As summer arrives, so too does international football competition. While not attracting the same attention as this summer’s European Championships, the Copa America still provides many value betting opportunities.
In our detailed Copa America 2024 betting guide, we’ll show you how to bet on one of the world’s most entertaining football tournaments.
Copa America Betting Guide: An Introduction
For over 100 years CONMEBOL, the committee of South American football, have been hosting the Copa America to determine the best international football team in their religion. The competition, until 1975 known as the South American Football Championship was last held in 2021 in Brazil with Argentina winning their 15th title.
When is the 2024 Copa America?
The 2024 Copa America will be held in the USA running from June 14 to July 14.
The tournament will feature 16 teams from 2 confederations.
It will be the 48th staging of the tournament, with the first played back in 1916, with Uruguay claiming the first of their tournament equal best 15 championships.
How To Bet On Copa America 2024: Contents
1 – Copa America Teams
2 – Copa America Tournament Format
3 – Copa America Odds
4 – Copa America Bet Types
5 – Copa America Betting Strategies
6 – Copa America Schedule
7 – Copa America History
8 – Copa America Stats
9 – Copa America Bookmakers
10 – Copa America FAQ
1. Copa America Teams
16 nations will compete at the 2024 Copa America. Each of the 10 CONMEBOL (South America) nations will compete at the tournament. These are:
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Six nations from CONCACAF will also compete. These six nations will be determined through the 2023/24 CONCACAF Nations League. While they may be hosts, the USA will not be given automatic qualification.
2. Copa America 2024 Tournament Format
Tournament format and dates of the group and knockout stage matches are yet to be finalised at time of writing.
3. Copa America 2024 Odds
Odds for the 2024 Copa America are yet to be posted. It is likely that both Argentina and Brazil will begin as favourites.
Understanding Copa America Odds
Crucial to betting on Copa America is understanding what betting odds reflect.
Betting odds reflect the probability of a given outcome occurring. This probability is most often referred to as the ‘implied probability’.
For example, let’s say that Argentina are at odds of 2.75 to win the Copa America 2024. What is the implied probability reflected in these betting odds? Calculating the implied probability is simple. It can be calculated as:
| Implied probability | = | 1 / decimal odds |
So, at odds 2.75, we calculate the probability of Argentina winning the Copa America….
Implied probability = 1 / 2.75
Implied probability = 36.36%.
So at these odds, the bookmakers regard Argentina as 36.36% chances to win the tournament.
Understanding betting odds is important to football and Copa America betting.
For more advice on betting odds and value betting, please read these articles:
Betting Odds Explained
How To Find Value Bets
How Much Should You Bet Bet
What Are The Keys To Betting
How To Bet On Football
4. Copa America Bet Types
For people who like betting on international football, Copa America odds are always eagerly awaited.
There is a long list of Copa America odds and betting markets. Here we will take a look at the most popular.
- Tournament Winner
- Group Winner
- Knockout Stage Qualification
- Top Goalscorer
- Match Betting 1X2
- Asian Handicaps
- Goal Totals
- Both Teams To Score
- Correct Score
- Draw No Bet
- Halftime/Fulltime
Keep in mind that while group matches end after 90 minutes regulation time plus added time, knockout stage matches will see extra time played if the score is drawn at the end of regulation time.
So if you are betting match result markets, such as 1X2, goal totals and Asian handicaps, through knockout stage matches, the result of your bet is determined by the score at the end of regulation time and not extra time or penalty kicks after extra time.
Copa America Tournament Winner Odds
Sometimes known as ‘Outright betting’ the Tournament Winner market is the simplest way to bet on the Copa America.
Simply put, you decide who you think is going to win the Copa America and then back that nation to do just that, win the tournament. If they win, you win. If they don’t win, you lose.
Most bookies also allow you to bet on teams each-way with 1/3 the odds paid out on the place part of the bet if your team makes the final.
You can also bet on a team to reach the final, which is a great way to bet if you see value in a team but are not quite sure they have the ability to go all the way and win the tournament.
Copa America Group Winner Odds
Copa America odds for each group winner is much like the Tournament Winner market but instead of betting on a team to win the entire tournament you are betting on a team to win their Copa America group.
Group winners will be determined by which team wins the most points during their four group matches, earning three points for a win and one point for a draw. If two teams are tied on points at the top of their table, the winner will be determined by the team with a greater goal difference.
Copa America Knockout Stage Qualification Odds
A popular outright market for Copa America betting is knockout stage qualification. With knockout stage qualification betting for Copa America 2024, you do not need to predict which team will win their group, but instead select a team to progress to the next stage of the tournament.
With five teams in each group and four teams earning qualification, Copa America odds for this market will be short for tournament favourites such as Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay. However teams such as Ecuador, Venezuela and Paraguay could be interesting propositions for knockout stage qualification betting.
Copa America Top Goalscorer Odds
Copa America odds for top goalscorer are always very popular. Some of the very best attacking players in the world will be on show in the tournament.
Simply put, you bet on which player you think will score the highest number of goals in the tournament.
Over the last ten tournaments, the highest goal total was delivered by Adriano who scored seven goals for Brazil, helping them to win the tournament in 2004. Always keep in mind when betting on top goalscorer, that the more matches a team plays, the more opportunities a player will have to score goals. So always consider players on teams you expect to go deep into the tournament.
Match Betting 1X2
This is the most popular market for betting on individual Copa America matches. Some bookies call the 1X2 market ‘Match Odds’ but whatever it’s called you get three selections: Team A, Team B and the Draw, the 1 representing Team A, the 2 representing Team B and the X representing the Draw.
With 1X2 betting you are betting on the outcome that you think is going to occur at the end of 90 minutes plus injury time.
Asian Handicaps
While 1X2 betting is very popular, Asian handicaps are almost as popular.
In the Asian Handicap market, the two teams are given a handicap – either positive or negative. It’s as if one team is given a head start and the other starts with a deficit.
For example, when you bet on a team with a -0.5 handicap for example, you are betting on them to overcome a 0.5 goal deficit at the end of the match. Alternatively if you bet on a team with a +0.5 goal handicap, your bet will be a winner if they win the match or the match ends in a draw, as the team receives the 0.5 goal advantage.
Asian Handicaps are great if you think a favourite is going to win easily or if you believe an underdog will keep a game closer than expected even though they may not win.
If you are new to betting on Asian handicaps, we recommend reading our detailed guide to betting on Asian handicaps.
Read more about Asian Handicaps here
Goal Totals
You don’t have to bet on who you think will win a Copa America match. Betting on goal totals gives you the opportunity to bet on the number of goals that will be scored in a match. Typically bookmakers will offer what is known as the goal line, and bettors have the opportunity to bet over or under that line.
For example, a bookmaker will give a goal line of 2.5 goals for an upcoming Copa America match, and you can bet that the match will end with over 2.5 goals scored (at least three goals) or under 2.5 goals (at most 2 goals).
While 2.5 goals is the most common goal line, bookmakers will offer Copa America goal lines ranging from over or under 0.5 goals up to as many as over under 6.5 goals. Note that goal totals typically do not include extra time, your bet will be determined by the number of goals scored within regulation time.
Through the 2019 Copa America group stage, 2.38 goals were scored per match, while through the knockout stage that average dropped to 1.75 goals per match.
Read more about betting on Over/Under Goal Totals here
Both Teams To Score
Just like goal totals, Both Teams To Score markets (BTTS) allows you to bet on a specific outcome in a Copa America match without having to predict who is going to win or exactly how many goals will be scored.
If you bet on BTTS Yes, then you believe both teams will score a goal. If they do, no matter who wins or how many goals are scored, you win your bet.
If you bet on BTTS No, then you believe that at least one team will fail to score a goal or both teams will fail to score a goal. So if Argentina defeats Chile 4-0, you win your bet. Or if the same match ends 0-0, you would also win your bet.
Through the 2019 Copa America group stage, both teams scored in seven out of the 18 group stage games played while both teams scored in just two of the eight knockout stage matches, which included the 2-1 result in the third place playoff.
Correct Score
The Correct Score market is a very popular bet type. As the name of the market suggests, you predict the exact score of the match. Obviously this is not easy and quite often the odds quoted by the bookies will be fairly big, so it is a great risk reward opportunity if you are feeling confident.
Many who enjoy betting on correct score betting will bet on a number of results, for example, they may believe Brazil is going to win easily so they will place bets on Brazil to win 2-0, 3-0 and 4-0. If the fulltime score is any of these combinations, the bet would be a winner.
Draw No Bet
The Draw No Bet market is like the 1X2 market but with the draw (X) eliminated. As such there are only two selections, Team A and Team B.
If the match ends in a draw there is no bet and you have your stake returned.
Half Time/Full Time
In the Half Time/Full Time market you choose what the outcome of the first half will be in combination with the fulltime outcome. The selections are a combination of Team A, Team B and the Draw.
So, for example you can bet on Team A to be winning at half time and also at full time. Or you could choose Team B to be winning at half time but for the match to be drawn come full time.
In total there are nine possible combination selections to choose from.
5. Copa America Betting Strategies
How does tournament betting differ from domestic league betting? How does the Copa America differ from other international football tournaments? What should you take into account when looking for betting value during this year’s Copa America tournament?
The key to finding betting value is to identify aspects of team performance that the bookmakers have not taken into account. While statistical analysis will help, understanding the nuances of tournament football is key when identifying betting value for a tournament such as the Copa America.
Consider Underdogs
The presence of Argentina and Brazil in the Copa America outright market often throws punters’ otherwise sensible considerations out of the window. They may be the Copa America favourites but it is by no means a given that Brazil or Argentina will go on to win the tournament or even win every match and certainly no certainty that they will beat the Asian handicap for each of their matches.
While it cannot always be easy to justify betting on a big underdog against a proven and traditional favourite, the betting value in big international tournaments is often with the teams the average fan has little knowledge of and certainly has little faith in.
Always start your match analysis by looking at the teams who could cause a larger more famous nation some trouble on the pitch. Sure Brazil should beat Ecuador but could the Ecuadorians keep it close enough to cover the handicap?
Consider Team Chemistry
While international teams may be stacked with talent giving the look of an unbeatable proposition on paper, team chemistry is crucial. Does the talent mesh well on the field?
Further, while a team may be stacked with talent in one part of the field do they have any weaknesses in other areas? A team may have plenty of talent around goal, but is their back half reliable, is their midfield able to command the ball?
Don’t be blinded by talent. Always consider the entire team lineup, their strengths and weaknesses. Are they balanced in both defence and attack?
Consider Home Advantage
Home advantage is a key consideration in any sport and at any level. In domestic football, home field advantage varies but is generally considered to be worth 0.40 of a goal. So if two teams are considered of equal standard, the team playing at home will be considered a favourite by 0.40 goals.
When it comes to international football tournaments, home field advantage is key. While the team will indeed benefit from the encouragement of the home fans, the team will also benefit from a familiarity with the climate and playing conditions.
However while such a familiarity with playing conditions is pronounced in a tournament such as the World Cup with teams from all over the planet gathering in the one location, it may not be as key in a tournament such as the Copa America where many of the teams share similar climates.
Consider Motivation
When we speak of motivation, we are speaking specifically of the motivation of teams in the final rounds of the group stage. This is a key consideration especially when we recognise that eight of the ten teams in this year’s Copa America will qualify for the knockout stage.
Will a team that has already qualified and secured themselves a top seed for the elimination rounds be motivated to win their final round match? Will they field a full strength squad and risk injuries to key players if there is little to play for in the last group match?
Be Prepared
Doing your research is especially important when it comes to international football tournaments held only every few years. While you may have easy access to match previews, analysis and match broadcasts during any domestic football season, the same cannot be said for international football tournaments.
Such tournaments are brief and give little time for you to get a sense of how a team may perform through the weeks of the event. Do you research for each team well in advance so you can hit the ground running and take advantage of betting opportunities as soon as the tournament begins. While value betting opportunities are available, due to the brevity of the tournament, such opportunities are limited. Be ready to take advantage.
