The Canadian Football League is more than just a game; it’s a national tradition with thrilling plays, fast-paced action, and moments to remember. Regardless of who you’re rooting for, CFL betting adds a layer of excitement to every play. That’s why choosing the right CFL betting site is crucial for Canucks.
You’ll find sportsbooks offering varying CFL odds, but those platforms with competitive lines, hefty bonuses, and a safety-first betting experience are what come out on top. We’ll provide a list of the best CFL betting sites in Canada and make sure you know what to look for when placing your bets and how to maximize your winnings during the season.
The Canadian Football League (CFL) is Canada’s premier professional football league and one of the largest leagues worldwide next to the NFL. While this football league is often compared to the NFL, several aspects distinguish CFL. For example, the CFL is played with a larger ball and on a longer field with 12 players instead of 11. Furthermore, CFL rules limit possessions to just three downs compared to the four used in the NFL.
The league was launched in 1958, and it features nine teams divided into East and West Divisions. Each team plays an 18-game schedule over 21 weeks, and six of the nine teams make it to the CFL Playoffs, which consist of the Division Semi-Finals, Division Finals, and, ultimately, the Grey Cup Championship. The Grey Cup is played annually in late November, which is not just a championship game but a national celebration with elaborate halftime shows, major fan festivals, and a legacy of legendary performances.
How We Selected the Top CFL Betting Sites
Wondering how we rank our top football sportsbooks with a focus on CFL? Our reviews are user-centric and we have a strict ranking process that helps us bring you safe and reputable CFL betting sites. Before we rank a site, we sign up, deposit, place bets, test the features, and evaluate the withdrawal process.
For sportsbooks that offer mobile apps, we download and test them to assess their functionality and ease of use. This hands-on approach allows us to provide you with trustworthy and expert-backed recommendations. In this section, we will take you through the key factors that inform our ranking of the best betting sites for CFL.
Bonuses and Promotions
Not only do Canadian football betting sites use bonuses and promotions to attract new users and keep existing ones engaged, but Canucks also take advantage by getting more funds to place more wagers which increases their chances of winning.
When reviewing CFL betting sites, we pay close attention to the quality and variety of their offers. We also check if the site has sign-up bonuses tailored to CFL bettors or ongoing promotions that enhance your betting experience, such as odds boosts or free bets. We also scrutinize the T&Cs to ensure these offers are fair. After all, a great bonus is only valuable if it’s usable.
Betting Features
The best CFL betting sites go above and beyond to provide Canadian punters with features like betting tools like live streaming, bet builders, cashout options, and more. All of these options allow for a more straightforward betting experience, like following the games up close, creating custom wagers based on your predictions, and locking in your profits when the payout is just right.
Competitive Odds
During CFL tournaments, you will come across sportsbooks with varying odds depending on the CFL betting markets you are interested in. We analyze each sportsbook to ensure you get the best odds and CFL betting lines. That said, we advise comparing the odds of our top CFL bookies, especially during live betting, since the odds tend to be volatile.
In addition to competitive odds, the best CFL betting sites offer Canucks diverse ways to wager on the Canadian Football League. We look for common CFL betting markets such as moneyline, point spread, prop bets, parlay, totals, and future bets.
User Experience and Mobile Betting
To provide a betting experience that stands out, we pay close attention to the design, functionality, and overall user experience of each sportsbook. Our high-ranking sites feature intuitive layouts, visually appealing graphics, swift navigation, and a clear display of the CFL markets and odds.
Furthermore, most Canadian punters have turned to mobile betting. As such, we test the mobile compatibility of the website to ensure you can easily bet from your phone or tablet. If a bookmaker has a mobile betting app, we download it to test its efficiency on both Android and iOS.
Security and Safety
Above all else, a sportsbook must be safe and secure. Our team thoroughly examines the cyber security measures of each site, including checking for SSL encryption, secure payment methods, and robust privacy policies to protect your personal and financial information.
Additionally, we check other users’ reviews to determine the reputation of each sportsbook. The best football betting sites in Canada are also licensed by recognized regulators that can operate in provinces where online betting is legal.
Banking Options
Since Canadian punters have varying banking method preferences, we bring you CFL betting sites that support a variety of payment methods to bet on sports. We look for commonly accepted banking methods such as Visa, Mastercard, ACH transfers, and e-wallets like Interac and Neteller.
In addition to a variety of payment methods, we also evaluate the speed of transactions, any associated fees, and the overall ease of use. The last thing we want is for you to miss out on placing a bet because of a complicated or slow transaction.
Customer Support
It’s easy to overlook customer support when everything is running smoothly, but it becomes crucial when issues arise. The top CFL betting sites excel at offering reliable customer service via multiple support channels, including live chat, email, and telephone. Live chat is particularly valuable when dealing with an urgent issue.
CFL bookmakers that offer 24/7 customer support get more points in our ranking since you are assured of getting help at any time of the day. We also prefer sites that have real human agents and not robot chatbots, which can sometimes delay the inquiry process. Additionally, we look for platforms with comprehensive FAQ sections that address common questions and concerns.
How to Bet on CFL
Placing a bet on CFL at our top Canadian football betting sites is easy, even if this is your first time. Just follow the following simple steps.
Pick a CFL Betting Site – Choose a reputable CFL betting site from our expert-vetted CFL sportsbooks. Our top bookies offer a wide range of CFL betting lines, competitive odds, and safe transactions.
Create an account – To register, provide a few personal details, such as your name, age, address, and email. You might also be required to verify your identity by uploading a copy of your passport, driver’s license, or another form of ID.
Evaluate the available bonus offers – Welcome bonuses give you a head start with free bets, deposit matches, or bonus credits. However, before you claim any offer, be sure to read the T&Cs and take note of the wagering requirements, minimum deposit, and other key requirements.
Make a deposit – Once your account is set up, it’s time to add funds. From the cashier section, choose your preferred banking method and the amount you wish to deposit.
Decide what to bet on – You can now explore the available betting markets, lines, and odds and decide what to bet on. If you are unfamiliar with CFL betting, the three most common CFL bet types you can start with include moneyline, point spread, and totals (over/under).
Collect your winnings – If your predictions are correct, your winnings are automatically added to your account. Most sportsbooks will process your withdrawals within a few hours, but your selected payment method also contributes to the overall withdrawal time.
Types of CFL Bets
If you’ve ever placed a bet on the NFL or the Super Bowl, then it’s possible you know how to read CFL betting lines. However, if CFL betting is new to you, we’ve got you covered. In this section, we will discuss some of the common markets and lines that you will come across at the top CFL bookmakers.
Moneyline Bets
A moneyline bet is the simplest way to bet on CFL games. In a moneyline, you are betting on the outright winner of the game. This means you don’t have to worry about point spreads or margins. The odds will indicate which team is the favorite and which is the underdog.
For example, if the odds of a tournament between Winnipeg and Ottawa Redblacks are displayed as:
Winnipeg (-150)
Redblacks (+170)
It means Winnipeg is the favorite, and the Redblacks are the underdog. The minus (-) sign indicates the favorite, while the plus (+) sign represents the underdog. In this case, if you placed a $100 bet on the Redblacks to win, you will receive a $170 payout. On the other hand, for you to win $100 on Winnipeg, you’d need to bet $150.
Point Spread Bets
This bet type is designed to level the playing field between teams by assigning a point handicap. The favorite will have a negative (-) spread, which means they must win by more than the set number of points to cover the spread in CFL games. Conversely, the underdog will have a positive (+) spread, meaning they must win outright or lose by fewer points than the spread for the bet to win.
For example, if Saskatchewan has a +3.5 spread and Ottawa has a -3.5 spread, Ottawa is the favorite, and RedBalcks is the underdog. If you place a bet on the RedBlacks, the team has to win by at least 3.5 points for your wager to win. On the other hand, a bet on the Roughriders will win if they either win the game outright or lose by 3.5 points or less.
Parlay Bets
A parlay is a single bet that includes multiple bets combined into one, as it’s second name—multibet, suggests. To win a parlay, all selections in the bet must be correct. Usually, this bey type offers higher payouts since the odds of each selection are multiplied into one. Unfortunately, there is also an increased risk with multibets since if you make one incorrect prediction, your entire bet will be forfeited, but some of the top multibet sports sites offer great betting conditions.
Totals
Totals, also known as over/under bets, involve betting on the total combined score of both teams in a game. In this case, you will bet on whether the combined score will be higher or lower than the number provided by the sportsbook.
This type of bet is a good choice for beginners since you don’t have to predict the score of each team correctly. As long as you bet on the correct over or under bet, you’ll win. For example, if the sportsbooks project that the Calgary Stampeders vs Hamilton Tiger game total would be 40.5, you can bet on whether the final points scored will be more or less than 40.5.
Prop Bets
Most Canadian sportsbooks set prop bets during high-profile games like the Grey Cup. During such tournaments, you will find interesting markets, such as how many yards a player will average if a kicker will miss a field goal, the temperature at kickoff, and which team will score first. A positive thing is that you can win a prop bet long before the match ends, even if your team is behind.
Futures
Futures are long-term bets where you can predict the outcome of an event at the beginning of the season. For example, you can bet on which team will win the Grey Cup in November, and throughout the season, the odds will fluctuate until the championship game. For example, if you place a future bet on the Blue Bombers winning at odds of 3.00, they might have a bad start to the season and drop to 1.25 odds of winning, but this does not mean that you’ve lost the bet yet.
Popular CFL Events to Bet On
The Canadian Football League features several events you can bet on throughout the year. These CFL events range from the renowned Grey Cup to the regular-season competitions. In this section, we will discuss some of the popular CFL events you can look out for.
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is the tournament that determines who takes the crown as the champion of the league. Each year, the winners of the East and West divisions face off in a winner-takes-all showdown during the Grey Cup match, opening many betting opportunities for placing bets not only during the match but in advance as well.
CFL Playoffs
Since 1973, six teams, three from each division, have battled for a chance to claim the championship. The playoffs begin with the division semi-finals, where the second and third-place teams face off while the first-place teams enjoy a bye week. The winners then advance to the division finals, with the ultimate prize being a spot in the Grey Cup. With many unique opportunities for placing bets, the three-week-long window is a great way to give CFL betting a chance while leading up to the Grey Cup.
Canada Day Kickoff
The Canada Day Kickoff is a celebration of football and national pride, and it marks the start of the CFL regular season. The event is held on or around July 1st, and it sets the tone for the months ahead. For bettors, the Canada Day Kickoff is an exciting opportunity to get in on the action early, with fresh odds and a chance to assess team form and strategy.
Regular Season Games
While the Grey Cup and CFL Playoffs often steal the spotlight, the regular-season games are the backbone of the league. Each team plays 18 games over a 21-week season which creates numerous opportunities for Canucks to find betting lines throughout the season. Better yet, these regular seasons give you a chance to understand the teams, including the coaching strategies and players’ form. This information helps you make informed betting decisions not only during the regular season but also when the teams advance to the playoffs and the Grey Cup tournament.
Bonuses and Promotions for CFL Betting
If you are considering betting on CFL, you will find a variety of bonuses and promotions at our top recommended CFL bookmakers. These offers provide you with additional bankroll, which allows you to explore more CFL betting markets and increase your chances of winning. Below are some of the popular bonuses you don’t want to miss out on.
Welcome Bonus
Welcome bonuses are designed for new punters and are often the most lucrative offers at CFL betting sites. These offers often come in the form of a matched deposit, where the sportsbook matches a percentage of your initial deposit up to a certain amount. For example, a 100% match up to $200 means that you will receive an additional $200 to bet with. This bonus provides a huge boost to your bankroll, which helps you kickstart your CFL betting journey.
Boosted Odds
Some CFL sportsbooks often offer boosted odds during certain events, which helps you get value from your winning bets. With this offer, the bookmakers adjust the odds to make them more favorable, such as increasing a team’s odds from -120 to +110. This means a $100 bet could pay 110 instead of the original $83.33.
Bet Insurance
This bet type is often offered on your first wager at a sportsbook. With bet insurance, if your initial bet loses, the sportsbook will reimburse you a certain percentage of your money. For example, if you wager $50 and lose, you might receive a 30% bet insurance, in which case, the betting site will reimburse $15.
Free Bets
You can place a bet on a CFL betting market without using your own money if you grab a free bet offer. If you win, you can keep the money as long as you meet all the set T&Cs. On the other hand, if your bet loses, you actually lose nothing. Although free bets are often offered as welcome bonuses, some bookies also tie these offers to specific events like the Grey Cup or Canada Day Kickoff.
Parlay Boosts
This bet is a favorite among bettors who enjoy combining multiple bets into one. With this promotion, the sportsbook increases the payout percentage for successful parlays. For example, a 10% boost on a 3-leg parlay could turn a $100 win into a $110. With such offers, you can earn more when you increase the number of legs, but the risk of losing is also higher.
Reload Bonuses
Existing bettors are also rewarded when they top up their accounts. The reload bonuses can come as a matched deposit, fixed deposit, or free bet offer. These promotions often occur on specific days or around major CFL events, but you can always check the promotions section of a sportsbook to see if there’s anything.
CFL Betting Apps
Most Canucks enjoy the convenience of mobile betting. You can easily follow your live bets, place wagers, or cash out while on the go. And although a bookmaker doesn’t necessarily need to offer a dedicated mobile betting app, it should at least be fully mobile-optimized to find CFL betting markets easily.
CFL Betting on Android
As an Android user, you can access our top CFL betting sites via mobile web browsers such as Chrome and Mozilla if there’s no app. Some bookmakers do offer APK files for Android users, which you can download directly from the operator’s website, but they are not as good as the real deal. The best Android betting apps that you can download from the Google Play Store support fast load times, an intuitive interface, and easy access to CFL betting odds and markets.
CFL Betting on iOS
Some CFL sportsbooks have iOS apps downloadable from the App Store or directly from their website. These apps provide a customizable betting experience since you can save your login details, mark your preferred betting markets, and get instant updates and notifications. If your preferred betting site does not have an app, you can still access the mobile site via Safari or another web browser.
How to Stay Ahead in the CFL Betting Game
Canadian Football League is one of the top featured football events in Canadian sportsbooks, offering Canucks diverse betting markets. The East and West divisions and the final championship game, the Grey Cup, have been contested for decades. The CFL campaign runs from June to October, so if you are interested in CFL betting, this is a great time to explore the available betting lines and markets. Some of the common CFL betting markets include moneyline, point spread, parlay, and totals. Our team has compiled a list of the best CFL betting sites that offer these and more markets, competitive CFL betting odds, and bonuses such as boosted odds, so make sure you follow through.
CFL Betting Sites FAQs
The CFL regular season runs for 21 weeks, and each team plays 18 games. The teams also have three bye weeks during the season, which is from mid-June to late November.
Most Canucks prefer point spread betting, where you bet on a team to win by a certain margin. Other popular CFL betting options include moneyline, where you bet on the outright winner and the over/under (totals), which include betting on the total points scored in a game.
The best CFL betting site covers diverse CFL events, features a wide selection of CFL betting markets/lines, and offers competitive betting odds. Additionally, these sites offer impressive bonuses that provide you with a boost in your bankroll. To save you the hustle, we have compiled a list of the best betting sites for CFL that meet all these requirements.
A parlay bet combines two or more individual bets into a single wager. This type of bet offers higher payout potential since the odds of all the selections are multiplied together. However, there is a higher risk of losing since all the legs must win before the bet can pay out.
CFL and NFL have similar betting options such as moneyline, point spread, and over/under, but CFL has several unique rules that set it apart. For example, the game is played on a larger field, the rules limit possessions to just three downs instead of four, and the CFL has higher-scoring games.
Yes, betting on the CFL and any form of sports betting is legal in Canada. However, similar to the USA, the sports betting laws in Canada vary depending on the province. Provinces where sports betting is legal include Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada, Manitoba, and Alberta.
Top CFL betting sites offer a variety of bonuses, including welcome bonuses, free bets, boosted odds, and reload bonuses. These promotions come in handy to enhance your betting experience since you are awarded additional funds or risk-free bets. Nonetheless, before you claim any offer, always read the terms and conditions.
Yes, most sports betting sites for CFL offer live betting, which allows you to place bets while the match is still ongoing. Some of the markets you can find for in-play betting include point spreads, over/under, and next-play outcomes. However, if you decide to bet on live events, it’s important to remember that the betting odds tend to be quite volatile, unlike pre-match betting.
