Wagering on WWE matches? Don’t bet on it by Thomas Albano

It’s obvious, but sports betting has become quite the lucrative industry over the last several years — and there doesn’t seem to be any slowing down.

You can’t go one commercial break during a sports telecast without some sort of advertisement or cut-in from a betting platform like DraftKings or FanDuel. If it’s not during the break, you definitely see them as the sponsor for something.

Bet on a winner, bet on a play, bet on a player…you can place a bet on anything it seems these days.

Now, how about betting on something a little out of the ordinary? Say something like scripted sports entertainment. That’s what the WWE seems to want to be accomplished.

Over the past week, there have been a number of reports about WWE talking to various gambling regulators across the United States about the potential of having legalized betting on its events and matches.

The initial report from CNBC stated that the wrestling promotion was working with accounting firm EY to look into the legalization of betting on its matches. Targeted states in question included Colorado, Michigan and Indiana.

The responses thus far, however, have not seemed to go WWE’s way. A spokesperson from the Colorado Division of Gaming told CNBC that the state is not considering legalized betting on WWE matches — and in fact, any events with fixed or predicted outcomes (ex: WWE, the Oscars, etc.) are prohibited from being bet on in the state.

Additionally, the Michigan Gaming Control Board released a statement claiming it has had no direct contact with WWE about the possibility of wagering on its matches.

In Indiana, meanwhile, WWE is listed as a registrant for sports wagering — but that’s merely one step in the review process.

Massachusetts just launched mobile betting recently, but it has already taken a rejective stance toward WWE, stating it is “not an approved sports league.”

And when it comes to the platforms themselves, it’s still murky territory for WWE.

BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said “NFW!” when asked about whether he’d be eager to accept wagers on WWE bouts.

DraftKings does offer betting pools for WWE and AEW events, but these aren’t exclusive to winner/loser style betting — they also include questions that would be similar to prop bets. These include details of the matches, such as finishing moves hit, methods of victory, interference spots, match length and more. 

There are multiple reasons that the WWE would look into legalizing wagering on its matches. Of course, the first thought is to increase its value, speared on by the persistent rumors that the WWE is for the sale. It’s the supposed reason that Vince McMahon returned from his “retirement” (read that as a self-imposed exile).

But the supposed “real” reason for this desire is merely to expand its reach in fans. Think about it: even if you’re not invested in the WWE product, the idea of making some bucks off it might prove to be something those active in sports wagering might look into. And for those who are fans, it’s another level of investment.

There’s also the idea this would give more mainstream exposure to WWE, and you know that company is all about getting as much mainstream exposure as it can get. Think about all the celebrity involvement in WrestleMania, the WWE’s biggest event of the calendar year — which takes place on April 1 and 2 this year — since its inception. Think about its current connections to celebrities like Logan Paul, Bad Bunny and Tyson Fury. Think about the dependence on part-time, old-school names at various points over the past decade including Brock Lesnar, The Rock and Triple H.

WWE executives have reportedly claimed that there should be no issue with legalized betting on its scripted product when the Academy Awards, whose results as known to select people, can be bet on once a year.

But as the CNBC article points out, the problem with that is that the Oscars, unlike WWE, don’t have storylines and scripted matches that are created and determined by writers. You have the process involving writers, road agents, referees, executives, and the talent themselves, all involved in putting a WWE match together.

And anyone who has been a member of the Internet Wrestling Community knows that storyline plans are leaked.

So now imagine a scenario where the wrestlers go out to the ring not knowing who will win the match — maybe even without a plan for the match itself. Imagine the chaos of an agent, referee, talent, all trying to craft a drama-filled showdown with just hours to go before the talent have to make their way to the ring.

That’s the risk we run with something like this. The scripting and story-telling are part of the business, and if we damage the ability of these performers to tell a great story (and trust each other with their bodies mind you), that hurts the product just as much as the negatively-received storylines put out by Vince McMahon in his last few years before “retirement.”

The pools and prop betting are all good and dandy. But trying to do something like WWE is supposedly planning? Just look at Greenblatt’s response again.