WWE Royal Rumble 2017: Examining Worst Betting Options Based on Early Odds

WWE Royal Rumble 2017 is rapidly approaching, and early betting odds are in at OddsShark, with a few surprising names at or near the top of the list.

Some make sense when one looks past the surface. They're logical choices that fit stories that have been told in the past.

Others are fantastic picks that inspire potential dream matchups.

But a few others do not appear to fit into the WrestleMania 33 puzzle at all.

These Superstars rank as the worst betting options based on those early odds.

Superstar	Odds
Finn Balor	7-1
Chris Jericho	7-1
Goldberg	12-1
Samoa Joe	16-1
Brock Lesnar	16-1

The Undertaker (11-8)

The Undertaker is the favorite in the Royal Rumble match, and considering John Cena's spot in the WWE Championship match against AJ Styles, fans are salivating over the idea of a Cena-Undertaker match at WrestleMania.

The Phenom winning would be a colossal waste of time because he simply doesn't need it, and WWE wouldn't benefit from having a part-time competitor fight for a title that he has no business holding. It would also contradict his recent return to Raw and teased feud with Braun Strowman.

If the intent is for him to compete in a SmackDown-brand match at The Showcase of the Immortals, why have him return to Raw to announce his entry into the match?

It doesn't make sense, nor does the idea of The Phenom winning the Rumble and receiving a shot at a title he cannot carry and defend on a consistent basis.

From a booking standpoint, it would provide WrestleMania with a high-profile main event, but The Undertaker is already a draw based on name and reputation alone. He does not need a championship prop to heighten the significance of his matches on that stage.

Braun Strowman (3-1)

At 3-1 odds, Braun Strowman is the second-biggest favorite to leave San Antonio with a Royal Rumble victory. Recent booking suggests that he is in store for a monumental push—and deservedly so. He has made the most of his increased television time and role ahead of the show.

But he is still too inexperienced on the biggest stages to receive that type of boost this early.

Strowman has been impressive in recent matches with Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn, but he has not had a high-profile match that suggests he can bring it on the grandest stage known to professional wrestling. With little proof of his ability to succeed at that level, there is real concern about pushing him too fast and having it backfire.

While Strowman should be spotlighted in the Jan. 29 match, a win is not the correct booking decision for the big man. In fact, it would spur backlash that could unravel everything WWE Creative has accomplished up to this point.

Randy Orton (3-1)

Randy Orton is SmackDown's top choice to win the Royal Rumble, per OddsShark, a revelation that is puzzling, given the current storyline The Viper finds himself in.

As a member of The Wyatt Family, Orton finds himself at the center of dissension among teammates. Luke Harper doesn't trust Orton. The issues between them cost the Wyatts the SmackDown Tag Team Championships and have created animosity within the once-strong unit.

If anything, Orton appears destined for a showdown with Harper or Bray Wyatt himself, not a championship clash with Styles or whoever else might emerge as WWE champion ahead of WrestleMania.

Logistically and creatively, it does not make sense for Orton to explode out of the pack now and suddenly compete for the title, even if he is a future Hall of Famer who is never out of place in the main event scene.