Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-26471969-20180917045203

At the end of every episode of AGT, a disclaimer flashes on the screen explaining: “The prize, which totals $1,000,000, is payable in a financial annuity over forty years, or the contestant may choose to receive the present cash value of such annuity.” If the winner chooses the first payment option, he or she will receive about $25,000 a year for the next 40 years. This is taxable income in the U.S., so the total amount received after four decades would be significantly less than $1 million. This season’s frontrunners are 10-year-old singer Angelica Hale and 12-year-old ventriloquist Darci Lynne Farmer. If they took the grand prize in the form of an annuity, they would be 50 and 52 respectively by the time the last cheque was issued. Choosing the “present cash value” of the annuity instead would earn the winner about $300,000, less taxes – meaning he or she would pocket between $150,000 and $200,000. AGT also promises “a headline show in Las Vegas” as part of the prize package. That’s nothing more than performing as the final act in a variety show on 2 guaranteed dates in November at a place in Las Vegas ( maybe more if it is sold out as it did with Darci Lynne, who got 4 dates instead of 2 ) Only a handful of AGT winners have gone on to successful entertainment careers. Season 2 winner, ventriloquist Terry Fator, and magician Matt Franco, who won Season 9, signed lucrative deals for their own shows in Vegas. and Grace Vanderwaal looks like she is on her way.

-

Also usually if a singing act wins, it means signing with Syco, and most likely in highly favorable terms for Syco, while 2nd place down are with more freedom to sign elsewhere, and with more likeable terms for the singer; I would prefer Ketterer, Emmet, Grace and Courtney NOT TO WIN if it means avoiding having to sign with Syco ( and probably also BKJ ) but this season is almost 75 to 80% likely a singer wins ( the main contenders of non-singing being Shin and Zurcaroh ) 