This week, the 48th edition of Copa América will kick off in Atlanta, GA, as the United States hosts the tournament for the second time in eight years. The reigning champions, Argentina, will begin their title defense Thursday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against Canada with many familiar faces on their roster, including Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, and Ángel di Maria.
The Argentines are favored to win the 2024 Copa América, listed at +175 odds from both DraftKings and FanDuel. Argentina and Uruguay are the current joint record holders with 15 titles each, and Brazil’s nine trophies represent the only other nation with more than two since the first edition in 1916.
Brazil was defeated 1-0 by Argentina in the 2021 Copa América final, a match played in Rio de Janeiro. The lone goal was scored in the 22nd minute by di Maria on a long assist from Rodrigo de Paul, earning Argentina their first Copa title since 1993 despite being out-possessed and out-shot. Brazil won in 2019 and is billed as the second-most likely team to win in 2024 with +225 on DraftKings.
Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay were three of the four teams that participated in the inaugural tournament in 1916, and 39 of the 47 titles reside in their trophy cases. Chile was the fourth nation represented over a century ago, but they waited 99 years for their first victory in this continental tournament.
The Chileans achieved that dream in 2015 and followed it up with a second title in 2016, both coming at the expense of Argentina and requiring a penalty shootout to decide the winner. Uruguay is listed at +550 odds to win this edition on FanDuel, while Chile can be wagered on at +3700.
The United States, +1400 on FanDuel, has two fourth-place results from four previous appearances at Copa after losing third place matches to Columbia in 1995 and 2016. The Americans reside in a group with Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia and will play matches in Arlington, TX, Atlanta, and Kansas City, MO, during the group stage.
Expectations are rising again for this strong generation of young American players after beating Mexico 2-0 to lift their third straight CONCACAF Nations League trophy in March.
Current Odds to Win 2024 Copa America
Latest Odds from FanDuel SportsBook
| Country |
Odds |
| Argentina |
+175 |
| Brazil |
+220 |
| Uruguay |
+550 |
| Mexico |
+1300 |
| Colombia |
+1400 |
| USA |
+1400 |
| Ecuador |
+1800 |
| Chile |
+3700 |
| Peru |
+5500 |
| Paraguay |
+7000 |
| Venezuela |
+8500 |
| Canada |
+9000 |
| Jamaica |
+19000 |
| Bolivia |
+22000 |
| Costa Rica |
+22000 |
| Panama |
+49000 |
We’re excited about the start of Copa 2024 and have a best bet card for the tournament laid out next.
Best Bet - Group C Winner: United States (+145 @ FanDuel)
The USA-Uruguay matchup will be the last for both teams within group play, and Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium will be an incredible venue if this match carries the anticipated stakes.
The U.S. has won its group twice at Copa América, including in its last appearance as hosts in 2016, but it has also finished in the basement just as many times.
Uruguay has fallen to 15th in the FIFA world rankings and hasn’t touched the top ten in over three years. With the swell of support for the home team, we think the Americans can pull off an upset in Group C.
Best Bet - Copa América Winner: Argentina (+175 @ DraftKings)
Messi was not ready to give up the international game after lifting the World Cup in 2022 and leaving Europe for the United States in his professional career, and the team around him is still championship caliber.
Argentina’s path to the semi-final is relatively straightforward if they win Group A, which they are heavily favored to do), and this proven side has a great mix of young talent, seasoned leaders, and strong goalkeeping to repeat at the 2024 tournament.
