WrestleMania 31 Betting Odds Analysis

Today, we have our top special guest writer, Lukewarm Jonah, taking the reins for the analysis of the WrestleMania 31 betting odds. I'll add insight, but he's the main event, and my goal is just to be an entertaining sideshow (my comments will be in italics), like a WeeLC match.

It’s a tradition unlike any other, a yearly event that overshadows the Oscars, Super Bowl, World Series, and Final Four combined.  Not Wrestlemania, but Hott Joe and Lukewarm Jonah’s Wrestlemania betting odds analysis.  Let’s get to it.

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal  
Mizdow is the favorite in this and I’d love to see him win.  A couple of years ago he was super over and had a Money in the Bank contract.  Then he must have pissed someone important off because he fell off the face of the Earth, fast.  Now last year a real wild card in Cesaro won it, he wasn’t even announced to be in it.  Since I can’t see the future and don’t know what random people will be in it, I’m leaning towards a couple of guys with heavy odds against them because I think they’ll use the battle royal to try and actually make someone a star and push them.  Curtis Axel and his Axelmania is at 14/1 and Fandango who has been winning quite a few matches of late is at 25/1.  I’ll go Axel, and watch Alexmania run wild all over Santa Clara.

I'm actually going with Sheamus in this one. The WWE LOVES them Sheamus. He's had a video package going for what feels like the last six months, so he'll win by Brogue Kicking Zack Ryder out of the ring.

AJ Lee and Paige vs. The Bella Twins
AJ Lee and Paige are the big favorites here and I think they’ll win as well.  The question I have to ask myself is do the odds make it appealing to think the Bellas may win because no one who books the WWE really cares about the Divas so anything can happen.  I’m going to stick with the favorites and put my money on AJ and Paige, and go out on a huge limb and say that there’s a miscommunication between the Bellas which leads the WWE to remember that not too long ago Nikki was wishing that Brie had “Died in the womb.”  Actually I really hope that doesn’t happen because those were some of the worst segments I have ever seen.

What I would like to see in this match is Brock Lesnar come out and F-5 everyone, but I could say that for just about every match in the history of wrestling. Instead, I predict that the WWE gives the WrestleMania crowd what they want and give AJ and Paige the victory. But for funsies, we'll still say some Total Divas interfere after the match, and Joey Styles gets a mic to yell "CAT FIGHT."

Intercontinental Title Ladder Match
First of all, this is clearly the match that will steal the show at Wrestlemania.  A seven way ladder match featuring the best wrestlers in the WWE?  Fantastic.  They just replaced the Money in the Bank contract with the IC title and told a bunch of great workers to go at it.  Dean Ambrose is the heavy favorite here, but honestly, I don’t see him that way.  I don’t think Bryan will win because he’ll be in the main event picture still.  Barrett at 9/2 to retain is an attractive option, as is Ziggler at 11/1 and Harper at 19/1.  Even Truth at 35/1 is great odds.  This is a tough call.  I’m going with Ziggler at 11/1.  He should be in the main event picture, but he won’t be.

Since the main event will likely not be a crowd pleaser, they make up for it by giving Ziggler the win. People love Dolph Ziggler; I love Dolph Ziggler, and Kent State could really use it after what happened to Ian Miller at the NCAA Wrestling Tournament.

Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins
Orton is the slight favorite here, but pretty close to a pick em match.  I’m going with Orton getting the win.  Rollins has beat Orton at every opportunity before and made him look like a punk.  This is the time for Orton to get his revenge and win the big match.  I also think this outcome is likely for a prop bet that I’ll be talking about later.

I agree. Orton gets his revenge. Also, this match doesn't excite me on paper, but it probably has a very good chance of being the second best match after the Divas Ladder Match.

John Cena vs. Rusev
Cena is the heavy favorite here with Rusev being a 4/1 dog.  But can you really see Cena with the US Title?  Really?  Really?  I mean I suppose Cena could win via DQ or countout but they usually don’t pull that crap at Wrestlemania.  I’m backing the underdog Rusev.  Cena puts him over again and actually builds up a big monster heel.

Cena wins and The Authority immediately makes the US Title the number one title in the WWE. A nine-minute montage is shown of past US Champions. Eight of those minutes is Johnny B. Badd shooting off his confetti gun. Nobody brings up the fact that Johnny never won the US Title.

The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt
Undertaker a big favorite here, but not like he was when the streak was going on.  Wyatt is an 11/4 underdog. Again I’m going with the underdog Wyatt.  Maybe the reason that the Undertaker lost last year was so he could put over a couple of guys before he retires without having to have them be the guys who ended the streak.  It’s hard to see Taker losing back to back Wrestlemania matches, but I’m still thinking Wyatt pulls off the win here and goes on to the main event scene for quite some time.

Undertaker wins with help from some of his past opponents, who he will bring back from the dead. Guys like Giant Gonzalez, Big Bossman, and CM Punk. 

Sting vs. Triple H
They didn’t bring Sting in just to lose did they?  They’re not really that stupid are they?  H’s ego isn’t that out of control is it?  These questions haunt me a bit, especially since Sting has had the upper hand throughout this entire feud making a Triple H win slightly more possible, but they aren’t that dumb are they?  Well they are, but I’m still betting on the heavy favorite Sting. Sting is 1/7 so not a lot of money to be made here, but he’s got to be the choice to win.

Sting, because WCW was legitimately better during the early Nitro days, and it was so bad that it was amazing during the latter stages.

Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar
The big one, the World Heavyweight Championship match.  Not the odds I was hoping for as I see Lesnar as a huge underdog here.  It makes sense for Reigns to beat him after winning the Rumble and that they clearly see him as the future of the WWE.  I can see Heyman turning on Lesnar and backing Reigns to turn him heel since the crowd hates him already, but I think there’s also a chance that Lesnar resigned and could keep the belt.  At only a 9/4 underdog with Reigns at a 2/7 favorite I’m taking Reigns.  If the odds were a little more favorable I might switch over to Lesnar but as they sit I’ve got to go with the favorite.

Roman Reigns wins. He can, he will. Also, just a sidenote about all of the hate towards Roman Reigns. I don't know how people are saying he doesn't have enough experience for this push when everyone freaked out that he didn't win the Royal Rumble in 2014. It came down to him and Batista, and everybody was pumped at the thought of Reigns winning. Yes, people would have wanted Daniel Bryan more, but had the WWE surprised the world and let Reigns win last year, none of this experience crap would have been brought up. Reigns is still raw, but sometimes being larger than life is more important than wrestling talent. I'm not a huge Reigns fan or hater, but you're crazy if you don't understand why the WWE is pushing this guy...

Prop Bet: Money in the Bank
The prop bet I teased earlier, will the Money in the Bank contract be cashed in?  I say yes at a 5/4 underdog.  Here’s the scenario.  Rollins loses a hard fought match against Orton so it seems less likely that he’ll cash in.  Reigns somehow overcomes the Beast and takes the title from him.  He’s exhausted, hurt, but he triumphed.  Rollins comes from out of nowhere and cashes in.  This is the way to create two new superstars.  Reigns is a star because he did the impossible and beat Lesnar.  Rollins is a star because he’s the champ.  I think it makes the most sense.

...but that being said, I hope Rollins curb stomps him and gives the fans what they want. I'll be there in person, and it would be awesome.