Sophi Balerdi, the runner-up of Survivor 49, has revealed that she was told by jury members the final vote was far closer than viewers saw, and that she would have won the season had a key fire-making challenge gone differently. In a series of exit interviews following the December 17, 2025 finale, Balerdi opened up about her strategic decisions, the emotional weight of her “underdog” journey, and the stunning information she received after pleading her case at the Final Tribal Council.
The 27-year-old entrepreneur, who finished second to Savannah Louie, stated she leaves the game with immense pride. “I feel like I finished on a high note,” Balerdi said. “I feel like I did the best I possibly could… Considering the start I had and how I finished, I can’t be mad. We have a deserving winner, and she’s one of my best friends”.
A Closer Final Vote and Paths to Victory
The most revealing post-game details concern the jury’s perspective. Balerdi exclusively told The New York Post that several jurors informed her they were “50/50” between voting for her or Savannah right up until the moment host Jeff Probst read the votes. This internal conflict was not fully shown in the finale edit.
“I was told by several jury members after the fact that they were 50/50 between me and Savannah, and that if Rizo won fire, I would have won,” Balerdi revealed.
This information reframes the endgame. Balerdi explained that her decision at the Final Four was between putting her two closest allies—Savannah and Rizo Velovic—against each other in fire, or stepping in herself to face Savannah. She chose the former, hoping Rizo would win and clear her path to victory in the Final Three. According to the jury feedback, that assessment was correct: had Rizo beaten Savannah in the fire-making challenge, Balerdi believes—and was told—she would have secured enough jury votes to win the million dollars.
Strategic Decisions and the “Knowledge Is Power” Gamble
Balerdi’s journey was defined by playing from the bottom as a member of the perpetually losing Kele tribe, yet finding power in a dominant post-merge trio with Savannah and Rizo, known as the “Tres Leches” alliance. Her most debated move was using the “Knowledge Is Power” advantage at the Final Seven to try to take a “Block a Vote” advantage from player Steven Ramm, instead of seizing Rizo’s publicly known Immunity Idol.
The move backfired when it was revealed Steven’s advantage could not be stolen. Balerdi calls this a “blunder” and acknowledges she “got got by the twist”. She explained her reasoning was to get credit for a big strategic move against a jury threat, rather than just taking an idol. “I knew taking Steven out… was a bigger move than taking Rizo out, so I wanted credit for that,” she said.
The Emotional Weight of Loyalty and an “Underdog” Story
Throughout her interviews, Balerdi emphasized that her relationships, particularly with Savannah and Rizo, were a double-edged sword. Her loyalty was a defining trait, but one she acknowledges may have cost her the ultimate prize. Sending her two closest allies to face off in the fire-making challenge was “incredibly hard” but a necessary demonstration to the jury that she was playing for herself.
Her “underdog” story, stemming from her tribe’s early struggles, became a central pillar of her Final Tribal Council argument. “I had survived a disaster tribe,” Balerdi noted. “I went to the most tribal councils out of anyone, voted the most people out of my season… I felt like I had a good underdog story”.
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Looking Forward and Closing Thoughts
When asked what she learned about herself, Balerdi said the experience gave her a new layer of confidence. “I learned I’m more of a bad ass than I give myself credit for,” she stated. “I know I can do really hard things”.
While Savannah and Rizo have been announced as returning players for the landmark Survivor 50 season, Balerdi exits with no regrets about her overall game. She expressed a desire for the show to have highlighted more of her strategic partnership with Rizo, noting they “tag-teamed a lot of votes” that were often only credited to him in the edit.
Reflecting on her entire arc, from the bottom of a losing tribe to one vote away from winning, Balerdi’s sentiment is one of accomplishment. “I got myself as far as I could, and I’m proud of myself,” she said. “I got the second-best title”.
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