CFL Futures Bets mean that the 2023 CFL season is still months away. After an exciting 2022 that seemed destined for a Winnipeg three-peat, something funny happened along the way. Toronto weathered the storm and found a way to hold back the Blue Bombers 24-23. The Argonauts won the 109th Grey Cup. Now, Vegas Betting asks Winnipeg will be striking back.
| Early 2023 CFL Futures |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | +275 | +325 | +325 |
| British Columbia Lions | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Toronto Argonauts | +500 | +550 | +550 |
| Calgary Stampeders | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Montreal Alouettes | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | +900 | +650 | +650 |
Winnipeg figured to be favored out of the gates early, and the bookmakers did not disappoint. Bovada online sportsbook carried one of the shorter numbers out there at +275. The Blue Bombers kicked themselves out of a third consecutive title literally behind a rare Zach Collaros mistake late and a blocked field goal attempt at the end. Winnipeg figures to be considerably motivated to prove last year was a fluke. CFL Futures Bets headline them.
The Blue Bombers have been the best choice for the past three-plus seasons, and little has changed. Expect Winnipeg to retain most of its free agents. The “frenzy” does not start until February 14th. Yes, that is four weeks away. For the icing on the cake, the 2023 season does not begin for more than 4 1/2 months. British Columbia and Calgary open the season on June 8th, with the preseason starting in May.
So, Winnipeg looks to have some unfinished business. However, the prevailing thought is that the Blue Bombers will again be able to reload for another run at the Grey Cup. Winnipeg carried the league’s best record in 2022, and there is little reason to believe 2023 won’t be any different. Are the Blue Bombers going to win 13 or more games again? Now, that is for a later time.
Therefore, CFL Futures Bets focuses on keeping things simple. The Blue Bombers striking back and making it three championships in four seasons looks likely.
Toronto and the CFL Futures Bets opened with the Argonauts as the third team on the ladder in the +450 to +500 range. Do not expect that to continue. We will have more on that down below. 2022 was one wild and crazy season for the Argonauts. Ultimately, everything rose for Toronto as Boris Bede booted several clutch field goals and A.J. Ouellette punched in two short touchdown runs.
Henoc Muamba helped preserve the 109th Grey Cup with a crucial interception. Toronto also rallied from down 23-14 in the fourth quarter. No team had come back from down more than seven points to Winnipeg all season long. The Argonauts pulled that off in the most crucial moments in an environment more suited for the Blue Bombers. That made this Grey Cup even sweeter.
Toronto remains the best value pick here. Again, the free agency may rear its ugly head to a point. The bottom line is that the East could again be the Argonauts to lose. Montreal seems like their only true competition. The Alouettes would need to make some big moves in free agency to get on Toronto’s level or surpass them. There is one bright side to the 110th edition of the Grey Cup.
The playoffs could go through Toronto in the East. If the Argonauts can win and advance, their chances of repeating would be boosted. This is because the Grey Cup will be played in Hamilton, Ontario, not too far away from Toronto, on November 19th at Tim Horton’s Field.
CFL Futures Bets asks the betting world to pause on British Columbia. Now, that is correct. The Lions had a magical season with Nathan Rourke under center. A fourth-quarter injury knocked Rourke out of action and caused him to miss almost half of the regular season. The quarterback returned but was not quite the same afterward. Still, the Lions upended Calgary in the playoffs before losing to Winnipeg.
Again, There was some hope that the former Ohio Bobcats standout would return to British Columbia and finish what he started. Alas, Rourke became eligible to sign with an NFL team on January 9th per the CFL-NFL transfer agreement. Rourke announced on Sunday that he signed a three-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League.
Few would be pleasantly surprised if Rourke somehow returns to British Columbia. With Trevor Lawrence entrenched as the starter, a clipboard may be more in his future. On the other hand, if Rourke wins the backup job, he is one play away from being “the guy.” It will be interesting to see what happens.
For CFL Futures Bets, pausing on British Columbia is prudent until we see what happens in free agency. It will be intriguing to see what opens up on the market and if that will be a good fit for the Lions in the future. One thing is certain. That +450 is about to lengthen. How much? Time will tell.
The Calgary Stampeders are at +700 and do have some potential. They gave Winnipeg all they could handle a few times last season. Could they, as one of those long shots, get out of the West and win the Grey Cup? Again, free agency will hopefully paint a somewhat clearer picture.
Also, do not sleep on Hamilton. The Tiger-Cats started to get things together late last season. A better start gives them a value of +900.
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