'The Bachelor’ Australia 2016 update: Ladies are reportedly paid $90 per day; newly eliminated contestant Laura claims Richie will end up with himself

Contrary to what hopeless romantics believe, the female contestants on “The Bachelor” Australia don’t compete for the leading man’s heart for free.

However, their measly talent fee can still be considered quite a sacrifice, considering the ordeal they have to go through in the reality show, as well as the professions most of them had to leave in order to join Network Ten’s “The Bachelor Australia.” Filming the TV program usually takes three months, which may make quite an impact on the contestants’ purses, although their food, accommodation, make-up and clothes are covered by the producers.

A recent report by the Sydney Morning Herald claimed that similar to previous seasons, the 22 ladies in the running to be Richie Strahan’s future bride are paid $90 each per day. “Some of those girls couldn't afford to pay their electricity bills let alone the rent ... they went on the show hoping to turn their fortunes around,” a source told the Sydney Morning Herald.

The bachelor, on the other hand, receives $10,000, according to the report. Richie, who starts on “The Bachelor” Australia 2016, is currently weeding out this season’s contestants to find “the one.” Last Thursday, the male model sent Laura Williams and Mia McKinnon home, leaving only 17 contestants at the mansion.

Surprisingly, Laura was not grieving over her elimination, and admitted that she laughing throughout the whole rose giving ceremony. In an interview with NW Online, the 25-year-old project manager admitted that her date didn’t go well with Richie.

“I wasn’t loving it, Richie didn’t seem like he was in there,” she said. “I didn’t feel like I really wanted to be there anymore. I just didn’t feel like he was stimulating me at all. He just really wasn’t doing it for me.” Laura revealed that she found the whole experience with him “regimental,” considering that he already appeared in “The Bachelorette” before. “He was a little bit like, ‘Been here, done that…’ Richie knew exactly what was going on,” Laura added.

Asked who will win on “The Bachelor” Australia 2016, Laura said it’s going to be Richie himself. “I reckon Richie’s got it in the bag,” she said. “It’s just going to be Richie and a mirror. I think he’ll look at himself in the mirror and go, ‘Thank you, Richie. I thought you’d never ask.’ And that’s it! They’ll go off together and live happily ever after in TV land.”

Find out what happens next on “The Bachelor” Australia 2016, which airs every Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. on Network Ten.