‘Survivor’ Season 39 Winner Predictions

CBS Survivor: Season 39

There are five castaways heading into the season 39 finale of Survivor. There were initially six, but off-screen controversy led to the removal of castaway Dan Spilo. So which of the remaining contestants has the best chance of winning the competition? Which will end up in second place? We’ve provided a rundown of who we think the season 39 winner will be.

The 5 castaways competing for the season 39 title include:

• Lauren Beck
• Tommy Sheehan
• Janet Carbin
• Dean Kowalski
• Noura Salman

Lauren Beck has remained in control of her game throughout the season, and has proven herself to be a formidable opponent. Some of the castaways consider her to be a larger threat than Tommy. Unfortunately, we don’t think Lauren’s reputation will do her any favors come finale time. She will likely be voted off early on, so the threat she poses will be minimized.

Noura Salman is another long shot to win season 39. She has been a difficult contestant from the start, and while her antics may charm viewers at home, they have had the opposite effect on her peers. To make matters worse, all of Noura’s attempts to flip the game and take control have failed, and resulted in making her look ineffective. Don’t expect her to make it far into the finale.

Janet Carbin is an interesting case. She’s a fan favorite, and the way that she’s carried herself throughout the season has led to her earning the respect of nearly all her peers. She’s a smart player, and she steers clear of manipulation or tricky maneuvers that could damage her credibility. For many, Janet would be a perfectly worthy contestant to win. The problem is, recent Survivor seasons have seen the edge go to more aggressive players, and Carbin may be too much of a straight shooter to triumph.

Dean Kowalski has proven himself to be one of the weakest finalists in some time. He’s voted incorrectly multiple times, fallen for fake advantages, and he needed to be given an Idol to survive the premerge. Yet, he’s managed to fail upwards each time, inching closer to a potential victory. We could see Dean’s look carrying him through most of the finale, but we’d be shocked if he snagged the top spot. Expect to see Dean finish in second or third place.

Tommy Sheehan is the favorite. He’s been the cagiest player throughout season 39, and though he’s rubbed a few people the wrong way, he hasn’t made enemies to the extent that some of the other finalists have. Gold Derby reports that Tommy has the best odds of winning with 8/11 racetrack odds, and we’re inclined to agree with them. The poll predicts that Janet will finish second (71/20), Dean third (11/1), Noura fourth (15/1) and Lauren in fifth (18/1).

The season 39 jury will comprised of ten members, and two additional castaways who will be voted out later. In the event the jurors’ votes lead to a tie, the third finalist who receives the least number of votes will cast the tie-breaking decision. This rule has only been enacted once, during the finale of Survivor: Ghost Island.