Breaking Down the Royal Rumble Odds
By: Kerby Rodriguez
The Road to Wrestlemania is set to begin and some would say this is the most exciting time of the year for WWE. The Royal Rumble is usually the most unpredictable affair when it comes to predicting who will win. This year it feels especially difficult, usually any longtime fan you can tell where WWE could be headed but this year it feels like truly anybody’s game.
With that in mind, I’m implementing a format change just for these predictions, we’re gonna see the betting odds and then I’m gonna tell you the safe bet, the unlikely dark horse and a completely out of left field option. This way I can cover my bases and hopefully be more accurate when it comes to predicting the outcome for Sunday’s show. Now, Let’s get ready to rumble!
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The 30-Men Royal Rumble Odds
If you’ve come to this article to ask why the WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar, in this match (and his title not on the line) then I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for your question. The betting odds
actually position Roman Reigns in favor in this match (-350) and he truly seems like the most obvious choice to win this.
The Safe Bet for the Royal Rumble: That would, of course, be Roman Reigns. I feel WWE has shown great restraint in keeping Roman off the top of the card since he came back from his battle with cancer; this in part has helped Roman build his character and get over with the fans. At the moment I feel there is no one on the current main roster (Raw/Smackdown) that has a higher chance of winning The Rumble than The Big Dog.
The Unlikely Bet for the Royal Rumble Match: Now here’s where my fantasy booking kicks in. For me, the unlikely choice would be Kofi Kingston (+5000). Look, Kofi’s still over with the fans and with a single moment you can turn on KofiMania once again. The current WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar, took the title off Kofi in just eight seconds; it would be an incredible story to have Kofi come from behind, win The Rumble and take the title off Brock at Mania.
The Out-of-Left Field Royal Rumble Winner: This section is reserved for the impossible surprises that are never gonna happen and that means CM Punk (+600) and Edge (+750). Both of these men were my favorite wrestlers at one point during my fandom and I will absolutely lose my damn mind if I see them rushing to the ring on Sunday but the realist in me knows better.
Punk is still not in the right headspace to entertain a match for WWE (especially considering his last match was a Royal Rumble Match) and as much as I love Edge I can’t help but worry about his health if he were to make a return to the ring, so as much as I’d love to see it I know it’s probably not gonna happen.
30-Women Royal Rumble Odds
The field for the Women’s Royal Rumble Match has been kept a little more secretive, some say a lot of NXT names are set to appear and that’s the reason we don’t know many of the participants yet. The betting odds favor an NXT Superstar as well, the one and only Shayna Baszler lead (-500) and much like Roman Reigns in the men’s, Shayna seems to be the only person capable superstar of winning this and capable of dethroning Becky Lynch (who will probably walk into Mania with that title).
The Safe Bet: The Submission Magician, Shayna Baszler is the safe bet and in my opinion one of only a few people who are big enough to win this match, alongside Ronda Rousey (+950) and Sasha Banks (+800).
The Unlikely Bet: My unlikely option here would be Io Shirai (+5500). Reports say Shirai is unhappy with her position in the company and some say she doesn’t even want to sign a contract extension with WWE and this has led the powers that be to perhaps offer Shirai a move to the main roster.
A Royal Rumble win and subsequent Wrestlemania Title Match would be a good bargaining chip for WWE if they want to keep Shirai from jumping ship to AEW.
The Out-of–Left Field: Of course with CM Punk being mentioned in the men’s match it is only fair that his wife AJ Lee (+4000) be the Out-of-Left Field option in the Women’s. Like I said before I know this won’t happen cause Lee herself has mentioned she has no interest in getting back in the ring but again this section is reserved for very very unlikely scenarios and AJ Lee returning fits that description.
Raw Women’s Championship Odds at Royal Rumble 2020: Becky Lynch (C) vs. Asuka
Look obviously the odds are going to favor Lynch (-300) and she’s more than likely set to retain her as a way to tell a redemption story (Asuka defeated Lynch at last year’s Rumble). But there’s something worrisome about having Lynch walk into Wrestlemania as champion (meaning she would’ve held that title for a full calendar year); especially considering we have two more PPV events before Wrestlemania.
Having Asuka win here and having Lynch chase after the title on the Road to Wrestlemania would be the right thing to do because if there’s one thing you need to know about being a baby-face (hero) in wrestling is that the money’s in the chase.
So there you have it, get ready for the most exciting event of the year as we kick off The Road To Wrestlemania This Sunday with The Royal Rumble. Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @its_kerby and go check out Youtube.com/TheWrestlingSpace for more wrestling-related content.
