Jamaica vs Mexico Odds, Betting Prediction, Picks

Jamaica Have Eyes on Prize Thanks to Strong Roster of Players

In terms of contributions to sport, music and culture, Jamaica is a nation which has long punched above its weight. After all, this Caribbean country has a population of less than three million people, although its vast diaspora stretches across the Americas, Europe and beyond.

The Jamaica national team has begun to take advantage of this diaspora in recent years. When the Reggae Boyz competed as guests at Copa America 2015, they could call upon England-born, Premier League players like Wes Morgan and Adrian Mariappa.

The trend has only grown stronger since then. With World Cup 2026 set to feature 48 teams for the first time, there is a much better chance of nations like Jamaica actually qualifying. That very fact has tempted and will continue to tempt those eligible players born overseas.

Before that tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico in three years’ time, Jamaica have a genuine chance of winning the Gold Cup for the first time. Whereas those three countries mentioned above have all named weakened squads for this tournament, Jamaica’s roster is close to full strength. 

It includes England-based stars like Ethan Pinnock (Brentford), Demarai Gray (Everton), Michail Antonio (West Ham United) and Leon Bailey (Aston Villa), although the latter was born in Kingston. That has made Jamaica one of the strongest sides at the Gold Cup.

The Reggae Boyz probably should have beaten the USMNT on matchday one, but they had to settle for a 1-1 draw. Thereafter they defeated Trinidad & Tobago and Saint Kitts & Nevis to reach the quarter-finals, where they saw off Guatemala with a 1-0 victory on Saturday.

Runners-up in 2015 and 2017, Jamaica are now daring to dream of a first ever Gold Cup trophy. Needless to say, this is their toughest test yet.

Mexico Ticking Along Nicely but This Is a Big Test for Lozano

The doom and gloom that surrounded Mexico as this tournament got under way has evaporated. El Tri had just failed to reach the final of the CONCACAF Nations League, a few months before which they had been dumped out of World Cup 2022 in the group phase.

Mexico sacked Tata Martino at the end of the competition in Qatar, then dismissed his replacement Diego Cocca following the Nations League disappointment. They hastily handed the reins to Jimmy Lozano at the start of this tournament - not exactly a recipe for success.

Yet Mexico have arguably played the best soccer at the Gold Cup to date. None of the semi-finalists have won all four of their matches up to now, but El Tri have been the better team in every game they have contested. 

Eight-time winners of the Gold Cup, Mexico usually start every edition with the expectation of lifting the trophy. That was not necessarily the case this time, even though they were still the second-favorites with the best online sportsbooks.

But Lozano, still the interim manager but now a contender for the full-time role, has done an excellent job to restore a sense of optimism to the camp. A 2-0 victory over Costa Rica in the quarter-finals has left El Tri within touching distance of an 11th Gold Cup final appearance.

Costa Rica put up a good fight and Mexico did not really get going until the second half. But there was no doubt they deserved the win given to them by goals from Orbelin Pineda and Erick Sanchez after the interval. 

Lozano will have been pleased with his team’s patience in possession and solidity at the back. He will hope to see more of the same in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Every Reason to Believe This Will Be a Fantastic Game of Soccer

Sports bettors are always looking for value in the market and this match presents a fantastic opportunity in that regard. We recommend backing Jamaica to beat Mexico, as the current odds of +500 make the Reggae Boyz look significantly overpriced.

That is not to say we necessarily believe the likeliest outcome is a Jamaica victory within 90 minutes. And it is undeniable that there is a big gap between what these two national teams have achieved in soccer history.

Mexico are World Cup regulars, whereas Jamaica are still waiting for their second appearance after 1998. El Tri are eight-time Gold Cup champions, whereas the Reggae Boyz have never won this competition. Mexico has a population of 126.7 million versus Jamaica’s 2.8 million.

But when you compare the two starting XIs set to take to the field on Wednesday, there is not so much of a gap between the teams. Sure, Mexico are probably stronger on balance, but Jamaica have some real quality provided by the likes of Gray, Antonio and Pinnock.

What is more, Jamaica will relish being the underdogs. They possess an abundance of speed in transition and will be more than happy for Mexico to control the ball. Tip the underdog here.