FA Cup 2023/24: Big Teams Join the Party in the Third Round

The third round of the FA Cup is always one of the most eagerly awaited weekends each season, with the top clubs finally joining the minnows in the competition. 
 
Shock results are commonplace at this stage, although things tend to settle down once the tournament reaches the business end. 
 
With that in mind, we look at the draw for the FA Cup third round before highlighting some of the key betting trends to consider and the latest outright odds. 

The draw for the third round of the FA Cup is as follows: 

• Luton Town vs Bolton Wanderers 
• Shrewsbury Town vs Wrexham 
• Arsenal vs Liverpool 
• Stoke City vs Brighton & Hove Albion 
• Norwich City vs Bristol Rovers 
• West Ham United vs Bristol City 
• Tottenham Hotspur vs Burnley 
• Fulham vs Rotherham United 
• West Bromwich Albion vs Aldershot 
• Southampton vs Walsall 
• AFC Wimbledon vs Ipswich Town 
• Peterborough United vs Leeds United 
• Millwall vs Leicester City 
• Watford vs Chesterfield 
• Sunderland vs Newcastle United 
• Sheffield Wednesday vs Cardiff City 
• Crystal Palace vs Everton 
• Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa 
• Nottingham Forest vs Blackpool 
• Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United 
• Manchester City vs Huddersfield Town 
• Blackburn Rovers vs Cambridge United 
• Gillingham vs Sheffield United 
• Swansea City vs Morecambe 
• Chelsea vs Preston North End 
• Queens Park Rangers vs Bournemouth 
• Coventry City vs Oxford United 
• Brentford vs Wolverhampton Wanderers 
• Plymouth Argyle vs Sutton United 
• Maidstone United vs Stevenage 
• Newport County vs Eastleigh 
• Hull City vs Birmingham City 

Ties will be played January 4-8. 

The FA Cup has a special place in the hearts of football fans, with the tournament regularly producing stories which etch their place in the sport’s folklore. 
 
Famed for shock results, the FA Cup gives smaller clubs lower down the pyramid the opportunity to pit their wits against the giants of English football. 
 
However, if you plan on wagering on the winner of the tournament on football betting sites, it generally pays to focus on the top Premier League clubs. 
 
Arsenal (5), Chelsea (5), Manchester City (3), Manchester United (2) and Liverpool (2) have won 17 of the last 20 FA Cup finals. 
 
Only Portsmouth, Wigan Athletic and Leicester City have bucked the trend during that period, and they were all top flight clubs when they achieved the feat. 
 
Just two second tier clubs have reached the FA Cup final in the last 20 years – Millwall (2003/04) and Cardiff City (2007/08). 
 
Chelsea have reached nine finals, winning five, while Arsenal have won each of the five finals they have contested over the same period. 
 
On that basis, covering both teams to equal stakes on UK betting apps should give you a run for your money and deliver a profit if either of them lifts the trophy. 
 
Aston Villa are a tempting proposition at longer odds, although they have been handed a tricky tie at Middlesbrough in the third round. 

The latest outright odds (via StarSports) are as follows: 

• Manchester City - 5/2 
• Arsenal - 17/2 
• Chelsea - 9/1 
• Manchester United - 9/1 
• Liverpool - 10/1 
• Newcastle United - 10/1 
• Tottenham Hotspur - 11/1 
• Brighton & Hove Albion - 16/1 
• Aston Villa - 18/1 
• West Ham United - 25/1 
• Brentford - 40/1 
• Everton - 40/1 
• Fulham - 40/1 
• Bournemouth - 50/1 
• Crystal Palace - 50/1 
• Nottingham Forest - 50/1 
• Wolverhampton Wanderers - 50/1 
• Burnley - 80/1 
• Leicester City - 80/1 
• Sheffield United - 80/1 
• Leeds United - 90/1 
• Southampton - 90/1 
• Luton Town - 100/1 
• Ipswich Town - 125/1 
• Middlesbrough - 125/1 
• West Bromwich Albion - 125/1 
• Norwich City - 150/1 
• Sunderland - 150/1 
• Swansea City - 150/1 
• Watford - 150/1 
• Blackburn Rovers - 175/1 
• Coventry City - 175/1 
• Millwall - 175/1 
• Stoke City - 175/1 
• Birmingham City - 200/1 
• Hull City - 200/1 
• Sheffield Wednesday - 200/1 
• Bolton Wanderers - 250/1 
• Cardiff City - 250/1 
• Bristol City - 300/1 
• Preston North End - 300/1 
• Queens Park Rangers - 300/1 
• Huddersfield Town - 500/1 
• Wigan Athletic - 500/1 

Other teams available on request.