The Too Hot To Handle Prize Situation Is V Different From Season 1

Another season of Too Hot To Handle has come to an end, but the big finale was much different this time around. After weeks of trying to keep their hands to themselves, the sexy singles learned that only one of them would be walking away from the villa with all the prize money — a pretty massive change from Season 1, in which all the remaining contestants split the cash prize among themselves. The new twist definitely created some last-minute tension, so here’s who won the Too Hot To Handle Season 2 prize money — and how they did it:

There was a lot of surprising growth among the Season 2 cast of Too Hot To Handle, but as the new season reached its final episodes, it was clear that a few people were definite standouts in the amount they’d changed through this process. Carly’s breakup with Chase and openness to explore things with Joey helped her learn to speak up for herself; Marvin’s vulnerability with Melinda showed he’d put his player ways in the past; and Cam’s commitment to Emily proved he was ready to stop playing games and finally settle down. Because of the growth of these three contestants in particular, Lana made the surprising announcement in the season finale that only they would be eligible to take home the prize money.

Maybe the shift in picking a winner had to do with the notable dip in prize funds this time around. The Season 1 cast was able to end things with a pretty sizable $75,000 out of the initial $100,000 still in their pot, but the much more free-wheeling Season 2 cast was only able to keep $55,000 in their prize fund at the end.

To make things even more dramatic, Lana announced that Cam, Carly, and Marvin’s castmates would be the ones to decide who should win the $55,000. In the end, Marvin managed to beat out Cam by just one vote, so he was awarded all the prize money.

Surprisingly, there didn’t seem to be any bad blood among the cast about Marvin being the sole winner. Once he was announced, everyone celebrated him and declared they enjoyed the process despite going home without any cash, especially since many of them gained new significant others through the retreat. Now, the big question going forward is whether Too Hot To Handle will change up its finale structure yet again in its upcoming seasons, because the Season 2 ending was totally unexpected.