Africa Cup Of Nations Betting Preview – AFCON Odds, Tips & Predictions

A look at the betting for the Africa Cup Of Nations

Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui / Cameroon ©IMAGO / ITAR-TASS 25.06.2017

The Africa Cup Of Nations betting will see punters have a look at the first major international football tournament of the 2022 calendar year.

The tournament runs from January 9th through to February 9th, 2002 with 24 Nations battling it out for the top honours on the continent.

In action will be Premier League stars like Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and Mo Salah and Man City’s Riyad Mahrez.

We look at the latest Africa Cup of Nations betting odds in this preview to the big tournament in which Algeria will be defending their crown.


Africa Cup Of Nations Odds

Senegal 4/1
Algeria 6/1
Egypt 7/1
Ivory Coast 8/1
Cameroon 9/1
Nigeria 9/1
Morocco 9/1
Ghana 12/1
Tunisia 14/1
Mali 25/1
33/1 bar
* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365)

Bet at Bet365

When and where is the Africa Cup of Nations?

Cameroon is the host nation for the Africa Cup of Nations which is held across a month of top international action

24 teams are participating in the tournament and they are split across six groups.

The top two from each of those groups go through to the knockout stage of the competition.

Those twelve qualifying teams will be joined in the Round of Sixteen by the four best third-placed teams. Of the participating teams at Afcon 2022, The Gambia and Comoros are making their competition debuts.

Who are the reigning Africa Cup Of Nations Champions?

Algeria won the 2019 Africa Cup Of Nations to win the tournament for the second time in their history.

It was a 1-0 win that Algeria claimed over Senegal to get their hands on the title. The third-place play-off match was won 1-0 by Nigeria against Tunisia.

Africa Cup Of Nations Betting Favourites

Beaten finalists in the last edition of the Africa Cup Of Nations, Senegal are the current 4/1 favourites to win the title this year* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365).

Senegal have never managed to win the title, but have been runners up twice (2002, 2019).

They have some star power in their ranks with the likes of Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, PSG’s Idrissa Gueye, Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and Chelsea’s keeper Edouard Mendy.

Can they go one better than their runner-up finish in the 2019 tournament?

Sadio Mane is a 17/2 punt to be the tournament top goalscorer* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365).

The First Match of AFCON 2022

The first match of Africa Cup Of Nations betting is Cameroon v Burkina Faso on Sunday, January 9th, 2022.

For that match hosts Cameroon are the 13/20 outright favourites* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365).

The two have met twice before at the Africa Cup Of Nations and Cameroon are undefeated in those two with one win and a draw.

The most recent meeting was last year in an Africa Nations Cup fixture which ended in a 0-0 draw.

Five of the six previous classes have gone under 2.5 goals with Cameroon holding a W2 D3 L1 record against Burkina Faso in all competitions including friendly internationals.

Cameroon enter the match on a four-match winning streak from their World Cup qualifier matches at the end of last year.

The Indomitable Lions have lost just one of their last nine fixtures in all competitions, which was a World Cup qualifier against Ivory Coast in September last year.

Burkina Faso are undefeated in their last eight matches.

The 19/4 match underdogs for the fixture have a W4 D4 record from their last eight* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365).

Included in that sequence were a couple of credible draws against reigning Afcon champions Algeria during the World Cup Qualifiers.

Africa Cup Of Nations Top Goalscorer Odds

Mo Salah 4/1
Riyad Mahrez 15/2
Sadio Mane 17/2
Islam Slimani 11/1
Sebastian Haller 11/1
Vincent Aboubaker 11/1
Kelechi Iheanacho 14/1
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 20/1
Baghdad Bounedjah 22/1
25/1 bar
* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365)

Bet at Bet365

Group A Winner Odds

Cameroon 1/2, Burkina Faso 7/2, Cape Verde 5/1, Ethiopia 25/1
* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365)

Cameroon, who will have a higher attendance capacity at their fixtures as the host nation than any other fixtures, are odds-on favourites to win Group A.

Cameroon are the second most successful nation in the history of the tournament having claimed the title five times. Three of those have been since 2000.

Burkina Faso easily looks like the best option in this group to mount any kind of challenge for the top spot.

Group B Winner Odds

Senegal, 2/9, Guinea 5/1, Zimbabwe 14/1, Malawi 22/1
* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365)

Fuelled by a quality squad including Sadio Mane, Senegal are expected to have no trouble in getting through the first stage of the competition successfully.

Their recent form is good, winning five of their six World Cup qualifiers from September last year onwards (D1).

It’s hard to see where a serious challenge is coming from.

Our betting prediction:
Algeria Outright
4/1

Bet at Bet365

* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365)

 

Group C Winner Odds

Morocco 8/11, Ghana 15/8, Gabon 6/1, Comoros 33/1
* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365)

Morocco are the group favourites at 8/11 to claim the win in this more competitive group* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365).

They are former champions of the tournament but they could face some tough games in Group C.

Ghana are four-time Afcon champions but are looking for a current revival after struggling through their recent World Cup qualifiers.

The Gabon could be capable of challenging for an automatic qualification match if Ghana are not an improved unit.

Group D Winner Odds

Egypt 8/11, Nigeria 5/4, Guinea Bissau 22/1, Sudan 40/1
* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365)

Group D in Afcon betting will probably boil down to a straight duel between Egypt and Nigeria. Egypt have one of the world’s best players in the shape of Mo Salah and that is going to help their cause as they are odds-on favourites for the group win.

Salah is the 4/1 favourite to be the top goalscorer at the tournament* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365).

Nigeria face Egypt in the opening match of this group, one of the headlining acts of the opening round of group stage matches.

Of the current form, Nigeria’s is much stronger than that of Egypt’s with four victories in their last six (D1 L1).

Group E Winner Odds

Algeria 8/13, Ivory Coast 6/4, Equatorial Guinea 20/1, Sierra Leone 40/1
* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365)

Algeria are one of the front runners for the entire tournament, with Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez likely to play a starring role.

The current form of Algeria cannot be argued with either as they are currently unbeaten in 34 matches.

So the defending champions look to be in good shape. That would leave a duel between Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea for the runner up spot.

Group F Winner Odds

Tunisia 4/7, Mali 13/8, Gambia 20/1, Mauritania 33/1
* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365)

Another of the former Afcon champions back in action are Tunisia.

They were busy at the end of last year playing in the FIFA Arab Cup following the conclusion of their World Cup Qualification round of matches. They lost to Algeria in the final after extra time. So they arrive in decent form.

Mali went through their World Cup qualification campaign undefeated.

So they could be an interesting nation to watch to potentially spring a surprise as a group winner at 13/8* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365).

 

Key Facts – Last 5 AFCON winners

  • 2019 Algeria
  • 2017 Cameroon
  • 2015 Ivory Coast
  • 2013 Nigeria
  • 2012 Zambia

 

Africa Cup Of Nations Predictions & Tips

The clear front runners for this tournament are Algeria who are captained by the influential Riyadh Mahrez.

The form of Algeria speaks for itself on this long 30+ undefeated match streak of form.

So Algeria look to be the ones to beat at 4/1* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365).

They arrive after a good World Cup qualification campaign and success at the FIFA Arab Cup, so confidence should be high.

As host nation, Cameroon could be capable of putting things together if they can get off to a positive start in their campaign by getting a victory over tricky opposition Burkina Faso.

Home advantage and a boost of extra support could give the Indomitable Lions a reasonable outsider chance.

Former champions Tunisia had a good World Cup qualification campaign and ran to the final of the Arab Cup in mid-December.

They are a longer quote of 14/1 to win outright and could offer some each-way Africa Cup Of Nations betting interest* (odds recorded at 21:44 GMT on January 5th, 2022 at Bet365).