Mix twists, temptations, and an unprecedented number of showmances, and you've got a Big Brother house full of guests willing to bend the rules — at least in Matt Clines' case. After learning that he and Raven were Jason's real targets for elimination, Matt started breaking the show's strict guidelines in a strategic attempt to earn a penalty vote and help keep Raven safe. It worked, but it's a rare occurrence, and viewers may be curious: What is a Big Brother penalty vote in the first place?
Basically, it's a punishment assigned to a houseguest who does something in the game that they are not allowed to do. If he or she isn’t already on the block then there can be a penalty nomination, but since Matt is already up for elimination, that means he'll just get an extra vote toward getting evicted this week — which was exactly his intention. After Jason announced he would be keeping the nominations the same, Matt realized either he or Raven would be going home. In order to protect her and ensure he's the one evicted, he started breaking production's previously outlined rules. For instance, as a Have-Not, he's only supposed to eat slop and bathe with cold water, but he began eating regular food and taking hot showers despite Big Brother's many warnings to stop.
In the past, such behavior has warranted an even more extreme outcome, which seems to be what Matt is aiming for. In Season 11, China Simone was expelled from the game after she repeatedly refused to follow the rules.
Matt doesn't seem to have any intention of changing his behavior, as getting booted from the show is actually his goal as long as it keeps Raven in the house. It's a smart plan, as it leaves both his fellow houseguests and the Big Brother producers out of control. They can either let him carry on without an even bigger consequence or give him exactly what he wants by sending him packing. Either way, it undermines their power. It's Matt's small way of taking charge in a game that's largely been predictable, and after all the pushback he's received for standing back and hiding in Paul's shadow, he's finally making a big move.
It's unclear where things will go from here, but more than likely, Matt will soon be heading home.
