Canadian Elite Basketball League Betting Lines 2023
The Niagara River Lions took a big talent hit in the offseason, but sportsbooks feel as though they've done enough roster work to be considered the CEBL title odds favorites for 2023.
Canadian basketball has never been stronger, with a bevy of talent holding court in the NBA, and an influx of both public and private investment in grassroots programs to increase the game's exposure and development in "The North".
One such initiative is the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), beginning its fifth season on May 24, welcoming a new franchise — the Winnipeg Sea Bears.
The expansion team doesn't figure to contend in its first season, as the odds to win the CEBL championship favor the Niagara River Lions to get over the hump.
With the league set for 2023's tip-off, let's check in on the latest CEBL championship odds.
2023 CEBL Championship odds
CEBL Championship favorites
Niagara River Lions (+350)
The River Lions have had trouble getting over the hump, first losing in the 2021 final, then last year in the semis to the eventual champs.
The River Lions lost reigning CEBL Player of the Year Khalil Ahmad to the Israeli League, but did plenty in the offseason to shore up his absence, welcoming back former standout Lloyd Pandi, as well as Vinnie Shahid, who just dropped 26.4 ppg for Thor Thorl to lead the Iceland-Subway League in scoring.
Niagara retains DPOY EJ Onu, along with several other key cogs, giving them slim status as favorites entering the 2023 CEBL season.
Brampton Honey Badgers (+450)
They may be playing in a new city, but the Hamilton Honey Badgers aren't your typical transplant — they're the defending CEBL champions.
Leading scorer Christian Vital returns along with key pivot Jeremiah Tilmon, while reigning CEBL Sixth Man of the Year Koby McEwen will be counted on to help fill the void left by departed versatile swingman Caleb Agada, who led the team in both rebounds and assists last season.
While the departure of head coach Ryan Schmidt leaves the team in a bit of flux, Antoine Broxsie is a respected international vet who should have this team ready to defend its title and maintain what was the CEBL's best defense last season.
Edmonton Stingers (+500)
The champs in both 2020 and 2021, the Stingers will be looking to bounce back after a .500 season left them closer to the league's basement than they'd like.
Adika-Peter McNeilly returns to helm a squad that will be complemented by last year's Stingers leading scorer Brody Clarke, while Lucas Williamson and Jordan Burns hold NBA G-League experience that should prove valuable in a CEBL title chase.
With several draftees joining a talented core, the Stingers also have upside to realize as they re-work this roster, and their odds to win the CEBL championship suggest last year was likely an aberration.
What is the CEBL?
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) is a professional basketball league in Canada. It was established in 2018 and began its inaugural season in 2019. The league is recognized by Canada Basketball, the governing body for basketball in Canada.
The CEBL aims to provide high-level basketball competition and entertainment for Canadian basketball fans while also creating opportunities for Canadian players to showcase their skills. It features a unique blend of professional players, top Canadian talent, and international players.
The league currently consists of 10 teams: the Brampton Honey Badgers, Calgary Surge, Edmonton Stingers, Montreal Alliance, Niagara River Lions, Ottawa BlackJacks, Saskatchewan Rattlers, Scarborough Shooting Stars, Vancouver Bandits, and Winnipeg Sea Bears.
The CEBL season typically runs from May to August, allowing players to compete during the summer months when many international basketball leagues are in their offseason. The league follows FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rules and regulations.
In addition to its on-court action, the CEBL has a focus on community engagement and involvement. It aims to make a positive impact in the communities where its teams are based through various initiatives and partnerships.
Understanding CEBL Championship odds
Sportsbooks like BetVictor will post CEBL outright futures in late May before the season starts. These CEBL futures are constantly adjusted throughout the offseason as players get hurt or are traded. Once the regular season begins, CEBL outright odds will change regularly as teams win and lose games and as more players are injured or traded. Sportsbooks will also adjust the CEBL title odds based on handle and liability to certain teams.
CEBL Championship odds will usually look like this:
- Niagara River Lions +350
This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to win $350 if the River Lions win the CEBL title. If it's close to the end of the regular season or even during the playoffs and the CEBL has a very dominant team, you might see that a team is has a minus sign (-) ahead of its odds.
- Brampton Honey Badgers -150
This means that if you bet on the Honey Badgers during the 2023 CEBL season you would have needed to bet $150 to profit $100 if the Honey Badgers won the championship.
Above we have posted the American odds for the CEBL title. However, these are easy to convert to decimal odds or fractional odds with our odds converter tool.
Past CEBL Championship winners
Here are all four CEBL Championship winners in league history.
How to bet CEBL Championship odds
There are many strategies to consider when making a CEBL futures bet on which team will win the championship. Obviously, you're looking to bet on who you think can navigate through the CEBL playoffs and come out on top. So just because a team is in first place midway through the season, it doesn't mean that's the best roster to win in the postseason.
Also, consider how an injury may affect a futures bet. Let's say the Scarborough Shooting Stars are a heavy favorite to win the championship. But what happens if the team's leading scorer, Jalen Harris, gets hurt? In that case, a futures bet on another contender has tremendous value.
Other things to consider are strength of schedule, and even load management. Maybe a team is undervalued in the futures market because it has played the more difficult portion of its schedule early on. Or perhaps a team has more losses than it should because it has been sitting its best player on the second half of back-to-back games all season.
Where to bet on the CEBL
BetVictor is the official sports betting partner for the CEBL during the league's 2023 season. The exciting new partnership includes parlays, futures markets, and live In-Play betting for all 107 games this year.
