Things to consider: Betting on THE African Cup of Nations 2021
The delayed African Cup of Nations 2021 kicks off on Sunday January 9th, with hosts Cameroon taking on Group A rivals Burkina Faso. This is the 33rd African Cup of Nations, and the pre-tournament qualifiers suggest it will be a competitive affair. This preview will outline some of the key things to consider before you have a bet.
What are the AFCON 2021 Groups?
Group A: Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde Islands, Ethiopia
Group B: Guinea, Malawi, Senegal, Zimbabwe
Group C: Comoros Island, Gabon, Ghana, Morocco
Group D: Egypt, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Sudan
Group E: Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone
Group F: Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Tunisia
When are the AFCON Games?
The tournament kicks off on Sunday January 9th 2022 and goes until February 6th 2022. In total there are 52 games of football being played throughout the month-long period.
This includes teams in the group stages playing each other twice, before the top two teams qualifying for the round-of-16 knockout stages.
From there it is knockout matches where the winner takes all and will progress to the final on February 6th 2022 at Olembe Sadium.
Who are AFCON’s star players?
This year’s African Cup of Nations features some of the most star-studded line ups in history. Some of the obvious threats to consider are the deadly Liverpool duo Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, representing Senegal and Egypt respectively.
Senegal coach Aliou Cisse has been praised with levelling up the squad since his arrival in 2015. As well as Sadio Mane, Senegal boast an impressive selection of talented players, with Napoli’s star centre back Kalidou Koulibaly, Chelsea goal keeper Edouard Mendy and PSG’s Idrissa Gana Gueye. This highly talented team will be keen to avenge their defeat in the 2019 final.
Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez and West Ham star Said Benrahma will both feature for the reigning champions Algeria. Despite their team being vastly changed from the side that last won the trophy, they are in good form and have a showed a winning mentality on many occasions. Rivals The Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) will also be confident in their ability, their team features Premier League players Eric Bailly (Man Utd), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) and Nicolas Pepe (Arsenal). Whilst hosts Cameroon may lack standout stars from the European leagues, they are a squad used to playing with each other.
BettorMind advice on betting on the African Cup of Nations
Research: When placing a bet, the knowledge you have on an event is important in allowing you to make the best decision. There will be many teams and players in the African Cup of Nations you may not have heard of and potentially not bet on before. You may be familiar with some of the star players but in the context of tournament and betting you should look to increase your knowledge on all the teams taking part. Research can be done in a number of ways and is an important factor to consider when betting.
Identify a budget: The African Cup of Nations take place at the same time as domestic football. This means there is a significant increase in the number of opportunities to bet on football with the tournament comprising of 52 matches. If you are someone who will be looking to bet on the African Cup of Nations alongside your other regular football bets, it is a great idea to adjust your budget accordingly to ensure you are in a position to enjoy your betting during this time.
Domestic football: Not only does the African Cup of Nations provide increased opportunities to bet, but it also has an impact on the regular domestic football season. Some teams are affected more than others due to the number of top players who won’t be available for selection. Liverpool for example will be without two of their star players in Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. This is something you need to consider if you are having a bet on Liverpool fixtures.
January looks set to be action packed when it comes to football and the African Cup of Nations will add to that. If you are going to have a bet, make sure you make use of the resources at BettorMind. Here you will find the best advice on how to approach your betting responsibly.
Further reading
Support
