Last updated on March 20th, 2024 at 07:32 pm
In recent years, the world of professional wrestling has seen a significant surge in popularity, leading to what many are calling a wrestling boom. This resurgence has caught the attention of sportsbooks and betting sites worldwide, eager to capitalize on the fervor by offering odds on WWE matchups. Despite the scripted nature of these events, which might seem to complicate the betting landscape, bookies have dived headfirst into the fray, taking bets on the outcomes of high-profile matches.
One such company is BetMGM and they have a plethora of bonuses available to new customers, such as their current offering of $150 in bonus money. But both they and their competitors have got their predictions wrong numerous times over the last 12 months. The unpredictability of WWE’s storytelling has led to some notable instances when the bookies’ predictions were off the mark, leaving fans and bettors alike in shock. Here are two of the most high-profile instances.
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Roman Reigns Defeats Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39
Last year’s WrestleMania 39 was a spectacle of epic proportions, headlined by a highly anticipated main event between reigning and defending Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and challenger Cody Rhodes. Going into the event, the Tribal Chief was considered a +225 betting underdog, a surprising position considering the fact that he was on the cusp of reaching 1,000 days as champion, the fourth-longest reign in company history at the time.
The Head of the Table had been at the pinnacle of WWE since August 2020, dominating the scene with his strength, charisma, and leadership of The Bloodline. The American Nightmare, on the other hand, had returned to the company the year before, becoming the first man to walk through the “Forbidden Door” and quickly becoming a fan-favorite in the process. That, coupled with Roman’s lengthy reign of terror, had fans thinking that the time for change was nigh and, as such, the challenger was installed as the -300 betting favorite.
But one thing the bookies and fans hadn’t accounted for was a shock merger between WWE and the UFC, which was announced hours before the show took place. With WWE riding the cusp of a wave and breaking records left, right and center, the newly appointed board of directors clearly felt that there was no need to change their marquee champion. Reigns retained the gold, much to the amazement of everyone in attendance at SoFI Stadium in Los Angeles.
Cody Rhodes Wins the 2024 Royal Rumble
Fast forward nine months to the 2024 Royal Rumble and Rhodes found himself in a similar position to his WrestleMania opponent from the previous year. Despite all signs pointing toward the pair facing off in a rematch at 2024’s installment of the event, the addition of a second world champion in the form of Seth Rollins, coupled with the return of a certain CM Punk, seemingly threw a spanner in the works for the American Nightmare’s bid to go back-to-back. In the week prior to the 30-man over-the-top-rope extravaganza, Rhodes was positioned as a +300 second favorite behind Punk, and those odds drifted all the way out to +800 on fight night.
The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s marquee events, with the winner earning a shot at a championship title at WrestleMania. With stakes this high, as well as the fun nature of the contest, the match attracts considerable attention from fans and bettors alike. Heading into the event, Punk was a huge favorite at -125, followed closely by The Rock at +400, with the Hollywood megastar announcing that he had joined the company’s Board of Directors just days prior, as well as showing up on SmackDown and outlining his intentions to sit at the “head of the table.” But in the end, the bookmakers simply overthought the situation. Rhodes duly won the matchup, eliminating Punk last, confirming what fans had known all year long; that he would rematch Reigns at WrestleMania XL. Despite taking a rocky road to get there, the match will ultimately transpire at Lincoln Financial Field on April 7th.
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