Cross Examination: Best Bets For Money In The Bank ’15

s if my irrational Ryback love couldn’t grow any more. I’ve always loved the “Feed Me More” chant. I get a kick out of his deleted tweets and his...
Credit: Wikimedia.org
Credit: Wikimedia.org
As if my irrational Ryback love couldn’t grow any more.

I’ve always loved the “Feed Me More” chant. I get a kick out of his deleted tweets and his . I marked out when he joined Team Cena last year.

And now, I have more jellybeans than I know what to do with, thanks to his win at Elimination Chamber.

The rules: I am betting imaginary jellybeans for each match (based on Paddy Power’s odds) and keeping track of my “winnings.” I’m dividing my picks into three categories: 🔒 Locks™, Solid Picks and Stay Aways. I will bet 10 jellybeans on the 🔒 Locks™, five on the Solid Picks, and none on the Stay Aways.

Here are my Money in the Bank picks. Remember that I’m not necessarily picking the winner, but the one that I feel is the best bet.

🔒 Locks

None

I don’t feel totally confident in any bets for this PPV. There are only two matches I feel confident in, and the odds are awful for both of them. This show is filled with uncertainty – so the Toast of Tacony will love it.

Solid Picks

Singles match for the Divas Championship

Nikki Bella (c): 2/5 (-250)
Paige: 7/4 (+175)

Pick: Paige

I could see this match going either way, so I’m taking the underdog. Nikki has been champion for a while, and she already cheated to win a match with Paige, so I don’t see how a Nikki win, clean or not, does anything for Paige. Then again, I’ve been trumpeting Naomi in these columns for the last few months on the basis that it made more sense to establish Naomi rather than keep the belt on Nikki, and we all know how that turned out.

Singles match

King Barrett: 8/15 (-188)
R-Truth: 11/8 (+138)

Pick: R-Truth

Again, this is a toss-up, so take the better odds. R-Truth received rave reviews for his promo on Monday’s Raw, and creative doesn’t seem too interested in making Barrett look good, so Truth it is.

Singles match

John Cena: 8/15 (-188)
Kevin Owens: 11/8 (+138)

Pick: John Cena

Just like at Elimination Chamber, nothing (outside of a Cena heel turn) is out of the question in this match. No one has beaten John Cena clean twice in the past ten years. While I can see Owens being the first one to do that, I don’t think he does it here. I see this as a long-term feud that can last until SummerSlam if done properly, and Cena needs to win here – whether by pinfall or DQ – to make that happen.

Money in the Bank ladder match

Roman Reigns: 1/5 (-500)
Kofi Kingston: 5/1 (+500)
Dolph Ziggler: 11/2 (+550)
Randy Orton: 9/1 (+900)
Neville: 14/1 (+1400)
Kane: 14/1 (+1400)
Sheamus: 14/1 (+1400)

Pick: Roman Reigns

Those odds are the lowest I would bother betting on. I have a hard time picturing Reigns carrying the briefcase around, but I have no idea who else would win. Ziggler is only in this match because Rusev is hurt. Orton and Kane don’t need the briefcase again. As much as everyone seems to want Kingston to win, both he and Neville are in this match for spots. Sheamus is the dark horse, but I don’t see a swerve coming in this match. I’m guessing that Neville will be the MVP of the match and will get put over big-time, but ultimately Reigns will win.

Ladder match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

Seth Rollins (c): 1/9 (-111)
Dean Ambrose: 4/1 (+400)

Pick: Dean Ambrose

Finally, a Seth Rollins title match that isn’t obvious (though the betting odds don’t reflect that). Having Ambrose parade around for the last two weeks holding the belt seems suspiciously like a way for the higher-ups to see what the belt looks like with Dean Ambrose. He passed the test, in my opinion. I couldn’t see Ambrose as the champ before Elimination Chamber, and now it makes sense. Even though it might just be for a few minutes until a Reigns cash-in, I see Ambrose pulling this one out. It almost seems too obvious, but those odds are too tempting.

Stay Aways

Singles match for the Intercontinental Championship

Ryback (c): 1/14 (-1400)
Big Show: 11/2 (+550)

Pick: Ryback

I’m not sure what the point of this match is, because Ryback has already Shell Shocked Big Show on multiple occasions. I guess creative thinks that putting Big Show in the IC title picture makes the belt mean more. I disagree.

Tag team match for the WWE Tag Team Championship

The New Day (c): 1/6 (-600)
Prime Time Players: 3/1 (+300)

Pick: The New Day

I like PTP, but they haven’t been built to the level they should be. The New Day is way too hot right now to give up their titles to a lukewarm tag team.

Overall record to date: 17-11-2

Jellybeans won to date: 35.57 on a 12-9-2 record

Biggest win: 45 jellybeans (Ryback def. Sheamus, Mark Henry, King Barrett, Dolph Ziggler & R-Truth at Elimination Chamber 2015)

Wrestledelphia.com columnist Evan Cross can be reached at . Follow him on Twitter at .

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