Inside The World Of Betting On WWE

The WWE was founded in the 1950s as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation and is currently the largest wresting promotion in the world. The WWE holds upwards of 500 events a year across the globe, with a viewership of around 36 million in 150 countries, including the USA and the UK. WWE shows are choreographed, with memorable characters and storylines. It maintains its excitement using complex moves that if performed incorrectly can risk serious injury or even death to performers. Additionally, the WWE features both male and female competitors, a novelty in most professional sports. 

Branded as sports entertainment, the WWE recognizes its roots in competitive sport and theatre. In 2014, WWE launched a paid-for streaming service, WWE Network, much like a Netflix or Hulu, but for wrestling fanatics. As of 2020, the WWE has a new worth of around US$5.71 billion; predominantly from advertising and links with major channels, but also from betting.

Whilst it may seem bizarre to place bets on something scripted, where the outcome has been decided months in advance by a team of writers, there is still a market for betting on WWE. WWE falls into a category known by experts as special interest, or novelty, markets. Much like betting on who will be the next Bond, or whether Kimye’s marriage will last. WWE is a public interest story, and the fans love being involved. Placing bets gives an additional dimension to the event and increases fan engagement. Fans also like to see if they can outwit the bookies and make money, with some fans going so far as to set up their own sites and YouTube channels to give gambling tips to other fans. The gambling aspect of WWE, though limited (most bookies and sportbooks will not accept big bets) and not the main money maker for the organization, helps fans bond and creates a little community, as well as adding additional tension and excitement to the events.

Whilst gambling on WWE has been commonplace in the UK for almost a decade due to more relaxed gambling laws, it is only relatively recently that it has been possible to place bets in some parts of the USA. In 2018 when the Supreme Court overturned PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act) 1992, some states began to legalize sports betting, though restrictions still applied to any events with a pre-determined outcome. The rules differ for online sportsbooks, meaning that Americans can place bets on WWE from the comfort of their own homes legally and safely, depending on the state in which they reside. For example, residents within Indiana have relaxed gambling laws, therefore will be able to access sportsbooks and place bets on their favourite sports. 

The WWE Survivor Series 2020 is the next big event in the WWE calendar scheduled for November 22nd, 2020. Throughout the history of the WWE, there have been different divisions; currently Raw, SmackDown and NTX, and it is these divisions that will be pitted against each other to find the ultimate WWE fighter. It is the 34th instalment of the series, and the first to showcase a virtual viewing experience called Thunderdome. The Survivor Series is one of the ‘Big Four’ in wresting (the other being WrestleMania, Royal Rumble and SummerSlam), and is characterized by having tag team elimination matches between the competitors, whittling competitors down until there is the ultimate showdown, and the champion of champions is crowned. The matches will be based on scripted stories where wrestlers will portray heroes, villains, other less savoury characters, and the writers will ensure these bring drama, tension and entertainment to the event. The result may be pre-determined, but this does not lessen the fan engagement in any way. In some ways, it could be said that it allows for the more complicated moved in wrestling to be showcased in a controlled and (relatively) safe environment.

The draft for the 2020 Survivor series started on the October 9th episode of SmackDown and ended on the October 12th episode of WWE Raw. This allows for players in all divisions to be drafted into a different division, shaking things up dramatically and changing the overall make-up of each team. Each division has its own champion they will be wanting to showcase: Randy Orton for Raw, Finn Balor for NXT and Roman Reigns for Smackdown. Reigns has been one of the highlights of WWE 2020, in part due to his storyline in the ring with his cousin Jey Uso. Hugely respected both in and out of the ring, this season has been uncertain for Reign due to underlying health conditions, but he has been a steady presence for the rest of his team and has shown his support throughout his absence, and his comeback, with a new character and storyline have solidified him as one to watch. McIntyre is also a strong contender for the title; the 35-year-old Scot won the men’s Royal Rumble 2020, and defeated Lesnar at WrestleMania 36 becoming the first British WWE Champion. 

Whilst the results are pre-determined, there is clearly a lot to engage fans and gamblers alike, and since its inception WWE has adapted and changed to reflect changes in technology and the fanbase, and has seen its popularity go from strength to strength.