There are several viable candidates from the Big Brother 17 cast who could go on to win the season.

Will There Be More 'Big Brother 17' Houseguests Announced Soon?

As with every year, fans are speculating on which new member of the Big Brother cast could win the $500,000 grand prize. 14 new houseguests will be competing for that prize and each of them has a chance to do well in the game.

Let's break it down by gender.

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For the men, there are several viable options for a potential winner, and statistically they do have a better chance, since 11 men have won the game in 16 seasons.

Professional wrestler Austin Matelson may be a target early on due to his physical prowess, but he seems like a worldly person with the ability to fit in well with others. Retail associate James Huling has many life experiences as well. Presuming they are able to fit in among the younger houseguests, like Derrick Levasseur last season, both could do very well this season.

Supermarket cashier Jason Roy and college student Steve Moses could be considered similar to past Big Brother winners. Jason is gay and said he wants to work with the girls, which could make him similar to Big Brother 15 winner Andy Herren and Steve has the same young nerdy vibe as Big Brother 14 winner Ian Terry.

Other men who probably won't have much trouble fitting in are graduate student Clay Honeycutt and personal trainer Jace Agolli. Both are young, good looking guys who have a natural, inoffensive charisma about them that should at least carry them through the first few weeks. It's possible they could become physical threats along the way though, which may lead to their ouster.

The one wildcard among the men is dentist John McGuire. Based on his early interviews he seems like an erratic guy with a huge, borderline crazy personality. It's easy to see him become an early target if he is too annoying to people or he could integrate and become the leader of an alliance. It is simply too early to tell.

As for the women, it is much harder to win the game based on past history. The only time a woman has won Big Brother is when another woman was sitting next to her. So based on history, it would be wise for them to stick together.

Two women who could presumably work together are poker player Vanessa Rousso and poker dealer Da'Vonne Rogers. Considering they come from the same line of work, they should have a lot in common which could lead to a natural bond. This is assuming, of course, that Da'Vonne doesn't out Vanessa, who is the no. 2 female poker player in the world, and everyone in the house targets her immediately. Regardless, both women could use their poker experiences to play this game smartly.

Server Meg Maley and interior designer Shelli Poole could also do well based on their overall positive energy. Both of them seem very personable which always helps in a social game like Big Brother. However, there is also the potential for both of them to become outcasts for different reasons. For Meg, her super positivity could ultimately be seen as grating to the other houseguests, while Shelli is the oldest person in the house, which could be a problem as far as fitting in.

Meanwhile, retail manager Becky Burgess and marketing coordinator Liz Nolan could be good social players as far as having fun while not seeming like threats. They are both ready to have fun in the house. It is also possible that both could be rather athletic, and as long as they don't become huge threats, they could last a long time.

The wildcard for the women is digital media consultant Audrey Middleton. Much of the buzz this season has been on Audrey considering she is transgender, a first for the U.S. show. This could isolate her from some houseguests or it could make her one of the most popular in the house. Based on her interviews she has a very conniving personality and she has clearly come to play hard, so as long as she tones that down, she could get very far and potentially win.

Big Brother 17 premieres on Wednesday, June 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

Tags
Big Brother, Reality TV, CBS