Predicted Front-runners in Africa Cup 2024 Betting Circles among Sports Bookmakers
The sphere is currently rolling at the 2024 Africa Cup in Ivory Coast, with 24 teams battling for the continental football title. Bookies have pinpointed three crystal-clear contenders for the crown, including defending champion Senegal. However, the top tier appears balanced, as no definitive decisions have been made yet.
Senegal, Morocco, and Ivory Coast as crown hopefuls
As per the latest bookie odds, there are currently three prime contenders for the crown:
- Senegal: roughly 5.5
- Morocco: roughly 5.5
- Ivory Coast: roughly 6.5
All three nations have already notched up a victory in the group stage, but Ivory Coast needs to win their final group game to guarantee a spot in the knockout phase without any external assistance.
Algeria and Ghana, despite being initial heavy favorites, had a rocky start. Algeria's odds hover around 9, and Ghana's are over 30, as the Ghanaians no longer have control over their own knockout phase destiny.
Plenty of Bundesliga stars present
At the 2024 Africa Cup and the simultaneous Asia Cup 2024, 23 Bundesliga stalwarts have been called up for their home nations and won't be back at their clubs for the tournament's duration.
This impacts surprise teams from Leverkusen and Stuttgart, who will miss three and four players respectively in the coming weeks. This could be one of the reasons why Bayern Munich remains the betting favorite for the Bundesliga title among the bookies.
Why is the Africa Cup held in January and February?
The timing of the Africa Cup usually irritates some football fans, as it often coincides with the start of the return rounds in major European leagues.
Some speculate that this is because Africa's summer is too scorching. However, in regions near the equator, there's a climate known as diurnal climate, which keeps average temperatures reasonably constant throughout the year.
In Ivory Coast, the tournament was originally planned for the summer of 2023, but heavy rains scuppered those plans. The next Africa Cup in 2025 is also scheduled to take place in the summer in Morocco to avoid scheduling conflicts.
Fans and coaches pray for a healthy return
The African football champion will be crowned in the final on February 11. It's a safe bet that clubs will be backing their players, even though they're absent during a crucial phase of the league.
The greatest hope is likely that no one suffers a severe injury. Unfortunately, Liverpool star Mo Salah and Bundesliga strikers Victor Boniface and Serhou Guirassy have already picked up injuries.
So, it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious at the 2024 Africa Cup and what impact the tournament will have on the loaned players' clubs.
Given the interest in online gambling, here are two sentences that incorporate the words 'online casinos' and 'Germany':
After the Africa Cup, many African footballers might look to unwind, and some might even try their luck at online casinos popular in Germany.Even if they make it back to Bundesliga early, some players might still want to visit online casinos in Germany to celebrate, given the excitement of the tournament.
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