Big Brother: A new "Big Brother" champion is about to be crowned. CBS airs the Season 28 finale on Oct. 1.
Taylor Brown, Drew Campbell and Rick Devens are the final three houseguests. One of them will win a six-figure prize.
The show has come a long way since its 2000 debut. The first winner received $500,000. That changed in 2021.
Host Julie Chen Moonves announced a $250,000 increase during the Season 23 premiere. The grand prize has been $750,000 ever since.
The winner is not the only one who gets paid. Here is a breakdown of what each houseguest can earn.
What does the "Big Brother" winner get?
The champion receives $750,000. Earlier winners got $500,000, and many called the money life-changing.
Season 14 winner Ian Terry described the moment he won as a huge relief. He told Nerd Wallet in 2018 that it felt like a weight had been lifted.
He put his winnings toward his student loans and tuition. He also bought a house and a car.
Season 10 winner Dan Gheesling took a different route. He invested most of his prize. His main splurge was a down payment on a condo.
He still runs a business and works every day. He told the outlet he is not "rich" in the way people might assume.
Ashley Hollis, who won Season 27 in September 2025, said she had no plans to go on a spending spree.
She told Entertainment Weekly she would stick to her usual lifestyle. She wants to take her family on a trip.
She also plans to give a large share to her parents. The rest will go into savings, with a possible home purchase in a few years.
What does the runner-up get?
The runner-up does not leave empty-handed. As of 2024, second place pays $75,000. Before Season 23, the prize was $50,000.
Makensy Manbeck, the Season 26 runner-up, said the money was a bonus. She acknowledged missing out on the $750,000.
She also said the experience gave her a strong sense of self-worth.
What does America's Favorite Houseguest get?
"Big Brother" added a third prize in Season 7. It was first called the America's Choice Jury Prize.
Only jury members could receive it at first. The show later opened it to every houseguest.
Fans choose the winner by voting on the CBS website. Voting closes before the live finale, when the result is announced.
The prize started at $25,000. It rose to $50,000 in Season 23.
How much are houseguests paid?
Every contestant earns a weekly stipend of $1,000. Pay continues for as long as they are filming.
Elena Davies, a Season 19 contestant, explained the system on the podcast "Trading Secrets" in July 2021.
She said the first person evicted still gets the full $1,000, even after filming for only a few hours.
Davies was evicted on day 58. She then moved to the jury house.
Because she technically filmed all season, she received the stipend for all 13 weeks.
Follow Us
