Big Brother 28: Rick Devens claimed the $750,000 grand prize and an additional $50,000 as America’s Favorite Houseguest, completing a double victory after choosing Taylor Brown over Drew Campbell for the final jury vote.
Rick Devens has walked away from the Big Brother Season 28 finale with more than just the winner’s title. The former Survivor contestant secured the $750,000 grand prize and added another $50,000 after being named America’s Favorite Houseguest, bringing his combined prize winnings to $800,000.
The CBS reality competition concluded on Thursday, October 1, ending an 87-day season that saw alliances change, contestants face repeated nominations and three finalists compete for the show’s biggest cash reward.
Devens defeated Taylor Brown in the final jury vote, while Drew Campbell’s journey ended just short of the final two. The decisive moment came when Devens, having won the last Head of Household (HoH) competition, chose to eliminate Campbell despite previously promising to take him to the end.
The decision placed Brown alongside Devens for the final vote and brought an unexpected conclusion to Campbell’s game.
Rick Devens Wins Big Brother 28 After a Risky Final Decision
Devens entered Season 28 with an established reality television background, having previously competed twice on Survivor. His third attempt at winning a reality competition ultimately ended with his first victory.
Throughout the season, Devens initially held a strong position alongside the returning reality TV personalities, helping influence the direction of several evictions. However, that position also made him a prominent target as the competition progressed.
Competition victories became increasingly important to his survival, particularly during the closing stages.
His final Head of Household win gave him direct control over which contestant would join him in front of the jury. Campbell appeared to have reason to expect that spot, especially after Devens had promised on live television a week earlier that he would take him to the final two.
Instead, Devens evicted Campbell and selected Brown.
The decision marked the final major strategic move of his season. Devens went on to secure the jury’s vote, adding the Big Brother 28 title to his reality television career.
Taylor Brown Finishes Runner-Up After Surviving Six Nominations
Brown’s second-place finish came after a season in which elimination was a recurring possibility.
She was nominated within the opening days of the competition and eventually found herself on the block six times across the 87-day season.
Despite the repeated setbacks, Brown remained in the house through a combination of competition performances and decisions that helped extend her stay.
Her most consequential effort came during the finale, when she convinced Devens to eliminate Campbell rather than honour their earlier final-two arrangement.
Addressing the jury in her closing speech, Brown reflected on how frequently she had faced elimination, saying, “I’m still here.”
Although she did not receive enough jury votes to defeat Devens, Brown finished the season as runner-up and received the $75,000 second-place prize.
Why Did Rick Devens Eliminate Drew Campbell?
Campbell’s eviction was particularly significant because of a decision he had made during the previous week.
He had chosen to eliminate Dee Valladares rather than Devens, believing his relationship with the latter would secure him a place in the final two.
That calculation did not hold.
After securing the final Head of Household title, Devens had the opportunity to decide his opponent for the jury vote. Despite their previous understanding, he ultimately chose Brown.
The outcome left Campbell in third place, while Brown, who had spent much of the season fighting to remain in contention, received the opportunity to compete for the grand prize.
Rick Devens Also Wins America’s Favorite Houseguest
The finale delivered another significant result for Devens beyond his jury victory.
He was also announced as the winner of America’s Favorite Houseguest, the fan-voted award that carries a separate $50,000 cash prize.
Devens, Campbell and Yash Patel were the three leading vote-getters in the public poll. Devens eventually claimed the award with almost 30% of the vote.
Unlike the main championship, which is determined by the jury, America’s Favorite Houseguest is decided through fan voting on the CBS website ahead of the live finale.
Winning both awards meant Devens received $800,000 in combined announced prize money, excluding any applicable taxes or other contestant payments.
How Much Money Did the Big Brother 28 Winner and Runner-Up Receive?
The finale also highlighted how significantly the show’s financial rewards have changed since its early years.
When Big Brother premiered in 2000, the winner received $500,000. The amount remained unchanged for more than two decades before host Julie Chen Moonves announced an increase during the Season 23 premiere in 2021.
The additional $250,000 brought the winning amount to $750,000, which remained the grand prize for Season 28.
The runner-up reward also increased from its earlier amount of $50,000 to $75,000, while America’s Favorite Houseguest now carries a separate $50,000 award.
Big Brother 28 Prize Money Breakdown
| Result | Contestant | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|
| Season 28 Winner | Rick Devens | $750,000 |
| Runner-Up | Taylor Brown | $75,000 |
| America’s Favorite Houseguest | Rick Devens | $50,000 |
| Total announced winnings for Devens | $800,000 |
The America’s Favorite Houseguest award was first introduced in Season 7 under the name America’s Choice Jury Prize. It initially carried a $25,000 reward and was restricted to jury members before the eligibility criteria were expanded.
Its prize money increased to $50,000 in Season 23, the same season in which the main championship reward was raised.
Do Other Big Brother Contestants Receive Money?
The financial rewards are not limited to the finalists and the fan-favourite winner.
Contestants also receive a reported weekly filming stipend of $1,000.
Former Season 19 houseguest Elena Davies previously discussed the payment arrangement during a July 2021 appearance on Jason Tartick’s Trading Secrets podcast.
Davies explained that contestants received the weekly stipend for the duration of their filming involvement. She also revealed that although she was evicted on Day 68, her subsequent time in the jury house meant she received payments covering the full 13-week season.
The stipend is separate from the major cash prizes announced during the finale.
Will Big Brother Return for Season 29?
With Devens crowned the Season 28 winner, attention now turns to the competition’s next instalment.
Casting for Big Brother Season 29 is open, with the programme expected to return next summer.
For Devens, however, Season 28 has already delivered a notable conclusion. After two unsuccessful appearances on Survivor, he secured his first reality competition victory, won over the voting audience and collected two of the show’s biggest individual cash awards in a single finale.
His decision to eliminate Campbell may have changed the composition of the final two, but it was the jury and the viewers who ultimately delivered his $800,000 finish.
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