If you have access to an offshore book, you can currently wager on WWE. That’s not the case, however, at the various “legal” books that are open and operating throughout the United States under the watchful eyes of state gambling regulators, which isn’t a huge shock, as professional wrestling is scripted and it’s very easy for someone with knowledge of what’s going to happen to relay that information to someone who wants to make a bet.
But apparently, WWE is trying to get into the sports betting game. According to Alex Sherman of CNBC, the promotion is holding discussions with gambling regulators in both Colorado and Michigan in an effort to let people bet on matches, and is using the example set by awards shows as evidence that wagers can be placed on things with predetermined outcomes.
WWE is working with the accounting firm EY to secure scripted match results in hopes it will convince regulators there’s no chance of results leaking to the public, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. Accounting firms PwC and EY, also known as Ernst & Young, have historically worked with award shows, including the Academy Awards and the Emmys, to keep results a secret.
There is, of course, a bit of a difference between the results of award show voting and a team of writers putting together a storyline that ends with Cody Rhodes beating Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, especially because dirt sheets have published this stuff for years. At the same time, it’s not like it’s always difficult to figure out what is going to happen in a high-profile wrestling match just by using common sense and having an understanding of how stuff gets mapped out.
As for the awards example, it’s one thing to seal the winners envelopes at an awards show where there are far fewer folks who get to see the final result, as opposed to a WWE writing room (and locker room) that already leaks information to people regularly. Given the focus on betting integrity that state regulators have been pushing, it’d be fairly shocking to see any of the larger states adopt WWE betting as a regulated entity, but it’s possible smaller states may be willing to risk it (likely allowing very small limits on bets as offshore books do) to try and rake in more of a handle.