Bachelor in Paradise Introduces Cash Prize for Season 10 Winners

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Bachelor in Paradise season 10 finale brought exciting twists as the winning couple will take home a cash prize of $500,000. Host Jesse Palmer announced this groundbreaking change during an episode aired in August 2025.

“Paradise is, and always has been, about finding love and creating relationships people can take outside of paradise,” Palmer said to contestants during Week 6 in Costa Rica. He added that the stakes were being raised this year, with no new arrivals and exercises designed to test existing relationships.

Contestants were informed that the “most deserving couples” could win this lucrative prize. Although Palmer did not provide exact details, he hinted that they would receive more information soon.

The series finale aired on September 2, 2025, where couples faced the reality of competition as they were voted off the beach, leaving only one couple eligible for the money. Palmer emphasized no more new arrivals, stating, “All of your exercises are going to be relationship tests designed to test your relationship. Sometimes there will be winners; and sometimes there will be losers that won’t have any roses to hand out.”

Some contestants expressed mixed reactions to the cash prize. One former contestant remarked, “I’m here for love, but it’s now a game, and when money is involved, people do stupid things.” Others, however, were eager to see how the competition might shake out existing relationships.

Two weeks after the announcement, contestant Sean McLaughlin found himself criticized by other contestants for his apparent focus on winning the cash. Fellow contestant Bailey Taylor Brown pointed out, “If you’re only focused on the money, then you’ve lost the plot.”

While the Bachelor franchise has offered cash prizes in the past, this is the first time for Bachelor in Paradise. Previous programs like Bachelor Pad featured contestants competing for $250,000, but the addition of a cash prize in Paradise aims to turn up the heat and excitement of the show.

The finale featured Jess Edwards and Spencer Conley and Alexe Godin and Andrew Spencer as the last two remaining couples. According to spoilers, both couples answered the question, “Are you here for the money, or are you here for love?” Each received envelopes, but the total amount did not equal the full $500,000.

As the season concluded, viewers eagerly anticipated the unfolding relationships and test results, reflecting on the profound questions posed by the reality show. The twist of integrating a cash prize into the dating competition may forever change the dynamics of love in Paradise.