Everything you need to know about betting on WWE
Most WWE fans can recall the sad moment they realised things weren’t quite as real as they first seemed. It’s wrestling’s worst kept secret that WWE is scripted, which is why it may come as a surprise that you can bet on it just like you would football or hockey. Yes, that’s right – you can bet on WWE even though all the results are predetermined.
If that sounds odd, let us explain. The scripts and results of WWE events are kept tightly under wraps, known only by a privileged few. Of course, those who have got the inside knowledge can’t bet on events, so regular punters really have no way of knowing what’s going to go down.
This means that many major online sports betting sites now offer WWE markets. Just like how it’s a blast to watch your favourite wrestlers in action, the element of unpredictability makes WWE betting a whole lot of fun, as well as potentially rewarding for savvy bettors. To help you get started, let’s go through everything you need to about betting on WWE.
What, Where and When?
WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment’s) matches take place all year round, with weekly Raw and Smackdown shows. It’s the live pay-per-view (PPV) events that generate the most markets at sports betting sites, though. These are the biggest and most exciting wrestling events, so naturally attract the most bettors. Let’s take a look at some of the top matchups:
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is one of the most prestigious dates on the WWE calendar, taking place every January. The main event sees a whopping 30 wrestlers go head to head, and you can get WWE betting odds as high as +10000! 2018 saw Shinsuke Nakamura win the men’s event, while Asuka won the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble.
Wrestlemania
Wrestlemania is another WWE highlight, which usually airs in March or April and features the biggest names in the business. In 2018 there were 13 matches, with two championship face offs. AJ Styles came out on top against Shinsuke Nakamura to retain the WWE Championship, while Brock Lesnar defeated Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship title.
SummerSlam
This event takes place each August, with the 2017 and 2018 SummerSlams both featuring thirteen matches. The latest edition saw Roman Reigns get revenge on Brock Lesnar by winning the Universal Championship match, while Ronda Rousey defeated Alexa Bliss to be named Raw Women’s Champion.
Survivor Series
Rounding up the “big four” WWE events, Survivor Series happens every November and usually features tag-team elimination matches. 2018 saw Team Raw defeat Team Smackdown, while in the main event Universal Champion Brock Lesnar came out on top against WWE Champion Daniel Bryan.
While these are the biggest WWE showdowns, the fun doesn’t stop there. Other big PPVs include Hell in a Cell, the Elimination Chamber, Money in the Bank and Clash of Champions, all of which are great fun to watch and bet on.
Who to Back?
We’re going to be honest, knowing who to back on your WWE betting slip is like drawing straws. The outcomes are scripted, so nothing is out of the question. There’s no point researching statistics like you would with football or basketball betting, as WWE can throw you a curveball at any time. For example, Brock Lesnar was a +900 underdog at Wrestlemania 30, but caused an upset by bringing The Undertaker’s 21-match undefeated streak to an end.
Brock Lesnar hits an F-5 on The Undertaker in their match during Wrestlemania 30
Of course, this unpredictability is part of what makes betting on WWE so entertaining. There are some factors you can look for to help inform your betting, though. Instead of checking out recent form or head-to-head history, shrewd WWE bettors search for patterns in the storylines and how previous events have played out.
When you’re betting on match winners or next bet holders, there’s also a strong case behind baking the most popular wrestlers. This is ‘sports entertainment’ after all, so we can expect the biggest names to hold the prestigious championship belts more often than not. John Cena, for example, has been one of the WWE’s biggest stars for over a decade and has won the WWE Championship a record 13 times. Coincidence? That’s up to you to decide.
There’s also plenty of WWE betting tips and advice available online, which can be helpful when picking a winner. As with all sports betting though, no tipster can guarantee a winning bet, so we’d advise taking these with a pinch of salt.
Market Depth
As well as the standard bets like match winner and event winner, WWE offers plenty of exciting markets for bettors to take a punt on. Let’s take a look:
After/Next – This involves betting on which wrestler you think will be the next holder of a title. So if Brock Lesnar is the current WWE Universal Champion, you’re betting on who will be the ‘next’ champion after him.
Champion by – This is similar to the after/next market, but you’re wagering on a wrestler to become champion by a certain date, such as 1st January 2024.
Feuds – Feuds is another fun WWE betting market where you’re predicting that two wrestlers will face off in the ring before the match has been scheduled.
To contest main event – By betting on this market you’re predicting which competitors will feature in the main event of a WWE match up, such as Wrestlemania.
Method of victory – Pinfall? Knockout? Countout? Take your pick of how you think a match is going to be won.
First to be eliminated – If you don’t rate a wrestler’s chances, you may want to wager on them being the first to be eliminated from a multi-person event such as Royal Rumble.
Under/over elimination time – Here, you’re betting on how long you think a wrestler will last in the ring before being eliminated.
Most eliminations – Think a wrestler will wipe the floor with the competition? Place a wager on who will get the most eliminations and see if you’re right.
To be disqualified – Wrestlers have been known for bending the rules, so some betting sites offer markets on who will be disqualified from a match or event.
WWE betting bonuses
While you won’t find sport-specific bonuses like you might with hockey betting, plenty of top sports betting sites allow you to wager bonuses on your favourite wrestling events. These include matched deposits, which award a percentage of your deposit as bonus funds, as well as money back offers, where you get back a portion of a losing wager. Many sites also offer free bets, where you make a qualifying wager to get some bonus bets in return.
If you fancy using a bonus to bet on WWE, keep in mind that they come with terms and conditions. Wagering requirements apply to lots of offers, and mean that you have to wager your bonus a certain number of times before it can be withdrawn. You’ll have to use your bonus before the time limit expires, and some also have to be used on bets priced at a set minimum odds.
