WWE Rumors: How Legalizing Betting Would Impact Creative Plans and Talent Input

WWE's efforts to legalize betting on its matches would require a complete overhaul in the creative process of how bouts are booked.

CNBC's Alex Sherman reported on Wednesday that WWE has been in talks with state gambling regulators in Colorado and Michigan to potentially legalize betting for scripted matches.

If WWE were to get approved for legalized betting, Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News) none of the wrestlers would be allowed to know the finish to their match in advance.

"The minute they tell people and it gets out, or even if it doesn't get out, they'll have people investigating them, and they'd be in an incredible amount of trouble for gaming violations and things like that," Meltzer explained. "That's nothing to mess with. They literally can't do that. So the talent will not be able to know their finishes, at least in the matches that are being gambled on."

Meltzer added that how wrestlers work a match is very different based on if they are winning or losing because of the story they have to tell in the ring, but you can't plan out a match if you don't know what the result is going to be.

This is especially relevant for top matches on pay-per-view shows featuring the champions because every storyline in the company is shaped around what they do.

"If Roman Reigns is going into that pay-per-view against Sami Zayn, and he doesn't know if he's gonna win or lose until the last minute, how do he and Heyman and everyone craft the storylines for the week before and the week after and where they're going and how you factor Cody Rhodes in, and everything," Meltzer said.

There have been some betting sites that accepted wagers on WWE matches in the past, but they were typically for small amounts. Some gambling outlets appeared to know the result of the Brock Lesnar-Undertaker match at WrestleMania 30 based on how the odds swung throughout the week leading up to the show.

Sherman noted WWE is working with an accounting firm to secure scripted match results in an attempt to convince gambling regulators there is no chance finishes will be leaked to the public in advance.

The Colorado Division of Gaming told Sherman it's not currently considering allowing gambling wagers on WWE matches.

Even though this would be another avenue for WWE to generate fan interest, it just seems like it would be more trouble than it's worth.

The company isn't having any trouble making money, so why put your talent in a position where they can't put on the best match possible because they won't know how to put together a story?

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