WWE Royal Rumble 2016: Complete Odds and Betting Predictions for Every Match
WWE's Royal Rumble is the most difficult event of the year to predict match outcomes for. Granted, the winner of the Rumble the past two years has been coming far in advance, but this year's installment promises to be special, with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship up for grabs in the 30-man Royal Rumble match.
Fans have already started to take their picks as to who they believe will walk out of Orlando victorious. Some Superstars are more obvious victors than others, but with so many possibilities, everyone has the opportunity to capture the prestigious prize on Sunday night.
Even the undercard of the event, which has been neglected in recent years, is stacked, featuring four title matches and a grueling Last Man Standing match. Those bouts could also go either way, so it will be interesting to see how everything plays out on the pay-per-view.
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Per Odds Shark, Let's look at who fans are placing their bets on as the Royal Rumble draws ever closer.
2016 Royal Rumble Match
| Triple H | 1-2 |
| Roman Reigns | 7-4 |
| Brock Lesnar | 12-5 |
| Bray Wyatt | 7-2 |
| Kevin Owens | 22-1 |
| Dean Ambrose | 25-1 |
Although Triple H has yet to be announced as an official entrant in the Royal Rumble match (and he likely won't be), it comes as no surprise that he is the current odds-on favorite to take the title on Sunday. He's been off WWE TV since December's TLC event thanks to a vicious attack from longtime rival Roman Reigns.
Those two are expected to headline WrestleMania 32 in some capacity, but it would be a logical match to do for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. It's been over seven years since The Game last held world-title gold in WWE, and this would be the optimal opportunity for him to embarrass Reigns on a grand stage by beating him for his belt.
Reigns, the winner of the 2015 Royal Rumble, isn't too far behind at 7-4 odds. He'll obviously be at a distinct disadvantage entering at No. 1, but it wouldn't be the first time someone has won from that unlucky spot.
Don't count out Brock Lensar, however, who has been on a total tear since returning to WWE a few weeks back. He's determined to regain the title he claims he never lost last year, and he'd be one winner the crowd would approve of.
As for dark horses of the 2016 Rumble, Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens should all fare well in the annual Battle Royal and have a realistic chance of becoming champion. As for surprise winners, the debuting AJ Styles could make a major impact by winning the world title his first night in WWE.
That would be the very definition of "phenomenal."
Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens
| Dean Ambrose | 5-7 |
| Kevin Owens | 1-1 |
Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens have had quite the rivalry in recent months over the Intercontinental Championship. It's set to culminate at the Royal Rumble in a Last Man Standing match, and truth be told, both men have an equal chance of leaving with the title in tow.
Ambrose won the title a mere month ago and has already proved to be a fighting champion, with two successful title defenses under his belt. Meanwhile, Owens has made it clear he will stop at nothing until the strap is back in his possession.
If Owens fails to win the title once again, it's unknown what's next for him on the road to WrestleMania, which is why his even odds at 1-1 come as slightly surprising. One would think Owens taking back the belt would be the logical outcome to this contest, but fans apparently don't seem to think so.
Ambrose has a ready-made feud with Chris Jericho waiting in the wings, so whether he wins or loses, he'll have direction coming out of the Royal Rumble. That said, it would make more sense for that match to be over the title, given Jericho's illustrious history with the belt.
Regardless, fans are siding with The Lunatic Fringe as he prepares to put his title on the line in a Last Man Standing match, but not by a wide margin. He may be the favorite to win, but Owens regaining the gold is unquestionably plausible as well.
Alberto Del Rio vs. Kalisto
| Alberto Del Rio | 1-4 |
| Kalisto | 5-2 |
Kalisto is the epitome of what a wrestling underdog should be, especially when it comes to his United States Championship rematch against Alberto Del Rio at the Royal Rumble. Del Rio is heavily favored in their third championship clash at 1-4 odds.
Fans shouldn't count out The Lucha Dragon, who shocked the world by upsetting the former world champion on the Jan. 11 edition of Raw to clinch his first U.S. title. It made for a magical moment that solidified him as star on the rise in WWE.
Granted, he lost the belt back to Del Rio on SmackDown a mere three days later, but it was apparent that he would be champion again eventually. His second stint with the star-spangled prize could come as soon as Sunday, and why shouldn't it?
Beyond Kalisto, there aren't any fresh feuds waiting for Del Rio as champion. Putting the title on Kalisto would show that WWE is instilling its full faith in an up-and-comer to carry the strap with prestige, pride and honor and become their next big breakout star.
Rapid-fire title changes are a rarity in WWE, which would explain why fans aren't going with him as the predicted victor, but the Royal Rumble could very well be the exception. Del Rio vs. Kalisto will be one to watch, along with the rest of the star-studded card.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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