African Cup of Nations Specials – Ivory Coast Hot Favourites

African Cup of Nations – January 21st – February 1st (Eurosport)

On Saturday 21^st January attention will turn to the continent of Africa where 16 countries will be battling it out in the African Cup of Nations. The eagerly anticipated tournament is being held in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon and there will be a host of Premier League stars on show. Get involved in the Paddy Power money-back special whereby if any group stage match ends 0-0, they will refund all losing first/last goalscorer, correct score & scorecast singles on that match.

The tournament is stripped of a number of Africa’s best nations, with the winners of the past three tournaments, Egypt, failing to qualify as did Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa and Algeria. Ivory Coast have therefore been installed as the hot 6/4 favourites to win their first African Cup since 1992. The Elephants have a very strong team, which includes inspiration captain Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, the Toure brothers and Arsenal striker Gervinho. Next in the running with odds of 9/2 are the World Cup 2010 quarter-finalists, Ghana, who will be gunning for their first win since 1992. They boast a strong squad with the likes of John Mensah and Asamoah Gyan but it is worth noting that they will be without star player Michael Essien.

With Demba Ba, Moussa Sow and Papiss Cisse in their ranks Senegal are well worth a bet at 11/2. Morocco have been priced at 8/1, with the 2004 winners Tunisia have been handed odds of 11/1. Due to the absence of the traditional superpowers of African football, many nations will feel they have a chance of causing an upset or two and going far in the tournament, with Mali available at 16/1 and Libya an outside bet at 40/1.

Didier Drogba is the 4/1 favourite to finish as the tournament’s Top Goalscorer, while the in-form Senegal striker Demba Ba is well worth a bet at 6/1. Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan has been priced at 15/2, while Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast) and Senegal’s Moussa Sow and Papiss Cisse are all available at 12/1.

African Cup of Nations 2012 Outright Betting

• 6/4 – Ivory Coast
• 9/2 – Ghana
• 11/2 – Senegal
• 8/1 – Morocco
• 11/1 – Tunisia
• 16/1 – Mali
• 25/1 – Gabon
• 25/1 – Burkina Faso
• 25/1 – Guinea
• 40/1 – Angola
• 40/1 – Libya
• 40/1 – Zambia
• 66/1 – Equatorial Guinea
• 66/1 – Niger
• 66/1 – Sudan
• 100/1 – Botswana

Top Goalscorer Odds

• 4/1 – Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)
• 6/1 – Demba Ba (Senegal)
• 15/2 – Asamoah Gyan (Ghana)
• 12/1 – Moussa Sow (Senegal)
• 12/1 – Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast)
• 12/1 – Papiss Cisse (Senegal)
• 16/1 – Gervinho (Ivory Coast)
• 18/1 – Mamadou Niang (Senegal)
• 20/1 – Issam Jemaa (Tunisia)
• 20/1 – Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast)

Odds supplied by Paddy Power