The Hamilton Tiger Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers are tuning up for Sunday night’s Grey Cup, and according to the OLG, which runs PROLINE+, Ontario sports betting odds have tightened since the markets opened on game day.
Winnipeg was 3.5-point favorite, but is now listed as a 1.5-point favorite just hours from the start. The majority of wagering is against the hometown Tiger-Cats. Customers are liking Winnipeg to win the game outright (60% of all moneyline wagers) and to cover the -1.5 point spread (68% of all wagers on Ontario sports betting apps).
Weather is going to be cool, with clear skies and dry conditions, so PROLINE+ customers are also expecting the total to go over the 44.5 points (65% of wagers there). The game will feature quarterback gunslingers Zach Collaros of the Bombers (who took home the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award on Thursday. He threw for 3,185 yards this season (20 touchdowns) and will face the Ticats’ Dane Evans.
Evans replaced starter Jeremiah Masoli in the Eastern Conference Final last weekend against the Toronto Argonauts and finished the game with a 100% completion percentage (16 for 16, 249 yards and three touchdowns).
PROLINE+ is the only option to place legal wagers in Ontario. The legal sports betting market with private operators in Ontario will be delayed until after the 2022 Super Bowl, which is set for Feb. 13.
Moderate Betting on Grey Cup
South of the border, this also being NFL Sunday, a spokesman for PointsBet Ontario says betting action on the Grey Cup has been “moderate … nothing too intense.”
As of noon, PointsBet reported 65% of bets as well as 68% of the handle was on the Bombers to cover (-2.5). Total was at 44.4 — 56% of bets and 63% of cash was on the over. Obviously betters in the U.S. also see the weather conditions and the potential for a heavy passing game.
DraftKings Sees Higher Interest
Johnny Avello, director of Race & Sports Operations for DraftKings Ontario in the U.S., said he has noticed more interest in betting on the CFL in the U.S.
It’s football and everyone likes to watch and bet on a game for all the marbles.
“We surely have seen an increase and expect this to be our largest Grey Cup handle ever. Firstly, the obvious reason is that we are in more U.S. states,” he said. “Secondly, CFL followers didn’t get to see a Grey Cup last year and are craving for the final game.
”In-game wagering will also be a very popular option on this year’s game.”
