The world’s oldest football competition may have lost some of its lustre in recent years, according to some at least, but it remains an important trophy in England and is still a favourite of the online betting sites when it comes to bonuses and promotions. And for football and betting fans alike, it can have an added appeal that competitions such as the Champions league and Premier League sometimes fail to provide.
The magic of the cup
Certainly in England, the magic of the FA Cup has become something of a cliché. As the top teams have got richer and the importance of the Premier League and continental competitions have grown exponentially, the quaint old cup competition which was first hosted back in the 1871 has taken somewhat of a backseat. In fact, it’s fair to say that the real magic perhaps now only applies to all those stakeholders – fans, staff and players – of lower league and non-league clubs who aspire to that plum tie against the big boys of English football. Yet the reality too is that if that big tie lands, very often that big fish will dampen the magic by fielding a ‘B’ team – albeit an eye-wateringly expensive and talented B team that is packed full of internationals. And that’s true even if it’s two Premier League heavyweights going head to head.
The romance of the competition still exists
Yet when it comes to the FA Cup, critics are really missing the point. If you cast a cursory glance down the list of recent FA Cup winners, it’s really not true that this has become an easier competition to win. The last ten winners of the competition, at the time of writing, include Arsenal (4 times), Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea – hardly English minnows. The two outliers in that time are Leicester City, who won the Premier League in 2016 can hardly be classed as cannon fodder. And then there is Wigan Athletic, currently of the English second tier (bottom at the time of writing). Wigan, then of the Premier League, memorably defeated Manchester City back in the 2012-2013 season in what was a major shock. And therein lies the romance that still exists. Unlike the Premier League or most other competitions of note, there is still that possibility that a team who shouldn’t win it might just do it (yes, Leicester’dstunning Premier League win aside). And it’s not just about the winners – finalists in the FA Cup in that same ten-year period include Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Hull City and Watford, all teams whose supporters have been starved off meaningful success for a long, long time, or else forever.
Betting on the FA Cup
If shocks can, and do, happen, then of course that is something that attracts the attention of sports betting fans. It attracts the attention of the betting sites too, of course, but there’s no doubt fun and opportunities are to be had when a game that looks likely to have a dead-cert of a winner on paper, may just throw up some surprises to astute punters.
When it comes to betting on FA Cup games, you absolutely have to look past the level of the teams involved. Yes, the home team may be in a division (or two) lower, but this, say,fourth-round game, for example, could be that team’s Cup Final in so many ways. It’s a chance for the players to prove themselves, it’s a chance for the management and staff to show off their hard work, and it’s a chance for the fans to get behind the team and hope for a little bit of Cup magic.
And indeed, if the game is in the glorious surrounds of a high-class Premier league stadium, then what better to inspire players, staff and fans of a club who never usually get to make such a visit? It is in such circumstances that normal logic can sometimes be thrown out of the window.
That said, aside from the inspiration that the romance of the FA Cup can bring, there are also other very real factors at play. For example, the higher division team might be on a horrible run of form which has resulted in player confidence hitting rock bottom. In contrast, albeit at a lower level, the other team could be flying high with a run of victories buoying them to greater heights. Then what about the teamsheet? You absolutely can’t guarantee the big team will field their strongest team, and very often they don’t. Yes, that team still has a squad of highly talented (and not to mention highly paid) players to call upon, but these may well be players that aren’t used to playing, certainly with each other. A football team is so much more than a collection of talented individuals.
Another factor is the fixture list. What does that big team have coming up? Is that team off the back of a gruelling schedule. All of these things have a very real impact on the team that starts and the condition of the players that play. And so what a banker on paper can usually be anything but in reality. Of course, the sports betting operators aren’t stupid and will adapt their odds accordingly, but opportunities (and ‘shocks’) do exist.
Sports betting sites offer and promotions
If the romance of the FA Cup still appeals, and you think you’ve spotted a shock on the horizon, then make sure you make the most of it with one of the plethoras of promos and specials that bookmakers just love to serve up for the world’s oldest cup competition. British and Irish bookies in particularlove an FA Cup special, so keep an eye out for price boosts, money back offers and much more besides. Plus you might well get some live FA Cup streaming action to boot!
So don’t be fooled, the magic of the cup is still alive and well, and not just for those associated with the so-called small teams!
