CFL Picks 2023 ATS Recap

I mistakenly picked overdog WINterPEG -8.5 over montreal against the spread (ATS) in the Grey Cup. A fitting end to a Canadian Football League (CFL) 2023 season including playoffs over which I finished 35-50-1 against the spread (ATS) = 16-24 road underdogs, 4-5-1 road overdogs, 5-6 home overdogs and 10-15 home underdogs -- my worst year ever by far and my 2nd consecutive losing year. A simple all-overdogs strategy was 48-37-1 this year. 

Godiva toy boy and fiance-in-perpetuity Archibald points out that western teams are 247-156-2 straight-up against eastern teams from 2012 through 2023 and 206-194-5 ATS including Grey Cups and other playoff matches. But, in 2023, the east was ahead 18-13-1 ATS and 19-13 straight-up in inter-conference matches. 

Are the years of western dominance over? Or was eastern superiority in 2023 a random aberration without any significant meaning?

The west has still won 6 of the last 10 Grey Cups and 11 of the past 17. I am proud, albeit insignificantly statistically proud, to be 10-4 ATS picking the past 14 Grey Cups. 

I am 51% over 13 years picking Canadian Football League (CFL) winners against the spread (ATS) from 2009 on. (Recall that the  CFL cancelled their 2020 season, so there have been only 14 seasons from 2009 through 2023.) I have had 5 losing CFL years out of 14. I do not do well enough to make a profit betting CFL games with real money, but every now and then my picks should be good enough to win a small, just-for-fun CFL season-long pool. I trail behind a simple all-underdogs strategy at 52% from 2009-2023. 2023 is the first year since 2014 for CFL underdogs to record a losing year ATS. 

Luckily, Arch was too busy with volunteer tasks to maintain his CFL ATS pool, so my picks were just for fun with not much fun had in a losing year for yours truly. 

CFL 2022 Recap: Picks ATS

I was wrong picking against the spread (ATS) WINterPEG -5.5 over TORONTO. However, I am still proud, albeit insignificant statistically, to be 10-3 ATS picking the past 13 Grey Cups.   

For the 2022 season including playoffs, I finished 39-46-1 ATS: 23-13 with my road underdog picks, 3-16-1 home underdogs, 4-10 road overdogs and 9-7 home overdogs. 2022 was only my 4th losing CFL year ATS out of 13. Road teams ruled 2022 at 50-35-1 ATS. 

I am 52% over 13 years picking CFL winners ATS from 2009 on. (Recall that the Canadian Football League [CFL] cancelled their 2020 season, so there have been only 13 seasons from 2009 through 2022.) I have had only 4 losing CFL years out of 13. I do not do well enough to make a profit betting CFL games with real money, but every now and then my picks should be good enough to win a small, just-for-fun CFL season-long pool. However, I trail behind a simple all-underdogs strategy at 53% from 2009-2022. 2014 was the only year during this period when CFL underdogs had a losing year ATS.

Godiva toy boy and fiance-in-perpetuity Archibald points out that western teams are 234-137-2 straight-up against eastern teams from 2012 through 2022 and 193-176-4 ATS including Grey Cups and other playoff matches. In 2022, the west was 20-12 straight-up, but 14-18 ATS. The west has won 6 of the last 9 Grey Cups and 11 of the past 17.

Arch's buddy Taxi Steve brought to my attention the fact that Toronto has won its last 7 Grey Cup appearances, has not lost the CFL final since 1987 and boasts a 25-13 Grey Cup record (including all Toronto-based teams). 2022 was Winterpeg's 30th Grey Cup appearance; 12 victories and 18 losses.

Arch was too busy this year to maintain his CFL ATS pool, so my picks were just for fun, which was lucky for me. 

CFL 2021 Recap: Picks ATS

I play every year in my Canadian toy boy and fiance-in-perpetuity Archibald's non-profit Canadian Football League (CFL) pool against the spread (ATS). 

In the 2021 Grey Cup, I correctly selected winterpeg -3.5 over HAMmerville. I am now 10-2 ATS picking the past 12 Grey Cups. 

Including both play-off and regular season matches, I was 35-33 in 2021 with my ATS picks = 8-8 home underdogs, 15-10 road underdogs, 5-10 home overdogs and 7-5 road overdogs. 

I am 52% over 12 years picking CFL winners ATS from 2009 on. I have had only 3 losing CFL years out of 12. However, I trail behind a simple all-underdogs strategy at 53% from 2009. 2014 was the only year during this period when CFL underdogs had a losing year ATS.

For 2021,  all-underdogs were 38-30 ATS and an all-roadies strategy was 40-28.

I did not fancy picking against the home underdog Ticats in the Grey Cup. However, Arch points out that western teams are 214-125-2 straight-up against eastern teams from 2012 through 2021 and 179-158-4 ATS including Grey Cups and other playoff matches. In 2021 including the Grey Cup result, west over east was 14-11 straight-up and 13-12 ATS. The west has won 6 of the last 8 Grey Cups and 11 of the past 16.