Dancing With The Stars Season 22 Odds
GERALDO RIVERA, EDYTA SLIWINSKA
Pros and Cons: Already a polarizing personality on his own, Rivera has the disadvantage of being paired with Sliwinska, who hasn't appeared on DWTS since Season 10 (and only reached the finals twice). For the duo to take the Mirrorball from Bindi Irwin, they'll have to be technically perfect — and Rivera can't make a single politically incorrect remark. (Good luck!)
Odds: 40-1
DOUG FLUTIE, KARINA SMIRNOFF
Pros and Cons: Though Smirnoff has made it to the DWTS finale on multiple occasions, she's also in the midst of a wicked losing streak — especially when paired with athletes of a certain age. With Antonio Brown and Von Miller likely filling this season's quota of surprisingly great NFL dancers, we don't anticipate Flutie scoring a touchdown in the 22nd cycle.
Odds: 35-1
TONY DOVOLANI, MARLA MAPLES
Pros and Cons: Does one of the Dancing producers have a huge vendetta against Dovolani? It's the only explanation for his constant partnerships with women of a certain age (and little to no ballroom experience). Season 22 is more of the same, though Dovolani now has the added obstacle of dancing with an ex-wife of Donald Trump's. If Maples and her partner want to make it to the finale, they'll have to deliver routines that are technically proficient and huuuuuge-ly entertaining.
Odds: 30-1
KIM FIELDS, SASHA FARBER
Pros and Cons: You take the good, you take the bad, you take 'em both and there you have... the disappointing fact that Real Housewives cast members have never excelled on DWTS. Fields may still get support from longtime Facts of Life fans, but her partnership with Farber (who hasn't appeared as a pro since Season 17, save for the occasional Derek Hough substitution) all but guarantees a middle-of-the-pack finish.
Odds: 25-1
NYLE DIMARCO, PETA MURGATROYD
Pros and Cons: DiMarco and Murgatroyd face a whole slew of challenges heading into Season 22, namely Murgatroyd's failure to crack the finale more than once and DiMarco's niche fanbase. But their biggest obstacle will be DiMarco's deafness, which could affect the ANTM champ's sense of rhythm, as well as Murgatroyd's ability to give him tough choreography.
Odds: 20-1
WANYA MORRIS, LINDSAY ARNOLD
Pros and Cons: Morris has spent decades as a member of Boyz II Men, so there's no doubt he's got musicality in spades. That won't necessarily translate into grace on the dance floor, but Morris is in good hands with Arnold, who turned National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos into a bona fide ballroom pro last season.
Odds: 16-1
MISCHA BARTON, ARTEM CHIGVINTSEV
Pros and Cons: Sure, it's been years since The O.C. left our TV screens, but Barton is still one of the most recognizable Season 22 cast members, so finding a fanbase won't be quite as big a problem for her as it is for other competitors. But Chigvintsev has limited experience as a DWTS pro, only appearing twice before (with a sixth-place and eighth-place finish). Given this season's lineup of bigger fan favorites, Barton and Chigvintsev will likely fall short of the championship.
Odds: 12-1
GINGER ZEE, VALENTIN CHMERKOVSKIY
Pros and Cons: If we're basing these predictions solely on dance experience, there's virtually no reason to put Zee so high up on our list. (As far as we can tell, her meteorologist gig on Good Morning America requires no fancy footwork.) But in addition to Zee's mainstream charm, she's teaming up with Chmerkovskiy, a well-liked pro who is chasing redemption after Season 21 partner Tamar Braxton was forced to drop out for health reasons. Could Zee be his ticket to another victory? We're not ruling it out.
Odds: 10-1
VON MILLER, WITNEY CARSON
Pros and Cons: Though plenty of NFL players have sashayed across the dance floor in years past, Miller is one of the most popular right now — and you certainly don't become Super Bowl MVP without being light on your feet. Here's hoping Carson — who has had moderate success in her seasons as a pro — can add a little finesse to her partner's movements now that he's off the field.
Odds: 8-1
ANTONIO BROWN, SHARNA BURGESS
Pros and Cons: If you've ever seen one of Brown's NFL touchdown celebrations, you know he's got at least a dash of dancing prowess. But if Brown's natural athleticism weren't enough of a draw, his partnership with Burgess certainly is. Though she hasn't taken home the DWTS title quite yet, she's been in the last two finales, and she's yet to meet a choreography challenge she couldn't master. (Noah Galloway, anyone?) If Burgess can confidently walk Brown through his dance-related shortcomings, they'll be quite the formidable pair.
Odds: 6-1
JODIE SWEETIN, KEO MOTSEPE
Pros and Cons: What better time to rely on the voting audience than when Full House nostalgia is at an all-time high? On the heels of Fuller House's Netflix release (and Season 2 renewal), Sweetin should have no problem bringing in the votes. Plus, even though Motsepe is still new-ish to the franchise, voters will likely be rooting for him after early eliminations with past partners Charlotte McKinney and Chaka Khan. Barring any major mishaps on the dance floor, Sweetin and Motsepe could very well get close to the Mirrorball.
Odds: 4-1
PAIGE VANZANT, MARK BALLAS
Pros and Cons: We're not just giving VanZant the most favorable odds because she could totally beat us up. (Even though she definitely could.) Not only has VanZant's UFC background given her the athleticism required to slay in the DWTS ballroom, but she's got years of dance experience under her belt, as well. Add Ballas' creativity and drive, and this pair — at least on paper — seems unstoppable.
Odds: 2-1