Dancing With The Stars Season 26 Odds
ADAM RIPPON, JENNA JOHNSON
Adam Rippon (with pro Jenna Johnson)
Pros and Cons: There's a lot working in Adam's favor on this all-athletes season. In addition to his strength and elegance on the ice rink, the skater won over Olympic viewers with his confidence and candor in PyeongChang, all but ensuring he'll have some passionate voters. If Jenna Johnson — who is only in her second season as a professional partner — creates consistently compelling routines and helps Adam connect with the viewing audience, he could very well become the fifth Olympian to nab the Mirrorball.
Odds: 2-1
dwts-athletes-arike-ogunbowale
Arike Ogunbowale (with pro Gleb Savchenko)
Pros and Cons: The Notre Dame basketball player is coming off a stunning season, in which she helped the Fighting Irish clinch the 2018 national championship — but will her basketball prowess translate into undeniable dance skill? With only one month to make an impression on the judges and home audience, Arike will have to be technically sharp from Week One — and forge an instant connection with partner Gleb Savchenko, who has yet to reach the finale in his seasons as a pro.
Odds: 18-1
WITNEY CARSON, CHRIS MAZDZER
Chris Mazdzer (with pro Witney Carson)
Pros and Cons: There's a strong possibility that Mazdzer will become the dark horse of Season 26. Sure, the luge isn't the most physically dynamic sport of the bunch — but on the heels of a silver-medal performance in the 2018 Winter Olympics, Mazdzer is in excellent shape, and he's likely one of the best-prepared contestants for Dancing's physically demanding schedule. Plus, Witney Carson — who reached the finale with Frankie Muniz last season — has a knack for helping her partners understand the intricacies of her choreography. If Mazdzer proves to be light on his feet, he might just snag that Mirrorball in the end.
Odds: 4-1
JAMIE ANDERSON, ARTEM CHIGVINTSEV
Jamie Anderson (with pro Artem Chigvintsev)
Pros and Cons: Save for his Season 22 partnership with Mischa Barton, which ended with a dismal 11th-place finish, Artem has oscillated between sixth and eighth place with his other five Dancing partners... and he may be destined for a similar fate with snowboarder Jamie Anderson. If this duo doesn't come out of the gate with serious chemistry and unforgettable choreography, they could face early elimination, especially when the Dancing roster features a number of more well-known names.
Odds: 20-1
JENNIE FINCH DAIGLE, KEO MOTSEPE
Jennie Finch (with pro Keo Motsepe)
Pros and Cons: Though Keo hasn't had the most impressive Dancing career — he's finished in last or second-to-last place in five of his six pro seasons — he proved with Jodie Sweetin in Season 22 that he can succeed when paired with a focused, adaptable partner. If Jennie's insane softball skills can be transferred to the dance floor, she and Keo could be a formidable pair.
Odds: 8-1
EMMA SLATER, JOHNNY DAMON
Johnny Damon (with pro Emma Slater)
Pros and Cons: In 25 seasons of Dancing, only one professional baseball player has ever made it to the finale: former catcher David Ross, who nabbed second place in Season 24. Fortunately, Johnny is paired with Emma Slater, who not only led NFLer Rashad Jennings to victory in that same season, but has also proven herself capable of transforming even the most uncoordinated gents (hello, Drew Scott!) into bona fide ballroom pros.
Odds: 10-1
JOSH NORMAN, SHARNA BURGESS
Josh Norman (with pro Sharna Burgess)
Pros and Cons: Football players have had varying levels of success on Dancing With the Stars, and Sharna has had varying levels of success with her pro athlete partners. For every Antonio Brown, who came thisclose to the Season 22 finale, there's been a Derek Fisher, who was the third contestant eliminated from Season 25. In order to make an impression in this condensed season, Josh will have to make a quick shift from gridiron intensity to ballroom grace — and Sharna will have to make that transition happen sooner rather than later.
Odds: 6-1
LINDSAY ARNOLD, KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (with pro Lindsay Arnold)
Pros and Cons: Though Lindsay is coming off a Season 25 victory with Jordan Fisher, her partnership with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar doesn't bode well for back-to-back Mirrorballs. Dancing has never been kind to contestants of a certain age, and at 71, the NBA vet could struggle with intricate choreography. And that's to say nothing of the almost two-foot height difference between Lindsay and her partner, which could be a major obstacle on the dance floor.
Odds: 25-1
MIRAI NAGASU, ALAN BERSTEN
Mirai Nagasu (with pro Alan Bersten)
Pros and Cons: Mirai is a phenomenally talented skater; in PyeongChang just a few months ago, she became the first American female figure skater to land a triple axel at the Olympics — and her skill on the ice will likely serve her well in the ballroom. Her struggle, though, could be finding a fanbase; paired with Alan Bersten, who has been eliminated early in each of his seasons as a pro, Mirai could get lost in the shuffle of more widely recognized athletes.
Odds: 12-1
TONYA HARDING, SASHA FARBER
Tonya Harding (with pro Sasha Farber)
Pros and Cons: Of all the athletes taking part in this four-week season, Tonya Harding might have the most fascinating journey to watch. After stepping back into the spotlight last fall — when I, Tonya hit theaters and the former figure skater's tragic story made headlines once again — Tonya could very well be the contestant around whom voters rally. But she'll also need to bring technical excellence to the ballroom in order to win; given this season's roster of young competitors and recent Olympians, it could be a challenge for Tonya to surpass her fellow contestants.
Odds: 16-1