Strictly Come Dancing has kicked off - who is favourite to win after pairings were confirmed?
Strictly Come Dancing 2026 odds have their first real shape after launch weekend. The pairing show on Saturday 19 September locked in all 15 couples, reunited Dani Dyer with Nikita Kuzmin, and left the Glitterball market open for a week before anyone dances for marks.
First scored routines land on Saturday 26 September. There is no public vote or elimination until the following weekend.
Dani Dyer remains the favourite at a best price of 7/2. Delta Goodrem, Lacey Turner and Lawrence Robb fill out the top of the board now that partners are public.
Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Winner Odds
Who is favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing?
| Selection | Best Odds | Worst Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Dani Dyer | 7/2 | 333/100 |
| Delta Goodrem | 6/1 | 9/2 |
| Lacey Turner | 13/2 | 5/1 |
| Lawrence Robb | 7/1 | 9/2 |
| Cach Mercer | 10/1 | 13/2 |
| Tabby Stoecker | 10/1 | 15/2 |
| Will Best | 14/1 | 10/1 |
| John Nellis | 16/1 | 11/1 |
| Jaime Winstone | 20/1 | 14/1 |
| Graeme Hall | 20/1 | 14/1 |
| Bethany Antonia | 20/1 | 10/1 |
| Melanie Walters | 22/1 | 18/1 |
| Sarah Storey | 28/1 | 20/1 |
| Chris Appleton | 50/1 | 18/1 |
| Shaun Wright-Phillips | 66/1 | 28/1 |
Dyer is shortest at 7/2 best. Goodrem is clear second on best price at 6/1 (worst 9/2). Turner (13/2 best) and Robb (7/1 best) complete the leading group. Mercer and Stoecker share 10/1 best. Will Best through Storey sit from mid teens into the high twenties. Appleton and Wright-Phillips are longest on best price, though both show wide spreads to much shorter worst prices.
Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Partners
Partners were revealed live in the studio through three group dances in front of the audience, a new format for the series. The confirmed couples:
- Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin
- Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola
- Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington
- Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystał
- Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita
- Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby
- Will Best and Dianne Buswell
- John Nellis and Katya Jones
- Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu
- Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu
- Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley
- Melanie Walters and Aljaž Škorjanec
- Dame Sarah Storey and Julian Caillon
- Chris Appleton and Amy Dowden
- Shaun Wright-Phillips and Alexis Warr
Dyer and Kuzmin is the headline pairing. They were matched in 2025 before her fractured ankle ended that run before the live competition. Kuzmin reached last year’s final with Amber Davies after the replacement. Reuniting them for a full series is the clearest narrative driver behind Dyer’s favourite’s tag.
Other partner notes that matter for the market: Turner with Coppola (recent champion pro pedigree), Goodrem with Widdrington (stage craft plus a settled Strictly name), Robb with Przystał, Stoecker with new pro Karmalita, and Antonia with Xu in the show’s third all female celebrity pairing after Nicola Adams (2020) and Jayde Adams (2022).
What the First Week Means for the Betting
Launch week changes the Strictly Come Dancing odds without changing the scoreboard. There are no judge marks yet. Week 1 on 26 September carries scores into week 2; the first public vote and first exit follow on the results show after that (expected around 4 October). Until then the market is pricing partner quality, celebrity profile and unfinished business.
Dyer at 7/2 reflects the Kuzmin reunion and the return arc more than any dance evidence. Goodrem’s 6/1 best is the post launch mover to watch among the chasing pack: Eurovision stage experience plus Widdrington is a combination books respect before week 1. Turner’s 13/2 best with Coppola is the soap vote bank paired with a title winning pro. Robb at 7/1 best remains in the frame with Przystał.
Stoecker’s Winter Olympic skeleton gold and Storey’s 19 Paralympic golds keep the athletic floor in the conversation further down the card. Best’s Dianne Buswell link and Nellis with Katya Jones are mid pack prices that usually move hardest after the first scored show.
New hosts Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe took over on launch night. Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke remain the judges. Five new pros are in the mix across the 15 couples, which is why some outsider spreads (Appleton 50/1 to 18/1, Wright-Phillips 66/1 to 28/1) stay wide until week 1 footage lands.
