Professional wrestling is hugely popular around the world, with World Wrestling Entertainment being one of the biggest professional wrestling companies. There is no doubting the physical attributes of the men and women who participate in professional wrestling and just like any sport, there are people who want to bet on the outcome of wrestling events. Millions of people around the world bet on sport daily but is betting on wrestling popular?
Is Betting on Wrestling Ethical?
Before we look more closely, it is important to consider the issues surrounding betting on wrestling. The athletes in professional wrestling are phenomenal and what they can produce in the ring is tremendous. However, most of the big wrestling matches are scripted in some way, meaning the participants in the match know what the outcome is going to be and how it is going to play out. Fortunately, to keep the integrity of the sport, the outcome of wrestling matches is a closely guarded secret. In addition, the outcome of matches can be changed close to the beginning of a match and sometimes even moments before the wrestlers enter the ring.
Number of People Betting on Wrestling
Wrestling remains a niche sport and it is not as popular around the world as football, basketball, and tennis. However, the big events still attract plenty of fans, with sold out arenas and over 2 million people in the United States alone tuning in for the broadcasts. Add the people from Europe who like to watch professional wrestling and you have a significant audience. Even if only 10% of the total number of viewers want to have a bet on wrestling, that is at least 200,000 people in the United States alone who want to have a wager on the matches. So, while wrestling may not be as popular for betting as football, basketball, and tennis, there is clearly enough people wanting to bet on the sport for bookmakers to add betting markets.
Even if a major wrestling event only attracts 20 people to bet online, those 20 people could also have a bet on other sports or play casino games. People betting on wrestling could switch to playing roulette, blackjack, baccarat, or pokies. Online pokies Aus feature wrestling-based games, with the legendary Andre the Giant having a slot in his name.
Wrestling Betting Markets
The most common wrestling betting market is Match Win. This is a simple case of betting on the person or team you think will win the match. If there is a title on the line, there is a possibility a match could end without a winner, but the holder keeps their title and that is why the Retain Title market is available at online sportsbooks. Some events, such as the Royal Rumble have more than two people participating in the match and you choose the person you think will win. It is also possible to back groups of wrestlers in the Royal Rumble and they tend to be grouped based on whether they are considered heroes or villains.
The online wrestling betting market is growing. It may not reach the heights of the most popular sports but there are enough people who want to have a wager on wrestling events for sportsbooks to continue publishing odds.
