‘Big Brother’ Evictee Steve Arienta Predicts Who Will Win Season 20, And It’s Not Who You Think

Big Brother’s first evictee of the season may have been blindsided by his eviction, but he’s not clueless as to who is playing the best game. Steve Arienta, the former undercover police officer got the boot after just one week in the CBS summertime house, already has a prediction as to who will take home the $500,000 grand prize — and it may surprise fans of the show.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Arienta said Big Brother players Swaggy C and Faysal Shafaat “have the athletic talent to win,” while some of the others in the house, like the Bros., are developing a good strategy. Still, Arienta is putting his money on Scottie Salton.

“Scottie is going to come out of the blue, riding in the end and win it,” Arienta said. “He’s an awesome strategist, a great guy and loyal to the bone.”

Arienta compared Scottie Salton to Big Brother 14 winner Ian Terry, a guy who emerged from an alliance called the Quack Pack to take the prize back in 2012.

Big Brother fans may be surprised by Arienta’s prediction. Scottie Salton started the game in an awkward way, admitting that at age 26 he has never been kissed, had a date, or a girlfriend. When he first met Big Brother houseguest Haleigh Broucher, Salton hugged her and caused an embarrassing on-camera wardrobe malfunction. Scottie is extremely self-depreciating and calls himself things like “a goober.” Not exactly the cocky confident type you’d expect to see win Big Brother.

While this season’s first evictee has made his prediction on the winner, longtime Big Brother host Julie Chen also weighed in on who she thinks has the best chance to win the show’s $500,000 grand prize. Chen told Entertainment Tonight she thinks 23-year-old lifeguard Tyler Crispen has the best shot at the jackpot.

“He’s been playing the game, and he’s been playing it well, and he has no enemies,” Chen said of this season’s first Head of Household. “He’s likable, he’s believable, he’s playing all sides of the house, but not in this unlikable, slimy way.”

Chen went on to point out that Crispen has final two deals with at least four people. The Big Brother host also said she thinks Crispen is much smarter than he lets on.

“He’s keeping his lies straight,” Chen explained. “He’s a lot smarter — you know, when he first moved in, I was like, oh, he’s Sean Penn’s character, Spicoli, from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. But that’s not the case at all.”

Big Brother airs Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays on CBS.