Welcome back to our monthly WWE preview with the latest betting odds for live events on the WWE Network. We used to call these things “pay-per-view” but these days you subscribe to the Network and pay $9.99 a month. Not such a bad deal compared to what they used to cost via cable or satellite. You can use the difference between the two to place a wager, especially over the length of a year, but before you do let’s make something clear. WWE betting is and always has been about the whims of the “creative” department writing the shows, and I use the word “creative” loosely because it’s often formulaic and predictable if you follow the product on a week to week basis. The odds here are an indication of the likelihood they’ll stick to the script, but since CEO Vince McMahon makes the final decision at show time, the script can always be thrown out the window at his whim. Use our preview as a rough guideline to the likelihood McMahon may change his mind at the last minute and whether or not you want to play the favorite or risk “the swerve.” As an example of what we’re talking about, the odds on WWE World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus retaining the title he won (some say stole) at Survivor Series last month are high at -750. If you think about it the writers have chosen to go this direction with him as the top heel of the company, and whether you agree with it or not as a fan, it’s not likely they’d give up on their plan a few weeks after setting it in motion. That’s why Roman Reigns is currently the +450 dog at press time. The closer we get to WrestleMania 32 next year the more likely it becomes that someone will knock Sheamus off his throne – right now it’s just too soon to see it unless McMahon decides to chuck everything they’ve mapped out just to fool a few know-it-alls and sports sites. Anything’s possible – it’s just highly unlikely. If you’re looking for bets on pro wrestling the smart money is almost always the lines that are close enough to indicate the underdog is someone they may think about pushing with an upset win. Rusev is a -220 favorite in his feud with Ryback at +165, but Ryback is the former Intercontinental Champion. It’s easy to imagine a scenario where WWE gives him the “big win” at TLC to reestablish his credibility going forward toward the Royal Rumble. Many of the other matches have lines with heavy favorites. The Wyatt Family are -475 over the ECW Originals at +325, which makes sense given the diminished value of the ECW brand in 2015. Charlotte is -530 against #1 contender Paige at +350, and since Charlotte is showing off a more devious side of late, she’d probably cheat to win at this point to retain the Divas Title (that’s how she’s being written anyway). Expect Kevin Owens to retain the IC Title over Dean Ambrose as well at -410 to +290 respectively. Please remember to wager responsibly and bet only what you can afford. Although the outcomes are predetermined, there’s no such thing as a sure thing. Enjoy WWE TLC on Sunday night!
