The WWE Money in the Bank 2017 ladder match winner may already be known if the odds for the favorite to win the match are correct. The upcoming pay-per-view features the popular match in which six superstars will compete with a variety of ladders, ultimately trying to be the first to climb one in the ring and grab the “MITB” briefcase that’s hanging overhead. As WWE fans have become well aware of over the years, the superstar holding that valuable briefcase also holds a contract for a WWE Championship match at the time and place of their choosing. The briefcase cash-in has become one of the more fun, surprising moments in WWE’s history.
This past Tuesday’s episode of WWE SmackDown Live featured Commissioner Shane McMahon introducing five MITB ladder match competitors. Initially, AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, and Shinsuke Nakamura were announced as participants in the big match. As ProWrestling reported, the WWE United States Champion Kevin Owens complained to the SmackDown Commissioner, which gained him the sixth spot in this year’s match. Former WWE World Champion Randy Orton was not announced as a participant due to the fact that he’ll be taking on the guy who defeated him for the belt, Jinder Mahal, at the same pay-per-view.
Just a few days ago, the WWE Leaks website reported that the 2017 Money in the Bank ladder match odds were officially posted by the Kambi oddsmakers. All six MITB competitors were ranked by their odds, with Sami Zayn and “The Showoff” Dolph Ziggler at the bottom of the list. Surprisingly, AJ Styles is around the middle of the pack with 4-to-1 odds to win. “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura is in a two-way tie with Kevin Owens for second place. Both of these superstars currently have 9-to-4 odds.
Leading all competitors as the favorite to win is “The Lone Wolf” Baron Corbin. That may surprise some fans based on his loss to Sami Zayn at the Backlash 2017 pay-per-view. However, Corbin recently took Zayn out of action on this past Tuesday’s SmackDown Live , as the two were booked in a match and Corbin kept beating up on his opponent. The end result was that Zayn was loaded onto a stretcher and taken away for medical help.
Corbin has yet to officially wear any championship belts on the main roster. He was the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner several years ago, but beyond that trophy, he is still on a quest for gold. Since mostly heels have won the Money in the Bank briefcase, it makes sense that Corbin or Owens are the most likely winners. Unless WWE is planning to surprise fans by having Nakamura win and suddenly turn heel, bettors should focus on the heels who have yet to hold that briefcase.
Owens wouldn’t be a surprising winner either, as he was a previous WWE Universal Champion, and now a multiple-time WWE United States Champion. A next logical championship for his resume would be the World Championship. That said, Corbin would be the newest heel superstar to push and has shown how destructive he can be inside and outside the ring. The company will just have to hope that he can establish some stronger promo work in the ring to draw that heel heat they love.
With whoever wins the big WWE ladder match, the other interesting thing to see will be when the cash-in finally happens. Will it be a repeat of what happened last year when Dean Ambrose cashed in the briefcase the same night he won it, or will this year’s winner wait several weeks or even months? Also, will it end up being a televised cash-in, or will it happen on a WWE Network pay-per-view? The intrigue of the Money in the Bank briefcase makes this almost as fun a time of year as the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania.
WWE fans, do you think Baron Corbin will win the Money in the Bank ladder match this year or Kevin Owens? How long do you think the winner will hold onto the briefcase before cashing it in?
[Featured Image by WWE]