CFL Betting: CFL Bets and Parlays for Week 18
We have another critical late-season Saturday doubleheader on tap, as there were are only two playoff spots locked in coming into Week 18 and no teams have yet been eliminated. The West Division is also still up for grabs, which makes the Stampeders-Lions tilt especially intriguing, considering both teams are still trying to complete last-gasp attempts to catch the Roughriders for first place.
Read on for a look at which Week 18 CFL betting scenarios catch my eye on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Toronto Argonauts (Saturday, Oct. 4, 3:00 p.m. ET)
The Argonauts are one of those very longshot postseason contenders entering Week 18, and their uphill battle gets even harder with a visit from what will surely be an ornery Tiger-Cats squad. Bo Levi Mitchell and his crew were thoroughly embarrassed in Week 17 by the Blue Bombers, falling 40-3 to drop their record to 9-6, albeit while still keeping them atop the East Division by a single game over the idle Alouettes heading into this contest.
Needless to say, the urgency should be there for Hamilton, which has just a +8 point differential on the season and has often gotten by in close games with stellar play from Mitchell and his weapons on that side of the ball. Fortunately for their hopes of a resurgence this week, the Argonauts are a team that can be vulnerable defensively despite also proving very adept at getting to the quarterback and causing turnovers.
Toronto has given up a league-high 465 points, and the Argos have dropped one decision to the Ti-Cats this season already by a 51-38 score back on July 4. Yet, the Argos returned the favor in the most recent meeting in Hamilton on Labour Day by squeaking out a 35-33 victory, yet another reason for the Ti-Cats to be incentivized a bit extra in this spot.
One thing that is abundantly clear is that Hamilton hasn't had any issues scoring points against Toronto this season, and that should hold true in this third and final regular-season meeting. Mitchell has thrown for 332 and 405 yards in the first two games against the Argos, posting a stellar 8:1 TD:INT along the way. Kenny Lawler has been a big beneficiary, posting a combined 15-330-5 line in the two games as he repeatedly used his speed to exploit Toronto's troubles defending the deep pass (league-high 29 completions of 30+ yards allowed).
Therefore, our two SGPs for this game will focus on a Ti-Cats win and a productive day for their offense and air attack in particular.
CFL Picks for Tiger-Cats at Argonauts
- SGP: Tiger-Cats -2.5 and Bo Levi Mitchell 250+ passing yards (+100 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- SGP: Tiger-Cats Over Alt. Total 25.5 points and Kenny Lawler 70+ receiving yards (-106 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Calgary Stampeders at B.C. Lions (Saturday, Oct. 4, 7:00 p.m. ET
Two teams that have plenty of talent but trouble with consistency as well face off in this divisional showdown that will essentially knock the loser out of contention for the division crown and also do some damage to their postseason hopes overall.
The Lions are home favorites of just more than a field goal after handing Calgary a serious 52-23 thumping on its home field just two weeks ago. Lions signal-caller and MOP candidate Nathan Rourke put together a performance for the ages in the rout, throwing for 331 yards and two touchdowns while adding three more scores on the ground alongside 43 rushing yards.
The Stampeders have an 8-6 record overall, but they're just 3-3 straight up on the road. B.C. is a rather ordinary 4-3 at home in its own right, but the Lions have often powered through this season with their juggernaut of a Rourke-led offense, which has helped compile 457 points, a league-best figure entering Week 18. Rourke himself has had a hand in 32 total touchdowns, with nine of those coming via his own legs.
Speaking of the running game, the Stamps have had significant trouble slowing down ground attacks all season, checking into Week 18 allowing a league-high 112.6 rushing yards per game at a co-league-high 5.6 yards per carry. The Lions' outstanding running back James Butler has already crossed the 1,000-yard mark on the season for the third time in his CFL career and is averaging 5.6 yards per tote overall. He missed the Week 16 game due to a leg injury, but he's crossed the 70-yard mark on the ground on eight occasions overall, including six of the last seven games.
Given the factors cited and the stakes at play, our two bets here focus on a B.C. win, Rourke finding his way into the end zone again, and Butler having one of his productive performances against a vulnerable defense.
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CFL Week 18 Best Bets Recap
- SGP: Tiger-Cats -2.5 and Bo Levi Mitchell 250+ passing yards (+100 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- SGP: Tiger-Cats Over Alt. Total 25.5 points and Kenny Lawler 70+ receiving yards (-106 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- SGP: Lions moneyline and Nathan Rourke Anytime TD Scorer (+135 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- James Butler Over 69.5 rushing yards (-114 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
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