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Julia is a writer at Talent Recap and hails from the Greater Toronto Area. She is currently pursuing a degree in Media Studies. When not sharing her latest reality TV hot takes she's likely enjoying a game night with friends, collecting enamel pins, or spending time with her cat, Zoey.

Corey Cesare is Talent Recap's Managing Editor and featured YouTube Host. She has a love of all things pop culture and an unhealthy obsession with celebrities. Corey earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Cinema/Screen Studies from the State University of New York at Oswego in 2021. She spends her spare time shooting astro, nature, and portrait photography, and coming up with movie ideas that she hopes to make into a film someday.

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America’s Got Talent has always prided itself on showcasing acts audiences won’t see anywhere else…at least not on television. But where does the winning act go after their rise to fame on the national series?

Point blank, not many other reality competitions highlight magic, danger, or stand-up comedy. These genres as well as others we see on AGT have a prominent place in the live entertainment industry. Therefore, it only makes sense that the show’s winner has almost always received some sort of live performance contract in addition to the coveted million dollar prize.

The Headlining Show Portion of AGT Grand Prize Was Once A Myth

In older seasons the contract was usually either for a headlining spot on an AGT live tour or a residency in Las Vegas, Nevada. Either way, the winner generally had a steady gig for several weeks or months after the season was over. In years past, the live performance element of the grand prize had been minimized, most likely due to low ticket sales for tours and residences. For instance, Season 12’s prize originally only promised the chance to headline two performances, which ended up being four due to popularity.

It’s believed that the Vegas contract was shifted along with the focus of the show in Seasons 11 and 12. Both of those seasons were very kid-heavy and singer-heavy. You may remember, the host and judges emphasized the million dollar prize and quest to discover the next big superstar more than the Vegas contract.

It’s interesting to note that Season 11 was when AGT experienced a spike in ratings, due to the season winner, Grace VanderWaal. Since the spike occurred in her season, it’s no surprise that the focus of the show shifted to recreate the kid-singer excitement. With tons of younger contestants like VanderWaal, Darci Lynne Farmer, and Angelica Hale, the Las Vegas show didn’t really become the prize anymore. They were most likely unable to commit to a long-term performance schedule at the time.

The Creation of The Las Vegas Show

Everything changed once again with the creation of America’s Got Talent‘s headlining show at the Luxor hotel and casino in Las Vegas. The ongoing show, featuring a mix of famous alumni, previous winners, and more creates the perfect prize for any winner. Since this show features acts like The Clairvoyants, Deadly Games, and more, almost any contestant could find their place in the variety show.

AGT Live Las Vegas was first announced in 2021 coinciding with AGT’s Season 16 finale. The original cast of the ongoing variety show featured AGT stars like Preacher Lawson, Kodi Lee, Light Balance, Duo Transcend, The Silhouettes, and more. It was the perfect place for Dustin Tavella (Season 16 winner) to headline his well deserved show. Ahead of Tavella’s debut performance, Brandon Leake (Season 15 winner) took the stage for his prize. This couldn’t have worked out any better for Leake, since he won the show during the coronavirus pandemic.

The cast of this show is ever changing so we’re confident that the newest winners, The Mayyas, will transition into the show smoothly. AGT Live Las Vegas continues to be one of the most-attended shows on the Las Vegas strip in 2022. Ticket prices for this ongoing residency begin at $49 excluding taxes and fees.

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