The 2021 CFL Regular Season is a wrap – which means it is time for the East and West Semi-Finals this weekend!
The 2021 CFL Playoffs start this weekend – with Hamilton and Montreal in the East Semi-Finals and Calgary taking on Saskatchewan in the West Semi-Finals. Get ready for the doubleheader of football action – on November 28 – with our 2021 CFL East and West Semi-Finals betting preview.
Hamilton Late Season Improvements makes them Favourites Over Montreal
The best CFL Playoffs odds on the 2021 East Semi-Finals have Hamilton opening as 4.5-point favourites against the Alouettes. The teams split their two meetings this season – with the road team victorious in both instances.
Montreal’s loss to the Ottawa Redblacks in Week 16 of the 2021 CFL Season is concerning. Ottawa – the worst team in the CFL this season – went into Montreal and beat the Alouettes in a must-win game. While Montreal moved the ball well in Week 16, their inability to stop Ottawa in the second half is not good heading into the playoffs.
In their previous six games before their win against Montreal, Ottawa topped 16 points once in a game. In the second half against Montreal, Ottawa erased an 18-3 deficit to win 19-18. It could partly be a coaching issue as Montreal abandoned a successful offensive attack in a Week 14 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Hamilton enters the postseason winners of four of their last five. They have looked particularly impressive at home – winning their last three in Hamilton by 82 to 24. As the team finished the regular season, they look much closer to the 15-3 team that made the 2019 Grey Cup. Take Hamilton in the 2021 East Division Semi-Finals.
Over/Under Betting Pick: Expect Minimal Points in the East-Semis
In a year where scoring is down across the board in the CFL – it is interesting to see the over/under line on this game opening at 46.5. Most lines have adjusted to 43.0 and the second game of the weekend is set even lower.
Montreal and Hamilton frequently hit the under in games this season. Hamilton went 4-10 on the over/under line this season. If every line in 2021 was 46.5, the over would have hit only three times (21.4%). Montreal – despite having the second highest-scoring offence in the CFL this season – went only 5-8-1 on the over/under. They would have finished 5-9 if every game was set at 46.5.
The weather in this game also looks questionable. Wet snow is currently in the forecast in Hamilton. Even if it changes to rain by Sunday, the conditions are not optimal for offensive football. Bet on the under to hit in the East Semi-Finals.
Calgary can Win in Saskatchewan as Road Underdogs on Sunday
The top CFL betting odds on the second game of the 2021 CFL Division Semi-Finals sees Calgary as a small road underdog against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. One of the reasons for the close betting lines is in 2021, the best road team in the Canadian Football League is the Stampeders (5-2) in the regular season.
The Stampeders also took two of three against the Roughriders this season – which helped them erase a slow start to go 7-2 to cap off the 2021 campaign. The Stampeders have now gone 13 seasons above .500 – one off of the CFL record (Edmonton 1984 to 1997).
Saskatchewan – despite a better record than Calgary – is statistically worse. They have a worse point differential (+6 vs. +52), lower yards per play (6.02 vs. 6.75), more penalty yards per game (89.29 vs. 68.71), and allow more passing yards per attempt (12.05 vs. 11.04). That is to just name a few categories Calgary was better than Saskatchewan in.
We are backing Calgary to win this game. They are a better team statistically and playing the better football entering the 2021 CFL Playoffs.
Stampeders Improving Offence has us Betting on the Over
After some inconsistencies to start the season, Calgary found balance on their offence – allowing them to score more productively to end the season. Tossing out the season finale – backups versus backups against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers – Calgary had topped 20 points in six of their last eight games.
In all three games between these two teams this season the under hit. The line dropped every game between the two from 47.5 to 45, to 44.5, and now is 41.5.
Surprisingly, all three games ended between 37 and 41 points – meaning a 41.5 game total would have hit the under every game. With the Stampeders offence improving and the chances of four games consecutively going under we are betting on the over in this game.
Best Online Sportsbooks to Bet on the 2021 CFL Playoffs
Want to know the best places to bet on the 2021 CFL Playoffs? Check out the sites below or read our reviews of the best Canadian online sportsbooks to find out more!
