Spread betting in the CFL requires bettors to account for the margin of victory rather than simply picking a winner. A favorite listed at -6.5 must win by seven or more points to cover, while the underdog at +6.5 can lose by six and still cash. CFL spreads tend to be wider than their NFL counterparts due to greater talent disparity between rosters, more volatile scoring from the rouge and three-down system, and a shorter 14-game schedule where a single injury can shift a team's trajectory dramatically. Understanding these dynamics is essential before laying points.
The spreads market in CFL football offers the most value during weeks with significant weather shifts on outdoor fields, quarterback controversies, or short-week crossover games where fatigue creates unpredictable margins. Bettors should closely monitor late-week injury reports, as CFL rosters are smaller and less deep than NFL squads, meaning a single absence can swing a spread by three or more points. Vig on CFL spreads typically runs slightly higher than on NFL lines — often settling around -112 to -115 per side rather than the standard -110 — reflecting lower betting volume and thinner markets. Comparing vig across books becomes especially worthwhile here, as even small differences compound over a full season.
Spreads Vig Rankings
| # | Sportsbook | Vig | Grade | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pinnacle | 3.43% | B+ | 3 |
| 2 | BetMGM | 4.71% | B | 3 |
| 3 | BetOnline.ag | 4.73% | B | 3 |
| 4 | LowVig.ag | 4.73% | B | 3 |
| 5 | BetUS | 4.74% | B | 3 |
| 6 | DraftKings | 4.74% | B | 3 |
| 7 | BetAnything | 4.76% | B | 3 |
| 8 | Bovada | 4.76% | B | 3 |
| 9 | Hard Rock Bet | 4.76% | B | 3 |
| 10 | MyBookie.ag | 4.76% | B | 3 |
| 11 | FanDuel | 4.81% | B | 3 |
| 12 | Bally Bet | 4.82% | B | 3 |
| 13 | betPARX | 4.82% | B | 3 |
| 14 | theScore Bet (ESPN Bet) | 5.10% | C+ | 3 |
| 15 | Caesars | 5.21% | C+ | 3 |
| 16 | BetRivers | 5.64% | C+ | 3 |
| 17 | ReBet | 11.25% | F | 3 |
Upcoming Spreads Lines
| Matchup | Time | FanDuel | theScore Bet | MyBookie.ag | BetMGM | Bovada |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Elks @ BC Lions | Jul 4, 11:00 PM | -1.5 (-110) | -2 (-105) | -2 (-110) | -1.5 (-115) | -1.5 (-110) |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Jul 5, 11:00 PM | +3.5 (-115) | +3.5 (-115) | +3.5 (-110) | +3.5 (-115) | +3.5 (-110) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a point spread bet?
A point spread bet levels the playing field by giving the underdog a head start. If the spread is Patriots -7, they must win by more than 7 points for a spread bet to pay. Spreads are the most popular market in football and basketball, which means they attract the most volume and typically have the lowest vig.
Why do spreads usually have lower vig than moneylines?
Spreads attract the highest betting volume because they create a roughly 50/50 proposition regardless of team quality. This balanced action means sportsbooks don't need wide margins to manage risk, resulting in tighter vig — often the best value available.
What is vig (vigorish) in sports betting?
Vig — short for vigorish, also called juice or overround — is the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. It's the difference between the true probability of an outcome and what the odds imply. Lower vig means you keep more of your winnings on every bet. For example, a standard -110/-110 line has about 4.76% vig.
How often is this data updated?
We pull fresh odds from The Odds API three times per day — at 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 10:00 PM UTC. Each snapshot captures the latest lines from every sportsbook that has posted odds. The timestamp at the top of the page shows the most recent refresh.
How is the vig grade calculated?
Each sportsbook is graded on a letter scale based on average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exceptional, A (2–3%) is excellent, B+ (3–4%) is above average, B (4–5%) is the industry standard, C (5–6%) is below average, and D (above 6%) indicates high-juice markets.
Why does lower vig matter for bettors?
Lower vig directly impacts your long-term returns. A bettor placing $1,000 per week at a book with 4% vig loses roughly $40/week to the house edge. At 2% vig, that drops to $20/week — a $1,040 difference over a year. For serious bettors, shopping for lower vig is one of the most reliable ways to improve profitability.
What sportsbooks do you track?
We track both regulated US sportsbooks (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars) and offshore books (Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, BetUS, LowVig.ag, BetAnySports). Data comes from The Odds API, which aggregates real-time lines from licensed sources.
How We Calculate These Numbers
- Data Source
- All odds on this page come from The Odds API, which aggregates real-time lines from licensed US and offshore sportsbooks. We track moneyline, spread, and totals markets across every sport with active betting lines.
- Update Frequency
- We pull a fresh snapshot of every tracked market three times per day — at 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 10:00 PM UTC. Each snapshot captures the latest lines from every sportsbook that has posted odds for a given event. The timestamp at the top of each page tells you exactly when the data was last refreshed.
- Vig Calculation
- Vig (short for vigorish, also called juice or overround) measures the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. We calculate it by converting the odds on each side of a market to implied probabilities, summing those probabilities, and subtracting 100%. For example, a market priced at -110/-110 implies 52.38% on each side — a total of 104.76%, meaning a vig of 4.76%. Lower vig means better value for bettors because you keep more of your winnings.
- Per-Market Breakdown
- We compute vig separately for each market type: moneyline (h2h), point spreads, and totals (over/under). The "average vig" shown for each sportsbook is the mean across all market types weighted by the number of events sampled in each market.
- Grading Scale
- Every sportsbook receives a letter grade based on its average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exchange-level pricing. A (2–3%) is very competitive. B+ (3–4%) is above average. B (4–5%) is the industry standard — a -110/-110 line is 4.76%. C+ (5–6%) is slightly below average. C (6–7%) is below average. D (7–8%) is high vig. D− (8–10%) is very high vig. F (10%+) is predatory pricing. See the full Vig Index Methodology for formulas, worked examples, and known limitations.
- Trend Tracking
- We store daily snapshots for 30 days, allowing us to show 24-hour and 7-day vig trends. A downward trend (improving) means sportsbooks are tightening their lines — often in response to increased competition or higher betting volume as a season heats up.