Ottawa Redblacks vs Montreal Alouettes Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Thursday, August 20, 2026

Tonight’s Ottawa Redblacks vs Montreal Alouettes picks for Thursday, August 20, 2026, feature the third meeting of the season between the East Division rivals at Percival Molson Stadium. Montreal has already beaten Ottawa twice, winning 37-35 in Week 4 and 34-13 in Week 9, and the Alouettes return from a Week 11 bye with another sizeable market advantage.

Montreal is currently laying 10.5 points, with Ottawa getting the same number, and the total has settled at 60.5 after sitting at 61.5 in an earlier market snapshot. The Alouettes are also priced around -700 on the moneyline, which makes the spread far more useful than paying a heavy premium simply for Montreal to win. Ottawa is around +480 on the moneyline.

Best Available Odds for Ottawa Redblacks vs Montreal Alouettes

• Moneyline: Ottawa Redblacks +480, Montreal Alouettes -700
• Spread: Ottawa Redblacks +10.5 (-110), Montreal Alouettes -10.5 (-110)
• Total: Over 60.5 (-110), Under 60.5 (-110)

The most meaningful recent movement has come on the total, which has ticked down from 61.5 to 60.5. The spread has remained in double digits, reflecting a market that sees a substantial gap between the two clubs even with the familiarity that comes from a third divisional meeting.

Game Info

• Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• Location: Percival Molson Stadium, Montreal, Quebec
• Matchup: Ottawa Redblacks at Montreal Alouettes
• Current Spread: Montreal -10.5
• Current Total: 60.5

Ottawa Redblacks vs Montreal Alouettes Preview

Montreal has controlled the season series even though the first meeting was much tighter than the second. Ottawa pushed the Alouettes to the final minutes in a 37-35 loss in Montreal, but the rematch in Ottawa was a different story. Montreal jumped out to a 24-13 halftime lead and shut the Redblacks out after the break in a 34-13 victory. That second result is more relevant to the current number because it showed how quickly the matchup can separate when Ottawa fails to finish drives.

Davis Alexander remains the center of Montreal’s offensive identity. The Alouettes entered their Week 11 bye after beating Edmonton 48-30, with Alexander repeatedly creating explosive completions and Tyson Philpot scoring three receiving touchdowns. Montreal has enough receiving depth to attack different areas of the field, and the offense does not need to rely on one isolated matchup to move the chains.

The week off is another important advantage. Montreal had no game in Week 11, giving the club extra time to recover and prepare for an Ottawa opponent it has already seen twice. That matters late in the summer, especially for a veteran roster and an offense that can expand the game plan when the quarterback is comfortable.

Ottawa’s challenge is not finding occasional offense. Jake Maier has produced productive passing stretches this season, including a 336-yard, three-touchdown performance in the first trip to Montreal and 339 yards with two touchdowns against Saskatchewan in Week 10. The larger issue has been sustaining that efficiency across four quarters while avoiding the turnovers, stalled drives, and defensive breakdowns that have repeatedly erased competitive stretches.

The Redblacks also have capable targets. Justin Hardy, Kalil Pimpleton, and Ayden Eberhardt have all produced meaningful games, and Ottawa has shown it can generate yards through the air. The problem is that yardage alone has not translated into enough wins or enough consistent red-zone production. Against Montreal, empty possessions become especially costly because the Alouettes can answer quickly.

Montreal’s defense does not need to dominate every snap to justify this spread. It needs to create a handful of second-and-long situations, make Maier hold the football, and prevent Ottawa from turning every trip across midfield into seven points. The Week 9 meeting demonstrated that formula perfectly. Ottawa scored 13 points in the first half and none after halftime.

Matchup Breakdown

The quarterback edge belongs to Montreal because Alexander is operating within the more stable offense. Ottawa can move the ball with Maier, but Montreal has been far more consistent at turning possession into points. That difference matters when laying double digits because the favorite needs more than a narrow late-game advantage.

The rest situation also favors the Alouettes. Montreal enters off a bye while Ottawa has been grinding through a difficult stretch of games. The extra preparation time gives Montreal more opportunity to self-scout and adjust after two previous meetings, while Ottawa has to solve a defense that has already seen its primary concepts twice.

The 10.5-point spread is large enough to create backdoor-cover risk. Ottawa has already shown it can score late in games that appear decided, and CFL scoring rules can make double-digit margins less secure than they look. Montreal therefore needs to maintain offensive pressure rather than simply protecting a modest fourth-quarter lead.

The total at 60.5 is less attractive to Over bettors than Montreal’s recent scoring history might suggest. The Alouettes can do their share and still have the game stay Under if Ottawa lands in the high teens or low 20s. Montreal’s 34-13 win in the second meeting produced only 47 points, and the current projection expects a similar imbalance rather than a repeat of the 72-point first meeting.

Game Thesis: Montreal has already shown two different ways to beat Ottawa, enters with the better quarterback environment and extra rest, and owns the more trustworthy offense on a drive-to-drive basis. The Alouettes should create separation before the fourth quarter, while Ottawa’s inconsistency makes the inflated total more vulnerable than the Montreal side.

Ottawa Redblacks vs Montreal Alouettes Best Bet - Spread: Montreal -10.5 (-110)

Montreal -10.5 is the best bet because the Alouettes have a clear advantage in offensive stability and preparation. They do not need to reproduce the 21-point margin from the second meeting to cover. A two-touchdown victory is enough, and Montreal has already demonstrated that level of separation against this opponent.

The biggest concern is the size of the number. Ottawa has enough passing talent to score a late touchdown against softer coverage, so laying more than 10 points always carries backdoor risk. The wager is strongest at -10.5 and becomes less attractive if the market reaches -12 or higher.

Montreal’s expensive moneyline offers little reason to avoid the spread. The side requires the Alouettes to play with urgency for four quarters, but the price is substantially more reasonable than laying roughly seven dollars to win one.

Ottawa Redblacks vs Montreal Alouettes Total Pick: Under 60.5 (-110)

The Under is a bet on Ottawa failing to keep pace rather than Montreal struggling offensively. The Alouettes are capable of scoring into the 30s, but the Redblacks have already been held to 13 in one meeting and have not consistently converted passing yardage into touchdowns.

The drop from 61.5 to 60.5 removes a point of cushion, yet the number still requires a fairly efficient scoring night from both teams. A Montreal performance in the mid-30s can coexist comfortably with an Under if Ottawa stays around 20.

The projected 34-18 final lands at 52 combined points and gives Montreal a 16-point margin. That script supports both selections without requiring an unusually low-scoring performance from the favorite.

Prediction: Montreal Alouettes 34, Ottawa Redblacks 18