Grind in PokerWired x Stake Poker $250 GTD Freebuy on Friday
15 Jun 2026Read More
From the WSOP Final Table to a Netflix Survival Challenge: Steven Jones Enters the Squid Game
- Steven Jones competes in Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge for $4.56M.
- The show adapts challenges from the Squid Game drama, minus the lethal risks.
- Despite controversy, the show has received critical acclaim and awards.
Steven Jones isn’t done chasing seven-figure prizes just yet. The 2023 World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up, who banked $6.5 million in July, has now popped up in one of the unlikeliest places: Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge.
Jones, who finished second to Daniel Weinman in the second-largest WSOP Main Event in history, is now contestant #183 in the high-stakes reality series inspired by the South Korean drama Squid Game. This time, however, the carnage is symbolic but the prize is real: $4.56 million, the biggest cash prize in reality TV history.
Your boy has entered the games!
Jones wrote on Instagram, teasing his appearance ahead of the show’s November 2025 premiere.
Familiar Stakes in a New Battleground
Jones knows a thing or two about mental pressure. After all, he outlasted thousands of players on poker’s biggest stage. But Squid Game: The Challenge is a different beast altogether.
The competition, spread across 10 episodes, features 456 players and a string of elimination-style games designed to mirror those from the original series, minus the deadly consequences. The first four episodes dropped on November 4, with four more coming November 11 and the finale scheduled for November 19.
Jones is one of several contestants shown in the official trailer, a detail that fans of reality TV have come to treat as a clue.
The Show Behind the Spectacle
The original Squid Game made headlines with its brutal critique of late-stage capitalism, showing ordinary people forced into absurdly dangerous situations for money. That message was not lost on critics of Netflix’s decision to gamify the concept into an actual competition show.
Season 1 of The Challenge drew pushback even before release. Reports emerged that some early contestants experienced physical stress during the first “Red Light, Green Light” game, with claims of extended filming hours and even hypothermia during the shoot in freezing conditions.
Despite the controversy, the show earned serious awards attention, a BAFTA and multiple Emmy nods, and Netflix wasted no time announcing casting for Season 3, even before Season 2 aired.
Producers Fire Back
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, executive producer Tim Harcourt pushed back on the idea that The Challenge exists solely to exploit desperation.
Harcourt said:
I take issue with the notion that Squid Game has just one. Yes, it’s a critique of capitalism but it’s also about how we’re trained to compete from a young age, how people behave under pressure, and how camaraderie forms in the most unlikely places.
So How Far Does Jones Go?
That’s the million-dollar (well, $4.56 million) question and Netflix isn’t saying much. No spoilers have leaked yet, but the poker community will no doubt be watching closely to see if Jones can parlay his WSOP success into another deep run.
What’s certain: Jones has already proven he can perform under pressure. Whether that transfers to giant childhood games in an aircraft hangar?
We’ll find out soon enough.
FAQs: Steven Jones & Squid Game: The Challenge
Who is Steven Jones?
Steven Jones is a professional poker player who finished second in the 2023 WSOP Main Event, winning $6.5 million. He is now a contestant on Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge.
What is Squid Game: The Challenge?
It’s a Netflix reality competition series based on the popular drama Squid Game, featuring 456 contestants competing in physical and mental challenges for a $4.56 million prize.
How can I watch Jones compete?
The first four episodes dropped on Netflix on November 4. More episodes will be released weekly, with the finale airing on November 19, 2025.
Upcoming Events
19 June 2026
Road to Banco €550 Poker
Poker-SM Live 2026 Goes More International: Open For All €250K Banco Championship
888poker $300GTD Freebuy Poker
A Community Freebuy Worth Marking Down: PokerHeaven’s $300 GTD on 888poker
WSOP Circuit Tallin 2026 Poker
Chasing the Gold Rings: A Complete Guide to WSOP Circuit Tallinn 2026
Irish Open Australia 2026 Poker
Irish Open Goes Global: Inaugural Sydney Schedule Features 40+ Tournaments
European Mixed Poker Championship 2026 Poker
Tallinn to Host Inaugural European Mixed Poker Championship 2026 This October
Battle of Malta Autumn Edition 2026 Poker
What to Expect from the Battle of Malta October 2026 Autumn Edition
APT Championship Taipei 2026 Poker
APT Championship Taipei 2026 Set to Ignite Asia Poker Arena with TWD 165M GTD Main Event
20 June 2026
Poker EventsStarts in
Latest News
-
Stake Freebuy -
Poker-SM Live 2026Poker-SM Live 2026 Goes More International: Open For All €250K Banco Championship18 Jun 2026Read More
-
BasePoker FreerollsBasePoker Weekly Freerolls: Everything You Need to Know15 Jun 2026Read More
-
FreerollBoost Your Bankroll with Two Exclusive Weekly Freerolls at BCPoker15 Jun 2026Read More
-
PokerStars Open MalagaPokerStars Open Malaga Aims for Another Record-Breaking Year10 Feb 2026Read More
