Big Brother 28 Winner: Rick Devens Takes the $750,000 Prize After Survivor Heartbreaks

 Disclaimer: The following post contains spoilers about the Big Brother Season 28 finale.

Photo via TheThings

After nearly three months locked away from the outside world, "Big Brother" Season 28 has a champion: Rick Devens won the live CBS season finale on Thursday, October 1, 2026, beating Taylor Brown in a 6-1 jury vote to take home the $750,000 grand prize. For Devens, the win is sweet redemption — the reality TV veteran came up short twice before on "Survivor."

Who Won Big Brother 28?

The live finale showed all three parts of the final Head of Household competition. The first two parts had already been filmed, and the deciding third part played out live: Devens and Taylor squared off in a game that used video statements from the jury members, challenging them to spot which of three statements in each video was false. Devens answered every question correctly and won 5-3, becoming the season's final HOH.

That win gave Devens the power to choose his final two partner — and he made a brutal, tearful decision. He voted out Drew Campbell at the final three, despite a father-son style bond that carried them all season and despite Drew saving Devens at the final four by voting out Dee Valladares. Devens said he didn't want to risk losing votes to Drew.

The Jury Votes 6-1 for Devens

A seven-member jury heard the final two houseguests' speeches before casting their votes. The result: a 6-1 vote for Rick Devens. Taylor Brown's lone vote came from LaTrice Verrett. Notably, the jury roundtable — hosted for the first time by "Big Brother" Season 26 winner Chelsie Baham — stayed civil this time around, a sharp contrast to past seasons' shouting matches.

From Survivor Heartbreak to Big Brother Glory

Devens is a Virginia news anchor and reality TV veteran who previously fell short on "Survivor" seasons 38 and 50. This time, he played a dominant game: two HOH wins, one veto, one blockbuster competition victory, and a vote in every single eviction up until the final four. He even kept a secret weapon in his back pocket — Devens quietly unleashed the "Pharaoh's Curse" twist earlier in the season, which also netted him an extra $10,000 on top of the grand prize.

Taylor Brown leaves as runner-up with the $75,000 second-place prize after a strong social game of her own. But on October 1, the night belonged to Rick Devens — third time's the charm.