2025 CFL picks, betting odds, predictions: Proven expert reveals predictions for every game on Week 5 schedule
SportsLine's Emory Hunt has locked in his picks for Week 5 of the 2025 CFL season

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers look to remain unbeaten as they kick off Week 5 of the 2025 CFL season when they visit the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday. Winnipeg (3-0), which has made five consecutive appearances in the Grey Cup, opened this season with a pair of victories against the BC Lions and defeated the Edmonton Elks 36-23 last week to continue its strong start after beginning the 2024 campaign with four straight losses.
Calgary (2-1) will be eager to return to action as it was idle last week following its first loss of the year, a 20-12 setback against the Ottawa Redblacks in Week 3. The Stampeders split their two meetings with the Blue Bombers last season, with each club winning at home.
The reigning Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts (1-3) seek their second consecutive win when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-2) at BMO Field at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday. Toronto began the defense of its title with three straight losses before getting past Ottawa 29-16 last week.
Hamilton also is coming off its first win of 2025, a 35-17 triumph over the Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The Tiger-Cats swept their three-game series with the Argonauts last year after losing six straight meetings with Toronto.
The Montreal Alouettes (3-1) look to bounce back from their first loss of the campaign when they host the struggling BC Lions (1-3) at Molson Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Montreal began the campaign with three double-digit victories before falling against Hamilton last week.
BC rolled past the Edmonton Elks in its season opener but has lost three straight since, all by 13 or more points. The Lions, who were trounced 37-18 by the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week, have gone 2-0 against the Alouettes each of the last two seasons.
Week 5 concludes Sunday, when the Redblacks (1-3) travel to Commonwealth Stadium to take on the Elks (0-3) at 7 p.m. ET. Ottawa, whose loss to Toronto last Sunday technically put the team in last place in the East Division, won both of its meetings with Edmonton last campaign.
The Elks ended 2024 with back-to-back victories but have yet to get into the win column this year, losing each of their first three contests by double figures. Since retiring its Eskimos nickname after the 2019 season, Edmonton has not gotten out of the gate strong. Following the canceled 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Elks lost their first two games in 2021 and first three in 2022 before opening 2023 with a nine-game losing streak and getting off to an 0-7 start last year.
Winnipeg is a 3.5-point favorite against Calgary at FanDuel Sportsbook, while Hamilton is a 1.5-point underdog versus Toronto. Montreal is favored by 3.5 points in its matchup with BC, and Ottawa is -2.5 against Edmonton.
SportsLine football expert Emory Hunt has gone 10-6 this year and has revealed his picks for Week 5 of the 2025 CFL season, including against-the-spread predictions and leans on the total of every game.
Hunt is the founder and CEO of Football Gameplan, which has been supplying analysis of all levels of football since 2007. He is a former running back for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns and knows the game from a player's perspective. Hunt's dedication to analysis of all levels of professional football helped him crush the CFL, XFL, and USFL in 2023, posting a combined ATS record of 98-73 in his SportsLine articles.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Calgary Stampeders (Thursday, 9 p.m. ET)
Pick: Winnipeg -3.5
Lean: Over 51.5
No matter who is under center for the Blue Bombers or who is on the field elsewhere, this team will play with grit and toughness, and it won't beat itself. The matchup that is to Winnipeg's advantage this week is in the trenches as Calgary will have its hands full against the Blue Bombers' defensive line.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Toronto Argonauts (Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET)
Pick: Hamilton +1.5
Lean: Over 52.5
Toronto's offense still is trying to find its footing at this early juncture of the season. I like how the Tiger-Cats' offense finds a way to stay on the field and subsequently score points. Hamilton's unit is the more trustworthy of the two, especially from a balance perspective.
BC Lions at Montreal Alouettes (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET)
Pick: BC +3.5
Lean: Under 48.5
Both teams enter with some health questions at quarterback. Even though BC's Jeremiah Masoli hasn't played well in place of Nathan Rourke (oblique), it's still more difficult to watch Montreal's offense without Davis Alexander (hamstring) under center. With his status still up in the air, I expect the Lions' defense to be able to take advantage and give the team's offense multiple chances to put away the Alouettes.
Ottawa Redblacks at Edmonton Elks (Sunday, 7 p.m. ET)
Pick: Edmonton +2.5
Lean: Over 52.5
We're starting to see Elks quarterback Tre Ford mature and get better right before our eyes. I thought he played his best game last week against Winnipeg, and if it wasn't for some critical drops and turnovers that weren't his fault, Edmonton would've pulled off a shocking upset. Look for Ford to have the best game of his career against Ottawa's solid defense.
















