Copa America 2024: Best Bets & Parlay | June 20-21

The first two days of the 2024 Copa America only feature two games total, so we’ll combine Thursday, June 20’s match and Friday, June 21’s match to cook up our first treble parlay of Copa America best bets for Argentina vs. Canada and Peru vs. Chile. We’re expecting Argentina and Lionel Messi to start off hot, and for the Peruvians to get some sort of result in their opener.

Odds provided by BetPlays

Argentina Handicap (-1.5) (-106) | BetPlays  

Argentina is the hands-down favorite to win this tournament, and for good reason. Not only have they been in excellent tourney form recently, having won the most recent Copa America (2021) and World Cup (2022). But they’ve also been utterly dominant ever since their epic World Cup Final win.

In their last 14 games, they have lost just once, and completed 11 clean sheets over that time. The most common score for them during this run has been 2-0, and we like the Copa America 2024 opener against the outmatched Canadians—who also just brought on a new manager in Jesse Marsch—to go similarly for La Albiceleste.

I’m taking Argentina -1.5 at -106 (BetPlays).

Lionel Messi Anytime Scorer (-138) | Betplays

We’re honestly surprised that sports betting sites are offering this prop at such reasonable odds. Messi may be getting up there in age, and he may be playing in a lesser league in the MLS, but he’s been doing his thing just fine in international play, scoring a pair and assisting on another in Argentina’s most recent friendly.

Messi also has an incredible record when it comes to the opening games of major tournaments such as the Copa America. In fact, he’s scored in the first game of six of his eight major tournament appearances. Canada has also given up multiple goals in five of their last seven games.

I’m taking Messi to score at very reasonable -138 odds (BetPlays).

Peru/Draw Double Chance (-122) | BetPlays

Chile has the shorter odds to win this match, as Ontario sportsbooks clearly prefer the Chileans to the Peruvians in terms of who they expect to finish second in Group A behind Argentina—but we’re not so sure.

Peru is actually ranked 10 places higher on the FIFA World Rankings (32 to 42 for Chile), and they’ve also been in much better form. Peru is undefeated in their last five, while Chile has managed just three wins in their last 10 matches. Much like Denzel said, Peru is leaving this match with something.

I’m taking Peru to get a result here at -122 odds (BetPlays).