Each Thursday, Sports Handle will recap all the top sports betting news in Canada, highlight the Game of the Week, and take a look ahead at some of the most intriguing games to bet on over the weekend.
Our top Canadian sports story this week
New online gaming site in Saskatchewan plans November launch
PointsBet Canada partners with Bottcher curling team
Bye-bye, Charlie!
After losing nine of their last 11 games and tumbling to fourth in the AL East, the Blue Jays on Wednesday fired manager Charlie Montoyo. The firing was the third in MLB this season. Bench coach John Schneider, who has no MLB managerial experience, has been named interim manager through the end of the 2022 season.
At the start of the season, the Blue Jays were favored to win the AL and had the second-best odds to win the the World Series behind the L.A. Dodgers. DraftKings had the Blue Jays at 11/1 to win it all when the season began, but that dropped to 15/1 Wednesday, while FanDuel moved Toronto to 18/1.
Statement from the Toronto Blue Jays: pic.twitter.com/mSylN7TyDE
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 13, 2022
All-Star Blue Jays
There’s plenty of reasons to get out the peanuts and beer and tune into Tuesday’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles. The Blue Jays are one of three teams that have two starters on the American League roster — catcher Alejandro Kirk and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Pitcher Alek Manoah and outfielder George Springer also made the roster. The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels also have two starters each.
Guerrero was also invited to participate in the Home Run Derby, but declined for the second consecutive year, citing the need to protest his wrist, according to SportsNet. As of Thursday morning, seven players had confirmed for the Home Run Derby, which will be held Monday. New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso, Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr., St. Louis’ Albert Pujols, Washington’s Juan Soto, Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber, Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez, and Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez had all committed.
Game of the week
Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers — Friday, July 15
The CFL’s two unbeaten teams — the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-0) and Calgary Stampeders (4-0) — will meet Friday in a highly anticipated matchup. The Blue Bombers dispatched the previously unbeaten BC Lions 43-22 their last time out, and they’ll hope to build on that performance Friday.
Quarterback Zach Collaros threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns, and the Blue Bombers’ defense intercepted Lions star quarterback Nathan Rourke twice. Winnipeg’s defense will need to make plays again Friday against a Calgary offense that averages 30.5 points per game. BC and Calgary are the only two teams in the league currently averaging at least 30 points per contest, and the Stampeders dropped 49 points in their last game due in part to a standout performance from wide receiver Malik Henry.
Henry to the 🏠!@MalikHenry_2 cribs a dart from Mitchell for 89 yards!#CFLGameday | @calstampeders pic.twitter.com/klnUiskv3l
— CFL (@CFL) July 8, 2022
Oddsmakers give Winnipeg the edge in Friday’s showdown, with DraftKings and PointsBet listing the Blue Bombers as 4-point favorites. FanDuel has the Blue Bombers as 3.5-point favorites and -180 on the moneyline. The total sits at 47.5 at DraftKings and FanDuel, while PointsBet has the total at 48 points.
– Bennett Conlin
Oilers making moves
On the first day of free agency in the NHL Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers came away perhaps better than any other franchise from the moves they made.
That seemed to be the assessment of the major sportsbooks, at least, after the Oilers signed former Toronto goalie Jack Campbell (2.64 goals against average, .914 save percentage in 2021-22) to become their top netminder. That was in addition to retaining veteran winger Evander Kane and defenseman Brett Kulak at what were perceived as bargain long-term contracts.
“I believe that we’re in the Stanley Cup window,” Edmonton General Manager Ken Holland said of a team that made it to the Western Conference finals this year before losing to the Colorado Avalanche, the eventual league champion.
After the first day of free agency, FanDuel shifted the Oilers’ odds of winning next year’s Stanley Cup to +1600 from +2000, with just six teams having better odds Thursday. The Maple Leafs are the only Canadian team among those six, though FanDuel dropped Toronto from +900 to +1000, tied with Carolina for second behind Colorado. FanDuel also moved Edmonton Thursday morning to +750 to win the Western Conference, after it had the Oilers +1000 on Wednesday.
– Gary Rotstein
2024 U.S. presidential election on the board
Think you have the inside track on who will win the U.S. presidency in 2024? DraftKings is giving Canadians a chance to make that bet. The company announced Wednesday that it has embattled former President Donald Trump as the favorite to win at +250, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at +300 and sitting President Joe Biden at +550.
None of the three favorites has formally announced plans to run in 2024. According to RealClearPolitics, which aggregates multiple approval ratings, Biden sat at a 38.7% approval rating as of Wednesday.
Wagering on the presidential election is available on DraftKings’ Ontario site, but not in the U.S. The three longest shots listed, as of Wednesday, were Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and United States Domestic Policy Council Director Susan Rice.
Canada sports and sports betting on Twitter
Congratulations to CEO Paul Burns on being inducted into @SBCGAMINGNEWS Sports Betting Hall of Fame! pic.twitter.com/kOIYhmJp7S
— Canadian Gaming Association (@CanadianGaming) July 14, 2022
Today, @JaysCare officially opens Roy Halladay Field 💙
In honour of Doc, the diamond will be Toronto's first accessible field and a safe space for kids of all abilities to play baseball! pic.twitter.com/833vZr3flx
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 13, 2022
Michael D. Lipton, Q.C. was featured on the @GlobalGamingBiz Podcast. Michael discussed the legalization of sports betting in Canada and its implementation. He also discussed the #iGaming rollout in Ontario under its new legal iGaming regime. https://t.co/PNKGBJH33o #GamingLaw pic.twitter.com/2pFZs7j5pN
— Dickinson Wright (@dickinsonwright) July 13, 2022
100 days. That's how long it took for me to finally lose all the money ($20) I put into sports betting when it became legal in Ontario. It was kinda fun. I was as high as $40. But the Yankees took my last $3 last night by losing to the Reds.
— karim kanji (@karimkanji) July 13, 2022
