Sports betting has enjoyed a rapid expansion in the United States over the past year, with eight states now taking part in a legalized market. WWE has a pair of television deals worth over $2 billion over the next five years from The USA Network and Fox.
With Sports betting you expect that no one knows the outcome of the sport. With WWE it is an exhibition, not a contest so many people know the outcome before the beginning of the event. You would think they are incompatible because of this. You would be wrong! There are ways to wager on the outcome of WWE matches.
These bets can’t be done with American sportsbooks, due to strict regulation of what can and can’t be wagered upon, but offshore books and European sportsbooks have been offering odds on WWE match outcomes for the better part of the last decade. Despite the scripted nature of the WWE, the ability to change outcomes up until wrestlers walk out to the ring gives betting on WWE a different feel than anything else that might fall under an entertainment bet.
It still doesn’t change the fact that one or a few people are dictating the outcomes of every match.
“Everyone always asks me, ‘How can you put up odds on something that’s predetermined?” said Adam Burns, sportsbook manager. “And it comes down to this: There’s not huge limits. You can’t bet $10,000 on who’s gonna win it, but you can bet a couple hundred bucks, have some fun with it. It’s more for us to get people engaged.” There is a William Hill offer that will get you a $10 sign up bonus and get up to $150 in promo free sign up cash.
That brings up another interesting question, though: Who is actually setting these lines for the sportsbooks?
“I have a guy who is a die-hard WWE [fan] and he knows, he watches everything and he follows everything,” said Burns. “He calculates it and puts it into percentages of what he thinks. He follows all the storylines and all the Twitter rumors. The fact is, we’re comfortable doing that because it attracts some clients, people have fun with it. To be honest, we don’t have inside information. We put it up just for people to get engaged, have fun — and, well, the lines will move a lot.”
WWE fans knowledge and dedication, when translated to a traditional sport, would typically translate to a relatively strong understanding of the product and an edge when it comes to the betting market. When it comes to WWE be careful of the Swerve, bro.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board sets up the market for what types of events can be wagered upon and will never include scripted or predetermined events like WWE. Outside of horse races, greyhound races, and athletic events, there has been approved on events like the World Series of Poker, awards in a variety of sports including MVPs and the Heisman Trophy, draft outcomes in several sports and even a few esports and competitive video gaming bets approved, including League of Legends and the Golden Tee World Championship.
There has been some consideration of accepting wagers on elections, including some dialogue and discussion by Nevada state legislators in the past, but no bill has ever been passed. The massive swings that the WWE betting market encounters on the day of a show alone tells you that Vegas won’t want WWE wagering. But if you are betting online, there are lots of places to find WWE betting, and lots of great online offers like Sportsbookfans.codesfor example. In some cases, betting sites even gives up to $500 site credit if your first bet loses. At WrestleMania 32, Zack Ryder had 20-1 odds against his winning the Intercontinental Championship ladder match, however, he closed as the favorite at -2000.
At WrestleMania 32, Zack Ryder had 20-1 odds against his winning the Intercontinental Championship ladder match, however, he closed as the favorite at -2000 against six other opponents.
The allure of being able to bet on WWE is more about entertainment value than it is about striking it rich. For the players, it’s about having some action on the result and being a partner in your favorite superstar’s victory.
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