The Over-Under: WWE Royal Rumble 2015 Odds

The Over-Under: WWE Royal Rumble 2015 Odds

Greetings and Salutations, or a more New Jersey inspired, “How you’s doin”? Over the years My love of sports and sports talk means I’m not unfamiliar with the world of sports betting. SO? I figured what a better way to tie up those worlds with this world. So while attempting to come up with something to call this column? And seeing as I am an East Coast Guy, attempting to call myself Vinnie Vegas, would just be dishonest… not to mention it’d piss HIM, off…

And with his recent appearance in the news? I figured I’d tread lightly. Plus all the talk is attempts to legalize sports betting in Atlantic City, why NOT be AC affiliated instead!

Like ME! See? I was a wrestler! Perfect tie in!

Hhhhhmmmmmm…. maybe I won’t need a gambling degenerate-

Did someone say DEGENERATE?

*sigh*…

Anyway, THIS is my cheap-heat adventure into handicapping, and what better event to handicap than the 2015 Royal Rumble. The Rumble is widely regarded as a favorite event in the WWE. People love the chaos of the match itself, and the fact that it kicks off the “Road to Wrestlemania” only adds to the intrigue surrounding the match. In years past there was regularly ONE… MAYBE TWO guys that could win a Rumble. This year, its a little more wide open. Granted if you pay attention we have heard the rumbling for long time plans since LAST Royal Rumble, but things change. People get injured. People return. So I’ll layout who I think the SIX-

Did someone say-

No… just… no. SIX. The number. In this humble author’s opinion there are SIX men who I believe could win the Royal Rumble, and what are their odds. Yes, as of typing this there are TWO men confirmed for the Rumble: Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns. So there is a CHANCE some of my six won’t even be IN the Rumble. We all remember last year, when Rey got booed out of Pittsburgh because Daniel Bryan wasn’t involved. But that’s part of the fun.

Some thoughts for those outside my six favorites:

Seth Rollins. He would be my favorite if he A) didn’t have Money in the Bank. B) Cena was the Champion instead of Lesnar. I think he’ll win a Rumble in the next 3 years.

Ryback. Since returning from injury has rediscovered his mojo. Crowd is back on his side. He’s been successful since the return.

Cesaro – hahahahhahaha I tried to say it with a straight face. He’s my favorite, but I think I have the same odds to win the Royal Rumble.

Undertaker – What if he returned at the Rumble because he wanted to get revenge against Brock Lesnar. Yes I put on my Fantasy Booking Pantalones for this. Still, be a cool story. If they played put he fact that Lesnar is holding the WWEWHC hostage? This plays out great as who better to go at the Beast to save the championship than Taker. Taker would win and retire as WWEWHC. If someone ever deserved that honor it’d be the Deadman.

20:1

Rusev Crush! Not many in WWE are as hot as Rusev has been since breaking onto the scene a year ago. In fact few have had the success he’s had in his first year. He’s big. He’s strong. Fans care. Lana’s hot. He’s athletic. Lana’s hot. Sure it is still too early for this, AND there is a chance he is not in the Rumble but in a singles match with Ryback for the US Title, but if he’s in the Rumble? I expect a strong showing from him.

15:1

He’s on the Lunatic Fringe of Winning the Rumble. Dean Ambrose has been on fire since Seth Rollins stabber… err… chaired he and Roman Reigns in the back. The Rollins feud was fantastic, and while Bray Wyatt interjected himself into things, I still see Rollins and Ambrose on a collision course in the not too distant future. Ambrose’s has seemed to cool off during this feud with Bray. Losing repeatedly will do that. Still a little ways away from winning this. I expect him to be in the Rumble with the Ambulance Match being the blow off between he and Bray.

8:1

RKO… Outta NO WHERE? I expect to see Randy Orton return at the Royal Rumble. I figure he’ll be one of the Surprise Entrants the Rumble has become known for. He could be the guy who eliminates Seth Rollins, if Rollins is in it. At the very least there will be plenty of “RKO’s OUTTA NOWHERE”! I really wanted to see him challenge Lesnar, and I thought he would have been a good bridge for Lesnar. Instead of the Night of Champions rematch with Cena. This could get us there. Granted he headlined Mania last year, but he’s someone we know the powers that be value and trust, and it would be a surprising Rumble result, and a different match for Lesnar.

4:1

He’s HERE to show the WORLD! Has anyone been as hot as Dolph Ziggler over the last few months? Nope. Crowds have stayed loyal, and while they seemingly “lost their way” with Dolph, he has fought his way back up the card. He won the IC title and has been part of the resurgence of that Championship. He was one of the company’s top faces and always delivered good to great matches. Then Survivor Series happened. He is the lone survivor saving his team’s jobs and ridding the WWE of the Authority. Now that has changed, and people are bemoaning the fact that the Authority is back. I for one have no problem with it, or how it was handled. It was happening sometime between now and the Rumble anyway. The story lines that can come out of this for THIS man will be telling. Because he should be right in the Authority’s crosshairs. I hope in the next 3 weeks they work to get the IC title off of him, and then put him in the Royal Rumble at #1. Hell he can STILL have the Inter Continental Championship, but they should put him in the Rumble at that 1 spot. The Authority holds a grudge and can actually help ELEVATE his status as a top face. He’d have higher odds if it weren’t for my two favorites. He’s the hot hand. He’d be AMAZING to watch wrestle Lesnar. For both his selling, and being able to keep up with Lesnar with some grappling.

2:1

YES! YES! YES! The story LAST year should have been The Authority puts Bryan in the Rumble at Numbers One or Two, but they didn’t. AND? Batista won. AND? The crowd rebelled against the ending of the Rumble and really got behind ONE man because they really really didn’t want to see Batista win. We were robbed of a Daniel Bryan title reign. Robbed of a potential Lesnar/Bryan title match, which was rumored to to be in the workings for Summer Slam, but? Bryan got injured. The story is tailor made for everyone’s favorite underdog, and while the WWE might balk at giving Bryan two consecutive “Wrestlemania Moments”? You know the people will want it. The question is will the Authority look to make this as hard on him as possible. In reality they should be more focused on Ziggler and Team Cena, but that is neither here nor there. Bryan adds an element to this match. An element of doubt, or possibility since the end of last year’s Rumble we were staring down the crazy good chance that the 2015 Rumble will be Reigned upon by Roman (see what I did there?) – But one of these guy’s odds are actually improved by their respective injury absences. Daniel Bryan is COULD BE that guy. Which of course brings me to…

3:2

Believe That! Last year at the Royal Rumble Reigns broke Kane’s elimination record. The Shield broke up and Reigns had a jet pack strapped to his back as he was destined for the top. He has all the intangibles, but was behind his Shield brethren both in ring and in promos. Rumors hit shortly after Wrestlemania last year that he was going to be positioned to dominate the Rumble to Mania corridor this year as we’d usher in the Era of Roman… so to speak, but? he got hurt, and was out. So any chance of them using that time to build him, or test him, or… ya know figure out if he COULD be the guy? This is why his injury is a burden. Already I hear smattering of boos from certain crowds because he’s gotten and is getting the Superman treatment. That he’s being forced down the crowd’s throats and there is a large section of the crowd that will resent that. He could have gotten there organically. Now we’re going to see if the WWE is going to go ahead with that rumored plan, or if they’re willing to wait. He is definitely someone they want to have that win over Lesnar as part of his superstar resume. Can he be THE guy? Or will Philadelphia turn on him if it looks obvious that Reigns is going to win?

No matter what happens this Royal Rumble has levels of intrigue that the last few were lacking. There are numerous rising faces at the ready to be able to challenge Brock Lesnar, AND Money in the Bank is still out there floating around that can throw a wrench into things… oh and Bryan gave up his Championship, and was never lost. Is he still owed a “rematch”, so to speak?

Who are YOUR favorites for the 2015 Royal Rumble? Let me know. At the very least? Check back in a few weeks when the card takes shape and I can revisit this and the rest of the matches.