"Who is going over in the Roman Reigns match? Clue me in for 20%" - 39-year-old star issues warning on legalized betting in WWE (Exclusive)
One of the most unexpected developments recently has been regarding WWE's talks to legalize betting on scripted wrestling matches. The topic was discussed at length on Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Outlaws this week, where EC3 explained how the move could severely backfire on the company.
Allowing bets on pre-determined matches in itself sounds like questionable practice. Reports state that WWE has spoken to accounting firms and gambling regulators and hopes that they can convince them about keeping the match results concealed until the end.
Ethan Carter III, however, felt that legalized gambling in the kayfabe world of wrestling could prove to be beneficial for certain people who might be in "positions of power." The former WWE star noted that even if the promotion tries its best to keep the outcome a secret, it will be challenging to stop wrestlers from attempting to procure the finish in advance from their colleagues.
He explained:
"I mean, look at what they did to Pete Rose, man! How many different ways can this go? People in positions of power can rig the outcomes to line their pockets. How hard would it be for me to be like, 'Hey, Spud, who is going over in the Roman Reigns match? Clue me in for 20%; you bet it." [1:33 - 2:00]
EC3 says WWE Superstars could deliberately throw matches to earn a quick buck
The 39-year-old continued to highlight the cons of having a high-profile betting network in wrestling and revealed a relevant example of how talent could exploit it to their advantage.
Carter stated that some wrestlers might not hesitate to bet on themselves losing the match even though they might be scheduled or the favorite to win.
EC3 foresaw a scenario where wrestlers "forget to kick out" of a three-count, as taking the pinfall would get them more money as they bet against themselves. The former IMPACT Wrestling star added:
"And what about this? I'm a talent, okay? And I'm going to win, and there is some sort of regulation and some sort of structure that the finishes can't be changed like the bets lay; what's going to stop me from throwing, I don't know? Six figs on me losing, and whoops, I forgot to kick out. My bad! Thousand-dollar payday trumps or doesn't trump the 150,000 I just made betting against myself. Why not? I'm sure that will last very long and will be very profitable for the big wigs, the casinos, and the sports gambling gig." [2:00 - 2:42]
WWE is in talks with state gambling regulators in Colorado & Michigan to legalize betting on high-profile matches.
They’re working with Ernst & Young to secure scripted match results in hopes it’ll convince regulators there's no chance of results leaking to the public.
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