This site contains commercial content

English
Decimal odds

How To Bet On Copa America 2024


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.

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.



6. Copa America 2024 Schedule

The schedule for the 2024 Copa America is yet to be finalised.


7. Copa America Winners & History

The Copa America is the oldest international continental football tournament in the world. It is easy for European football fans to get carried away with the European Championships and the World Cup but South American football’s top tournament has a history littered with some of the best players and teams ever to play the game.

History of Copa America

Football in South America can be traced all the way back to 1867 when a group of British men who were working on the railways had a kick-about in Argentina. The game spread around the country and then around the continent. Eventually national teams began to form and in 1910 Argentina, Chile and Uruguay participated in an international tournament.

That first tournament was never formally recognised and CONMEBOL considers the first official Copa America to be the tournament in July of 1916 held between the three sides from 1910 and Brazil.

Uruguay were the winners of the first Copa America and within 14 years they would go on to become the first winners of the FIFA World Cup as well. It was also a Uruguayan, Hector Rivadavia, who came up with the idea of creating an international confederation from the South American national organisations. In the years that followed, the tournament was held a number of times but often sporadically largely due to squabbles between the different national bodies.

Copa America 2021 Champions: Argentina

The 2021 Copa America was held in Brazil with Argentina winning their fifteenth Copa America title. Argentina won their group, winning three of their four matches and drawing against Chile before defeating Ecuador, Colombia through the knockout stage to set up the final against hosts Brazil. Argentina would need just a single goal to claim the title, with Di Maria scoring the match’s lone goal in the 22nd minute.



Copa America Medal Totals

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS RUNNERS UP THIRD PLACE
Uruguay 15 6 9
Argentina 15 14 5
Brazil 9 12 7
Paraguay 2 6 7
Chile 2 4 5
Peru 2 1 8
Colombia 1 1 5
Bolivia 1 1 0
Mexico 0 2 3
Honduras 0 0 1

Between 1975 and 1987 the tournament did not have a host, instead Copa America fixtures were played throughout the year in each of the competing countries. At this point the number of teams competing had grown with the likes of Ecuador and Venezuela adding to the mix and CONMEBOL decided that it was time for the tournament to return to one host nation.

From 1987 to 2001 the Copa America was held by one host every two years. Tournament formats changed quite often but the quality of the players and the presence of some of the best players in world football boosted the Copa America’s appeal beyond South America. The tournament is now generally held every four years but as ever with CONMEBOL, it’s never quite that simple.

Last 10 Copa America Winners & Hosts

Year Host Champion
1997 Bolivia Brazil
1999 Paraguay Brazil
2001 Colombia Colombia
2004 Peru Brazil
2007 Venezuela Brazil
2011 Argentina Uruguay
2015 Chile Chile
2016 United States Chile
2019 Brazil Brazil
2021 Brazil Argentina

Uruguay and Argentina have won the Copa America more than any other side. They have each been crowned Copa America winners 15 times. Brazil trail in third with nine wins.



8. Copa America Stats

Over the history of the tournament 19 Copa America teams have participated in the tournament. Argentina has been the most dominant team, earning 2.10 points per match played with a goal difference of +292 across their 202 matches played in the tournament. As you might expect, Uruguay and Brazil have been almost as dominant, with Brazil earning 1.90 points per match and Uruguay claiming 1.82 points.

To place the dominance of these teams in perspective, of the teams that have played in at least 23 tournaments, no other currently holds a positive goal difference, with the best of these regular tournament participants being Peru with a goal difference of -24.

Copa America All Time Performance Table

Rank Team Part. Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Argentina 43 202 128 41 33 474 182 +292 425
2 Uruguay 45 206 114 36 56 410 222 +188 374
3 Brazil 37 191 108 38 45 430 204 +226 362
4 Paraguay 38 177 64 43 70 264 303 −39 235
5 Chile 40 188 67 33 88 291 321 −30 234
6 Peru 33 161 58 39 64 231 255 −24 213
7 Colombia 23 124 47 28 49 142 191 −49 169
8 Bolivia 28 119 20 26 73 108 298 −190 86
9 Ecuador 29 126 16 26 84 134 327 −193 74
10 Mexico 10 48 19 13 16 66 62 +4 70
11 Venezuela 19 70 8 17 45 52 180 −128 41
12 Costa Rica 5 17 5 3 9 17 31 −14 18
13 United States 4 18 5 2 11 18 29 −11 17
14 Honduras 1 6 3 1 2 7 5 +2 10
15 Panama 1 3 1 0 2 4 10 −6 3
16 Japan 2 6 0 3 3 6 15 −9 3
17 Qatar 1 3 0 1 2 2 5 −3 1
18 Jamaica 2 6 0 0 6 0 9 −9 0
19 Haiti 1 3 0 0 3 1 12 −11 0

9. Copa America 2024 Bookmakers

While the Copa America is a popular football tournament, it’s a tournament that will receive varied coverage when it comes to betting odds.

Most bookmakers will provide odds for tournament and group winners as well as traditional match odds such as 1X2 and Asian handicaps. However some bookmakers will provide greater depth to their Copa America odds than others, listing odds for additional outright markets such as knockout stage qualification and tournament top goalscorer, not to mention a varied selection of match odds that extend well beyond traditional match betting markets.

So if you’re going to bet on the Copa America, be sure to bet with a bookmaker that is providing you with a list of markets that allows you to attack the tournament and find value from a variety of angles.

Although it pays to do your research, we recommend the following five bookmakers:


10. Copa America 2024 FAQ

When is the Copa America 2024?

Copa America 2024 begins June 14 and the Copa America final being played July 14.

How many teams are in the Copa America?

There will be 16 nations competing in the 2024 Copa America.

Which teams are competing in the Copa America?

Ten nations from CONMEBOL will compete and six qualifying nations from CONCACAF.

Where is the Copa America being staged?

Copa America 2024 will be held in stadiums across the USA.

How many teams reach the Copa America knockout stage?

Eight teams will qualify for the Copa America knockout stage.

What are the odds for Copa America?

At time of writing, there are no odds posted for the winner of the Copa America 2024.

Which team has won the most Copa America titles?

Uruguay and Argentina are the most successful of all Copa America teams, winning 15 titles each. Brazil have claimed 9 titles. Argentina have finished runners up 14 times, Brazil 12 times and Uruguay and Paraguay have both finished runners up six times.

Which team won the last Copa America?

Argentina won the 2021 Copa America defeating Brazil 1-0. Brazil won the 2019 Copa America as hosts defeating Peru 3-1 in the final, after leading 2-1 at halftime. Chile won back to back titles in 2015 and 2016 and Uruguay in 2011.

Who was the Copa America player of the tournament?

Argentina’s Lionel Messi won the player of the tournament award at the 2021 Copa America.

Who scored the most goals at the Copa America?

Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Colombia’s Luis Diaz each scored four goals at the 2021 Copa America.

 


Chat