‘Dancing with the Stars’ finale: Will Irwin waltz away with the win?

The competition is heating up on the 34th season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars as it heads into Tuesday’s finale, but Kalshi traders’ predictions have stayed steady for almost the entire run.

Conservationist and TV host Robert Irwin, son of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, and partner Witney Carson have led Kalshi traders’ forecasts for most of the season as the predicted winners of this year’s Mirror Ball trophy. The pair remains the favorite at 67% heading into the final after earning a 59 out of 60 in the semifinals’ “Prince Night.”

The only contestant to come close to Irwin’s odds is TikTok influencer and Hot Mess podcast host Alix Earle and her partner, Val Chmerkovskiy. They peaked at 44.5% less than three weeks ago. Now, 37% of traders are betting on them to win, despite their strong 58 out of 60 with the judges.

Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles and partner Ezra Sosa showed early promise with a top trading rate of 19%, topping Earle and Chmerkovskiy by 7.5 points on Oct. 1. But Chiles’ lead faded quickly. You might expect an Olympic gymnast familiar with grueling training schedules to fare better in a physically demanding competition like DWTS, but she has the support of only 2% of traders as of Sunday evening.

Producer and content creator Dylan Efron — Zac Efron’s younger brother — and partner Daniella Karagach, along with actress Elaine Hendrix and dancer Alan Bersten, remain in the competition but are considered long shots. Both pairs hold just 1% of overall trading heading into the finale.

The judges’ mention market — covering Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough — is also picking up steam. Right now, “vote” is leading traders’ picks at 66 percent, with “history” in a close second at 59 percent and “stiff” in third at 49 percent.

Last week, viewers and the judges weren’t as kind to one of the season’s highest-scoring competitors. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt posted some strong scores, ranking first in seven out of 10 weeks of competition. She even scored three perfect 10s during week 6.

But the pair was eliminated in the semifinals. The elimination wasn’t just a shock for viewers and the judges. Leavitt posted a tearful reaction on her Instagram, calling the devastating moment “like a breakup.” 

Will anyone score a perfect 10 in the season 34 finale? At the moment, Kalshi’s newest market on the matter doesn’t have enough volume to make a prediction. But be sure to check back on Tuesday before the show to see what traders are forecasting.

Follow Danny Gallagher on Instagram:  @writerdannygallagher
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^{The opinions and perspectives presented in this article belong solely to the author. This is not financial advice. Trading on Kalshi involves risk and may not be appropriate for all. Members risk losing their cost to enter any transaction, including fees. You should carefully consider whether trading on Kalshi is appropriate for you in light of your investment experience and financial resources. Any trading decisions you make are solely your responsibility and at your own risk. Information is provided for convenience only on an "AS IS" basis. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Kalshi is subject to U.S. regulatory oversight by the CFTC.}