WWE Greatest Royal Rumble Pro Wrestling Betting Odds
–The first WWE ‘Royal Rumble’ PPV was in 1988
–The ‘Greatest Royal Rumble’ will have an all time high of 50 entrants
–The ‘Greatest Royal Rumble’ takes place on April 27, 2018, at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Just a few weeks after “Wrestlemania 34” the WWE will present another huge show on April 27, this one called the ‘Greatest Royal Rumble’. The entire backstory of the show as well as the booking is somewhat curious to the point that it’s hard to figure out what is going on. The show will take place at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi media is calling it the country’s ‘most brash and brutal sporting event of 2018.’ It’ll be available live on the WWE Network or PPV depending on the country. Due to the time difference the card will start at 12:00 Noon Eastern with a preshow beginning at 11:00 AM.
So how did the WWE end up in Saudi Arabia with a ridiculously stacked card just a few weeks after Wrestlemania? Would you believe it’s all about money? The show is part of a multiyear ‘partnership’ between the wrestling promotion and the Saudi General Sports Authority. The partnership is part of a broader initiative called Saudi Vision 2030 which hopes to bring about economic and social reforms in Saudi Arabia with the goal of reducing their dependence on oil exports. Tracy Lee of Newsweek explains it thusly:
The event reflects the Muslim’s country economic and social reforms aimed at transforming Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 32, spearheaded a larger investment in sports as well as an initiative dubbed the Vision 2030, which is meant to decrease the country’s reliance on oil.
WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was understandably thrilled:
“The Greatest Royal Rumble will be a spectacle of historic proportions. Our partnership with the Saudi General Sports Authority reflects a long-term commitment to present WWE’s world-class entertainment to a global audience on a grander scale than ever before.”
You’re no doubt wondering how an event of this proportion held in Saudi Arabia will mesh with the WWE’s open message of support for fans of all sexual orientations, not to mention the work they’ve put into revitalizing their women’s division? It’s simple–the WWE will do what they’re told. Here’s the current state of ‘reform’ in Saudi Arabia, once again from Newsweek’s Lee:
Just last October, the General Sports Authority said that women for the first time ever will be allowed to go to sports events at selected stadiums in early 2018. The city of Jeddah recently hosted the country’s first women-only cycling event.It came a month after the country decided to lift its ban on female drivers, which has long been seen as a symbol of the country’s repression of women.
Translation–no women’s matches on the card and no doubt it’ll be ixnay on the ‘LGBT acceptance’ talk.
ALL ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE
The deal with the Saudi General Sports Authority is clearly lucrative enough for the WWE to do whatever they’re asked in order to make it happen. How lucrative? Lucrative enough to bring over close to 100 wrestlers including all of the big guns–Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Kane, The Undertaker and even Chris Jericho and Triple H. The event is being held in a 65,000 seat stadium meaning a full house wouldn’t be that far off from a ‘Wrestlemania’ level attendance. Lucrative enough that the promotion may have changed the booking for what is nominally their ‘marquee event’ aka ‘Wrestlemania’ to beef up the card for the show in Saudi Arabia. Bryan Alverez of The Wrestling Observer summed it up:
“So now they’ve got this giant show in Saudi Arabia. Do you guys know how much money WWE could potentially make through deals with Saudi Arabia? So, that’s the priority right now. Not WrestleMania that you already bought your ticket for.”
There has been some backlash about the absence of women’s matches on the show but those within the company have been mum on the subject, obviously realizing that the WWE is dealing with a huge payday here–now and in the future. Additionally, they might make some of their fans upset by booking several big title changes here (including by all accounts an International Championship win by Roman Reigns over Brock Lesnar) but the WWE is confident that it won’t hurt their American audience. At any rate, there are enough chips on the table in the Middle East to make it worth the risk.
Here are the SPORTS BETTING EXPERTS opening odds for the ‘Greatest Royal Rumble’. There are currently 8 matches 9 matches confirmed for the show so there will likely be additional ones added to the card. Below you’ll find the odds on the confirmed matches. Look for an odds update as circumstances warrant. We’ll also be adding some prop bets on the ‘Greatest Royal Rumble’ the week before the event.
WWE GREATEST ROYAL RUMBLE PRO WRESTLING BETTING ODDS
TO WIN GREATEST ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH
Braun Strowman: +450
Daniel Bryan: +450
Bobby Lashley: +600
Samoa Joe: +600
Big Cass: +750
Baron Corbin: +900
Chris Jericho: +900
Elias: +1500
Dean Ambrose: +1500
Finn Balor: +2000
Jinder Mahal: +2000
Randy Orton:+2000
Rey Mysterio: +2000
Sami Zayn: +2500
Rusev: +2500
Kevin Owens: +2500
AJ Styles: +2500
Dolph Ziggler: +2500
Jeff Hardy: +3000
Kane: +3000
Shinsuke Nakamura: +3000
Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas: +3500
Big Show: +3500
Bobby Roode: +3500
Bray Wyatt: +3500
Brock Lesnar: +3500
Roman Reigns: +3500
The Miz: +3500
Batista: +3500
Any Other Wrestler: +5000
TO FINISH TOP 4 GREATEST ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH
Braun Strowman: +150
Daniel Bryan: +150
Bobby Lashley: +200
Samoa Joe: +200
Big Cass: +200
Baron Corbin: +200
Chris Jericho: +200
Elias: +300
Dean Ambrose: +300
Finn Balor: +500
Jinder Mahal: +500
Randy Orton:+500
Rey Mysterio: +500
Sami Zayn: +750
Rusev: +750
Kevin Owens: +750
AJ Styles: +750
Dolph Ziggler: +750
Jeff Hardy: +1000
Kane: +1000
Shinsuke Nakamura: +1000
Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas: +1250
Big Show: +1250
Bobby Roode: +1250
Bray Wyatt: +1250
Brock Lesnar: +1250
Roman Reigns: +1250
The Miz: +1250
Batista: +1250
Any Other Wrestler: +1500
WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Roman Reigns: -180
Brock Lesnar: +150
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Shinsuke Nakamura: +150
AJ Styles: -180
WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Seth Rollins: -180
Finn Balor: +250
The Miz: +450
Samoa Joe: +600
WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Jeff Hardy: -210
Jinder Mahal: +180
WWE SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
The Bludgeon Brothers: -350
The Usos: +300
WWE RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Cesaro and Sheamus: +300
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt: -350
SINGLES MATCH
The Undertaker: -500
Rusev: +350
SINGLES MATCH
John Cena: -180
Triple H: +150