Dancing With The Stars Season 27 Odds
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Alexis Ren (with pro Alan Bersten)
Pros and Cons: Unless you're highly familiar with Instagram influencers, your reaction upon reading Ren's casting was likely, "Uh, who?" But let's not underestimate the power of social media: Ren currently has 12.7 million Instagram followers, and previous Dancing contestants who have made their living on the Internet — like onetime Vine star Hayes Grier — have performed decently on the show. Assuming Ren is able to at least master a box step in Week 1, she'll likely be around for a few weeks, despite Bersten not having quite the same following as other pros.
Odds: 30-1
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Bobby Bones (with pro Sharna Burgess)
Pros and Cons: Bones might not be a performer himself, but he's heavily involved in the music world — so we'll have to assume he has some basic sense of rhythm and timing. Plus, Burgess has never met a choreographing challenge she couldn't overcome, even if the radio personality does turn out to have two left feet. Still, Bones will be up against some bigger and more recognizable names this season, so he'll have to be technically impressive from Week One in order to win over voters.
Odds: 16-1
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Danelle Umstead (with pro Artem Chigvintsev)
Pros and Cons: By no means should a physically handicapped contestant ever be counted out on Dancing With the Stars, as past competitors like double amputee Noah Galloway and deaf model Nyle DiMarco (who won!) have shown us. Umstead, though, is the series' first visually impaired contestant, which will pose a whole new set of challenges for Chigvintsev. If he can carefully guide her through choreography that's tailored to her blindness, they could have a long run in Season 27 — assuming, of course, that the voting audience gives them time to work out the kinks.
Odds: 12-1
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DeMarcus Ware (with pro Lindsay Arnold)
Pros and Cons: Ware and Arnold's victory isn't exactly inevitable, but it does seem highly probable. Arnold is a well-liked Dancing veteran who has already proven her choreographing chops, which have led her to the finale in three of the last four seasons (with one win). And while Ware's dancing prowess isn't guaranteed, it's common knowledge by now that football players tend to excel in the ballroom — all but ensuring this pair will get very close to the Mirrorball.
Odds: 2-1
KEO MOTSEPE, EVANNA LYNCH
Evanna Lynch (with pro Keo Motsepe)
Pros and Cons: Only two words are important here: Harry. Potter. Though Lynch is paired with Motsepe, who has spent a majority of his seasons finishing in either 13th or 11th place, she's bound to win a whole bunch of votes from nostalgic Harry Potter fans. (She's best known for playing the Potter films' eccentric Luna Lovegood.) Lynch's dance skill is still a question mark, but if the HP crowd keeps her in the competition for at least a few weeks, Motsepe could have a chance to show us what he's capable of as a choreographer.
Odds: 20-1
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Joe "Grocery Store Joe" Amabile (with pro Jenna Johnson)
Pros and Cons: Don't get me wrong: Grocery Store Joe is simply adorable, and his presence on the show will no doubt lead to some Quotes of the Week gems. That said, he isn't exactly the smoothest operator, which I fear will translate into a less-than-winning performance on the dance floor. He does have a solid parter in Johnson, who is coming off a win in Dancing's all-athletes season, and smitten Bachelorette fans might vote for him regardless. Still, I don't see Amabile hoisting that trophy at season's end.
Odds: 35-1
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John Schneider (with pro Emma Slater)
Pros and Cons: Despite winning the Mirrorball with Rashad Jennings in Season 24, Slater has mostly had so-so showings on DWTS, with eliminations ranging from 12th place to fourth place. Unfortunately, her partnership with Schneider — the oldest contestant on this season's roster, with no dance experience to speak of — seems to indicate another early elimination.
Odds: 50-1
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Juan Pablo Di Pace (with pro Cheryl Burke)
Pros and Cons: Di Pace could very well be a real contender in Season 27, and not just because Fuller House fans will likely be generous with their votes. The Argentinian actor also has previous dance experience, having performed in various musical theater productions before moving on to television. Add in his partnership with Burke, who has two Mirrorballs and five more finale appearances under her belt, and this duo might just walk away — er, foxtrot away — with the grand prize.
Odds: 4-1
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Mary Lou Retton (with pro Sasha Farber)
Pros and Cons: As mentioned in our recent Fall TV Predictions, I have a feeling Retton will pleasantly surprise us in Season 27. Although she's among the oldest cast members in this cycle, Retton's Olympic gymnastics career is proof enough of her grace and agility, which should translate nicely into real skill on the dance floor. Plus, Farber has a knack for bringing athletes close to the finish line: In his last two seasons as a competitor, he finished in fourth place with gymnast Simone Biles and in third place with figure skater Tonya Harding. Could the third time be the charm for Farber and a pro athlete? Very possible!
Odds: 6-1
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Milo Manheim (with pro Witney Carson)
Pros and Cons: Manheim is only 17 years old, so there's a decent chance that many of Dancing's viewers aren't familiar with him. On the plus side, though, Manheim's claim to fame is the Disney Channel flick Zombies, and Disney stars tend to go far in this competition. (Jordan Fisher, Corbin Bleu and Kyle Massey, to name a few, all reached the finale in their respective seasons.) Carson came in third place with Frankie Muniz in Season 25, and she was thisclose to a win with Chris Mazdzer in Season 26; if Manheim picks up the footwork quickly, he and Carson could be a very formidable pair.
Odds: 8-1
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Nancy McKeon (with pro Val Chmerkovskiy)
Pros and Cons: When it comes to professional partners, Chmerkovskiy is a force to be reckoned with: He's been in the finale seven times, won two Mirrorballs and worked with contestants ranging from 18 to 51 years old. But he'll certainly face some challenges with McKeon, given that she's up against younger competitors who may be able to take more physical risks. Oh, and there's the Facts of Life track record: Kim Fields and Cloris Leachman both finished in seventh place on their respective seasons. So, if you take the good and take the bad, you take 'em both and there you have... a likely middle-of-the-pack finish for this pair.
Odds: 25-1
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Nikki Glaser (with pro Gleb Savchenko)
Pros and Cons: Aside from his fourth-place finish with Jana Kramer a few years back, Savchenko has had trouble even cracking the halfway point of any season where he's competed as a pro. In order to have longevity in Season 27, he and Glaser will have to make an immediate impression on the audience. Given Glaser's polarizing comedy, that could prove difficult.
Odds: 40-1
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Tinashe (with pro Brandon Armstrong)
Pros and Cons: DWTS viewers tend to throw their support behind celebrities and pro partners that they already know, which might not bode well for Tinashe. Though she's had moderate success in her music career thus far, the R&B singer isn't exactly a household name — and her partner, Brandon Armstrong, is breaking out of the Dancing troupe for his very first season as a pro competitor. Tinashe does have quite a bit of dance experience under her belt, so she'll likely be one of the strongest performers in the ballroom. For this pair, though, it will be a matter of finding a fanbase quickly.
Odds: 10-1