African Cup of Nations Betting Guide
Organised by the Confederation of African Football, the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) is the highlight of men’s national soccer on the African continent. It’s the biggest and most lucrative competition for senior men’s teams. The winning country gets the bragging rights of the soccer team in Africa. The first Africa Cup of Nations tournament was held in 1957 with only three nations competing in two matches. Those three teams were Egypt, Sudan (who were the hosts), and Ethiopia. Egypt took home the trophy, after defeating Ethiopia in the finals. Today, it’s grown to feature 24 teams and takes place over a month.
Since 1968, the AFCON takes place every two years, with the most recent tournament being in 2019. Also, the number of teams competing has seen an expansion. The number grew from 16 in 2017 to 24 for the 2019 edition. Furthermore, they moved the 2019 tournament from January to June.
Best US Africa Cup of Nations Betting Sites
US bettors looking for great African Cup of Nations betting lines and odds needn’t look no further. Our top recommended sportsbooks have competitive odds on the AFCON Cup.
What you’ll find in this African Cup of Nations guide:
- Africa Cup of Nations Predictions
- AFCON Odds
- African Cup of Nations Betting Tips
- African Cup of Nations FAQs
Africa Cup of Nations Predictions
Leading up to the official AFCON tournament, there are the African Cup of Nations qualifiers. In this part of the tournament, 48 teams are divided into 12 groups with four teams each. They play against each other and the top two teams in each group determine the final Africa Cup of Nations fixtures.
In terms of making it into the upcoming 2019 AFCON fixtures, there appears to be clear favorites among bookies:
- Senegal has been slated to win in their group as Group A was considered to be arguably one of the weakest groups in the qualifiers.
- Additionally, Nigeria and Ghana are also favorites to make it into the 2019 AFCON tournament. They’ve qualified from Group E and Group F respectively.
- Ivory Coast and Guinea are the favorites to move through to the tournament from Group H.
- Group J’s African Cup of Nations qualifiers are Egypt and Tunisia.
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AFCON Odds
Since Egypt have automatically qualified as hosts, it’s no surprise that they’ve made it into the AFCON fixtures. Given that they’ve dominated this tournament, they could naturally be the favorites to win the tournament. Furthermore, with Mohamed Salah on their team – considered by some as one of the best soccer players in the word – this increases their odds.
Check at your our recommended sportsbooks for some of the best odds on the Africa Cup of Nations standings. Some bets that US bettors could wager on include:
- Futures
- Prop bets
- Against the Spread
- Totals (over/under)
Because of the nature of soccer, unlike the NFL for example, it’s a sport that more likely to end in a draw. Therefore, one way of identifying a great sportsbook is that it will have odds on this event.
The 24 teams that have made it into the final Africa Cup of Nations fixtures and their grouping are:
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F |
| Egypt | Nigeria | Senegal | Morocco | Tunisia | Cameroon |
| DR Congo | Guinea | Algeria | Ivory Coast | Mali | Ghana |
| Uganda | Madagascar | Kenya | South Africa | Mauritania | Benin |
| Zimbabwe | Burundi | Tanzania | Namibia | Angola | Guinea-Bissau |
Betting on AFCON Cup Draws
Americans can stake their money on lines and odds that there will be a draw. The reason why oddsmakers have created this African Cup of Nations betting line is because teams tend to draw against each other. These bets are available on bets like the money line and totals bets.
AFCON Betting Tips
Betting on the African Cup of Nations is like betting on any other soccer or sport tournament. There are a number of fundamental principles you should consider.
- Find a trusted and regulated best sports betting site that caters to US bettors.
- Shop around for the best odds and play at several sportsbooks. You don’t have to limit yourself to just one.
- Manage your bankroll and remember to never spend more than 10% of your bankroll on a single bet.
- Do your research and keep up-to-date with developments as the tournament goes on.
- Enjoy the game!
African Cup of Nations FAQs
Below are some frequently asked questions about the African Cup of Nations.
Who were the recent Africa Cup of Nations winners and runners-up?
The current 2017 AFCON champions are Cameroon. They won the trophy after defeating Egypt 2-1 in the final in Libreville, Gabon.
Where is the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations?
The 2019 tournament is in Egypt.
When is the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations?
It is running from June 21 and the final will be on July 19.
Who won the 2019 AFCON Cup?
Algeria won the 2019 AFCON Cup.
Who has won the most Africa Cup of Nations titles?
Egypt has won the most AFCON titles. They’ve won it seven times since it was established. They took home the trophy in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2010. While the second most successful team is Cameroon, winning the title five times in 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, and 2017.
Who is the defending Africa Cup of Nations champion?
Cameroon is the defending African Cup of Nations champion. Known as the Indomitable Lions, they won in 2017 against Egypt.
