FA Cup betting is hotting up ahead of this weekend’s quarter-finals and Chelsea are proving the overwhelmingly popular selection in Sky Bet’s name the finalists betting. The holders have been well backed at 5/1 to face Aston Villa at Wembley on May 15 and a Chelsea v Spurs showdown has also been a popular bet at 6/1.

Sky Bet’s football betting spokesman Mike Triffitt said: “Chelsea and Aston Villa both have a great chance of progressing to the semi-finals but thereafter it’s anyone’s guess whether they will avoid each other in the semi-final draw.”

Sky Bet have also produced a series of FA Cup betting specials ahead of this weekend’s quarter-finals. Four of the eight fifth-round matches went to replays and Sky Bet go 150/1 that all four quarter-finals go to a replay. Sky Bet favour one replay at 11/10 and make it 9/4 that all the quarter-finals are decided on the day.

Betting is also available on which quarter-final will be the highest scoring game and Sky Bet make Sunday’s Chelsea v Stoke tie 11/8 favourite. It’s 4/7 that more goals are scored in Sunday’s quarter-finals, which also see the last remaining Football League side Reading take on Aston Villa, than in Saturday’s matches, which include the round’s most intriguing tie between local rivals Fulham and Tottenham.

In the last round, Manchester City’s Emmanuel Adebayor received a straight red card for raising an arm against Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross and Sky Bet go 5/6 that one player or more is sent off during the quarter-finals.

FA Cup name the finalists
Chelsea-Aston Villa 5/1 Aston Villa-Fulham 16/1 Fulham-Portsmouth 33/1
Chelsea-Tottenham 6/1 Chelsea-Reading 16/1 Tottenham-Reading 33/1
Chelsea-Birmingham 8/1 Tottenham-Portsmouth 20/1 Fulham-Stoke 40/1
Chelsea-Fulham 8/1 Aston Villa-Portsmouth 20/1 Birmingham-Reading 40/1
Aston Villa-Tottenham 10/1 Aston Villa-Stoke 25/1 Fulham-Reading 50/1
Aston Villa-Birmingham 12/1 Birmingham-Fulham 25/1 Portsmouth-Stoke 50/1
Chelsea-Portsmouth 14/1 Tottenham-Stoke 25/1 Portsmouth-Reading 66/1
Tottenham-Birmingham 14/1 Birmingham-Stoke 33/1 Stoke-Reading 100/1

FA Cup 09/10
Chelsea 11/10
Aston Villa 4/1
Tottenham 4/1
Birmingham 10/1
Fulham 12/1
Portsmouth 16/1
Stoke 18/1
Reading 40/1

FA Cup Specials - 6th & 7th March
How many FA Cup ties 6th & 7th March will go to a replay?
No ties go to a replay 9/4
Exactly 1 tie goes to a replay 11/10
Exactly 2 ties goes to a replay 11/4
Exactly 3 ties go to a replay 14/1
All ties go to a replay 150/1

Most Goals
Note: Which game will have the most goals?
Chelsea v Stoke 11/8
Reading v Villa 11/4
Fulham v Tottenham 3/1
Portsmouth v Birmingham 4/1

Day with Most Goals
Saturday 6th March 5/4 Sunday 7th March 4/7

Total Red Cards
Under 1.5 Red Cards 5/6 Over 1.5 Red Cards 5/6

Betting news and betting jos from Hyperion.