The BC Lions have a passionate fan base that supports the organization no matter its record. That kind of loyalty to their “home” team from BC fans, as well as other CFL teams, makes it clear that there is definitely a market for CFL betting throughout Canada.
Below find the details on how to bet on the BC Lions at Canadian online sportsbooks available.
Today’s BC Lions odds
See below for the latest odds at legal online sportsbooks for the BC Lions. Click on any odds to go to that sportsbook and get your account started.
How to bet on BC Lions games in Canada
Online sports betting in Canada has never been easier. If you want to bet on the CFL, including betting on BC Lions games, you’ll need an account with an online sportsbook or sportsbook app. These are online or app versions of licensed sportsbooks in a Canadian province or provinces.
To sign up for an account, you’ll need to go to the website or download the app and then register. You’ll then need to provide some personal details, and you’ll need to accept the terms and conditions that the sportsbook sets. This includes allowing geolocation to verify you’re in a legal area to bet at that sportsbook.
Once you’ve registered, you can deposit some of your own money, if you wish. After you’re finished with those steps, you’ll be ready to start betting on BC Lions CFL games.
How do BC Lions betting lines work?
The types of bets for CFL and NFL games are similar. Here’s an example of a betting line for standard CFL pregame wagers — namely spread, moneyline and total bets:
| BC Lions | +7.5 (-110) | +125 | Over 37.5 (-110) |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | -7.5 (-110) | -135 | Under 37.5 (-110) |
As you can tell, this is a matchup between the BC Lions and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. To the right of each of the team names, you see a pair of numbers. For BC, those odds are +7.5 and (-110), and they’re -7.5 and (-110) for the Roughgriders odds. Those numbers represent the point spread and the odds for spread bets.
The point spread indicates that Saskatchewan must win the game by at least eight points for spread bets on the Roughriders to win. If they fail to do so, then spread bets on the BC Lions would pay out, instead. On either side of the bet, the odds are -110. Negative odds like that indicate how much we would have to wager in order to win $100 on a successful bet. In this case, a winning $110 bet could pay out $210, which is your original bet plus the winnings.
The next numbers are the moneyline odds. A negative number here indicates the favourite to win the game, while the underdog generally has a positive number. For a moneyline bet, all you care about is which team wins the game. In this case, a $135 wager on the Roughriders would pay $235 if Saskatchewan wins. The positive odds for the Lions show us how much we stand to win on a wager of $100, so a bet of that amount would potentially pay out $225.
The final numbers show us the over/under or total. We can see that the oddsmakers have set the line at 37.5 points, with odds of -110 on both sides. It doesn’t matter who ends up being victorious in the game, just whether the two teams will combine to score over or under that total. A final score of 21-17, for example, would add up to 38 points, meaning bets on the over would win.
BC Lions in game betting and prop betting
Using your sports betting app or online sportsbook account, you can bet on games while they are happening. The action is pretty swift, with odds that can change from play to play, but the level of engagement between bettor and sport has rarely been so high.
Many of the wagers you’ll come across will be proposition bets. They vary quite a bit, depending on the popularity of the event and depending on which sportsbook you’re using. Here are a few examples of in game bets that you might come across:
- Will Player X have over/under a certain number of rushing yards?
- Who will score the first touchdown of the game?
- Will the offense score a rouge point in the second half?
- Will there be a come-from-behind victory in the fourth quarter?
- Which team will be leading after three quarters?
Make sure to check out the various sportsbooks to find which ones cater to live betting if that’s something you’re interested in.
Where do the BC Lions play?
The BC Lions’ home field is BC Place:
- Address: 777 Pacific Blvd., Vancouver, British Columbia
- Owner: Province of British Columbia
- Operator: BC Pavilion Corp. (PavCO)
- Capacity: 54,500
- Groundbreaking: April 1981
- Opening date: June 19, 1983
- Construction cost: $297 million
- Also hosts: Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS) and the Canadian men’s national soccer team
BC Lions career leaders
The BC Lions began playing in the CFL in 1954, and since then they’ve had some outstanding performances. Here are the leaders in some key stats:
- Passing: For a career, Damon Allen threw for 27,621 yards from 1996-02. The most passing yards in a single season was by Doug Flutie, who threw for 6,619 yards in 1991 — more than 1,100 ahead of the next player on the list. Danny Barrett holds the single-game record, with 601 yards against the Toronto Argonauts on Aug. 12, 1993. The list of passing touchdown leaders reads similarly, as Allen holds the career record at 136, and Flutie holds the single-season mark with 38 in 1991. Two players share the single-game record, however: Joe Kapp threw six touchdowns against Edmonton on Sept. 29, 1962, and Dave Dickenson did the same on July 18, 2003, against Ottawa.
- Rushing: Willie Fleming played for BC from 1959-66, amassing a record 6,125 yards in that time. The most rushing yards in a single season came in 2007, when Joe Smith ran for 1,510. Martell Mallett set the single-game record on Sept. 4, 2009, against the Montreal Alouettes when he put up 213 yards on the ground. For rushing touchdowns, Sean Millington holds the BC career record with 66, which he collected during his two stints with the Lions from 1991-97 and 2000-02. For a single season, Smith found the end zone 19 times during his record-breaking 2007 season. Two Lions share the single-game record with four touchdowns: Larry Key set it first on July 31, 1981, against the Calgary Stampeders, and Millington did the same on July 18, 2002, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
- Receiving: Geroy Simon was quite the accomplished receiver, indicated by the number of records he holds. His career mark was from 2001-12, with 14,756 yards receiving — more than 5,000 higher than the next player on the list. He also holds three of the top five spots for single-season receiving yards, with a high of 1,856 in 2006. The single-game record of 270 yards is owned by Tyrone Gray, which he set on Sept. 13, 1981, against Edmonton. The record for receiving touchdowns in a career belongs to Simon, with 93. David Williams had the most single-season receiving TDs, with 18 during the 1988 campaign. Four players share the single-game mark with four receiving touchdowns each: Mervyn Fernandez (three times), along with Williams, Alfred Jackson and Simon.
- Interceptions: Larry Crawford, who played from 1981-89, holds the mark for most picks in a career. In his time with the Lions, he pulled down 51 interceptions, including a record-setting 12 in 1983. Sharing the top spot for a single season is Ryan Phillips, who put up 12 in 2007. The single-game record is nine interceptions, which eight players share: Primo Villaneuva (1955), Paul Cameron (1958), Norm Fieldgate (1962), Rich Robinson (1969), Wayne Matherne (1971), Crawford (1981 and 1983), Melvin Byrd (1985) and Eric Carter (1999).
- Tackles: We’re only going to be talking about one record holder in this category, as Solomon Elimimian holds the top spot in all three areas: 745 total tackles during his career from 2010-18, 144 in a single season in 2017 (and second and third with 143 and 129, in 2014 and 2016, respectively) and 15 in a single game, which came on July 6, 2017, against Montreal. He also has the second spot on the single-game list with 14 against Toronto on Aug. 31, 2016.
Brief BC Lions history
The BC Lions have been playing professional football since their first season in 1954, which makes them the oldest professional sports organization in Vancouver and in the entirety of British Columbia. The team name comes from a pair of mountain peaks that overlook the city of Vancouver and are known as the Lions.
During that time, the team has been to the Grey Cup championship game 10 times and has won it six times, with the most recent occurring in 2011. The other wins were in 1964, 1985, 1994, 2000 and 2006. We also have a page for current CFL Grey Cup odds, where you can check how sportsbooks view the chances of the BC Lions lifting this year’s trophy.
The Lions have finished first in the Western Division 13 times (1963, 1964, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2012) and have won the division championship 10 times.
How can I watch BC Lions games online?
The majority of BC Lions games are available to watch via TSN and ESPN. For those who have cable, you can usually log in with your account information in order to watch the games online. For folks who do not have cable, services such as TSN Direct or the ESPN+ app may also carry the games.
Where can I bet on the Lions right now?
In BC, the only legal online sportsbook is PlayNow, a product of the British Columbia Lottery Corp. However, if British Columbia allows expanded online sports betting similar to online sportsbooks in Ontario, other online books would likely be lining up to launch in the province.
BC Lions FAQ
Who owns the BC Lions?
As of Aug. 18, 2021, the BC Lions Football Club is owned by Amar Doman, a businessman who is the sole stakeholder and founder of The Futura Corp.
How much are BC Lions tickets?
Tickets for BC Lions games typically cost $50 and up, depending on where the seats are located in BC Place.
Have the BC Lions ever won the Grey Cup?
The Lions have played in the Grey Cup championship game 10 times, winning six. The most recent was for the 2011 season.
What is the BC Lions Twitter?
You can follow the Lions on Twitter via the @BCLions handle.