The Wrestling Genius: Wrestlemania Gambling Picks

Sunday is the WWE’s Superbowl, Rosebowl, and every other big event you can think of. Nothing gets bigger than Wrestlemania. So I’m bringing back one of my favorite column ideas, the fake gambling/pick column. If you are unfamiliar with this column set up its simple, I take every relevant match on the card and I give them Vegas odds. I then explain why Vegas gave them that line, and who I’m betting on. The betting is simple to if you’ve never done it before I’ll give odds like “Hogan is -400 over the Sheik who is +300. That means that I have to bet $400 to makes $100 for Hogan, but I only have to bet $100 to make $300 if Sheik wins. Quick Vegas story before I move into the column itself, Vegas is the only place on Earth you can conceivably get drunk enough in public to quietly yell “quick push the button the Mexican lady riding the vacuum is good luck” and no one looks twice at you. Then when you don’t push the button fast enough and she passes the friend says “well there she goes, our only chance at a jackpot.” Not only was my friend completely serious, he actually looked sad we didn’t get the money and bet in on time. I’m telling you, you need to go to Vegas at least once in your life, it’ll change your life forever.

8 man tag Match: Big Show, Kane, Vladamir Kozlov, and Santino (-200) vs. The Corre (+200)

Vegas is giving the team of Show/Kane the edge over The Corre even though they are handicapped with Santino and Kozlov. Not a bad bet here either the only person physically gifted enough to handle either Show or Kane is Jackson and possibly Barrett. Two worst in The Corre are better than the two worst on Kane/Show’s team, but they aren’t good enough to counter how much better Show/Kane is than Jackson/Barrett. I’m betting my money on Show/Kane but I’m not too confident in the bet so I’m not going to go to big.

Team Show/Kane OVER The Corre
Odds of match “stealing” the Show: +1,000 (not take that bet)

United States Championship Match: SHEAMUS (-300) vs. Daniel Bryan (+200)

Vegas is looking for the new United States Champion to hold tight against the former champion. Sheamus is bigger, stronger, and has the champions advantage over Daniel Bryan. However I’m taking the underdog in this one because Bryan can put on a show and is mentally better than Sheamus. Daniel Bryan however has never been on this big of stage and even though Sheamus lost last year I still feel that, that little bit of experience could help. It’s a close one don’t get me wrong I like both of these young starts but I’m leaning towards Bryan but it certainly isn’t a home run.

Daniel Bryan OVER Sheamus to become the new United States Champion
Odds of match “stealing” the Show: +300 (I might put a little money on this one but it won’t be my biggest bet)

The Snooki Match: Trish, Snooki, and Morrison (-400) vs. Laycool and Dolph Ziggler (+500)

Vegas really not buying into team Laycool and neither am I. This is the least appealing match of the night by far and that is saying something considering Santino and Kozlov are in a match on the same card. I really though Morrison and Ziggler were gaining momentum, but apparently for the time being I was very wrong. They are forced to be in a match with Snooki, and I know the WWE always reaches out to celebrities for Wrestlemania but when did Snooki get considered a celebrity? She is without a doubt the most untalented person to be on a Wrestlemania card and yes, that includes The Giant Gonzalez. What we also know about celebrities being involved in Wrestlemania matches is they almost never lose, so I have to go with Team Snooki. Kind of sad I had to write that sentence, but on the plus side we do get to see Trish involved in a match again so…hooray?

Team Snooki OVER Team Laycool
Odds of match “stealing” the Show: +5000 (I wouldn’t bet on this one with someone else’s money)

Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio (pick’em)

Vegas has decided this one is too close to handicap so they gave us a pick’em. Surprising I’m a little excited for this match. I’m becoming a Cody Rhodes fan of late and Mysterio who I have criticized quite a bit over time can still put on a decent match (even if you can see everyone of his moves from the next room while looking the fridge for another beer). Cody Rhodes added to this matches appeal by saying he is going to demask Rey on the Grandest Stage of Them All. Now I know Rey has been demasked before, but that was on WCW and really no one was watching them then so fallen tree meet forest. All I know is I’m excited for the match and when push comes to shove I’m picking Cody Rhodes. I just feel like this is the push he needs and he’ll find a way to win, and he’ll find a way to unmask Mysterio. The subplot of this whole thing is Sin Cara. You see from what I’ve read Vince doesn’t really like masked wrestlers all that match, and he could be using the Cody Rhodes, Mysterio feud to unmask Mysterio so Sin Cara can be the only wrestler in the WWE with a mask. Again that is purely speculation on my part but it is something to keep in mind this Sunday.

Cody Rhodes OVER Rey Mysterio
Odds of match “stealing” the Show: +500 ( Another one I wouldn’t bet on but I wouldn’t look down on you for betting on it)

Jerry Lawler (-300)vs. Michael Cole (+300) w/Special Guest Referee Stone Cold Steve Austin

Doesn’t surprise me one bit that Vegas is think Lawler is the heavy favorite here. Very interesting feud considering its just two announcers, one guy a loud mouth jerk, the other an over the hill slightly punch drunk former wrestler. You have a guy in Cole who has never wrestled a match in his whole life taking on a guy who has over 25 years of in ring experience. Kind of a no brainer if you didn’t know that Jack Swagger was going to be involved in some facet. We know Cole as adopted the ankle lock and he has gone out of his way to show us that he can “hurt” people with it. We know Swagger is going to be in Cole’s corner, but we also know that Stone Cold won’t put up with The All American Amercan’s crap. I think Stone Cold is the real wild card here and I believe that he will be the ultimate reason Lawler wins this match. In a match that may surprise us in just how entertaining it can be. Another match I’m high on going into Sunday.

Jerry Lawler OVER Michael Cole
Odds of match “stealing” the Show: +300 (I’m putting a little bit of money on this one just because Stone Cold raises the level of entertainment 5 fold).

CM Punk (-300) vs. Randy Orton (+200)

Now we are getting into the big matches the really good matches of the night. This match has the best shot at stealing the show from a purely wrestling standpoint. These two love to perform and both have the ability to tear the house down in Atlanta. Punk’s last two weeks have been awesome and he now has the edge over Orton. On Monday Punk took whatever psychological advantage Orton had by taking out the Nexus and completely nullified it, not only with the attack from the previous Monday, but by telling and showing us how little he cared about losing The Nexus. This could be the best match of the night, if Orton’s “injury” doesn’t get in the way; which is the only fear I have for this match. I’m taking Orton and I’m confident in my pick.

Randy Orton OVER CM Punk
Odds of match “stealing” the Show: -200 (The first one of the night that you have to pay in a little extra to make some money, but I’m still betting on this one and I’m betting big because these two are capable of putting on an epic match.)

World Heavyweight Title Match: EDGE (-200) w/Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio (+200) w/ Brodus Clay

Very close odds on this one and having not seen Smackdown yet I don’t know how hot either will be going into Sunday so this pick is a little handicapped. However I feel like this could be a great match and possibly the best match of the night. Del Rio and Edge are about the same size and have similar skill sets and those usually make for wonderful matches. Edge also has a little Shawn Michaels in him, in that he always goes out with the goal of stealing the show. Very few people have as many big Wrestlemania moments as Edge, the spear on Jeff Hardy from a ladder, spearing Mick Foley through a flaming table, his epic match against The Undertaker. Very few people have his Wrestlemania resume and on that alone I should pick him. However, I’m starting to buy into Del Rio’s destiny angle. The guy just looks determined, and while he has struggled lately he can put that all behind him and come away with the single biggest Wrestlemania debut ever. Del Rio’s X-Factor (and no not that terrible American Idol rip off that will be airing on Fox soon) is Clay. Can Clay over come Christian and still be a help to Del Rio? That I’m not sure but if he can he is a huge (pun intended) asset for Del Rio. I’m taking Del Rio in this match, and trust me I’ve flip-flopped on this pick a few times now.

Alberto Del Rio OVER Edge to become the new World Heavyweight Champion
Odds of match “stealing” the Show: +200 (Not bad odds so I’m putting a little more money on this one then a few others, like I said Edge has the ability and knack for stealing the show).

The Undertaker vs. HHH (pick’em)

Vegas gives us our second pick’em of the night and I’m going to jump on it. Let me be just say that I am a huge fan of the segment they had on Raw. Shawn Michaels was awesome, Taker took it up a notch and it was just a great segment all around. With that said I have absolutely no problem with betting big on the Undertaker in this match. Even though I’m a diehard HHH fan and I have been a HHH fan for over a decade and half I just don’t see him ending the streak. If someone is going to end the streak it isn’t going to be a guy like HHH. It is going to be a young, established star whose career will benefit greatly from the victory. Some like and it hurts to say it but someone like John Cena. Cena still has years and years left, something you can’t say about HHH. While I love HHH and everything he has done in the ring, there just is no way he climbing the mountain that is The Steak.

The Undertaker OVER HHH
Odds of match “stealing” the Show: +200 (both are old war horses who are great match psychologists but I’m just afraid they won’t be able to overcome their ring rust, or Undertaker’s injury)

WWE Championship Match: THE MIZ (+200) vs. John Cena (-300)(with The Rock being involved in some way)

This is going to be a great match and let me just say that the ending to Raw on Monday left me more excited for Wrestlemania then ever. People had a problem with The Rock laying out The Miz, I don’t have a problem with it. The Miz has already established himself as capable of taking out John Cena, and nothing The Rock did could change that. John Cena’s attack on The Rock from behind adds to the pot an element that wasn’t there before and made me excited. The Rock is going to get involved but how, we don’t know and that is half the fun. This match could have been good without The Rock, now with The Rock involved I’m pumped. This match has the best shot at stealing the night. The winner and this will surprise a few will be The Miz. That is the guy I’m putting my money on.

The Miz OVER John Cena. The Miz retains the WWE Championship
Odds of match “stealing” the Show: -300 (This match has the greatest odds of stealing the show and I’m putting a little bit on it to do so. I think The Rock will make this match one for memory banks.)

Well those are my picks thanks for reading them. If you want to email me you can do so jjg672@hotmail.com. I’m now on twitter you can find me @JaredGebhardt, I’m also on Facebook Jared Gebhardt. Email me, tweet me, or hit me up on facebook with your Wrestlemania picks.

Sincerely,

The Wrestling Genius: Jared Gebhardt