We’re nearing ever closer to WrestleMania 33 in Orlando on April 2nd, and with Elimination Chamber out of the way, we know that Bray Wyatt goes in as the WWE Champion. Who will be the Universal Champion though? That’s to be determined at Fastlane on March 5th as Kevin Owens defends against Bill Goldberg. What are the odds of him remaining champion after Sunday? Before we go into that it’s time for the usual disclaimer. The betting odds for Fastlane are not a reflection of athletic prowess or physical skills – they are a reflection of the whims of Vincent Kennedy McMahon. It’s his world (or “Universe”) and everybody in WWE is just living in it. Of course what he’s going to do comes as a direct consequence of what he thinks will make money for himself, his employees and all of WWE’s shareholders. Therefore, it’s somewhat predictable that he will pick a course of direction and stick with it, EXCEPT when on a whim he feels things have become TOO predictable. Thus, you have to watch the odds carefully for a Pay-Per-View – a huge dog may be unlikely, but a moderate underdog may actually become an infamous pro wrestling match “swerve.” Right now, the current odds for Fastlane have Goldberg as the -1125 favorite to take the title from Owens as the +575 underdog. You might ask yourself “Why is a 50-year-old man, a part-time performer, taking the title from a 32-year-old, full-time, WWE Universal champion?” Because it has nothing to do with age or athleticism as previously noted. McMahon believes the “money match” to get people to watch WrestleMania in Orlando (in person or on WWE Network) is Goldberg as champion defending the title against Brock Lesnar, looking for revenge for two prior losses. There are other matches with WrestleMania consequences worth looking at the odds for. Roman Reigns is unhappy to not be in the title picture, but Braun Strowman is “looking for competition” and has threatened to take him out of the picture permanently. Now the odds strongly favor Strowman at -1700 in favor of him winning, but these have swung around wildly in the last 24 hours, so keep a close eye on this one changing. The self-proclaimed “King” of the cruiserweights in Neville defends his title against Jack Gallagher at Fastlane, and right now he’s the -615 to retain, with a +405 underdog trying to take it from him. That’s not a big enough dog for a huge payoff, but a small enough one to think McMahon could change his mind. Unfortunately, I just don’t see Gallagher as WrestleMania title holder material even though I like him as a character. Bayley comes into Fastlane as the women’s title champion, but at +155 she’s unlikely to retain against Charlotte Flair at -195, who is currently riding a gimmick where she never loses on PPV. That’s probably unlikely to change here. As always, remember these previews are for entertainment purposes, and if you to decide to wager, only spend what you can afford. Enjoy Fastlane!
WWE Fastlane 2017 Betting Preview and Latest Odds
