Does ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Winner Get Money? Pay Details Before 2017 Finale
Tuesday night will see one dancing couple secure first-place on Season 25 of “Dancing With the Stars” and what the finalist wins may surprise you.
Yes, between Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson, Jordan Fisher and Lindsey Arnold and Mark Ballas and Lindsey Stirling, one will be crowned the dancing champions of the fall 2017 season and be awarded the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. The ABC series winners, however, won’t get much more than the other finalists in the way of money.
For several years it has been known among viewers of the reality competition that the first-place winners secure the same amount of money as the other finale competitors. Since the show premiered in 2005, the celebrity contestants are paid on a sliding scale and the scale doesn’t tip in the favor of the winner.
The final three contestants each receive the same winnings: $345K for making it to the end of the season.
Gawker first discovered details about the show’s sliding pay scale in 2010, revealing each contestant starts off the season by getting a $125K signing bonus. From there, it’s up to the stars to stick it out to get more money. Each week a celebrity remains on the show, they’re paid more starting at $10K for the first couple of weeks and working up to $50K for those who star in the final two episodes.
It’s unclear if the pros make as much as their famous partners, however, their pay is said to be decent. In February, it was reported by People Magazine that dancers Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd decided to return to the program shortly after the birth of their son due to the financial gain. “Having a kid is not cheap and doing the show gives them a lot more financial freedom,” a source said at the time.
If this year’s winners are not happy with their winnings, they can sell the Mirrorball Trophy, though according to host Tom Bergeron, they may not get much. “I’m guessing you’re looking at, at least $12-$15 there,” Tom quipped of the trophy’s worth during a 2011 appearance on “Access Hollywood Live.”
The 2017 “Dancing With the Stars” Season 25 finale airs Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.
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