Tiger-Cats vs. RedBlacks CFL Week 18 Betting Odds, Picks: Ottawa Favoured for First Win of Season
We are getting down to the nitty-gritty in the CFL regular season with just four weeks left entering Week 18, which kicks off with a Friday doubleheader. That opens with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats visiting winless Ottawa, and the Redblacks actually are 1.5-point favourites on the CFL odds with a total of 60.5.
CFL Odds and Betting
The CFL’s East Division should be relegated after this season other than first-place Montreal and second-place Toronto, who both have clinched playoff spots. There will be no post-season for either Hamilton, which is third in the East at 5-11 or 0-14 Ottawa.
But the Redblacks may treat this as their Grey Cup to avoid infamy. It’s easily their best chance at a W, closing at B.C., home to Toronto (which may have nothing to play for) and then at Hamilton.
Thus, these teams haven’t played this season after three times in 2025, all won by the Ticats. The one game in Ottawa finished 30-15. Bo Levi Mitchell threw for 327 yards with a touchdown for Hamilton. Redblacks starting QB Dru Brown was 6-for-8 passing for 66 yards and a pick before being knocked out of the game in the second quarter via blindside hit from Dashaun Amos. He was replaced by Dustin Crum. Ottawa’s last win in the series was also home, 37-31, in November 2024.
The Ticats now lead the all-time series 19-12, including two postseason matchups years ago.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton was a 9.5-point underdog in Edmonton on Saturday and played quite well but saw its postseason chances end in a 37-35 triple-overtime loss. It was the Ticats’ fifth defeat in a row overall since an upset of Saskatchewan.
QB Harrison Frost wasn’t very accurate and misfired on a two-point attempt on Hamilton’s last overtime possession; he finished completing 17 of 34 passes for 214 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions (one on a two-point try). He now has six picks over the past two games, so we could see a change for this game with the Ticats starting to look toward 2027.
Hamilton lost wideout Keric Wheatfall and tackle Trevor Reid to injuries during the game and played without two defensive starters in tackle Miles Fox and shutdown corner Jamal Peters as they are on the injured list.
The defence played pretty well overall considering it held the Elks to a whopping nine field goals. Hamilton’s Marc Liegghio was 5-for-6, with his one miss from 50 yards with under five minutes left.
The over is 4-1 in the Ticats’ past five.
Ottawa RedBlacks
No team has finished 0-18 in CFL history, but that’s very much on the table if not perhaps likely should the Redblacks not take care of business here. They were 2.5-point home underdogs last Saturday vs. Calgary and lost 45-31.
QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson in his second straight start for Ottawa – over Jake Maier – looked good in completing 30 of 47 for 418 yards, two touchdowns and a pick so he surely will remain under centre.
The Redblacks showed heart in the fourth quarter as they were down 35-13 entering. A Brett Lauther field goal made it a one-score game with two minutes to go, but Calgary would score a 60-yard TD on the next possession.
Allowing big plays was a major problem for Ottawa, which gave up 522 total yards.
The over is 4-1 in the Redblacks’ past five.
HAM
OTT