BBC Strictly Come Dancing 2024 odds and who is the favourite to win
JLS singer JB Gill is the clear favourite to win Strictly this year after the couples were revealed during the launch show. The former boy band member was already the bookie's choice to win the coveted Glitterball this year even before the celebrities were matched up with their professional partners.
But after he was paired with returning Amy Dowden - who was awarded an MBE this year for her services to fundraising and raising awareness of Crohn's disease - JB's odds of victory were shortened still further. Amy, who sat out last year's series while she was receiving treatment for breast cancer, was welcomed back to wild applause during the opening show.
At the end of one opening routine, she was at the centre of a huge group hug with the other Strictly professionals who were clearly delighted by her return. Amy and her celebrity partner JB - who finished third on ITV's short-lived Strictly rival Dance Dance Dance - are now 7/2 favourites to be crowned champions this year.
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Second with the bookies is Love Island's Tasha Ghouri, who has been paired with Aljaz Skorjanec - who is also returning to the show after a two-year absence - at 11/2. Former X Factor winner Shayne Ward, who will dance with Nancy Xu, is third favourite at 6/1.
Underdog Nick Nowles' pairing with Luba Mushtak has done nothing to improve his odds of Strictly glory. He was bottom of the pack before the launch show and his odds have lengthened further to 100/1. But he is now joined at 100/1 by ex-footballer and pundit Paul Merson and his partner Karen Hauer, with only an outside chance of winning the series.
You can check the latest Strictly betting using our online odds tracker throughout the series.
All 15 celebrities met their professional partners for the first time on Saturday during a typical glitzy and glamorous launch of the nation's favourite dance show. Strictly's dynamic hosts, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, were joined by judges Craig Revel-Horwood, Anton Du Beke, Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse as they celebrated two decades of dance.
The launch show featured five epic performances in addition to the big couples reveal. The celebrities and their professional partners are now busy training for their first performances next weekend.
The show will span over 14 weeks, with one celebrity being shown the door each week, leading up to a live final on December 14.