Ottawa Redblacks vs Montreal Alouettes Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Thursday August 20 2026
The Ottawa Redblacks face the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday night in Week 12 of the CFL season, and this matchup pairs the league's best record against its only winless team. For more angles on today's slate, check out these free CFL picks before finalizing your card. Below we break down the odds, the line movement, the injuries and the matchup notes shaping our side and total picks for this Week 12 clash.
TLDR: Quick Picks and Prediction
- Spread Pick: Montreal -13.5
- Total Pick: Over 62.5
- Final Score Prediction: Alouettes 41, Redblacks 27
Odds and Line Movement
Montreal is laying roughly 13.5 points depending on the book, with the total hovering around 62.5. Below is the current market along with how the line has moved leading into kickoff.
Current Odds
| Team | Spread |
|---|---|
| Ottawa Redblacks | +13½ (-108) |
| Montreal Alouettes | -13½ (-112) |
| Total | Over | Under |
|---|---|---|
| 62.5 | 62½o-105 | 62½u-115 |
Line Movement - Spread
| Date | Time | Ottawa | Montreal | Public ($, #) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08/20 | 06:41:49AM | 13½-108 | -13½-112 | |
| 08/20 | 05:36:40AM | 13½-105 | -13½-125 | |
| 08/19 | 11:39:54AM | 13½-108 | -13½-112 | |
| 08/19 | 11:39:54AM | 13½-108 | -13½-112 | |
| 08/19 | 11:39:54AM | 13½-108 | -13½-112 | |
| 08/19 | 11:39:54AM | 13½-108 | -13½-112 | |
| 08/19 | 11:39:54AM | 13½-108 | -13½-112 | |
| 08/19 | 11:39:54AM | 13½-108 | -13½-112 | |
| 08/19 | 10:42:35AM | 12½-105 | -12½-115 | |
| 08/19 | 10:42:35AM | 12½-105 | -12½-115 | |
| 08/19 | 09:08:46AM | 12½-108 | -12½-112 | |
| 08/19 | 08:55:00AM | 11½-108 | -11½-112 | |
| 08/18 | 05:10:20PM | 12½-105 | -12½-115 | |
| 08/18 | 05:10:20PM | 12½-105 | -12½-115 | |
| 08/18 | 05:10:20PM | 12½-105 | -12½-115 | |
| 08/18 | 05:10:20PM | 12½-105 | -12½-115 | |
| 08/18 | 05:10:20PM | 12½-105 | -12½-115 | |
| 08/18 | 11:36:23AM | 12½-108 | -12½-112 |
Line Movement - Total
| Date | Time | Over | Under | Public ($, #) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08/20 | 06:41:49AM | 62½o-105 | 62½u-115 | |
| 08/20 | 05:36:40AM | 62½o-115 | 62½u-115 | |
| 08/18 | 10:41:43AM | 62½o-105 | 62½u-115 |
Redblacks vs Alouettes Key Matchups and Game Preview
Alouettes' Quarterback Edge
Davis Alexander has completed 219 of 303 passes for 3,140 yards with 18 touchdowns and only two interceptions, producing an excellent 72.3 percent completion rate and 122.5 efficiency rating.
Redblacks Under Center
Ottawa has relied heavily on Jake Maier, who is 246-for-351 for 2,680 yards with 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while Dru Brown has also seen significant work this season.
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Montreal's Passing Attack
Montreal's supporting cast has been much more productive vertically, with Tyson Philpot posting 74 receptions for 1,154 yards and seven touchdowns and Tyler Snead adding 55 catches for 940 yards and six scores.
MTL Ground Game
The Alouettes can also lean on Travis Theis, who has rushed for 700 yards and six touchdowns on 109 carries, an impressive 6.4 yards per attempt.
Ottawa's Offensive Weapons
Ottawa's offense has been more modest, with Ayden Eberhardt leading the receiving group at 677 yards and three touchdowns, Justin Hardy adding 603 yards and four scores, and Greg Bell rushing for 242 yards.
OTT Depth Concerns
Ottawa has also dealt with significant personnel issues, including injuries across the offensive line, secondary and receiving corps, which is especially concerning against an efficient Montreal passing attack.
Montreal enters at 8-1 with a six-game winning streak, having scored 321 points while allowing 247, while Ottawa is 0-9 and has been outscored 322-207. Injuries could reinforce Montreal's advantage, although the Alouettes have had their own health issues in recent weeks, particularly at receiver and along the offensive line.
Betting Trends - OTT vs MTL
The spread has bounced within a tight range over the past two days, moving from 11½-108 up to 13½-108 before settling at the current 13½-108 number, with Montreal's price briefly spiking to -13½-125 early Thursday morning. The total has held steady near 62.5, with only minor fluctuations between 62½o-105 and 62½o-115 across the available updates.
Redblacks Injury Notes
Ottawa has also dealt with significant personnel issues, including injuries across the offensive line, secondary and receiving corps, which is especially concerning against an efficient Montreal passing attack.
Key Injuries and Things To Know - OTT vs MTL
- Montreal: Tyson Philpot, Austin Mack, James Letcher Jr. and Justin Lawrence have all appeared on recent injury reports.
- Ottawa: Injuries across the offensive line, secondary and receiving corps remain a concern.
- Montreal enters 8-1 on a six-game winning streak, while Ottawa is 0-9 and the league's only winless team.
Redblacks vs Alouettes Side and Over/Under Picks
Alouettes Against the Spread
Ottawa has enough passing volume to contribute to the scoring, but Montreal's efficiency, home-field edge and ability to create explosive plays should eventually produce separation, making Montreal -13.5 the preferred side.
Redblacks and the Total
I lean Over 62.5 because the Alouettes are capable of pushing into the 30s or 40s themselves while Ottawa should find enough late offense to contribute.
- Spread: Montreal -13.5
- Total: Over 62.5
Final Score Prediction
Prediction: Alouettes 41, Redblacks 27, making Montreal against the spread and Over 62.5 the preferred bets for this Week 12 matchup.
- Final Score: Alouettes 41, Redblacks 27
- Winning Side: Montreal Alouettes -13.5
- Total Result: Over 62.5
How to Wager On Redblacks vs Alouettes
Bettors looking to shop the market on this Redblacks vs Alouettes matchup should compare spread and total pricing across multiple books, since the line movement above shows real swings on both sides throughout the week. For bettors who want additional tools to sharpen their process on games like this one, these resources can help round out your card:
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- AI picks for data-driven picks across today's slate
- Dimers review for a look at model-based projections
- Oddible review for another AI-driven angle on this matchup
