a transformative moment for the CFL,” said CFL Commissioner Stewart Johnston. “They reflect the deep passion of our powerful fanbase and the accelerating momentum of our league. We are thrilled to be aligning ourselves with Bell Media, Canada’s leading media entertainment company, DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, and YouTube, the world’s largest video platform. Together, they will unlock new CFL audiences, deliver world-class entertainment and put the CFL in prime position for its next era of growth.”
BEST BETS
The impact on CFL betting will be massive, because the entire new structure will mean more money to teams and better players, more teams in the playoffs, so higher betting stakes there, and a product that’s reachable to more people.
The new season opens Thursday night, with the Montreal Alouettes in Hamilton to take on the Tiger-Cats, 7:30 p.m. EST.
In CFL betting at Betway this morning, the Alouettes are favoured on the Moneyline, at -135, with the Tabbies at +115. ATS: Alouettes -1.5 (-115), Tiger-Cats +1.5 (-105). Over/Under is 50.5 (O -115, U -105).
Looking at CFL futures, the consensus betting favourite to win the Grey Cup is the Alouettes, led by quarterback Davis Alexander.
On Betway, the Alouettes are +300 to win the Grey Cup, followed by the B.C. Lions (+375), Saskatchewan Roughriders (+650), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (+750), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (+800), Calgary Stampeders (+900), Ottawa Redblacks (+1000), Toronto Argonauts (+1000), and Edmonton Elks (+1800).
I am taking a look at the Lions, since they have Nathan Rourke at quarterback, giving them the highest offensive ceiling of any team in the league, and I’d rather take the value on B.C.
Most of their core from an 11-win team in 2025 is back for this season. But can they stay healthy?
