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Wrestling in the US is culturally very significant, with the WWE grossing roughly $1 billion in 2024. These matches can be very exciting, featuring diverse branching storylines, a range of heroes and villains, and high-octane action. This seems like a match made in heaven for a betting market, so why is that not currently the case? Would people be interested? Is it something we can expect in the future?
Sports betting in the US has gained a lot of popularity since 2018, when a bill was passed to reduce restrictions on sports betting sites, allowing players to have access to a wide range of sports to bet on in the US.
This increase in popularity has spawned many different sports betting sites with huge celebrity endorsements and big advertising time slots that have really brought this industry into the mainstream. This, of course, has allowed it to grow even more.
Betting on professional wrestling is actually rather popular around the world, with many sportsbooks in Europe offering a variety of different bets you can make. This offers extra excitement for two different kinds of fans.
For the expert, veteran watcher of all things wrestling, who has followed different story lines and each wrestler's performances so that they can better predict the outcome of any given game, the introduction of betting on wrestling can definitely add to the excitement and anticipation of each match.
It can also appeal to more casual players who may not fully know each character's story and how well they have done against different opponents in the past. Again, it adds a layer of excitement on top of that presented by the match itself.
So, if there is an audience for it, why is it not available in the US? It seems like it would be beneficial for both the viewer and the company putting on the event. Well, there are a few things that have held it back.
The scripted nature of wrestling goes against the legality of betting in the US. As much as you analyze and study other sports, there will always be a certain level of unpredictability, whereas the outcome of a wrestling match is determined before the match even starts, which is contrary to US laws of online gambling.
Another issue is insider information; certain people may have vital information, like the lineups for wrestling events before they are made available to the public, and as such, could make bets in advance. Also, closer to the event, some people who work in conjunction with the organizers may know the outcomes for certain matches; this would, of course, make the betting field incredibly unfair and unbalanced.
Other factors currently relevant are causing issues within the US online gambling industry, one of which is the crackdown on offshore gaming sites. Some offshore sites can offer US players opportunities that may not be available in the US, which can seem really appealing to newcomers or those who are unaware of the risk.
Put bluntly, these sites should not be trusted, and you should not engage with them. Because they operate outside of the US, they do not have to follow the same rules and regulations as US-licensed platforms, which could lead to the player being taken advantage of and placing their personal data at risk.
What does the future hold for betting on wrestling in the US? Well, that may be hard to pin down, as the industry is developing by the day, so it can be difficult to see where it goes from here.
But with the bill that was passed in 2018 allowing for much more freedom with regard to online sports betting and its subsequent growth, it’s possible that betting on wrestling will eventually be legalized. Of course, we have discussed the issues with why this hasn’t already happened, but things could change in order to allow for this to happen.
There most certainly is a market for betting on wrestling, not only in the US but also around the world. With it already being rather popular in Europe, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before it crosses the Atlantic. As the US online betting market continues to grow, more space is being created for new kinds of betting, and with wrestling companies such as the WWE being as popular as they are, it certainly feels like it would be a match made in heaven.
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