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WWE Royal Rumble 2026 betting tips, odds and predictions
FOR the first time in its 39-year history, the WWE Royal Rumble will take place outside of North America, with Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hosting this year’s event on January 31st.
The annual event officially kicks off the Road to WrestleMania, with WrestleMania 42 taking place in Las Vegas on April 18th and 19th.
This year’s Rumble is shaping up to be one of the biggest of all time, with the WWE no doubt wanting to put on a show in Saudi Arabia. Roman Reigns and Bianca Belair currently lead the pack as favourites, but as we saw with Jey Uso’s win last year, the Rumble is one of the most unpredictable events on the calendar. Let’s take a detailed look at this year’s Royal Rumble line-ups and pick out some betting tips.
⏩ Royal Rumble 2026 quick betting tips
There is always the potential for huge upsets in the Royal Rumble. The following are our quick betting tips for this year’s event, including our top tip, value bet, and more.
*Odds correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.
Men’s Royal Rumble winner odds and tips
This year’s Royal Rumble promises to have plenty of surprises in store. Let’s take a closer look at the favourites for the men’s events, and pick out some value and long-shot bets.
The favourite – Roman Reigns at 10/11 with Betfred
As we’ve already mentioned, Roman Reigns is the favourite for this year’s Royal Rumble, with many anticipating a Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns showdown at WrestleMania. Of course, for this to happen, Cody will need to get his title back before the big night.
WWE could pivot here, though, and give us Roman Reigns vs CM Punk. The expectation is that Punk will face Bron Breakker, but given that he beat him clean on the Netflix Anniversary Raw, there is the chance they will move away from this and decide not to crown Bron just yet.
Regardless, it feels unlikely that Reigns is not going to be involved in a Mania world title match this year, and since he is probably not going to get there via the Elimination Chamber due to his schedule, this is the clearest route.
At 10/11 with Betfred, this is actually a good value bet, with the Tribal Chief being the clear frontrunner for the event.
➡️ Bet on Roman Reigns to win the Men’s Rumble at 10/11 with Betfred
The value – Sami Zayn at 4/1 with Betfred
Given that the Royal Rumble is in Saudi Arabia this year, there is a chance the WWE decides to finally give Sami Zayn the push fans have wanted to see for years. The former US champion has seen his odds drift in rapidly since Drew McIntyre’s surprise title win, and it’s easy to see why.
Zayn has an interesting history with McIntyre, having never beaten him in singles competition. The WWE could rerun the Jey Uso vs Gunther storyline from last year and have Sami finally conquer his toughest opponent on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
Doing this also frees up the WWE title from Cody Rhodes and Roman, who have dominated the title scene and the Mania main event scene for the last three years. Sami Zayn offers excellent value at 4/1 with Betfred.
➡️ Tip Sami Zayn to win at 4/1 with Betfred
H3: The longshot – Cody Rhodes at 9/1 with BetMGM
Fans were shocked when Cody lost his title on SmackDown, and it seems difficult to imagine the WWE not featuring their star man in a Mania main event in Vegas. One route back to the title for Cody would be for him to win the Royal Rumble and set up a rematch with Drew for the title. Alternatively, he could go after CM Punk’s World Heavyweight title, with a showdown between the two being teased in the past.
If Cody is not in a title match, a match with Randy Orton is the route the WWE is likely to go down. There’s still over two months to go until Mania, so Cody getting back into the title picture is very likely. He could be worth a long-shot punt at 9/1 with BetMGM.
➡️ Take a long shot punt on Cody Rhodes at 9/1 with BetMGM
Women’s Royal Rumble winner odds and tips
Let’s take a closer look at the favourites for the women’s events and pick out some value and long-shot bets.
The favourite – Bianca Belair at 7/10 with BetMGM
This year’s women’s match feels like a straight shootout between Bianca Belair and Liv Morgan. Bianca vs Jade Cargill at WrestleMania is the obvious money match, and WWE would be silly not to pull the trigger on it.
There is also a precedent for returning stars winning the Royal Rumble, which gives Bianca an advantage over Liv.
➡️ Bet on Bianca Belair at 7/10 with BetMGM
The value – Rhea Ripley at 7/1 with BetMGM
Rhea Ripley vs Stephanie Vaquer is a dream match waiting to happen. The two women have teased an encounter several times over the last year, and you have to wonder how much longer the WWE can keep them apart.
The match has WrestleMania written all over it, and one way to get there is through having Rhea win the Royal Rumble. While she is probably heading towards some sort of heel turn or clash with Iyo Sky, you can never rule out WWE changing direction and inserting her into the title picture.
At 7/1 with BetMGM, there is definitely some value in backing Rhea Ripley as an outside pick to win the Royal Rumble.
➡️ Grab the value bet with Rhea Ripley at 7/1 with BetMGM
The longshot – Tiffany Stratton at 17/1 with BetMGM
As we’ve already mentioned, WWE loves a comeback story with the Women’s Royal Rumble. Tiffany Stratton has been absent since she dropped her belt to Jade Cargill in November, and the Rumble would be the perfect time for her to make her return.
It’s tricky to know exactly where Tiffany is going to sit when she does return, and there is a chance they will immediately inject her back into the title picture. It’s a long shot, but it’s worth considering at 17/1 with BetMGM.
➡️ Tip Tiffany Stratton at 17/1 with BetMGM
📺 When is Royal Rumble 2026? TV channel and live stream
WWE Royal Rumble 2026 will be broadcast live on Netflix in the UK. The event is being broadcast live from Saudi Arabia and begins at 7 PM UK time.
- Date: January 31st, 2026
- Start time: 7 PM
- Venue: King Abdullah Financial District, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- TV/Stream: Netflix
How to bet on WWE
Betting on the WWE has never been more popular. In most instances, WWE betting is located in the ‘novelty’ betting section at a UK bookmaker. Some online bookies, such as BetMGM, will have a dedicated WWE betting and odds section, but this is rare. Here is a quick breakdown on how to bet on WWE.
- Pick one of our recommended bookmakers that has WWE markets.
- Sign up and claim your sign-up betting offer.
- Locate the WWE betting section. This is probably located within the novelty betting category.
- Find the Royal Rumble odds and add your selection to your betting slip.
- Enter your stake, double-check your selection, and hit place bet.
- Tune into WWE Royal Rumble 2026 on Netflix, and enjoy!
About the author
James Anderson
James Anderson is a Betting & Gaming Writer at The Sun. He is an expert in sports betting and online casinos, and joined the company in November 2020 to work closely with leading bookmakers, casinos, and online gaming companies to curate content in all areas of iGaming and sports betting. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter and Head of Live Blogs/Events at the Daily Express and Daily Star, covering football, cricket, snooker, F1 and horse racing.
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