‘Big Brother’ Star Picks Her Finale Opponent But Still Loses Unanimously After Making Wrong Decision

Big Brother Season 26 came to a close on Sunday night, and the finale ended with a decision that will live in BB infamy. The show was down to its final three contestants: Chelsie Baham, Makensy Manbeck and Cam Sullivan-Brown. One of these houseguests was poised to make a tough call that ultimately did not work out in their favor. Spoilers ahead.

Makensy won the final Head of Household competition of the season, which gives the player the right to choose their opponent in the final two. From there, the winner would be decided by vote from a jury of evicted players.

Makensy was a heavy competition winner during the season and manuevered her way to the end despite being in a tough spot early in the game. Chelsie was a savvy social player (with comp wins, as well) who heavily influenced many other players’ moves — including Makensy’s. Cam, while well-liked, won no competitions and was not seen as a strategic game player in the house or by viewers at home.

It’s pretty well understood by viewers at home that either Makensy or Chelsie should have aimed to compete in the final two against Cam. Many at home were surprised when Makensy opted to go head-to-head against Chelsie in the final two. That choice would obviously be the tougher way to victory — and it ultimately turned out to be the wrong one.

Chelsie defeated Makensy by a unanimous vote of 7-0, with viewers at home praising Chelsie’s arguments to the jury. Chelsie takes home the $750,000 prize, and Makensy is left with the runner-up purse of $75,000. Had Makensy evicted Chelsie to face off against Cam, it’s widely believed she would have won by a clear majority, if not unanimously herself.

Despite the clear financial ramifications of Makensy’s choice, she apparently doesn’t regret her decision.

“I would really do it again because I still had hope in myself,” Makensy told Entertainment Weekly after the show. “I didn’t think I was going to lose, or at least as bad as I did, 7 to 0. But I was confident in my own game. I was confident that I did play an amazing game. I survived a lot in that house and I proved myself every week. And if people on the jury didn’t see that and didn’t want to commend my game, then so be it. They can commend hers.

“But what I know in my heart is that I did win for myself and I prove to myself a lot, and hopefully I proved to America a lot, and I get to walk out with my head held high knowing that I made decisions that make me happy inside the house, and will make me happy outside of this house. Being able to watch this game back, knowing how I talked about people, the moves I made, and just everything in general will make me very, very proud. And hopefully it’ll make my family proud and other people seeing that they can be authentically themselves and still go far in this game.”