Several magicians have competed on "America's Got Talent" over the years, with some winning the entire competition.

AGT Winners

Mat Franco (Season 9, 2014)

Mat Franco became the first magician ever to win America's Got Talent in Season 9 (2014). The Rhode Island native wowed audiences with his charismatic card tricks and innovative illusions. After winning, he secured a Las Vegas residency at The LINQ Hotel & Casino, where his show "Magic Reinvented Nightly" became one of the highest-rated magic shows in Las Vegas. The theater was later renamed the "Mat Franco Theater" in his honor. He has made multiple guest appearances on AGT since his win.

Shin Lim (Season 13, 2018)

Shin Lim, a Canadian-born close-up magician, won Season 13 in 2018. He is notable for being only the second magician to win AGT, and he also won the "AGT: The Champions" competition in 2019, making him the first (and so far only) act to win both the main show and the Champions spinoff. Lim specializes in card manipulation and has a residency at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.

Dustin Tavella (Season 16, 2021)

Dustin Tavella became the third magician to win AGT in Season 16 (2021). The Virginia Beach magician is known for incorporating personal stories and family themes into his magic. He often featured his husband and adopted sons in his performances. He won the $1 million prize and headlines in Las Vegas.

Notable AGT Contestants

Jon Dorenbos (Season 11, 2016)

Jon Dorenbos is a former NFL long snapper (Philadelphia Eagles) who finished in third place on Season 11 of AGT. After his 14-year NFL career ended, he became a world-class magician and now works as a motivational keynote speaker. His powerful personal story of overcoming tragedy (his father murdered his mother when Jon was 12) and choosing forgiveness has inspired audiences at Fortune 500 companies worldwide. He blends card magic with inspirational messaging in his speaking engagements and has performed at events with Tony Robbins.

The Clairvoyants (Season 11, 2016)

An Austrian magician and mentalist duo who finished in second place on Season 11, behind winner Grace VanderWaal.

Geno Ploeger (Season 21, 2026 — Runner-up)

Geno Ploeger, a 21-year-old close-up magician based in Phoenix, Arizona, finished as the runner-up on Season 21 (2026) of America's Got Talent, placing behind winner Nene Royal and ahead of magician group Hundred Fingers (third place). He advanced out of Quarter-final 2 (August 25, 2026) and the Semi-final (September 15, 2026) before reaching the finale on September 23, 2026, where he shared the stage with prior AGT winner Mat Franco (Season 9), Eric Nam, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Simon Cowell praised his "incredible enthusiasm, love for magic"; Howie Mandel called him "so entertaining... so professional"; and Mel B summed it up best with "Shut the front door."

Ploeger specializes in close-up magic and sleight of hand, combining technical mastery with emotional storytelling. He discovered magic at age five after watching his grandfather make a card vanish at a Thanksgiving dinner. As a student at Arizona State University (double-majoring in Acting and Marketing), he studied at Big Guy's Magic Shop under Brian LeBoeuf and went on to win first place in the International Brotherhood of Magicians Adult Close-Up Competition in Tacoma, Washington — one of the youngest magicians ever to win it. He is a full member of the Academy of Magical Arts at the Magic Castle in Hollywood and mentors young magicians through the Lance Burton Teen Seminar.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ploeger pivoted to a virtual show, performing for remote teams at Comcast, Target, Salesforce, USAA, Santander Bank, and more than 50 other companies, and he has headlined the Customer Contact Week gala at the Mirage in Las Vegas three years running. He has been profiled by The Arizona Republic, KJZZ 91.5 FM, and Genii Magazine (the latter covering a 2026 Netflix appearance alongside comedian Matt Rife).

Young & Strange (Season 21, 2026 — Semifinalist)

Young & Strange, a British comedy magic and illusion duo (Richard Young and Sam Strange), advanced to the semifinals of America's Got Talent Season 21 in 2026, finishing in the Top 11 after being eliminated in the September 16 results show. They performed a "world-first grand illusion" — an open-sided metamorphosis box — in Quarter-final 4 (September 8), prompting Heidi Klum's on-air comment: "I could see this in Vegas!" For full profile, see Young & Strange.