The 2023 Canadian Football League season is here and before Week 1 kicks off, there’s still time to make your CFL win totals predictions for the upcoming campaign.
2023 CFL win totals: Over/under bets for all nine teams
Below, we break down each team’s win total and make a pick for whether they will exceed or fall short of that number, courtesy of CFL odds from a variety of sportsbooks.
First, we’ll go through the West Division before covering the East teams.
BC Lions win total: Over
Capable veteran Vernon Adams, Jr., who was impressive after a midseason trade, is now the man who controls the Lions’ offence.
The group includes key incumbents such as Keon Hatcher, Lucky Whitehead, and Dominique Rhymes.
James Butler’s departure to Hamilton stings but Taquan Mizzell, who has NFL experience and could offer some of the same skill set as Butler, is in line to take over the ground attack.
A 10-8 season at minimum is within reach for a team loaded with experience at key positions.
Click here for Grey Cup odds and picks before 2023 season kicks off
Calgary Stampeders win total: Over
Jake Maier has the starting quarterback job to himself to open a season for the first time and heads into the role with a solid 29 games of CFL experience under his belt.
Versatile Ka’Deem Carey is back to head up the ground attack and is complemented by the explosive duo of Peyton Logan and Dedrick Mills.
The pass-catching corps is led by blazing-fast Malik Henry, and although Tyson Philpot’s hamstring injury hurts depth, veteran Reggie Begelton should help pick up the slack.
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Edmonton Elks win total: Over
The Elks’ projected win total says plenty about the modest expectations attached to the team, but Edmonton has added some serious talent on both sides of the ball.
While the departure of Lawler to Winnipeg hurts, the additions of Geno Lewis, Kyran Moore, and Steven Dunbar Jr. are huge. This pass-catching group already includes breakout speedster Dillon Mitchell and veteran Emmanuel Arceneaux.
Kevin Brown and Shannon Brooks could make for quite the backfield tandem, while key defensive additions include Loucheiz Purifoy and A.C. Leonard, who both have all-star nods on their resumes.
Saskatchewan Roughriders win total: Under 7.5 (-125 or better)
The Riders are starting veteran Trevor Harris at QB, which is a passing upgrade over Cody Fajardo but a loss when it comes to mobility.
Harris should get plenty of help from an explosive running game helmed by Jamal Morrow and Frankie Hickson. That said, there are depth questions at receiver, especially with Kian Schaffer-Baker set to miss the start of the season due to recent hip surgery.
With a lack of overall speed in the air attack and a questionable defence, a seven-win season or worse wouldn’t surprise.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers win total: Over
The Bombers nearly pulled off a Grey Cup three-peat last season and have most of their key pieces back for another stab at the championship.
That includes Zach Collaros, Brady Oliveira, Dalton Schoen, Nic Demski, and Rasheed Bailey on offence.
Additionally, Kenny Lawler returns after a season in Edmonton while Adam Bighill, Winston Rose, Deatrick Nichols, and Willie Jefferson are some key defensive holdovers.
This is a veteran squad with smart players that knows how to win, so a 13-victory tally at minimum is feasible.
Click here for John Hodge’s take on Winnipeg’s win total
Hamilton Tiger-Cats win total: Under
The Ticats may be one of the tougher teams to prognosticate heading into the season.
Bo Levi Mitchell is an intriguing addition under centre, but he’s appeared to be in decline over the last three seasons in Calgary and increasingly mused about retirement last season.
James Butler is an exciting addition at running back, yet the loss of Steven Dunbar Jr. in free agency depletes the pass-catching corps’ depth.
There are questions on how effective and healthy Mitchell can be over a full season, so I see Hamilton’s ceiling at 10 wins.
Check out Josh Smith’s take on Hamilton’s win total here
Montreal Alouettes win total: Over
The Alouettes have made an interesting move at quarterback with Cody Fajardo, who arrives following a couple of uneven seasons with the Roughriders during which he still scored 42 total touchdowns.
William Stanback and Walter Fletcher are a talented one-two punch in the backfield, and Montreal should have enough for a good shot at eight wins minimum with new head coach Jason Maas overseeing the offence.
Ottawa Redblacks win total: Under 7.5 wins (-105 or better)
The Redblacks finished 2022 with a 4-14 record but sported only a minus-95-point differential, a modest 43 points worse than the 8-10 Tiger-Cats.
Ottawa gets Jeremiah Masoli back at quarterback after last year’s season-ending leg injury and enjoys plenty of continuity key returnees with Jaelon Acklin and Nate Behar.
Nevertheless, questions remain on the defensive side of the ball, so up to a three-win improvement might be the ceiling for a team with a fair share of age on its roster.
Toronto Argonauts win total: Under 9.5 wins (-105 or better)
The Argos still have plenty of talent despite the departure of McLeod Bethel-Thompson to the USFL, and there is impressive continuity with respect to last year’s roster.
However, Chad Kelly, who was cool under pressure when taking over for MBT in last season’s Grey Cup, is now helming the air attack, and there are naturally question marks attached as he begins his first full season as the starter.
He’ll have an experienced crew of skill-position assets that includes breakout star Kurleigh Gittens Jr., DaVaris Daniels, Markeith Ambles, and Cam Phillips, but with every opponent likely to give them their best shot, I see a .500 season at best for the defending champions.
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