What does The X Factor 2017 winner get and how much is the Syco recording contract worth?
EVERY year the nation tunes in from September through to December to see a group of pop hopefuls battle it out to win the X Factor.
This year's show saw group Rak-Su claim the top spot, but what exactly have they won? And how have previous winners fared after the lights go down on final night?
What prize have X Factor 2017 winners Rak-Su actually won?
Last night the Watford boy band were crowned the winners of the 2017 edition of the X Factor.
The boy band were competing against fellow finalist Grace Davies for the chance to win a recording contract with Syco Records.
Their debut single, Dimelo, was released last night after they were crowned the champs.
It will be their first release as part of their recording contract with Simon Cowell's Sony-owned label.
When the X Factor was initially launched in 2004 it was billed that the prize was a £1million recording contract.
However, since 2011 it has been thought that the act only gets an initial advance of £150,000 for their first album. If they manage to impress the label the advance rises to £237,500 for a second, £315,000 for a third, and £400,000 for a fourth.
What is a recording contract with Syco worth?
Obviously a recording contract with a world-famous label is priceless, but the actual worth of the X Factor prize isn't easily calculated as it relies on success.
IF Rak-Su managed to equal Little Mix - so far the ONLY act to manage a four album streak with Syco - then based on the figures quoted when the prize changed in 2011, they may earn £1.1million.
Back in 2015 Little Mix were estimated to have a net worth of £12million - worth £3million apiece - though this is thought to have since rocketed even higher.
Who has won the X Factor in previous years?
- 2004 - X Factor series one - Steve Brookstein
- 2005 - X Factor series two - Shayne Ward
- 2006 - X Factor series three - Leona Lewis
- 2007 - X Factor series four - Leon Jackson
- 2008 - X Factor series five - Alexandra Burke
- 2009 - X Factor series six - Joe McElderry
- 2010 - X Factor series seven - Matt Cardle
- 2011 - X Factor series eight - Little Mix
- 2012 - X Factor series nine - James Arthur
- 2013 - X Factor series 10 - Sam Bailey
- 2014 - X Factor series 11 - Ben Haenow
- 2015 - X Factor series 12 - Louisa Johnson
- 2016 - X Factor series 13 - Matt Terry
- 2017 - X Factor series 14 - Rak-Su
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Who have been the real winners of X Factor?
Winning the show doesn't necessarily mean a path to fame and success, as the likes of Steve Brookstein, Leon Jackson and Sam Bailey know.
In fact, some of the series biggest winners haven't even come top of the competition.
One Direction are ultimately the biggest success story of the show, but back in 2010 they came third on the show.
Fast-forward to 2017 and the five original members - Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Liiam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan - are all worth at least £50million each.
Before Zayn left in 2015 they'd clocked three number one albums, and their fifth (released later that year) went to number one as well.
Olly Murs came second in 2009 and has managed to do very well for himself. Mainly pursuing a career in music, but also dablling in TV, the Essex boy has become a national treasure.
Scoring for number one albums in the UK, he has also worked as a presenter on The Xtra Factor and appeared on the hit US drama, 90210.