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Euro 2016 betting cheat sheet and odds: No Fail in Wales’ Bale

The Group Stage of Euro 2016 is complete and the Round of 16 matches are set, with the Knockout Round getting underway Saturday with three intriguing matchups. We break them down in our betting cheat sheet.

Poland’s Sleeping Giant

Poland (+160) reached the Round of 16 in France despite getting nothing from Robert Lewandowski - but the Polish side will need him to be on form Saturday as it faces Switzerland (+220) in the first elimination round at Saint-Etienne. Lewandowski has yet to score in the tournament, and Poland’s future in the tournament depends on him ending that drought. Both teams scored just twice in the three-game group stage.

No Fail in Wales’ Bale

Wales (Even) stunned almost everyone by beating out England for top spot in Group B, and will look to carry that momentum forward as it tangles with Northern Ireland (+360) Saturday in Paris. The Welsh side is guided by sublime striker Gareth Bale, who converted in all three games in the group stage. Northern Ireland is the lowest-ranked team to advance to the Round of 16, and could struggle mightily to contain the red-hot Bale.

Redemption for Ronaldo

A Portuguese side (+205) that underwhelmed in the group stage could be in tough yet again as it squares off against Croatia (+160) in Round of 16 action Saturday. Portugal settled for three draws in the group round-robin, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice in a pivotal 3-3 draw with Hungary earlier in the week. Yet, despite their struggles, Ronaldo and Co. finished with more shot attempts than any team in the group stage.

News and Notes

* Ronaldo is on the verge of making history, sitting one goal shy of Michel Platini’s all-time Euro scoring record. Ronaldo moved past Alan Shearer and into second place with his seventh and eighth Euro goals vs. Hungary.

* Fans hoping to catch Wales’ encounter with Northern Ireland may need to sell an organ. Tickets for Saturday’s elimination-round showdown are selling for a whopping 1,000 Euros - more than 15 times face value.

Injury Updates

* Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny will remain on the sidelines after suffering a thigh injury in his side’s group-stage opener against Northern Ireland. Lukasz Fabianski will once again start in his place.

* All-world midfielder Luka Modric is expected to miss Croatia’s pivotal showdown with Portugal after suffering an injury against the Czech Republic late last week. Marko Rog is expected to draw the start.

Weather Watch

Sparse cloud cover is in store for the opening day of the elimination round. Switzerland-Poland may see a few showers, with temperatures in the low-70s. Wales-Northern Ireland and Croatia-Portugal should stay dry but cool, with the mercury settling into the low-to-mid 60s.

Props of the Day

* Wales/Northern Ireland, Gareth Bale to Score and Wales Wins: Yes (+210): Bettors who put their faith in Bale were rewarded handsomely in the group stage. Expect his hot streak to continue, and for that to be the key in a Wales victory.

* Croatia/Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo to Score Two or More Goals: Yes (+650): Ronaldo not only smells his chance to become the best player in Euro history, he also knows he’ll need to be at his best if Portugal hopes to advance. Count on another multi-goal effort.

Key Stats/Trends

* Portugal has won all three meetings with Croatia, with Ronaldo scoring the lone goal in their previous encounter back in 2013.

* Wales is unbeaten in its last five meetings with Northern Ireland, with the teams settling for a 1-1 draw in their prior showdown in March.

* Poland has a decided edge in its head-to-head history with Switzerland, having lost just one of their last 10 matches. They last met in 2014, and played to a 2-2 draw.

Saturday's Euro Tip Sheet
By Toby Maxtone-Smith

(Group Record)

Switzerland (1-2-0) vs. Poland (2-1-0)

Location: Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne
TV/Time: ESPN, 9:00 a.m. ET

Poland’s three group games only yielded two goals (Adam Nawalka’s side beat Northern Ireland and Ukraine 1-0 either side of a goalless draw with Germany), but their total of seven points from a tough group makde them one of the most impressive teams in the group stages of the European Championships.

They meet Switzerland in the first of eight Round of 16 games. The Swiss edged out Albania 1-0, and drew with Romania and a weakened France side.

Before the tournament I rated Poland much higher than Switzerland, and my opinion has not changed from the matches in France. Poland are able to exert an impressive amount of control over their games, and as their defensive record shows, they can keep teams out as well.

At 8/5 they are worth a bet in a match bookmakers expect to be tight. The goal expectancy for many of these knockout games is very low, meaning that a draw is as short as 19/10. A win for Switzerland is priced up at 12/5.

Prediction: Poland to win at 8/5

Northern Ireland (1-2-0) vs. Wales (2-0-1)

Location: Parc des Princes, Paris
TV/Time: ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET

Remarkably, Wales vs. Northern Ireland is a knockout game at a major tournament. Wales put in a fantastic performance to beat Russia 3-0 in their final group game, and thanks to England’s dour draw with Slovakia, Chris Coleman’s side defied the odds to win their group.

Northern Ireland largely had their 2-0 win over Ukraine to thank for their qualification. Their best player at the tournament has been goalkeeper Michael McGovern.

The England vs. Wales game - the other all-British clash at this tournament - was an open game, and despite the fact that both these teams are basically quite defensive, the fast-paced British nature of both teams may make this surprisingly attacking.

Wales are the favourites at evens (1/1), but they are not so much better than their opposition that Northern Ireland will feel obliged to play very defensively.

Northern Ireland are 17/4 with a draw at 2/1, but it is the 13/8 about both teams to score that appeals most here.

Prediction: Both teams to score at 13/8

Portugal (0-3-0) vs. Croatia (2-1-0)

Location: Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens
TV/Time: ESPN, 3:00 p.m. ET

Croatia were extremely impressive in the group. A mad (and slightly unlucky) ten minutes against Czech Republic were all that stopped them from accruing maximum points. Their late winner against Spain turned this whole competition upside-down, leaving all the favourites in one side of the group and meaning Croatia are as short as 8/1 to win the tournament.

Portugal, on the other hand, drew all three games and were lucky to get through. Fears about them - i.e. a reliance on Cristiano Ronaldo and a lack of pace in defence - have been well-founded, and they now look a worse team than Portugal. They went off at 18/1 to win the tournament with Croatia 25/1, but tonight it is Ante Cacic’s side who are favourites.

At 17/10 Croatia, with all their attacking talent combined with a reasonably solid defence, look a good bet. They are a more complete and more talented side than 21/10 Portugal.

Prediction: Croatia to win at 17/10

Preview: Dream (8-5) at Stars (2-11)

Date: June 25, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The San Antonio Stars will try to end their four game-losing streak -- the longest in the WNBA -- when they play host to the slumping Atlanta Dream on Saturday night.

The Stars (2-11) have the worst record in the league. The Dream (8-5) are coming off a 90-79 double-overtime home loss to the New York Liberty on Wednesday. They have lost four of their past six games.

"I'm not too worried about it," Atlanta forward Sancho Lyttle said after the latest defeat. "We've been through this before. Last year, the year before, we always start off really, really good, then we go through a drought and then we pick it back up and make it into the playoffs. Right now, I'm not really too worried."

San Antonio is the lowest-scoring team in the league at 74.3 points per game and it ranks 11th out of 12 teams in field-goal percentage (40.9), just a tenth of a point ahead of Dallas. Guard Kayla McBride averages 17.8 points per game, but nobody else on the team averages more than 10.7.

The Dream are led by forward Angel McCoughtry, who has reached at least 20 points in eight of the past 11 games. She averages a team-high 19.8 points. Guard Tiffany Hayes is at 14.8 per game.

Lyttle returned Wednesday after missing four games while playing for Spain in an Olympic qualifying tournament in France. She had 11 points, 11 rebounds and tied her career high with eight steals.

Atlanta center Elizabeth Williams, acquired in an offseason trade, leads the WNBA with 2.5 blocks per game.

What has hurt the Dream is their 3-point shooting. They have made just 25.1 percent of their attempts from behind the arc, the worst mark in the league.

This is the second meeting of the season between these teams. Atlanta won 73-63 in overtime in San Antonio in the season opener on May 14. McBride scored a game-high 24 points.

The Dream are starting a three-game road trip.

Preview: Fever (5-9) at Wings (7-7)

Date: June 25, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The Dallas Wings, with a full and healthy roster, are riding a four-game winning streak heading into Saturday night's home game against the Indiana Fever.

The Wings (7-7) have averaged 100.5 points per game during their winning streak. Indiana (5-9) has lost five of its past six games.

Earlier this month, Dallas point guard Skylar Diggins returned from a knee injury and forward Glory Johnson made her season debut after serving a seven-game suspension for a 2015 domestic violence incident with then-partner Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury.

Diggins, a 2014 WNBA All-Star who suffered a torn ACL last season, is averaging 12.9 points and 3.1 assists. She played in the 2016 season opener but wasn't quite ready and sat for the next seven games.

Johnson, a two-time All-Star, is averaging 11.3 points and 7.9 rebounds. She has three double-doubles in seven games, including one Thursday night in a 97-90 overtime home win over San Antonio. The Wings squandered a 16-point second-half lead in that one.

"Having a lead and sustaining a lead is pretty tough," Dallas coach Fred Williams said on WNBA.com. "We've got to stay focused. I wasn't pleased with how we let that lead slip away. But in the end, we made some great plays defensively and made some key shots all around from all of our players.

"We just have to build on this game and learn from this game, learn how to finish out regulation."

The Wings' winning streak came after they had lost six consecutive games. They look much more formidable now in the Eastern Conference with Diggins and Johnson getting comfortable in a rotation that includes guard Odyssey Sims (16.3 points per game) and wing Karima Christmas (14.1).

Dallas is shooting a league-worst 40.8 percent from the field but is hitting its stride offensively.

Indiana is the second-lowest scoring team in the WNBA at 77.5 points per game and is coming off a 76-62 loss at Washington on Wednesday night. Forward Tamika Catchings (12.9 points per game) and guard Tiffany Mitchell (11.9) are the only Fever players averaging double-digit points.

Dallas won the first meeting of the season, 90-79, at Indiana in the season opener for both teams.

Cleveland Gladiators/Jacksonville Sharks Preview

Saturday 7:00 PM

JACKSONVILLE - The Jacksonville Sharks look to bounce back from last Saturday’s loss this week, as the team takes on the Cleveland Gladiators in Sea Best Field this Saturday, June 25. Kickoff is set at 7:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live to a national audience on ESPN2.

Saturday’s game will be the second and final contest between Jacksonville (5-6) and Cleveland (6-6) in the regular season. Cleveland emerged with a win in Week 6 after erasing the Sharks’ 19-point second-half lead. Jacksonville owns an 8-2 edge in the all-time series, and aims for a better result this time to get back to the .500 mark.

This game could also prove pivotal in the race for the No. 4 overall seed entering the postseason. Currently, the Gladiators hold that No. 4 spot by a half-game over the Sharks and the Los Angeles KISS. However, both the Sharks and KISS have a game in hand, as Cleveland has not yet had a bye week.

Last week, the Sharks were unable to match scores with the Predators, losing at home by a 44-34 count. In a game that was tied at halftime, the Sharks trailed by just one point entering the fourth quarter before faltering in the final frame, as the Predators outscored Jacksonville 16-7 in the game’s final 15 minutes.

In the loss, Tommy Grady was generally efficient, going 29-for-40 for 303 yards and four touchdowns. But turnovers proved costly in the fourth quarter, as a sack-fumble led to an Orlando safety, and an interception in the final minute allowed the Predators to seal the game.

This week, Grady and the Sharks’ offense will likely continue to lean on Joe Hills, who continues to rack up 100-yard, multi-touchdown games. With 114 receptions for 1,438 yards and 19 touchdowns, Hills leads the AFL in every major receiving category despite playing in one fewer game than Arizona’s Rod Windsor. Alongside Hills, Reggie Gray continues to find his footing in the Jacksonville offense. After totaling 10 receptions in his first two games as a Shark, Gray matched that total with a 10-catch, 97-yard performance against Orlando.

Jacksonville’s defense looks to continue its solid play. In last week’s game, the Sharks were able to hold the Predators, a team that averages 57 points a game, to just 44. Going back further, the Sharks have held five of their last seven opponents to 45 points or less.

This week, Jacksonville must contain Cleveland quarterback Arvell Nelson, who is the AFL’s reigning Under Armour Offensive Player of the Week following a seven-touchdown performance against Portland. The Sharks could find success in rushing the passer, as the team racked up a season-high four sacks last week. Dexter Jackson, Khreem Smith and the rest of the front four will attack a Cleveland pass protection unit that has allowed 15 sacks this season, tied for third-most in the league.

With that said, Nelson is not just a passing threat, as he leads all AFL quarterbacks with 135 rushing yards and has scored seven times on the ground. The Sharks witnessed Nelson’s versatility firsthand, as he threw three touchdown passes and rushed for three more in the first meeting between the teams.

On the other side, the Gladiators’ pass rush is led by Randy Colling, who is tied for third in the League with 4.0 sacks this season. In the secondary, the Gladiators have racked up 17 interceptions and returned eight of those picks for touchdowns. Rookie Marvin Ross has contributed three of those pick-sixes, and the Jacksonville native will be fired up to put on a show in his hometown.

But the Gladiators’ aggressiveness on defense has cost the team at times this season. Despite all of those interceptions and defensive touchdowns, Cleveland is allowing an average of 56.1 points per game, the second-most among all AFL teams. On the flip side, the Sharks are holding opponents to an average of 48.6 points, the equivalent of one fewer touchdown per contest.

As they take the field on Saturday, the Sharks look to even the season series and shut down Cleveland in front of the home crowd at Sea Best Field.

CFL Betting Notes - Week 1
By David Schwab

The start of another season of football ‘north of the border’ gets underway with Week 1 action in the CFL on June 23.

The Edmonton Eskimos come in as defending Grey Cup Champions and their futures odds to repeat are the best on the board at +375.

Calgary is a +550 second-favorite to win its second CFL title in three seasons and Hamilton has the best odds on the board out of the East Division at +625.

Saturday, June 25

Ottawa RedBlacks (10-8 SU, 9-9 ATS) vs. Edmonton Eskimos (14-4 SU, 11-7 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -6 ½
Total: 53

Game Overview

Ottawa will look to avenge its heart-breaking 26-20 loss to the Eskimos is last season’s Grey Cup title game as seven-point underdogs in what was an incredible run as a second-year expansion team. Now that the bar has been raised so high in just their third season as the RedBlacks, it will be hard to sneak up on anyone let alone the 2016 league champs.

The Eskimos will begin the defense of last season’s title with Jason Mass at the helm as head coach. The former CFL quarterback comes over from Ottawa where he was the offensive coordinator. With Mike Reilly as his starting quarterback and a healthy Chris Getzlaf back in the lineup at wide receiver, this offense should be able to pick up where it left off as one of the top scoring units in the league.

Betting Trends

Ottawa is still looking for its first SU win against Edmonton in five games as the expansion RedBlacks. They are 2-3 ATS in those five meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in four of those games.

Calgary Stampeders (14-4 SU, 8-10 ATS) vs. British Columbia Lions (7-11 SU, 8-9-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -3
Total: 48

Game Overview

Calgary opens the season as a road favorite and it will have a new face in the ground game with Jerome Messam taking over the reins from Jon Cornish, who retired following an injury-plagued 2015 season. The Stampeders also added a key piece to the puzzle on defense with the addition of linebacker Taylor Reed from Hamilton. Team GM John Hufnagel has handed the head coaching duties over to Dave Dickinson after serving as the team’s offensive coordinator.

The Lions also have a new head coach at the helm after team GM Wally Buono decided to add those duties to his plate. As GM he was able to resign wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux as a vital part of BC’s passing game and he also added wide receiver Nick Moore as a free agent from Winnipeg. The Lions will be tested right out of the gate after losing to Calgary SU three times last season (1-2 ATS).

Betting Trends

Calgary has been a great bet on the road against the Lions with an 11-3 record ATS in the last 14 meetings in BC. The total has stayed UNDER in three of the last five games between these two West Division rivals.

2016 CFL season betting primer and odds
By ANDREW CALEY

We are still about six weeks until players report to NFL training camp, but if the football betting itch is getting to you, fear not.

All you have to do is look north.

That's right, the Canadian Football League kicks off this week and if you can't wait to sink your teeth into football betting then we have you covered. It doesn't matter that the field up there is a little wider, the balls are a little bigger and there are only three downs, we break down all you need to know to wager on the upcoming season in our CFL betting primer.

First let's check out how all nine teams did at the betting window last season, a year which was capped off by a Edmonton Eskimos Grey Cup victory.

CFL's teams against the spread (2015)

1. Ottawa RedBlacks 12-6 ATS
2. Hamilton Tiger-Cats 11-7 ATS
2. Edmonton Eskimos 11-7 ATS
4. Toronto Argonauts 9-9 ATS
5. B.C. Lions 8-9-1 ATS
6. Montreal Alouettes 8-10 ATS
6. Calgary Stampeders 8-10 ATS
6. Winnipeg Blue Bombers 8-10 ATS
9. Saskatchewan Roughriders 5-12-1 ATS

CFL's best Over bets (2015)

1. Saskatchewan Roughriders 12-6
2. B.C. Lions 10-8
3. Ottawa RedBlacks 10-8

CFL's best Under bets (2015)

1. Calgary Stampeders 12-5-1
2. Hamilton Tiger-Cats 12-6
3. Montreal Alouettes 12-6

Best betting trends from 2015

* Dogs 44-35-1 ATS (55.7 percent)
* Home dogs 13-9 ATS (59.1 percent)
* Unders 47-38 (55.3 percent)

Next let's take a look at some big CFL futures odds, including Grey Cup futures, Season Win totals and Most Outstanding Player, where Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell is the favorite.

Grey Cup Futures

Edmonton Eskimos +400
Calgary Stampeders +450
Hamilton Tiger-Cats +500
Toronto Argonauts +600
Ottawa RedBlacks +700
Saskatchewan Roughriders +800
B.C. Lions +900
Winnipeg Blue Bombers +1,000
Montreal Alouettes +1,200

Season Win Totals (Remember it's an 18-game regular season in the CFL)

Edmonton Eskimos O/U 11.5
Calgary Stampeders O/U 11.5
Hamilton Tiger-Cats O/U 10.5
Toronto Argonauts O/U 10.5
Ottawa RedBlacks O/U 9.5
B.C. Lions O/U 8.5
Saskatchewan Roughriders O/U 7.5
Montreal Alouettes O/U 7.5
Winnipeg Blue Bombers O/U 6.5

And finally, lets take a look forward to some Week 1 trends, dating back 11 CFL seasons for the first four matchups of the three-down season.

Ti-Cats’ troubles

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats can’t seem to get off on the right foot and enter the 2016 campaign on a 11-year Week 1 losing skid. To make matters worse, Hamilton is 2-9 ATS in those contests. The Ti-Cats are 0-7 SU and 2-5 ATS on the road in Week 1, which is where they open 2016 – at Toronto, for the Argos first game since moving outdoors to BMO field as 4.5-point underdogs Thursday. Hamilton has been outscored by an average of 33.5-18.4 over the past 11-years season debuts.

No Championship hangovers up north

The Grey Cup champs are 8-2 straight up in their last 10 Week 1 appearances (unlike the NFL, not every team plays in Week 1) and have managed to cover in eight of those 10 contests as well. Edmonton is a 6-point home favorite in a Grey Cup rematch against Ottawa this coming Saturday. However, the Eskimos will be without their head coach Chris Jones in 2016, who jumped ship to Saskatchewan to become the head coach, general manager and defensive coordinator.

Argos Christening new ship

As mentioned above, the Argonauts are moving to BMO Field, but their old home field was not much of a problem during Week 1. Going back to 2005, with a 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS mark in that span.

Additionally, the Argos are also a profitable 2-9 Over/Under in Week 1 games the last 11 seasons. Toronto has scored an average of 23.6 points in those games while giving up 23.7 points against. Thursday's total is set at 53.

Put a Stamp on it

If you're looking for the another reliable CFL Week 1 trend, look no furter than the Calgary Stampeders and the Under. Calgary has stayed below the betting total in eight of those 10 opening week matchups. Saturday’s total against the B.C. Lions is set at 48 points.

Ottawa Redblacks/Edmonton Eskimos Preview

Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN.

EDMONTON — One team stood in the way last November for the Ottawa REDBLACKS, who face more of the same on Saturday night when they kick off their 2016 season against the Edmonton Eskimos.

The annual Week 1 Grey Cup rematch takes place at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium, where the Green and Gold will raise the championship banner nearly seven months after a 26-20 victory in the 103rd Grey Cup Championship over Ottawa.

For the REDBLACKS there’s no doubt it will be an evening of mixed emotions, as they themselves were just one play away from now being called the defending Grey Cup Champions.

“You never want to lose a championship,” REDBLACKS linebacker Damaso Munoz told OttawaREDBLACKS.com. “But we did and it made us better and stronger as a team and as a family.”

The REDBLACKS held a fourth-quarter lead in that game until Eskimos short-yardage quarterback Jordan Lynch scored what would turn out to be the game-winning touchdown. It was a bitter end to a season that will never be forgotten in the nation’s capital, as Ottawa defied the odds and bounced back from a two-win season with a 12-6 record, an East Division title and an appearance in the Grey Cup.

But while some, like Munoz, will use that game as motivation for Saturday’s opener, others have moved on.

“It’s hard to forget, but at the same time it’s two different teams and a new season. It’s a totally different situation,” said receiver Brad Sinopoli. “It’s not motivation for our team. We’re not talking about last year, we’re just going in trying to get our first victory.”

For both Munoz and Sinopoli and everyone else, that’s what matters most – starting the season 1-0. The matchup between these emerging cross-division rivals may be the same, but much more has changed.

For starters, Jason Maas has gone from being the offensive coordinator of the Ottawa REDBLACKS to the head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos. Maas orchestrated the CFL’s number one offensive attack last season but was hired by the Eskimos after they lost Chris Jones and almost all of their coaching staff to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

What’s more, the first- and third-ranked defences in the CFL (Ottawa and Edmonton respectively) are each only half intact.

REDBLACKS rookie and 22-year-old Jonathan Rose will face a tough first task as the team’s starting corner against Maas’s aggressive, up-tempo offence as Ottawa moves forward without defensive backs Brandyn Thompson and 2015 All-Star Jovon Johnson.

Aston Whiteside makes his return to the REDBLACKS’ depth chart after suffering a season-ending knee injury last year, but outside of him and Zack Evans it’ll be all new faces on Defensive Coordinator Mark Nelson’s defensive line.

Despite all the changes on defence, however, Ottawa’s offence will provide some semblance of continuity this season — even without Maas in the fold. Jaime Elizondo arrives from the Argos with the same offensive philosophy as Maas, while Most Outstanding Player and franchise quarterback Henry Burris will have his four 1,000-yard receivers from last season to throw to.

If pre-season is any indication, Burris and the REDBLACKS are ready to pick up exactly where they left off late last season — something they’re excited to do now that it’ll all count for real.

“Training camp is training camp,” said Burris. “You enjoy the process of coming out here and practising and getting ready for the season but you get to a point where it’s like, man, enough of this, let’s get to the real stuff.”

The Eskimos will have a few major wrinkles themselves. They’re the defending champions and the odds-on favourite to win it again this season, but to do that they’ll have to overcome some big changes on both sides of the ball.

It was Jones who helped spark the turnaround from 4-14 in 2013 to 14-4 in 2015, but now he’s gone and the Eskimos are Maas’s team. Maas brings from Ottawa the same offensive philosophy as the departed Steve McAdoo but will look to speed things up the same way he did last year when the REDBLACKS led the CFL in total offence (386.3 yards per game), passing yards (322.6 yards per game) and average time of possession (33:10).

Grey Cup MVP Mike Reilly, named the CFL’s top player for 2016 by TSN, teams up with 2015 league-leading receiver Adarius Bowman and Most Outstanding Rookie Derel Walker to form a dynamic offensive attack, but the Eskimos know this year they’ll have a target on their back.

“It’s different for us because this is the first time we’re defending the Grey Cup in more than a decade,” Reilly told Eskimos.com. “We’ve certainly been on the other end of it and we know what it’s like to play against a championship team. Last year was Calgary. They were getting everybody’s best shot and this year, we’ll be getting everybody’s best shot.”

The biggest changes for the Eskimos come on the defensive side of the ball, where Pat Watkins and Marcell Young are the only returning starters in the defensive secondary. Aaron Grymes left for the NFL while Otha Foster joined Chris Jones in Saskatchewan. Just last week they learned they’d be without starting corner John Ojo for the season after he suffered a ruptured Achilles.

Recent free agent signing Cord Parks moves from halfback to corner while Deion Belue (halfback) and Kenny Ladler (SAM linebacker) are young players expected to take on major roles for the Eskimos this season.

Either way that unit will have its hands full against Burris and his array of game-breaking receivers.

“When the team gets to go against a quarterback like this with a strong arm, we look forward to playing against him,” said Deon Lacey, the Esks’ starting WILL linebacker. “The guys are eager to get it rolling and knowing we have the Grey Cup rematch, the guys are eager to get it done.”

“They have to be tenacious and be able to do it for 60 minutes,” added Maas, who knows this week’s opponent particularly well.

For all the off-season talk about whether the Eskimos are still the top dog in the West, the team isn’t thinking about any of that or what happened last year.

“There’s not been a thought of the past since we started training camp,” said Maas. “We all took a moment of silence to congratulate everybody and since then, it’s been ‘what have you done for me lately.’”

“This is what you play for,” added veteran middle linebacker JC Sherritt. “These are the games that count. The goal is to start fast in this league. Right out of the gate, we get one of the best offences in the league to test us, so we’re excited.”

Calgary Stampeders/B.C. Lions Preview

Kickoff is at 10:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN

VANCOUVER — The BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders are getting a little close for comfort these days.

The two West Division rivals kick off their season at Vancouver’s BC Place on Saturday night, where they’ll meet for the fourth time in five games.

“We don’t like them, they don’t like us,” Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian told BCLions.com. “The most physical team is going to win.”

The Stampeders took last year’s season series 2-0 and outscored the Lions by 33 points before winning the Western Semi-Final in convincing fashion, 35-9. As though the Lions didn’t already have a bitter taste in their mouths, the Stamps went ahead and claimed the pre-season finale in Vancouver last weekend, 31-21.

On the back half of a Saturday night CFL double-header, now it becomes real. Dave Dickenson will make his debut as a head coach while the all-time wins leader Wally Buono puts on the headset for the first time since 2011 for the Lions in what will be an important starting point for both sides.

“The first two games (pre-season) were meaningful too,” Buono insisted. “I enjoyed the experience. It’s been a month now that we’ve been working at this and obviously this is an important game.

“It’s important to win a game against a very football team and it’s important to win at home.”

For the Lions it’s a chance to end what’s been a difficult stretch of games against the Stampeders and, more importantly, assert themselves early on in what could be one of the most heated West Division races in recent memory.

Despite a busy off-season with many veteran additions and the return of Buono to the sideline, the Lions have been one of the least-talked about teams heading into the 2016 season.

Former Ticats Brandon Stewart and Mike Edem bolster a veteran secondary that includes breakout halfback T.J. Lee and long-time Lion Ryan Phillips.

Also getting plenty of talk coming out of camp is Loucheiz Purifoy, who will line up at nickel for the Lions. The 23-year-old is a dark horse on the Lions’ defence and should have plenty of opportunities to make plays.

“The thing about him, he makes plays,” said Buono. “The more playmakers you have, especially in the secondary, those are things that help you win the game.”

Elimimian is hardly new to the team but his presence was badly missed in 2015 after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury back in the summer. With Elimimian and Adam Bighill, the Lions have the last two Most Outstanding Defensive Player winners, also known as Team 100 and the league’s fiercest linebacker duo in the league.

“I’m excited to suit up,” said Elimimian. “Any time you don’t play, you miss it. I think we have the best linebackers in the CFL.”

If the Lions’ defence can return to 2011 form, the year the Lions won the Grey Cup on home turf and Buono’s last year on the sideline, this is a team that could cause plenty of trouble in the West.

Of course it starts and ends with Jonathon Jennings, who will make his first opening day start. Jennings is under huge expectations this season after a flashy 23-year-old debut season in the league.

“He’s got a persona that you want quarterbacks to have,” Buono said. “He interacts and gets along well with everybody, yet he’s not afraid to take responsibility or to be a leader.”

In addition to a new-look defence and a young quarterback heading into his sophomore season, the Lions will also test their new-look offensive line. First round pick Charles Vaillancourt will make his first career start at guard, while at tackle Antonio Johnson takes over for Levy Adcock who is recovering from pneumonia.

While the Lions are out to make some noise and prove people wrong, the Stampeders may have their own chip on their shoulder. They’ve heard their fair share of doubts from prognosticators this off-season – despite going 14-4 last year and losing in the playoffs only to the eventual Grey Cup Champion Edmonton Eskimos in the Western Final.

Plenty of changes have occurred in Cowtown, especially on the sideline where John Hufnagel turns over the headset to Dickenson, the former Stamps and Lions quarterback who will make his head coaching debut.

The Stampeders also lost veteran defensive coordinator Rich Stubler along with defensive mainstays Keon Raymond and Juwan Simpson, while on the offensive side of the ball Eric Rogers and Jeff Fuller departed to the NFL while Jon Cornish retired.

Still, 26-year-old Bo Levi Mitchell has emerged as an elite CFL quarterback and gives his team a chance to win on any given night.

“Oh man, we’re itching to get out there,” said Mitchell. “It was nice to get out there and play with the guys, but we know we’re gonna see a different BC team.

“They can put points on the board fast and we know they have a stout defence so it’s going to be a tight game.”

Mitchell will throw to Marquay McDaniel, Bakari Grant and, among others, Kamar Jorden, considered among many a candidate to break out in 2016.

Jerome Messam will carry the football for the Stamps after being acquired late last season in a trade with the Roughriders, while paving the way will be 2016 CFL Draft pick Roman Grozman, who makes his first career start at a position he’s never played before at centre while Pierre Lavertu recovers from an injury.

“I think I had maybe three of four practices in university,” said Grozman, a graduate of Concordia. “I pretty much learned it here. Any opportunity to get on the field or the roster I’ll take it.”

Safety Josh Bell will not play for the Stamps due to injury. Jamar Wall slides over to his spot while Ciante Evans fills in at halfback. Tommie Campbell will make his first career start at corner opposite Fred Bennett on a new-look Stampeders secondary.

For the Lions, Jeremiah Johnson will get the call at running back a year after leading the league in touchdowns. He has big shoes to fill after long-time Lion Andrew Harris departed to Winnipeg as a free agent.

CFL Week 1

Not a lot to go on early in the CFL season, but we'll do what we can..........

Ottawa @ Edmonton-- Eskimos beat Ottawa 26-20 in Grey Cup LY, scoring winning TD with 3:22 left; RedBlacks had gotten there in their second year of existence. Edmonton is 5-0 vs Ottawa, with three wins by 11+ points- four of the five games stayed under the total. Teams met in Weeks 2-3 LY, then never met again until the Grey Cup. Ottawa lost its two visits here 27-11/46-17.

Calgary @ BC Lions-- Calgary won last three games vs British Columbia, winning all three games vs Lions LY by 12-21-26 points. Stampeders won 33-16/28-7 in their last two visits here- they are 20-8-1 vs spread in last 29 series games, 11-3 in last 14 played here. Calgary covered seven of last ten season openers; under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 games overall.

Ottawa RedBlacks
Edmonton Eskimos 6, 52.5

Calgary Stampeders 3.5, 48
British Columbia Lions

At the Gate - Saturday
By Mike Dempsey

A field of eight will look to stamp their ticket to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, including the morning line favorite Hoppertunity.

His trainer Bob Baffert hinted this week that Hoppertunity might scratch, but Friday morning said, “He may be a work short for the race, but he went well this morning so we plan to run.”

The five-year-old is making his first start since his third place finish in the Dubai World Cup (G1) on March 26, a race won by California Chrome.

The main goal for Hoppertunity is probably the Pacific Classic (G1) in August at Del Mar, and if he is not fully cranked he sure looks like an underlay to me this afternoon.

I had a tough time coming up with a pick and went with Bal a Bali, who has won 13 of his 21 career starts but has not raced on dirt. That is an unconventional pick for me for a Grade 1 race, but he sure has worked sharply on the main track and he is in good hands with Richard Mandella.

The co-feature at Santa Anita on Saturday is the $300,000 Triple Bend at seven furlongs which could produce a few starters for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) later this fall at Santa Anita.

A field of eight will line up led by Kobe’s Back, the 5-2 morning line favorite for trainer Peter Eurton. The five-year-old was third in the Churchill Downs (G2) in his last outing on Derby Day.

He has run well over the Santa Anita main track, landing in the exacta in five of six trips, but catches a solid group that includes Kona Gold (G2) runner up Subtle Indian and Lord Nelson, who makes his second start off the shelf for Baffert.


Here is today’s opener from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:

BEL Race 1 Clm $12,500 (1:30 ET)
#6 Beautyinthepulpit 9-5
#2 Marriage Fever 2-1
#1 Best Play 7-2
#3 Fleet First 8-1

Analysis: Beautyinthepulpit stalked the early pace and finished evenly in a fourth place finish last out in the mud here for this tag. The winner Lure of the South came back to beat $12,500 foes again in his next start on June 3. The eight-year-old has won 4 of 9 over the main track here and has handled nine furlongs. The RRod barn has been on the slow side, hitting at just a 9% clip at the meeting and he was out 14 days suspended with his brother not have much success either as named trainer. Hate to take less than the 9-5 morning line in this spot.

Marriage Fever is coming off the turf where he made a mild late bid to finish third last out for a $16,000 tag at Monmouth Park. He was fifth here two back for a $20,000 tag on the main track. The blinkers, come off and Rosario takes the call for Adsit. The gelding had a productive '15 landing in the money in 7 of 13 starts but seems to have lost a step this year.

Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 9-5 or better.
EX: 2,6 / 1,2,3,6
TRI: 2,6 / 1,2,3,6 / 1,2,3,5,6

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 9 The Bed o' Roses Hcp G3 (5:45 ET)
#3 Bar of Gold 4-1
#2 Wavell Avenue 6-5
#1 By the Moon 6-1
#4 West Coast Chick 3-1

Analysis: Bar of Gold was a sharp winner against state breds last out in the Critical Eye over a muddy track here going a mile. Two back at this distance here she tracked the early pace and finished evenly in a third place finish in the Distaff 'Cap (G3). The winner of that race was Paulassilverlining, who won the Vagrancy 'Cap (G3) in her next start while the runner up Cavorting returned to win the Ogden Phipps (G1) in her next start. She is quick and should get a good tracking trip sitting just off the pace. Decent value if she goes off near her 4-1 morning line.

Wavell Avenue won last fall's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at 10-1, but has come up short in two starts this year. She was third in the Madison (G1) at Keeneland off a five-month layoff and last out was a disappointing fourth as the beaten favorite in the Humana Distaff (G1) on Derby Day at Churchill Downs. She has done some of her best running here, her career top Beyer (101) coming in a runner up finish to La Verdad in the Gallant Bloom (G2) last fall. A tough call at such a short price.

Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 2,3 / 1,2,3
TRI: 2,3 / 1,2,3 / 1,2,3,4

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Santa Anita:

SA Race 9 The Gold Cup at Santa Anita G1 (5:30 PT)
#1 Bal a Bali 9-2
#7 Melatonin 7-2
#6 Hoppertunity 3-1
#3 Hard Aces 6-1

Analysis: Bal a Bali makes his first career start on dirt and this is not exactly an easy spot to do so. The six-year-old has won 13 of his 21 career starts, all on turf. He is a Group 1 winner on turf in Brazil but has won just 2 of 9 in the U.S. He was beaten just a neck two back in a third place finish in the San Francisco (G3) and regressed slightly in a fourth place finish in the Charlie Whittingham (G2) last out. The Richard Mandella barn is 26% winners moving runners form turf to dirt and he certainly has worked quickly over the surface. Prat rode Hoppertunity last out in the Dubai World Cup (G1) but was already committed to ride our top pick here. Looks as if we should catch a fair price.

Melatonin set the early fractions and battled on gamely in a runner up finish to Effinex last out in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2). The winner, who was second in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) came back to run a dud in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs on June 18, weakening to finish sixth. The David Hofmans trainee earned a career top speed fig two back winning the Santa Anita Handicap (G1), pulling of the upset at 16-1. It was 10 points higher than his previous Beyer which he earned three back beating Alw-2 foes. He is perfect in three starts over the main track, but nobody has come out of the Oaklawn Handicap to run that well and this guy may end up a light price. There is some pace in here to keep him honest as well.

Hoppertunity makes his first start since running third in the Dubai World Cup, beaten four lengths by California Chrome. He had snapped a nine race losing streak two back winning the San Antonio (G2) over the main track here. He has landed in the exacta in seven of his 10 trips here and comes back here off a three month break for the Baffert barn that is 25% winners with runners coming back off a 61-180-day layoff. He should get a good pace set up here but this race looks more like a prep for Del Mar.

Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 1,7 / 1,3,6,7
TRI: 1,7 / 1,3,6,7 / 1,2,3,6,7

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Belmont Park
R1: #3 Fleet First 8-1
R2: #5 Cotton Candy Cutie 10-1
R6: #6 Legendary Humor 12-1
R7: #6 Cody’s Notes 12-1
R10: #6 Cuckoo’s Saloon 8-1

Good luck today!

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Century Downs

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 8 - Post: 3:30 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 80 - Purse:$7900 - CLAIMING HCP 10/12,500


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 7 RAGING FINGERS 4/1


# 4 DRAKE 9/2


# 2 MATTACARDLE 6/1


Look no further than RAGING FINGERS as the wager in this event. Overall figures look really good. Can't throw him out of the picture. The consortium noted a very promising affair out of this harness racer last time. Hoping for a repeat of that to score. With Cullen in the cart, watch out for this horse to get the victory. DRAKE - The trainer/horse combo stats point out that this pair are solid in the money finishers when working together. Loved this gelding's last race. Ran a big 82 TrackMaster speed fig. Major contender. MATTACARDLE - His 81 average has this horse among the finest TrackMaster Speed Ratings for this race. This horse has been doing work against some of the most competitive company in this pack lately.

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Tioga Downs

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 2 - Post: 6:50 - 1 mile. TROT - Class Rating: 80 - Purse:$5000 - NON-WINNERS OF 5


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 7 THE GRAND FILLY 7/2


# 2 SOUTHWIND POSEIDON 2/1


# 4 DEMAND AN ANSWER 5/1


Look no further than THE GRAND FILLY as the wager in this event. Cannot put a finger on it, but back this mare for a wager. This mare getting the victory wouldn't be impossible, a chance. Could provide us a victory based on good recent speed figs - earning an avg of 81. SOUTHWIND POSEIDON - Has a clear-cut shot in this event, if he can repeat his back racing class. DEMAND AN ANSWER - Has the makings of a profitable play, averaging a rather good 83 speed fig. This fine animal looks dangerous considering the high class figures. Don't toss out of any exotics.