Notes About The 'Eva Marie/Piper Niven' Suggestion Plus More

In a follow up to a post I published on Tuesday, the oddsmakers from Kambi have republished their Women's Money in the Bank market and have installed a selection titled 'Eva Marie/Piper Niven'. It is currently a 3/1 joint second-favourite.

The post was written shortly after I watched Eva Marie's return to WWE. She was scheduled to meet Naomi on Monday's episode of Raw. However - Piper Niven, who seconded Eva Marie to the ring, took Eva Marie's place. Despite scoring the win over Naomi, Piper Niven was not declared the victor. Instead, Eva Marie took the credit.

The angle/gimmick led me to conclude that 'Eva Marie/Piper Niven' should be a selection for the Money in the Bank market just in case there is a plan for Niven to 'win' the briefcase only for Eva Marie to become Miss Money in the Bank 2021. 

Having the selection written in that way would avoid potential ambiguity if/when bets are settled should that idea play out.

It's what I believe to be a fair naming of a selection for both the customer and the bookmaker, so credit to the Kambi oddsmaker for that.

It has been reported that Niven might be named 'Deudrop' or 'Dewdrop' when WWE eventually gets around to giving the former Viper a new moniker for the main roster.

In addition to those notes, I thought I'd show the current odds for the women's Money in the Bank match and compare the current prices with those from when the market was first published on March 20th.

The current prices are next to each selection while the earliest odds appear beside them in parenthesis.

Alexa Bliss 5/2 (5/1)

Becky Lynch 3/1 (6/1)

Eva Marie/Piper Niven 3/1 (OTB)

Charlotte Flair 9/2 (6/1)

Shayna Baszler 17/2 (12/1)

Bayley 10/1 (6/1)

Sasha Banks 10/1 (8/1)

Asuka 15/1 (20/1)

Nia Jax 15/1 (12/1)

Bianca Belair 20/1 (8/1)

Liv Morgan 20/1 (40/1)

Naomi 20/1* (25/1)

Carmella 22/1 (25/1)

Mia Yim 25/1 (20/1)

Nikki Cross 25/1 (OTB)

Rhea Ripley 25/1 (5/2 FAV)

Sonya Deville 25/1 (17/1)

Mandy Rose 33/1 (33/1)

Natalya 33/1 (40/1)

Dana Brooke 50/1 (25/1)

Tamina 50/1(OTB)

I placed an asterisk next to Naomi's 20/1 because, when the market was republished yesterday, her price was at 40/1. 

I backed Naomi when she was 25/1 with Sky Bet when its market was first installed, so - when I saw Naomi was 40s with Kambi yesterday, after rising from 25/1 - I thought I would have another small bet. A friend of mine, who has an even more compelling idea than I to back Naomi, also took a 40/1 gamble yesterday.

I closed Tuesday's post with the following paragraph:

With Money in the Bank 2021 being the first major WWE event hosted before a live audience since WrestleMania 37, there may be a plan to please the fans rather than to exasperate them

In the days following the post, there were reports that Becky Lynch has been at WWE's Performance Center. A Lynch win in the women's Money in the Bank match would fit the narrative I closed the post with. 

Wouldn't it?

If you agree, and can wager with Sky Bet, you'll find Becky Lynch at 6/1.

Tuesday Morning Punter: The 'Eva Marie/Piper Niven' MITB Idea

After watching the return of Eva Marie on last night's episode of WWE Raw, I couldn't help but foresee a potential betting controversy.

On the show, the returning star made her way to the ring - seconded by Piper Niven -  for a match against Naomi. However, it was Niven who worked the contest beating Naomi. 

At the conclusion, Eva Marie took credit for the win by declaring herself as the victor.

I was aware that Niven was coming in along with Eva Marie and joked with a friend, just before Raw aired, that 'Niven will probably do a James Ellsworth and win the Money in the Bank match for Eva Marie'. 

After watching how last night's match went, I no longer think my suggestion was funny. 

I'm giving it serious thought now.

Should this scenario play out - there is the potential for controversy with how Money in the Bank winner markets could be settled.

As of the time of writing, three betting agencies - Sky Bet, Paddy Power and Kambi - have had markets priced up for this year's Money in the Bank matches. Of the three, Sky Bet has been the company which has been the most prominent because its markets have been available more times than not since opening in early May.

Sky Bet is also the only company of the three which has - or had, in the case of the other two markets for now -  Eva Marie as a selection. She was 10/1 when I noticed her added on May 7th. The selection began to drop from there and eventually became a 3/1 favourite on May 15th and is now currently a 10/3 second-favourite behind Alexa Bliss.

Piper Niven has not been available in any of the markets. And I don't believe she should be. Well, not in the usual way.

With nearly all sportsbooks' rules stating that wagers are settled on the results that are announced by WWE.com following the respective matches, should the scenario I have envisioned play out, then Eva Marie would be the 'Winner', but there could potentially be some who would argue that wagers on Niven should be graded as wins.

As a pre-emptive strike, before there are any post-Money in the Bank complaints, a solution should be to have the Money in the Bank markets with 'Eva Marie / Piper Niven' as one selection.

With all that said, I very well could be putting the cart before the horse. 

With Money in the Bank 2021 being the first major WWE event hosted before a live audience since WrestleMania 37, there may be a plan to please the fans rather than to exasperate them.