Updated Odds to Win America’s Got Talent 2020 After Episode 3 – Cristina Rae, Roberta Battaglia Among Top Contenders
- Season 15 of America’s Got Talent debuted May 26, 2020
- Only three episodes into the season, odds are already in place for the winner
- Will any of the first three chosen contestants end up taking the first place prize?
Who would have ever thought it would take a virus to shake up reality television?
Thanks to COVID-19, season 15 of America’s Got Talent has been quite unique. Producers have been forced to get more creative and spontaneous with production.
The early AGT odds favored Archie Williams. But now that the season is actually rolling, a few unanticipated talents have already won over the judges.
Only three episodes in, there’s still time for a lot to change. But given the impression the first three successful contestants have made, it’s definitely worth considering their fate throughout the rest of this season.
Odds on Winner of America’s Got Talent 2020
| Contestant | Yes Odds | No Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Roberta Battaglia | +400 | -700 |
| Cristina Rae | +550 | -1000 |
| Voices of Our City | +800 | -2500 |
All odds as of June 11.
In the first three episodes only the three contestants have been selected to compete in the season.
Unpacking the Contestants
Cristina Rae, a 30-year-old Nashville resident, wowed the judges, moving Heidi Klum to use her Golden Buzzer. Rae’s jaw-dropping cover of Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” earned a standing ovation from the audience. Then, she tried The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” on for size, stunning even Simon Cowell in her path.
Equally impressive, 10-year-old Toronto native Roberta Battaglia took to the stage with her spin on Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born duet “Shallow”, singing not one — but both — parts of the tune.
Battaglia’s voice shines bright especially considering her age, showing depth and maturity beyond her years. At one point, Cowell asked fellow judge Sofia Vergara to close her eyes and “just listen.” Between the lines, Cowell said was saying how shocking it is for a for a 10-year-old to have honed her sound so perfectly.
The Voices of Our City Choir from California performed an original song called “Sounds of the Street”. The title of the song is fitting given many of the choir members’ status as homeless residents in San Diego.
The most-likely outcome is that none of these three actually take the prize. After each audition, the reaction from the judges and audience alike was that of sheer shock, but on America’s Got Talent, that is the norm.
Pick: No on all
America’s Got Talent 2020 Props & Odds
| Winning Performance | Odds |
|---|---|
| Music Act | -300 |
| Any Other Type of Act | +300 |
| Magic Act | +750 |
| Ventriloquist Act | +750 |
| Comedy Act | +1200 |
| Dance Act | +1200 |
| Winner Will Be | Odds |
| Female | -200 |
| Male | +200 |
| Mixed | +750 |
| Transgender | +4000 |
Though wildly different in style, the contestants have a few things in common: they’re all singers, and they all won their place in the series being awarded a Golden Buzzer by the judges. No surprises there, though: the past 14 seasons have seen musicians taking the prize more often than any other type of talent.
Magic is fun, and ventriloquism is impressive, but you can’t deny the global love of music. Watch for a musician to win this season.
Pick: Winning Performance: Music Act (-300)
Odds a Child Wins AGT Season 15
| Prop | Yes Odds | No Odds |
|---|---|---|
| A Child Wins | +200 | -300 |
So far, only three children have won America’s Got Talent: Inaugural season winner Bianca Ryan (then 11-years-old), 12-year-old Grace VanderWaal (season 11), and 12-year old Darci Lynne Farmer (season 12). Of this trio, Farmer won for ventriloquism while the others both sang their way to the top spot.
Pick: A Child Wins: No (-300)
Odds a Golden Buzzer Recipient Wins AGT Season 15
| Prop | Yes Odds | No Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Buzzer Wins | +100 | -140 |
The Golden Buzzer was initially introduced to the show in season 9 and has proven to be a bit of a game-changer for America’s Got Talent.
So far, only three children have won America’s Got Talent: 11-year-old Bianca Ryan (season 1), 12-year-old Grace VanderWaal (season 11), and 12-year-old Darci Lynne Farmer (season 12). Of this trio, Farmer won for ventriloquism while the others both sang their way to the top spot.
Since its introduction, four of the past six winners received Golden Buzzers: Paul Zerdin, Darci Lynne, Kodi Lee, and VanderWaal.
This season, all three of the contestants so far have been buzzed in. But given that none of these three are expected to take the final prize, chances are high of a Buzzer-free winner.
Pick: No Golden Buzzer Winner (-140)
As an active entertainment aficionado, the former Editor-in-Chief for the Capilano Courier, JJ also co-founded Lords of Dogwood, a Vancouver-based entertainment site in 2013. His writing has been found in ION Magazine, the North Shore News, and The Strand.
