* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
The best weekend in the English football calendar is upon us once again, it’s FA Cup 3rd Round time. A time where airs and graces go out the window, where the richest club in the world have a live chance of losing against a side who (seriously) named a stand after their star striker last season only for him to jump ship at the first possible opportunity to join Ryan Reynolds’ vanity project Wrexham AFC, a football club playing two divisions lower than themselves.
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I know you know I’m talking about Newcastle v Cambridge, I just thought I’d explain it for everyone else. That there is the magic of the cup and it is alive and well. Sure, fixtures like Leicester v Watford might extinguish the flame a little but it burns bright where non-league side Boreham Wood host phoenix club AFC Wimbledon and West Brom play Brighton.
Okay, I’m stretching the narrative somewhat with that last game there but what are the chances? All four of those games feature in my acca for Saturday’s 3pm FA Cup 3rd Round matches. Sometimes you literally make your own luck.
The latest football odds are on PaddyPower.com right now* An accumulator on these four best bets pays at approximately 27/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Boreham Wood v AFC Wimbledon – AFC Wimbledon to Win
Boreham Wood sit enticingly in AFC Wimbledon’s path on Saturday representing a rather slippery banana skin. The Wood are 4th in the National League which happens to be extremely tight this year. They’re on a good run, too, and have lost just one of their last 16 in all competitions.
However, I fancy AFC Wimbledon to Win and successfully avoid a comedy fall at Meadow Park. The Dons are 33 places higher than Boreham Wood in League One and have been in good form of late. It’s a big leap from the 5th to the 3rd tier and, with The Dons winning three, drawing two and losing one of their last six, I think they have enough form and cohesion to see off their non-league opponents.
Leicester v Watford – Over 3.5 Goals
Few things worse than a middling all-top-flight 3rd Round fixture on this weekend of weekends, but Leicester and Watford should guarantee goals. Look at their most recent fixtures! What? A 1-0 win for the Foxes and a 1-0 loss for Watford?
Very much the exception rather than the rule, mind you. Over 3.5 Goals has landed in seven of Leicester’s eight games prior to that remarkable win over Liverpool and four of Watford’s last six before their routine loss to Tottenham. It’s well worth betting that normal service is resumed at a handsome price between these two entertaining sides.
Newcastle v Cambridge – Newcastle Win & Under 2.5 Goals
This game is another game marked ‘potential giant killing’ and it’s another that’s going to fail to live up to the bill in my opinion. We all know about Newcastle’s struggles both in attack and defence, but they face a Cambridge side who are 16th in League One and in poor form.
The Toon have had a very tough run but at least scored against Liverpool and Manchester United recently. Even they should breach a Cambridge side who have lost to both Rotherham and Charlton in their last three, firing a blank in all. Newcastle to Win and Under 2.5 Goals is a really appealing price, even if it does mean putting your trust in The Toon to keep a clean sheet.
West Brom v Brighton – Under 2.5 Goals
Did a game ever have Under 2.5 Goals written more prominently over it than West Brom v Brighton? It’s true, The Seagulls did put an uncharacteristically lethal fly in the ointment last time out in their 3-2 win over Everton. However, Everton are more of an experimental mental warfare project against their own supporters than a viable football club at the moment.
Back to the matter at hand and heading into that barnburner Brighton had seen Under 2.5 Goals in all eight of their most recent games. It’s even bleaker for the Baggies who’ve seen Unders in nine of their last 10, with the 2-1 win over Coventry the only exception. It has to be Under 2.5 Goals to round us off.
FA Cup Football Tips
Boreham Wood v AFC Wimbledon – AFC Wimbledon to Win
Leicester v Watford – Over 3.5 Goals
Newcastle v Cambridge – Newcastle to Win and Under 2.5 Goals
West Brom v Brighton – Under 2.5 Goals
* An accumulator on these four best bets pays at approximately 27/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
FREE BET IF 1 LEG LETS YOU DOWN
If one leg of your 4+ fold Accumulator fails to land, you get up to £/€10 back as a free bet. Customers can qualify for 1 Acca Free Bet If 1 Leg Lets You Down per day up to £/€10. The free bets will be credited by 12pm the following day.
Saturday football tips
- Millwall v Crystal Palace football betting tips from Phil Thompson for the early kick-off
- FA Cup betting tips: 6 ties this weekend where there could be upsets
- 7/1 shot among our 3 Chelsea v Chesterfield betting tips for Saturday
- Hull v Everton Bet Builder tips: Our 14/1 punt for Saturday’s 5.30pm kick-off
- PHIL THOMPSON: My Hull v Everton tips for the televised FA Cup clash
- Paddy’s 3 Real Madrid v Valencia tips for Saturday’s evening kick-off
Sunday football tips
- Paddy’s Africa Cup of Nations tips for Sunday includes a 9/1 double
- PHIL THOMPSON: My West Ham v Leeds tips for the 2pm kick-off
- Nottingham Forest v Arsenal Bet Builder tips: Our punt for the 5.10pm kick-off clocks in at 21/1
- 17/2 selection among Thommo’s Forest v Arsenal tips for Sunday’s cup clash
- Euro Football Tips: Paddy’s evening treble is a tasty 15/1 shot
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