The FA Cup is one of the most well-known football tournaments in the world. With more than a century and a half of fantastic history, the magic of the FA Cup remains strong for both players and supporters.
The cup competition is famed for its upsets when underdogs pull off giant-killing acts in FA Cup betting. From the long-term forecast of who will lift the famous trophy to following all the latest draws and individual fixtures, NordicBet has it all covered.
About the FA Cup
The first edition of the FA Cup was in 1871, and there were just thirteen matches played in the entire tournament. The cup competition has an open draw, meaning that there are no seeded teams.
Non-league clubs have to play through qualification rounds before the actual main event.
- 1st Round: League One and League Two sides join non-league qualifiers.
- 2nd Round: No new teams enter.
- 3rd Round: Premier League and Championship teams enter.
- 4th, 5th, QF, SF, and Final: No new teams enter.
Arsenal are the most successful club in the history of the competition, with 14 titles. Manchester United are the only other team to have reached double figures with 12 titles. In total, 44 different clubs have won the FA Cup throughout its long history.
The FA Cup: Third Round
The Third Round is a pivotal point of the competition when Premier League and Championship teams enter the FA Cup odds. Traditionally, the FA Cup Third Round is played on the first weekend of the new year.
If there's one football competition that we're certain will bring us a few surprises along the way, it's the FA Cup. Each season, one or more lower-ranked English clubs make it far down the road and shock the Premier League teams somewhere in the bracket.
However, going to the finals is a bit more difficult. These spots are usually reserved for the best of the best. This year, we'll have a rematch of last year's game as the red and blue parts of Manchester are set to collide for the trophy.
FA Cup 2024 Recap
Though we didn't have many surprises this year, some Premier League clubs did lose unexpectedly. For example, Everton was favoured to beat Luton, but they didn't manage to do so on home court. After 96 long minutes of play, Woodrow scored and set the final score of 1-2, pushing his team to the next stage.
And Bristol City managed to kick West Ham out of the competition. After a draw in the first game, all Bristol needed was a win on home court. They beat the favourite Premier League team 1-0 and squeezed through to the 1/8 finals.
The finalists didn't have the same path to the most important game at all. Manchester City didn't have much trouble along the way. They won most games with ease, with only the Tottenham matchup being competitive. They beat them by 1-0 and now have to go against their city rival in the finals.
On the other hand, Manchester United had to earn their spot in the final game. The semi-final game against Coventry gave us six goals, a blown 3-0 lead, overtime, and a twist in the penalty shootout.
United came into the game as everyone expected and dominated the first half. They scored two goals, with the third coming shortly after the second half began.
However, Coventry wasn't going out without a fight. They scored two times before the 80th minute and had one more final push left for the last minutes of the game. And, in the 95th minute, Wright scored a penalty that pushed the game into extra time.
Though no one managed to change the score in the following 30 minutes of play, Coventry hit the net in the 121st minute. However, the goal wasn't valid due to offside.
The penalty shootout didn't start well for MUFC, with Casemiro missing their first shot. Everything seemed to be going Coventry's way, and we were ready to call it an upset.
However, the rest of United's squad was completely focused and hit all of their penalties, while Coventry missed two and fell out of the competition.
FA Cup Final 2024
Manchester City and Manchester United will face off in the final game of the FA Cup in 2024. The game is scheduled for May 25th at Wembley Stadium, a neutral court.
In last year's finals, the same teams met and competed for the trophy. The blue side of Manchester was celebrating after the game, so we're certain that the Red Devils are coming into the game extra motivated if that is possible when you're playing your city rival.
After beating United in the FA Cup final, City went on to win the next two Premier League games against MUFC. In fact, they scored three times in both of those games.
So, it's fair to say they are favourites to win the game and repeat last year's success of winning the FA Cup. However, one game at a neutral stadium brings extra excitement, and anything could happen.
FA Cup Betting Tips
FA Cup betting tips naturally trend towards the big clubs like Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United. Since the 1992/93 season, only four teams besides those five have won the FA Cup (Everton, Portsmouth, Wigan, and Leicester).
Manchester City, who defeated rivals Manchester United in last season's finale, are the current favourites in FA Cup betting odds, followed by Liverpool.
With Arsenal already out of the picture, Manchester United and Chelsea are the only two other clubs in single figures in FA Cup betting odds.
The advantage that those two have over Man City and Liverpool is that neither are involved in the Europa League or Champions League betting. That means less fixture congestion and potentially a stronger focus on the FA Cup.
Betting Markets
There is great coverage of FA Cup betting at NordicBet as part of our extensive football coverage. Here are some of our most popular FA Cup betting markets:
FA Cup Winner Odds
A long-term punt on the FA Cup winner odds can be taken well ahead of the Third Round action, when odds are longer and more unpredictable due to the open draw.
Title-challenging teams from our Premier League odds section are typically early-season favourites in FA Cup betting tips.
Pre-Match Betting
Every match from the FA Cup can be followed with pre-match markets at NordicBet. It is a popular option for building FA Cup accumulators as well. With pre-match options on markets like 'Both Teams To Score,' 'Over/Under Goals,' 'Correct Score,' 'Winning Margins,' and 'Handicaps,' there is something for all strategies.
Live Betting
The live FA Cup betting odds are also available throughout the competition. Find many of the same pre-match markets, just with live odds reflecting the state of the current match. But also check out new options like 'Next Team To Score' and 'Rapid Markets.'
Best Features for FA Cup Betting
If you want to get creative with your FA Cup betting options for a match, the NordicBet Bet Builder can help. The tool allows you to create the same game from options like 'Total Corners,' 'Correct Score,' and 'Match Result.'
Cash-out is another fantastic feature of FA Cup betting at NordicBet. An active bet from selected markets could be up for an offer to be settled early instead of waiting until the final whistle blows.
Why Bet on the FA Cup at NordicBet?
Just like the safest pair of hands from a goalkeeper in an FA Cup penalty shootout, betting on NordicBet is a safe and reliable option. With encrypted technology securing all data, we provide a safe gaming platform.
Our award-winning customer support team is available 24/7 to give you a helping hand on anything from withdrawal requests to using one of our great bonuses.
From the FA Cup to the latest round of Europa League odds or action from any of our 20+ sports listed in our sportsbook, NordicBet has you covered.