NEED TO KNOW
Dancing with the Stars has crowned a brand-new champion.
The season 34 finale featured five couples, including stars Jordan Chiles, Robert Irwin, Alix Earle, Elaine Hendrix and Dylan Efron. But the winner’s coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy isn’t just a shiny souvenir — it’s a ticket to a whirlwind few months of new opportunities and fanfare.
Some champions ride that wave straight into acting gigs, hosting spots and brand deals that come with even more sequins. Take The Bachelor alum Joey Graziadei, who won in 2024 and now hosts the Dancing with the Stars Official Podcast.
Meanwhile, season 20 winner Rumer Willis traded the big screen for the stage, dazzling audiences as Roxie Hart in Chicago back in 2015.
So, what do the winners of Dancing with the Stars get? Here’s everything to know about the show’s prize.
What do the champions of Dancing with the Stars win?
ABC/Eric McCandless
The ultimate prize on Dancing with the Stars is the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy — a sparkling symbol of weeks of hard work. Unlike many other reality TV competitions, winners don’t take home a cash prize.
“If you win, it’s not like you win a million dollars and split it with your partner,” Dancing with the Stars pro Jenna Johnson shared on The Morning After podcast in June 2025. “You’re just getting a cute trophy together.”
That said, the pros and celebrity dancers do get paid for starring on the show — and making it to the finale comes with a “nice bonus,” Johnson added.
How much is the Mirrorball Trophy worth?
Eric McCandless via Getty
Over the years, the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy has transformed into the dazzling prize fans recognize today. But believe it or not, the iconic award got its start in a surprisingly humble way.
In April 2017, Dancing with the Stars production designer James Yarnell told PEOPLE that during 2005’s season 1, he was on a tight budget, so he bought a 3-foot brass lamp, took it apart and used its pieces to create the very first Mirrorball Trophy.
“The original one, the Kelly Monaco one, was literally part of a brass lamp and had it put on a wooden base with the mirrorball on it,” he explained.
While the trophy looks far more luxurious today, Yarnell noted that “there’s no such thing as a high-end mirrorball.”
“No matter how much we put into the trophy, how much we spend, it always has a $10 mirrorball on top,” he continued.
Still, it’s far from cheap to produce. Season 29 winner Kaitlyn Bristowe shared on the Trading Secrets podcast in April 2023 that her trophy cost around $10,000 to make — proof that while winning Dancing with the Stars doesn’t come with a cash prize, it does come with a luxury keepsake.
“You could pay me $1 million, I wouldn’t sell it,” Bristowe added.
What responsibilities do Dancing with the Stars champions have after the competition?
Taylor Hill/Getty
After the final confetti falls and a champion claims the Mirrorball Trophy, their Dancing with the Stars journey doesn’t end there.
Winners usually have a few post-show duties, including a Good Morning America appearance the day after their win where they chat about their experience.
Many champions also hit the road on the Dancing with the Stars Live! tour, performing alongside their pro partners in cities across the country — bringing the ballroom magic straight to fans who couldn’t see the finale in person.
What have past celebrities said about winning Dancing with the Stars?
Adam Taylor/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
Winning Dancing with the Stars is about more than just the Mirrorball Trophy — it’s a transformative experience, as many past champions have shared.
“The only way I’d ever be able to describe it is to say it has been a gift,” Bindi Irwin, whose younger brother Robert is competing in the season 34 finals, told E! News in November 2015 after securing a win in season 21 alongside Derek Hough. “It’s been life-changing for me. I’m truly overwhelmed. I’m beyond grateful.”
In May 2017, former NFL player Rashad Jennings, who won season 24 alongside Emma Slater, reflected on the emotional journey, telling PEOPLE, “I’ve really been getting to know myself. It’s an emotional journey, truly, because the intimacy of each song that you have to get inside of and find that place to truly bring out the art of dance.”
