Two of the best teams in the league face off on Saturday night as the 4-1 Calgary Stampeders host the undefeated Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Calgary has had a week off to stew on a close loss in Winnipeg, which came down to the game's final play. Oddsmakers are expecting another close contest with this Week 8 matchup installed as a pick'em at several books, with others pricing the Stamps as short home underdogs.
Here are our best free Blue Bombers vs. Stampeders picks and predictions for July 30.
Blue Bombers vs Stampeders odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Stampeders opened as short 1.5-point favorites for this game, but with COVID-19 forcing some key starters to miss practice, the line has jumped the fence to as high as Calgary +1.5 at some books. The total has stayed steady at 46.5 with a few books offering 47.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until kickoff and be sure to check out the full CFL odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Blue Bombers vs Stampeders Week 8 predictions
- Prediction: Stampeders ML (-105)
- Prediction: Under 47 (-110)
- Best bet: Winning margin - Stampeders 1-13 pts (+150)
Predictions made on 7/28/2022 at 5 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
Blue Bombers vs Stampeders game info
• Location: McMahon Stadium, Calgary, AB
• Date: Saturday, July 29, 2022
• Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET
• TV: TSN
Blue Bombers at Stampeders betting preview
Weather
Key injuries
Blue Bombers: Greg Ellingson WR (Doubtful), Jackson Jeffcoat DE (Questionable), Patrick Neufeld OG (Questionable), Stanley Bryant LT (Probable), Brandon Alexander DB (Out), Michael Couture C (Out), Carlton Agudos WR (Out), Mercy Maston LB (Out), Kyrie Wilson LB (Out).
Stampeders: Malik Henry WR (Questionable), Richie Sindani WR (Doubtful), Branden Dozier DB (Out), Javien Elliott DB (Out), Kobe Williams DB (Out).
Find our latest CFL injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 6-1 in the Stampeders' last seven games against a team with a winning record. Find more CFL betting trends for Blue Bombers vs. Stampeders.
Blue Bombers vs Stampeders picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Spread analysis
These squads faced off at IG Field in Week 6 as the last two unbeaten teams in the CFL. It was a back-and-forth battle that Winnipeg sealed with a last minute interception after the ball popped out of Calgary wideout Kamar Jordan's hands in the endzone.
The Stamps enjoyed a bye last week while the Bombers beat up on the Elks 24-10. This won't be as easy of a trip to Alberta with Calgary boasting a very balanced team on both sides of the ball.
Although Calgary got a COVID-19 scare earlier this week when four key starters (running back Ka'Deem Carey, left tackle Derek Dennis, leading receiver Malik Henry, and linebacker Jameer Thurman) missed time with that dreaded "illness" designation, all returned to practice by Thursday.
Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell didn't play well in his previous outing against Winnipeg, but he's one of the best passers in the league and should be better at home. Carey is second in the league in rushing yards per game (75.8) while averaging 6.5 yards per carry and he shredded the Bombers' defense in Week 6.
On the other side of the ball, the Stamps might not have the flashiest defense, but they're holding foes to a league-low 5.8 yards per play.
The Bombers have been moving the ball very well through the air, but their ground game has been the worst in the league. Meanwhile, their defense has played very well in recent weeks but has still been overly reliant on forcing turnovers.
The Stamps and head coach Dave Dickenson have had a week to simmer on that loss and prepare for this rematch, and they've gone a commanding 21-8-3 ATS in their last 32 games following a bye.
The Bombers have to be running on fumes since they still haven't had a bye, while teams like Calgary have enjoyed two. Winnipeg is also typically not quite as dominant away from home, so I'm backing Calgary on the moneyline.
Prediction: Stampeders moneyline (-105 at bet365)
Over/Under analysis
The last three meetings between these teams have cashed the Under, and I'm leaning in that direction on Saturday. These squads rarely make mistakes and tend to play conservatively when facing off against other strong teams.
Even earlier in the season when the Bombers' secondary was getting torched, their defense could bend without breaking and rarely gave up touchdowns.
The Stamps defense has also tightened up in recent weeks and does a solid job against both the run and the pass. While opposing teams can occasionally march down the field on them, they seldom surrender big plays, which means fewer quick scores.
With the Under 9-3 in the Bombers' last 12 games against teams with a winning record and the Under 6-1 in the Stamps' previous seven contests versus winning teams, expect another close, low-scoring game.
Prediction: Under 47 (-110 at bet365)
Best bet
We've been treated to a ton of close CFL games this season, and I expect another one on Saturday night because of how evenly matched these teams are. Keep in mind that five of the last seven meetings between these West Division foes have seen a margin of victory of fewer than five points.
Although I'm leaning towards the Stampeders getting the win, I don't see them blowing out the consistent Blue Bombers.
That has me liking the +150 payout for the Calgary winning margin to be between 1-13 points. If that isn't available at your book, I'd suggest grabbing the 1-6 points margin of victory for Calgary, which is paying out as high as +350 at SportsInteraction.
Pick: Winning margin - Stampeders by 1-13 Pts (+150 at FanDuel)
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