To compete on Big Brother, houseguests need to be of legal age in the U.S., which is 21. Meanwhile, there's no age limit, with Jerry MacDonald from season 10 still holding the record as the oldest Big Brother competitor ever at 75 when he played.
It's easy to assume that older players may win more easily thanks to their life experience, and indeed, many of the past winners were 30, or approaching 30, at the time they won. Among this list is Derrick Levasseur, Kaycee Clark, and Mike "Boogie" Malin; "Evil" Dick Donato was already in his 40s when he won season 8. But of the 22 winners thus far, many have been under 25, and two were just 21 when they were crowned winner of their respective seasons.
Eddie McGee (Big Brother 1) – 21
McGee is the first-ever winner of the long-running reality competition series, and he proved right out of the gate that age didn't really matter. He barely made it to qualify for the age restrictions of the show as he was just 21 at the time that he won.
On this season, the winner was voted by the fans and houseguests. Not only does Eddie, now 42, have the distinction of being only one of two people to ever win the game at the age of 21, he is also the only amputee to ever play. Like a few of the other nine first Big Brother winners, McGee went on to pursue a career in acting.
Ian Terry (Big Brother 14) – 21
Most recently returning to play on Big Brother 22 All-Stars, Ian is a memorable player for one specific reason: he beat fan favorite player Dan Gheesling, who served as his mentor on season 14. Ian was smart and strategic, despite only being 21 at the time. So, it's no surprise his finale episode ranks as one of the top 10 finales on Big Brother.
Today, now 30, Ian proved himself worthy of being called an All-Star when he played for the second time. It took several years before he became the second 21-year-old to win the game, and Ian still remains only one of two to earn this distinction.
Drew Daniel (Big Brother 5) – 22
Drew won Big Brother 5 thanks to his Four Horseman alliance and being a competition beast. He just barely won with a 4-3 vote against Michael Ellis, his alliance member, who he memorably chose to take to the end over his showmance partner Diane Henry.
Now 39, Drew remains the third-youngest person to ever win the show, and the only person to win while being 22.
Jordan Lloyd (Big Brother 11) – 23
Known mostly for her relationship with Jeff Schroeder, one of the cutest showmances ever on the show, Jordan Lloyd was also a "floater" who managed to get to the end and be voted a winner simply because she was likable. She intentionally avoided the drama and it paid off in the end.
Now in her 30s and married (to Jeff) with kids, Jordan is much older and wiser. But back then, she was just a 23-year-old looking to win a reality show. And she managed to pull it off.
Steve Moses (Big Brother 17) – 23
One of three past winners to have done so at the age of 23, Steve was born in 1992, making him that age when he won back in 2015. Now just 29, he is gearing up to enter his 30s while being $500,000 richer.
Steve was a smart player who laid low until the end when he started to win competition after competition, including the most crucial one that saw him, send home the expected winner, Vanessa Rousso. It was one of the biggest finale moves in the show's history, and Steve's most iconic scene on Big Brother,
Josh Martinez (Big Brother 19) – 23
Memorable from that time he banged pots and pans together to annoy his enemies in the house, as well as his constant crying, Josh also had the distinction of sending Paul Abrahamian – one of the best players to never win Big Brother - home upset after being named runner-up for the second time in a row.
Martinez is 27 years old now, but when he played back in 2016, he was a young 23. At the time, he called himself "ambitious, courageous, and passionate." Josh was one of several returning players who were supposed to appear on All-Stars but didn't, reportedly testing positive for COVID-19, which prevented him from entering the house.
Hayden Moss (Big Brother 12) – 24
Part of one of the most memorable and successful alliances in Big Brother history, The Brigade, Hayden's tight relationships with the others helped bring him all the way to a win. And he was just a 24-year-old college student at the time, one of three winners to take home the half-a-million-dollar cash prize at that age.
Today, at 35, Hayden held the title of the only 24-year-old winner until Big Brother 18, six years later.
Nicole Franzel (Big Brother 18) – 24
Nicole pulled out a surprise win after she emerged victorious against the cocky and sure Paul Abrahamian, who angered too many in the jury to have his hard work pay off with a win. Nicole was just 24 years old at the time.
While she returned to play in Big Brother All-Stars, ultimately placing third when her friend Cody Calafiore decided to take Enzo to the finale with him instead, now 29-year-old Nicole has moved on from the game and is married with her first child.
Jackson Michie (Big Brother 21) – 24
While he was a controversial player and the eventual winner, Jackson's age was brought up multiple times during his season since he had a showmance with the much older Holly. He pulled out the win at the tender age of 24.
Later revealing in a TikTok video, according to US Magazine, that he had a drug addiction at the time of his win, the 25-year-old today says he is drug-free.
Dan Gheesling (Big Brother 10) – 25
One of the most popular people to ever play the game, and one of the best returning players on Big Brother when he came back in season 14, Dan, now 37 years old, won way back in 2008 with some incredible moves and strategic game play.
While his game play was ruthless, Dan showed tremendous maturity, skill, and clever manipulations, despite being just 25 years old at the time. He not only won by unanimous vote, but he also never received a single vote to be evicted through the entire season.