WWE Capitol Punishment: Betting Odds for Each Match, Who's Your Money On?

WWE's inaugural edition of Capitol Punishment, the new pay-per-view that has taken the place of Fatal 4-Way, is just around the corner. With a current card stacked with seven potentially great matches, it should be a great start to what could become a new yearly tradition.

While the folks out in Las Vegas seem to place odds for every single event from mixed martial arts to Miss USA, professional wrestling events tend to be left out.

Obviously, this exclusion is due to the matches typically being predetermined prior to the event by hours or sometimes days. Someone with inside information could easily clean the books with just a tidbit of creative knowledge.

However, on WWE's biggest night of the year, WrestleMania, the matches have recently been available for betting on websites such as bodog.com.

At last year's event, the Undertaker's odds were at -1600, meaning you would have to bet $1,600 in order to win an additional $100. However, if you had put $100 on Edge to retain, you would have walked away with an additional $350, as he was the underdog at +350.

So since WrestleMania is the only event that gets odds, I thought that it would be fun to give odds for other WWE pay-per-views, starting right now with Capitol Punishment.

Remember, the odds will be based on who seems to be the most likely superstar to win overall. I will then add my predictions as to who I think could potentially overcome those odds.

As always, please feel free to leave your comments below. Let me know who you would put money on. Thanks for reading!

United States Championship: Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston (c)

ODDS:  Dolph Ziggler -210,  Kofi Kingston +150

Dolph Ziggler is the favorite going into this match.

He has the look, the gimmick and the recent push to move back toward the main event. All he needs to help with the move back to the top is a solid mid-card title run, similar to the way The Miz used the United States Championship as a launching pad for his WWE title run.

Kofi Kingston seems like he will be stuck in the mid-card indefinitely. His one high profile feud ended with him being pushed back down the ladder, and he hasn't been able to climb back up. 

If Kofi is going to make a run at the main event again, it will not come after a solid run as the Intercontinental Champion, but possibly after a Money in the Bank win.

While neither superstar is a lock to win this match, you might want to go with your gut here. If you feel that Kingston will retain, you could take the underdog, but you're probably better off waiting for a better match.

CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio

ODDS:  CM Punk +130, Rey Mysterio -190

With all of the rumors that CM Punk is definitely going to take time away from WWE when his contract expires, many feel that WWE will continue to bury his character as his potential departure creeps closer. 

But how exactly does WWE plan on ending CM Punk's current contract? Are those within WWE trying to please him and convince him to sign a new contract, or at least have him leave on good terms? Or are they giving up on him, leaving the future of WWE in the hands of other up and coming superstars?

Rey Mysterio is always called "the biggest underdog in WWE," but he never really is. Mysterio always has the potential to pull out the victory, no matter how big and tough his opponent is. 

This Sunday could be no different, especially when he goes toe-to-toe with the superstar he has defeated so many times in the past.

I feel like it might be worth the chance to take Punk on this one. If WWE is going to write him off of television, they aren't going to do it quietly.

Last month I predicted that CM Punk would eventually have a short feud with John Cena, which would result in Cena forcing Punk to leave WWE. A win for Punk on Sunday could move that idea along. 

I stand by my prediction.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Big Show

ODDS:  Alberto Del Rio -850, Big Show +400

Alberto Del Rio is a future WWE Champion, and everyone knows it.

He was the favorite to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Edge at WrestleMania, and even though he failed, he has remained relevant in the eyes of the fans and is patiently waiting for his chance to strike on Raw.

I seriously doubt that Big Show will ever be a relevant main event superstar again, and I never expect him to become a WWE or World Heavyweight Champion. Here he is being used in a very poor feud as a stepping stone for Alberto Del Rio's move up the ranks on Raw.

Don't even bother with this one, Del Rio has it in the bag. Unless something totally unpredictable and completely chaotic goes down, expect Del Rio to have his hand raised at the end of the match and Big Show to quietly fade back into another meaningless feud.

Intercontinental Championship: Ezekiel Jackson vs. Wade Barrett (c)

ODDS:  Ezekiel Jackson -425, Wade Barrett +205

Finally, The Corre has broken up and the members have all gone their separate ways.

The powerful and dominant Ezekiel Jackson is ready to make a name for himself. The last time Big Zeke was in the spotlight was when he defeated Christian to become the final ECW Champion, though his reign and time in the spotlight only lasted for a few moments. Many expect Jackson to become the new Intercontinental Champion and take his next step toward bigger and better things.

Though many think that Wade Barrett is going to drop the Intercontinental Championship on Sunday, it is likely going to be for a good reason. Currently, SmackDown doesn't have a wide selection of main event superstars. By taking the Intercontinental Title off of Barrett, it opens to door for him to move up and challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship.

While I feel that Big Zeke is going to walk out as champion, some still don't think that it is his time yet. WWE is very unpredictable, and they could easily keep this feud going for another month. 

Go with your gut.

Alex Riley vs. the Miz

ODDS:  Alex Riley +135, The Miz -195

Alex Riley is in the midst of the biggest moment of his WWE career. He has finally broken away from his former mentor, The Miz, and has begun what many feel will be a very successful singles career. 

So far, Riley has topped The Miz every step along the way. However, WWE logic usually states that whoever has the momentum going into the pay-per-view will lose. For that reason, Riley is the underdog.

The Miz is still cooling down from a long reign as WWE Champion. He accused Riley of being the reason that he lost the WWE Championship in the first place. Though we all know that Riley was actually quite beneficial to The Miz and played a large part in his success as WWE Champion, The Miz is still a bigger star and will likely prove it this Sunday.

One way or another I see this match ending with some sort of underhanded tactic or with a quick, out of nowhere pin such as a roll-up. This feud has just begun, so I don't see a decisive victory for either superstar. 

Don't even bother making a bet.

World Heavyweight Championship: Christian vs. Randy Orton (c)

ODDS:  Christian +210, Randy Orton -475

Christian finally made the turn to the dark side, slowly but surely turning heel over the past month by taking his aggression out on Randy Orton after losing the World Heavyweight Championship just days after winning it. 

Though it seems like he has somewhat gotten under Orton's skin, it just doesn't seem like this feud is going to continue any longer, and a loss will be a solid ending to everything.

With Christian turning heel, Randy Orton has become the No. 1 face on SmackDown. It seems like Orton will continue to be the face of Friday nights, just like John Cena reigns over Mondays. 

I don't think that anyone sees him dropping the title anytime soon, and it will likely be another Money in the Bank winner who cashes in their shot to defeat a beaten down Orton. 

With the way SmackDown ended last week, expect Orton to pick up the clean win and start a feud with Sheamus, or possibly another superstar while Christian tries his luck in the Money in the Bank match next month.

WWE Championship: R-Truth vs. John Cena (c)

ODDS:  R-Truth +450, John Cena -950

R-Truth's transformation into a heel has been one of the best in recent memory. He has taken a stale, overly repetitive character and turned it into one of the freshest heel gimmicks in WWE.  With that being said, he still doesn't stand a chance against Super Cena.

John Cena is on a roll, and he is going to continue to be the face of Raw until at least SummerSlam. It has already been heavily rumored that Cena will face Alberto Del Rio at SummerSlam.

With that in mind, there is too little time to have Cena drop the title to R-Truth now and put it back on either Cena or Del Rio by the time SummerSlam comes around. Everyone expects Cena to go over R-Truth and continue his winning ways.

Cena is a lock, probably the only one of the night. A bet on R-Truth will be a waste of money.