SummerSlam Odds: Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins Headline Second-Biggest WWE Event of the Year

Posted on: August 11, 2019, 01:00h. 

Last updated on: August 9, 2019, 07:47h.

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Expertise: Commercial Gaming.

Brock Lesnar is favored to defend his WWE Universal Championship against challenger Seth Rollins in what will likely be the main event of SummerSlam on Sunday in Toronto.

SummerSlam odds WWE
Brock Lesnar (right) is favored to hold on to his WWE Universal Championship vs. Seth Rollins at SummerSlam this Sunday. (Image: WWE)

While regulated sportsbooks in the United States don’t offer odds on professional wrestling, online bookmaker BetOnline.ag has odds for the entire SummerSlam card, and rates Lesnar as a -200 favorite to get the win over Rollins (+150).

SummerSlam Second Only to WrestleMania

We’ve been over this before, but for the uninitiated, the simple fact that you can bet on scripted WWE programming is a bit hard to swallow. Bookmakers allow such betting – with low maximum bets, of course – because it is popular among fans, and because relatively few people are in a position to exploit inside information, especially when it might cost them their jobs for limited financial gain.

The most betting occurs before WrestleMania, the biggest event on the WWE calendar. But SummerSlam is the second most important card of the year for the promotion, meaning fans will likely put down plenty of money on Sunday’s matches as well.

Setting the odds for wrestling matches largely comes down to two factors. First, of course, there is the possibility of information leaking early. Barring that, however, oddsmakers and fans have to read the storylines and evaluate which wrestlers might be in line for big pushes to determine who’s likely to win. And the SummerSlam odds suggest that WWE has done a good job of keeping everyone guessing heading into the show.

Kingston Favored in WWE Championship Match

Beyond the Lesnar vs. Rollins match, there’s also a WWE Championship tilt between champion Kofi Kingston and his handpicked opponent, Randy Orton. The match could be the culmination of a storyline that dates back to 2009, with Kingston (-200) given the slight edge over Orton (+150) heading into the bout.

Both major women’s championships are also on the line. Becky Lynch will defend the Raw Women’s Championship vs. Natalya in a special submission match. Lynch (-300) has emerged as one of the WWE’s most popular champions, and is expected to get the win over Natalya (+200). Meanwhile, Bayley (-200) will defend the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship against Ember Moon.

Two of the high-profile non-title matches on the card do have lopsided lines. Bray Wyatt (-1000) has gained a lot of momentum with his “The Fiend” persona, and is expected to get past Finn Balor (+525), who likely won’t be using his similar “Demon” character, at least for now. The legendary Goldberg (-650) is also expected to be booked to win over Dolph Ziggler (+375), though there are questions over whether the WWE Hall of Famer is still safe in the ring after a disastrous and dangerous match against The Undertaker at Super ShowDown in June.

Whether or not you want to put some money on the outcome, you can watch SummerSlam beginning at 7:00 pm Eastern Time on Sunday, either through the streaming WWE Network or via pay-per-view through a cable or satellite provider.

WWE No Longer Undisputed Champion?

While the WWE is still far and away the largest pro wrestling promotion in the world, the company has shown signs of vulnerability over the last year. Not only has it been embroiled in controversy over its 10-year deal to hold shows in Saudi Arabia, but the WWE has seen its television ratings drop precipitously with no end in sight.

Meanwhile, a new challenger has emerged in the form of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), a new promotion that has strong financial backing, star power, and a new television show of its own that is debuting this fall.