FA Cup Betting Sites

History of the FA Cup

The establishment of the FA Cup came from the idea of having a “Challenge Cup”, where clubs from different levels compete for the same trophy.

The first FA Cup tournament was played in the season 1871-72, and only 13 games were played in that inaugural edition. The format that resembles the one we have today started in 1888-89 when the qualifications were introduced.

The tournament was suspended during the First and Second World Wars, which is why the 100th tournament edition was played in the 1980–81 season. The year 1923 marks the first time the final match was played at the Wembley Stadium, which has become a tradition ever since.

As for the information on when is the English FA Cup final for this campaign, it will be played on Saturday, 17 May 2025, information to keep in mind if you plan to do some FA Cup final betting.

How Does the FA Cup Work?

There is no seeding system in the FA Cup, and all matches are determined by a random draw. The draws for the first qualifying rounds are conducted regionally before all clubs merge into one main draw from Competition Proper.

The winner of the FA Cup qualifies for the next season’s Europa League campaign. If the club has already qualified through the Premier League, the spot goes to the next club on the Premier League table.

FA Cup Qualifying Rounds

Clubs from levels 5 to 10 in English football play in the six qualifying legs of the FA Cup, whereas the clubs from other levels join in the Competition Proper. The first qualifying round features over 400 clubs.

This part of the competition consists of an Extra preliminary round, a Preliminary round, and four rounds of the main Qualifiers, giving plenty of opportunities for betting on FA Cup.

FA Cup Knockout Stage After Qualifications

Leagues Two and One join in the first round of the Competition Proper. The last clubs to join are the ones playing in the Championship and the Premier League, typically in January, from the Round 3 proper.

After the fifth round of the Competition proper, the competition heads to the quarter-finals. The semi-finals are played at Wembley, just like the final. The final is played on the first Saturday after the Premier League finishes.

FA Cup Past Winners - Last 10 seasons

Here is the list of the past winners, going back ten campaigns:

What to Look for in FA Cup Betting Site?

Let’s start with the basics or with something that you should pay attention to with all sports betting sites. The first step is to check the operator’s licence details to ensure it is licensed and regulated by a reputable regulatory body. 

Also, check if the sportsbook shows commitment to responsible gambling practices and provides necessary resources and tools for problem gambling. You can also read other bettors’ reviews to get a better idea of how customers get treated at the sportsbook.

Here are some other factors you should consider when choosing the best FA Cup betting sites:

• Available payment options: Modern sportsbooks should allow their customers to choose from a variety of payment methods when funding their accounts. Whether your choice is a bank card, one of the popular e-wallets, or another digital payment option, a sportsbook should be able to accommodate your preferences. 
• Welcome bonuses and promotions for the FA Cup: A welcome bonus has become an essential part of a sportsbook’s offer, and if you can use it to bet on football, you can likely use it to bet on FA Cup as well. Sports betting UK sites might also offer promotions that are designed for betting on the FA Cup.
• Betting markets on offer: Football is among the most popular sports to bet on, so there are typically many betting markets to choose from when betting on the most popular competitions and tournaments. If this is the case for the FA Cup as well, you could be at the right place.
• The quality of the odds: When an operator constantly offers odds that are higher than the average, it brings value to punters in the long run, which is something they appreciate.
• User experience and customer support: The website should be easy to navigate, and you shouldn’t have much trouble finding all the necessary information. Also, if you need help, customer support should be available and ready to help 24/7.

We look into these criteria when reviewing a sports betting site, so you can find all this information and much more in our FA Cup betting sites reviews.

How to Bet on FA Cup

For betting on the FA Cup, you will first need to find a sportsbook that suits your betting style and needs. We advise you to read our sportsbook reviews first and pay attention to the details you are interested in before picking the right option for you.

After you pick that sportsbook, or more than one, here are the next steps you need to take to place your bet:

• Sign up with the sportsbook or sportsbooks you have chosen for betting on the FA Cup.
• Claim the welcome bonus offer if you like the terms and conditions associated with the bonus.
• Navigate to the football section of the sportsbook and locate England and the FA Cup.
• Pick the match (or multiple ones) you wish to bet on and click on each of them to see the odds.
• Pick the markets you enjoy betting on, and use our odds calculator to help you decide what type of bet you wish to throw in case you are unsure.
• Enter the amount you wish to bet, and wait for the outcome.

If you wish to bet in-play, you can do that as well, especially if the sportsbook offers good odds. Make sure not to make any hasty decisions and follow the action carefully to predict what will happen next.

Popular FA Cup Betting Markets

As is often the case with football betting, the English FA Cup betting sites will typically offer both outright betting markets and the ones for particular matches. Most outright markets remain open during the tournament, only the odds change, according to the developments as the season progresses.

FA Cup Winner

The FA Cup winner betting market is a popular outright or futures betting market, and it allows you to predict the winner of the tournament before it starts or while it’s underway. The odds will, of course, change, so you should keep an eye out for that from the moment they become available, especially if you have a favourite.

FA Cup Top Scorer

The top scorer market is another outright market that remains open while the tournament lasts and allows you to snatch some good odds before the Competition Proper phase starts. 

Do you know a player who gets particularly efficient in the cup matches? Do you expect someone to outshine the other players? Maybe this is the market for you. You can also use it when betting on the Premier League to predict the top scorer of the upcoming or current season.

Match Winner Market

Probably one of the most basic markets for FA Cup match betting is the winner market, used to predict who wins the match or if it will end in a draw. The market is available outright for the first round and then for every next round and all the scheduled matches.

There is also a double chance market where you can select two potential outcomes in one selection. For example, if it’s a match between Chelsea and Man Utd, and you think Man Utd won’t win, you can choose the 1X market, but the odds will be somewhat smaller.

FA Cup Over/Under Markets

The over/under market is another football betting match market you can use to bet on the number of goals you expect to be scored in one FA Cup match. FA Cup bookies give various options, and, for example, you can bet that there would be over 3.5 goals scored in a match or under 2.5 goals. 

This is a popular market when you feel confident about teams’ shapes and goal-scoring potential, plus you don’t need to predict a winner or the correct score.

Both Teams To Score (BTTS)

Another goals market that all online FA Cup betting sites offer is the ‘both teams to score’ market, and it is as straightforward as it can be. All you have to do is choose ‘yes’ or ‘no’ based on how you think the match will unfold.

To Go To Penalties

Starting with the season 2024-25, there are no replays in an FA Cup match that ends in a draw, but it immediately proceeds into extra time and potentially penalty shootouts. That decision makes this market even more popular among punters, as every match can now potentially go to penalties.

FA Cup Betting Strategy

Cup matches have proven to bring surprises times and times before, with clubs from lower tiers managing to win their matches against Premier League clubs. That’s why you should make it a habit to check historical data and previous results before making your bet.

These surprising results could make you feel uncertain about the match-winner market, so you can choose alternative markets instead. 

If you wish to bet on the outright winner, you can see that the previous winners were mostly Premier League clubs, so your winner for the current campaign might be among those clubs again. If possible, make the outright bets early to snatch good odds.

Whatever your preference, you are probably aware that adding matches to an accumulator bet increases your risks, so consider making it a system bet or making single or double bets of your FA Cup bet instead. 

FA Cup Statistics

The FA Cup is a tournament with a very long tradition, so here are some facts and statistics that you could find interesting:

• Arsenal has won the title for a record 14 times in total, seven of those wins in the 21st century only.
• The goal that Manchester United scored against Man City in the 2022-23 FA Cup final was the only goal Pep Guardiola’s side conceded during that entire FA Cup campaign.
• The Manchester City 6–0 win against Watford in the 2019 final was the biggest in an FA Cup final match, equaling the record win from 1903 when Bury defeated Derby County 6–0.
• Arsène Wenger is the manager with the most FA Cup titles in his career, having won seven trophies with Arsenal.
• The 2004/05 final was the first to be decided after a penalty shootout. Arsenal won 5-4 against Man Utd.