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The FA Cup is an annual football betting tradition for casual punters and diehard footy wagering fanatics alike, as it pits huge underdogs against the biggest clubs in the Premier League. The FA Cup is a knockout tournament that always provides tremendous excitement and surprise results.
The Football Association Challenge Cup, to give it full due, has been around since 1871, making it the oldest competition of its kind in the world.
In recent years the competition has been dominated by big name clubs but the tournament is still known for affording lesser clubs the chance to grace the biggest stage of football. The last team to win while not playing in the top flight was West Ham, who won the cup in 1980 while still in the then second division.
The current defending champions, as of the 2011-12 season are Chelsea, who in the last decade have won the FA Cup four times. However, the most successful club in the history of the FA Cup, is unsurprisingly, Manchester United, who have lifted the cup a staggering eleven times.
The club that held the trophy for the longest period of time was Portsmouth by virtue of winning the FA Cup in 1939. The competition was not held again until 1946.
The only team to win that wasn't from England was Cardiff City, who raided successfully from Wales, where the final of the FA Cup has been held in the past.
