While it’s the NFL and Super Bowl that dominate American football betting volumes in the UK, punters here can also wager on the Canadian Football League (CFL).

At Betiton Sports, we provide extensive coverage of the CFL and its various betting markets, including outrights and point spreads. But how does it compare with NFL betting online, and what else do you need to know ahead of the 67th CFL season in the summer of 2025?

CFL vs NFL Format: Similarities and Key Differences

Before you engage in CFL betting, it’s important to understand the format of the league and how it differs from America’s NFL. We’ve summarized the key differences below, some of which have a significant impact on gameplay and the tactics deployed by competing teams.

Factor	CFL	NFL
Downs	3	4
Field Size	110 yards long (10 yards wider)	100 yards
Players per Team	12	11
End Zone Depth	20 yards	10 yards
Lowest Possible Score	1 point (awarded if an opponent misses a field goal)	2 points for a safety

The difference in pitch length means that the goalposts aren’t located at the back of the end zone in the CFL. Instead, they’re positioned at thefront of the end zone, ensuring that kicking distances are broadly the same during both CFL and NFL matches.

However, the reduction to three downs in the CFL instead of four creates far faster gameplay. This also requires franchises to place a greater emphasis on passing, impacting directly on how teams approach matches and set up to beat their opponents.

Key Similarities Between CFL and NFL

Of course, there are also some similarities between the CFL and NFL. It’s also important to understand these before engaging in CFL football betting, especially if you’re interested in match and prop wagering. Here’s a summary of the what the two formats have in common:

• Matches in both leagues feature four quarters per game and broadly similar offensive and defensive structures.
• The scoring system is also largely consistent across both leagues, including touchdowns, field goals and extra point. However, CFL teams can score single points when their opponents miss a field goal.
• The coin toss determines possession at the start of every CFL and NFL game.
• In both formats, the ball is placed at a line of scrimmage prior to the start of a play. This then commences when the center performs a ‘snap’.

How to Bet on CFL Matches: A Comprehensive Guide

American football betting unlocks significant wagering opportunities, regardless of your preferred league or format. However, you’ll need to understand precisely how CFL betting works before wagering your hard-earned cash!

Popular CFL Betting Markets

At Betition, you can access CFL betting odds across a broad selection of lives and markets. Many of these can also be found when engaging in NFL football betting, but what are the most popular betting markets?

• Moneyline Bets: Put simply, moneyline bets require you to pick the winner of a particular CFL match. These represent the most popular CFL betting lines, with drawn matches statistically rare during the regular and postseason. Just four matches have ended tied in the CFL in the last 14 seasons.

• Point-Spread Bets: Point-spread bets enable you to wager on the margin of victory in a match, while potentially unlocking enhanced odds. The most common point-spread bet is -3.5, and if you back a team to win with this handicap, they’ll have to ultimately prevail by four points or more.

• Over/Under Bets: Over/under betting pertains to the total number of points scored in a game. Betiton will set various totals as individual betting lines, and you’ll have to select one before predicting whether the actual number of points scored will be over or under this threshold.

Special CFL Prop Bets and Future Bets

When betting on American football, team and player props are incredibly popular. Prop bets are focused on in-game events and occurrences that don’t directly affect the final result, such as the over/under on passing or rushing yards.

Player props are particularly popular in the CFL and NFL, due in part to the sheer number of performance metrics that can be wagered on. However, it’s important to target props that you’re familiar with and able to research thoroughly (such as the number of touchdowns scored), while also looking beyond averages to identify optimal over/under lines.

Futures markets are also popular when engaging in CFL and NFL online betting. For example, an estimated $1.29 billion was bet on the 2024 Super Bowl in the US alone.

The so-called Grey Cup i

s the Super Bowl equivalent in Canada, and picking the winner of this at the beginning of each regular season can unlock highly competitive odds.

Expert Tips for CFL Online Betting

Understanding the functionality of these markets is key when engaging any type of online sports betting. However, this means little unless you’re able to leverage individual betting lines to your advantage. Here are some expert CFL andNFL sports betting tips for your consideration:

Research is Key – Know the Teams and Players

Across all CFL betting markets, research and analysis is crucial. The key is to identify which datasets are most relevant to particular markets, before determining the best informational sources.

When placing moneyline bets, analysis for

team form and recent head-to-head matchups is particularly insightful. Similarly, you’ll need to consider the latest injury and suspension news, while factoring in potential player rotations and load management strategies too.

Factor in Home-Field Advantage

When analyzing recent form, you should also factor in home-field advantage. This is prevalent across all sports, while studies suggest that some 57.6% of American Football matches are won by the home side.

This also influences the CFL and NFL betting odds set by Betiton, with home teams afforded an advantage based on factors such as travel times. Western teams travelling east in the CFL have a history of struggling in early matches due to travel and time zone differences, which can impact both individual and collective performances.

So, pay particular attention to home and

away form when analyzing matchups and look to leverage home-field advantage to identify potential value bets.

Track the Weather

Like all outdoor sporting events, CFL matches are often directly impacted by the prevailing weather conditions.

For example, the west of Canada is renowned for its rainy and temperate climate, whereas the Eastern coast is typically cold and subject to high winds. Heavy rain will typically reduce the number of passing yards completed and force teams to prioritize their running game, whereas wind will result in fewer field goals being attempted.

By tracking the real-time weather and pla

ying conditions, you’ll better understand how games are likely to play out and make more informed betting selections as a result.

Leverage Live Betting Opportunities

CFL and NFL live betting markets are also incredibly popular among bettors. This is especially true in the Canadian Football League, where the reduced number of downs helps to create much faster gameplay.

This also translates into more competitively priced live bets and micro wagers, such as the outcome of the next play.

To successfully leverage such markets, ho

wever, we’d recommend that you watch the action as it unfolds and make use of Betiton’s intuitive 1-Click betting feature. Also, be sure to set a clearly defined live betting bankroll that doesn’t exceed an amount you can afford to lose.

Betiton – Your Go-To Sports Betting Platform for CFL Matches

Clearly, online CFL and NFL betting can unlock a diverse selection of markets (both pre-game and in-play). You can also access highly competitive CFL futures at Betiton, which provides extensive coverage of the Canadian Football League every year.

Betiton also offers many in-play betting markets, which are available across every single regular and postseason game. This makes Betiton the go-to sportsbook for CFL betting, with the 2025 season set to get underway on June 5th!