Each Thursday, Sports Handle will recap all the top sports betting news in Canada, revisit the Game of the Week, and take a look ahead at some of the most intriguing Canadian games to bet on over the weekend.
Our network’s top Canada stories this week
- Canada Sports Betting: A Province-By-Province Look At What’s Available
- Canada’s Curling Trials Close With Dramatic Upset, As Sport Gains Popularity With Bettors
- PointsBet Aiming To Give Sports Bettors ‘Authentically Canadian’ Experience
- CFL Division Finals Betting Preview: Blue Bombers Line On The Move
- Auditor General Identifies Legal Issues With Online Wagering In Ontario
Game of the Week
Colorado Avalanche at Toronto Maple Leafs
It’s got to be the ‘stache! It was Dec. 1, the end of the Movember campaign, so Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews finally shaved off his unruly mustache, and then something magical happened later that night.
The moustache is gone! Thank you @AM34 for your epic support and to the unreal fans and partners who showed up and helped him surpass his $134,000 goal to change the face of men’s health. [1/2] pic.twitter.com/kPtoovhPeg
— Movember Canada (@MovemberCA) December 1, 2021
The good karma for raising all that money for charity paid off, as Matthews recorded his fourth career hat trick, powering the Leafs (-130 moneyline) to an 8-3 victory over the Avalanche. The win was Toronto’s fifth in a row, and 15th in its last 17 games. According to Ontario Lottery and Gaming Association’s PROLINE+ NHL futures odds, the Leafs are now the Stanley Cup favorites at +600.
Auston Matthews with the hat trick against Colorado. Little bit of everything. pic.twitter.com/xVMRCndMIn
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) December 2, 2021
A look ahead
CFL Eastern and Western Division Finals
A huge Sunday is on tap for Canadian football bettors. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats head to BMO Field to take on the Toronto Argonauts (-1.5, O/U 43.5) in the Eastern Final, while the Saskatchewan Roughriders travel to Winnipeg to take on the Blue Bombers (-6.5, O/U 45.5) in the Western Final. The victors will square off in the 108th Grey Cup the following weekend in Hamilton.
CFL outright odds:
Winnipeg -120
Toronto +400
Hamilton +400
Saskatchewan +500
NLL season kicks off
Getting tired of betting on football, hockey, and basketball? Maybe the National Lacrosse League, which opens its season Friday night, is worth a look. Three Canadian teams — Saskatchewan Rush (+450), Halifax Thunderbirds (+500), and Toronto Rock (+550) — have the best outright odds to win it all this year at Atlantic Lottery Corporation’s PROLINE Futures. It’s the first time ALC is offering NLL game odds, too.
@prolinestadium has the @HFXThunderbirds favoured to win it all. The long wait is over, season starts in 2 weeks! Hoping I can make the season opener!! #Proline #Lacrosse #NLL pic.twitter.com/1hnjUR3enz
— Scott Eagles 🇨🇦 (@ScottEagles1) November 19, 2021
SBC Summit in New Jersey
The SBC Summit North America Conference and Expo ran Nov. 30-Dec. 2 in New Jersey, where all the major players in the sports betting and iGaming industries congregated to discuss the latest developments and network.
Canadian Gaming Association President Paul Burns was one of the many attendees. Sports Handle’s reporters were also there soaking in all of the discussions, so check back Friday for the full story. Burns moderated the panel, “Tracking Ontario’s Boom — Where Will the Chips Fall for Canada?”
CGA CEO Paul Burns is moderating a very popular panel on Ontario iGaming at the SBC Summit with @CanadianGaming members @PointsBetCanada and @NuveiTech pic.twitter.com/fe8QQWRlEG
— Canadian Gaming Association (@CanadianGaming) December 1, 2021
