Copa America 2024 Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (6/22)
The 2024 Copa America continues Saturday with a pair of First Round Group Stage matches at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., and NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. In Group B action, Ecuador and Venezuela battle in Santa Clara, with the match beginning at 6 p.m. ET. And, at 9 p.m. ET, Mexico and Jamaica tangle in Houston. Both matches can be viewed or streamed on FOX Sports 1.
Let’s build that bankroll for the remainder of the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America tournament with our best fútbol bets for Saturday, June 22. Here are our top 2024 Copa America picks and predictions for Ecuador vs. Venezuela and Mexico vs. Jamaica.
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
Saturday’s 2024 Copa America Best Bets
Copa America 2024 dds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All wagers are for 1 unit
Ecuador (+100) vs. Venezuela (+340) – Draw (+210) | O/U Total 1.5 (-194/+156)
In what can only be viewed as the undercard in Group B play on Saturday, Ecuador and Venezuela tangle in the Bay Area. The last time these teams faced each other in Nov. 2023 at Estadio Monumental de Maturin in Venezuela in front of 51,083 fans in a World Cup qualifier. The possession was nearly even, with Venezuela holding a slight 50.3%-to-49.7% advantage. We had 15 shots attempts in the match, with just three total shots on target. Venezuela wasn’t able to generate much on four corners, while Ecuador managed three corners, while holding a slight 8-t0-7 shot attempt edge.
The last time we saw Venezuela in action, it played to a scoreless draw against Guatemala on March 24 in an international friendly, and prior to that it suffered a 2-1 loss to Italy in another friendly March 24. That match against Italy was a bit of an anomaly, as Venezuela has allowed more than one goal just the one time against Azzurri. In fact, the best group for La Vinotinto is the defense, and it’s a good idea to bang the Under whenever Venezuela is involved.
In the past six meetings between these nations on the pitch, four matchups have resulted in draws, including the 0-0 battle on Nov. 2023.
Ecuador has some tremendous prospects who are getting their first caps. Piero Hincapie, who plays with Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, is expected to start at left-back, as Pervis Estupinan is injured. Additionally, teen phenom Kendry Paez, just 17 years of age, gets the nod at wing. He is expected to join Ecuador star Moises Caicedo with Chelsea in the English Premier League. Enner Valencia is the all-time leading goal scorer for El Tri, too.
While Venezuela has a tremendous defense, and these sides played to a scoreless draw last time out, the best play here is to back Ecuador on the 3-way moneyline at even-money.
In addition, goals are always at a premium when these South American rivals square off. Go low on the total, and playing Under 1.5 Total Goals is a healthy return at plus-money. In addition, let’s roll with Ecuador 1-0 for the Correct Score, giving us a chance to multiply up by nearly five times.
Best Bets
Same-Game Parlay (+438)
Mexico (-170) vs. Jamaica (+500) – Draw (+280) | O/U Total 2.5 (+122/-148)
Mexico is the favorite in this opening match, and it is considered the team best positioned to secure the win in Group B. However, there is cause for concern, as El Tri struggled against Brazil and Uruguay in international friendlies leading up to his tournament.
The good news is that Mexico has some young players getting valuable international experience. In that 3-2 loss to Brazil, Guillermo Martinez Ayala and Julian Quinones found the back of the net. The latter has five caps for Mexico, and he has already notched two goals. Martinez Ayala has managed two scores in just three matches for the national team. Edson Alvarez, who plays for West Ham United in the EPL, serves as the captain at central midfield. Santiago Gimenez has notched four goals in his fledgling career for the national side, too.
Mexico manager Jaime Lozano is looking to get Mexico into the knockout stages, positioning them for a deep run in this event. Mexico was a runner-up to Argentina in this tournament back in 1993. The last time Mexico played in a competitive match, it fell to the United States 2-0 in the final of the CONCACAF Nations League.
Jamaica topped Canada in the quarterfinals of the Nations League, before bowing out in the semifinals. The Reggae Boyz come in with a little momentum, having topped Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Dominica in three international friendlies.
We’ll roll with Mexico to win on the 3-way line in this Group B opener for both sides. Jamaica might be a threat to at least grab a point if Leon Bailey, the Aston Villa attacker, was playing, but he is not. While Jamaica has plenty of top-notch players, Mexico just appears to be deeper. However, look for a draw at half time, before El Tri finds the back of the net in the second half. We’ll also bet against both teams scoring, too.
Best Bets
Same-Game Parlay: 3-Legs (+473)
Daniel E. Dobish is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Daniel, check out his archive and follow him @danieledobish.