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After 45 seasons of Survivor, there’s been a wide range of champions, but sometimes the person who takes home the million-dollar cash prize is not worthy of the title “Sole Survivor.”
So, we’ve compiled a list of the worst Survivor winners of all time, and some of these placements might surprise you.
21. Season 43: Mike Gabler
Nobody expected Mike Gabler to win Survivor 43, due to his apparent cluelessness. His win is one of the most controversial of all time and because Survivor 43 is a less-than-stellar season, Gabler took the last spot on our list.
20. Season 32: Michele Fitzgerald
It still doesn’t make sense that Michele was rewarded the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar cash prize at the end of Survivor: Kaôh Rōng. Perhaps she should stick to The Challenge…
19. Season 38: Chris Underwood
Chris coasted his way through Survivor: Edge of Extinction and did more in 13 days than the other finalists did in 39. We’re ranking him low because he didn’t play a full game, but he is a Survivor trailblazer.
18. Season 21: Jud “Fabio” Birza
Jud “Fabio” Birza utilized a strategy of cluelessness and stupidity that coasted him to an unsatisfying victory. He can be praised for his four individual immunity wins throughout the season, but as a whole, Fabio’s gameplay was lackluster.
17. Season 19: Natalie White
Natalie only won due to the jury’s hatred of the ultimate Survivor villain, Russell Hantz. The jury just wanted anyone but him to win, and Natalie was the best bet.
16. Season 8: Amber Brkich
Amber Brkich surprised viewers all across America when she beat her now-husband, the iconic “Boston” Rob Mariano. The Survivor: All-Stars jury rewarded Amber with victory simply because they despised Boston Rob at the time.
15. Season 4: Vecepia Towery
Vecepia’s under-the-radar gameplay and quietness was just boring to watch, causing her to fall low on our list due to a win with no wow factor.
14: Season 17: Bob Crowley
Still reigning supreme as the oldest Survivor winner of all time Bob is undoubtedly a fan favorite but perhaps not a great winner. He had to squeak out a victory and nobody can deny he has his flaws.
13: Season 6: Jenna Morasca
Jenna wasn’t a bad player, but aside from her physical and social game, she wasn’t not the most outdoorsy. Hiding behind bigger threats all season long, Jenna managed to make it to the Final Tribal Council and won due to her strong ties to individuals on the jury.
12: Season 11: Danni Boatwright
Danni won, but didn’t pick up speed until the end of her season. Describing herself as a “stealth bomber”, her game was a snooze fest until the end.
11: Season 12: Aras Baskauskas
Aras Baskauskas only won because Terry Deitz was voted out. Survivor superfans still believe that Terry deserved to bring home the bacon, making Aras’ victory underwhelming and unsatisfying.
10: Season 39: Tommy Sheehan
Tommy’s strong social game ensured his victory, but the rest was rather forgettable. However, we can’t put his win too low on our list due to the social and strategic masterclass he delivered.
9: Season 44: Yamil “Yam Yam” Arocho
“Yam Yam” would have lost the beloved competition series had Carson Garrett beat Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt in the fire-making competition – and that’s after he trained Carson to make fire. This left fans wondering whether Yam Yam was strategic or if he just got lucky
8: Season 41: Erika Casupanan
Erika avoided being targeted on her season but, due to this lack of screen time, her victory was lackluster. Nonetheless, she made history as the first Canadian and lesbian to win. Go Erika!
7: Season 23: Sophie Clarke
Sophie is known by Survivor superfans for her blunt, witty confessionals but her victory was forgettable and she was overshadowed by the antics of her season’s more memorable castaways: Coach, Brandon Hantz, and Ozzy Lusth.
6: Season 3: Ethan Zohn
Ethan’s innate likability and strong social game earned him the million-dollar cash prize, but as a whole, his Survivor journey was nothing super special, getting lucky on more occasions than just one.
5: Season 9: Chris Daugherty
With one of the greatest underdog stories of all time, fans wonder whether Chris deserved victory or if he just played the unfortunate cards he was dealt well. Nonetheless, despite losing his allies early on, Chris won after the jury praised the odds that he had to overcome.
4: Season 14: Earl Cole
Earl played a dominant game from start to finish but was deemed “a less-than-dynamic winner in a less-than-dynamic season.” He did make Survivor history though, as the first castaway to earn a unanimous jury vote.
3: Season 42: Maryanne Oketch
Maryanne Oketch played an amazing throughout Survivor 42, but it’s unclear whether Maryanne would have won had Jonathan Young been in the final three. Either way, her game was good, with her strategy coming to light late in the game instead of dominating from the start.
2: Season 5: Brian Heidik
Brian’s gameplay was largely overshadowed by the dark cloud that is Survivor: Thailand. As the jury despised finalist Clay Jordan, Brian won by one vote, a victory far too close for comfort. His dominance all season long was impressive, but he’s not one of the best winners by any means.
1: Season 36: Wendell Holland
Fans still believe that Domenick Abbate should have won this season, but Wendell’s game shouldn’t be overlooked as he excelled in all three key categories: social, strategic, and physical. Maybe Domenick should have won Survivor: Ghost Island, but Wendell’s gameplay should not be slandered.
To see our 22 best Survivor winners, click here.