Is ‘The Bachelor’ the Least Successful Reality Dating Show for Finding Love?

If you’re genuinely searching for love, you might want to think twice before joining the cast of The Bachelor.

Despite being one of ABC’s most beloved reality dating shows, the chances of finding true love on The Bachelor are surprisingly slim. According to a study conducted by Casino.ca, the show holds the dubious honor of being the least successful in helping participants find life-long partners. Over its 29 seasons, the odds are stark, with only a 1% success rate. Out of nearly 800 hopeful contestants, a mere five couples have remained together.

The female-focused spinoff The Bachelorette, which has had 600 contestants over its 21-season run, is only slightly more successful, with a success rate of 1.78%.

One dating show that actually works? Netflix’s The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On? has a 47% success rate, with 71% of couples still together. That’s not surprising, considering that cast members come into the show already in a relationship and must decide whether to remain together. 

In second place is Married at First Sight. The show, which follows people who are matched by experts and get married without having met in advance, has a success rate of 13.5%. Twelve couples who said “I do” on the U.S version of the show are still together, with a number having started families together. (A handful of others remained married for a year or more after Decision Day but eventually divorced.)  

Here’s the full list of dating shows analyzed in the report, ranked by a person’s chances of finding love:

1. The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On?
2. Married at First Sight
3. Bachelor in Paradise
4. Love Is Blind
5. Are You the One?
6. Temptation Island
7. Ready to Love
8. Love Island USA
9. Perfect Match 
10. The Bachelorette 
11. Too Hot to Handle 
12. The Bachelor

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