Who won Squid Game: The Challenge?

❘ Updated: 2023-12-07T04:24:51

Phillip Cain, Mai Whelan, Samuel Wells in Squid Game: The Challenge

Netflix

The time has come – the winner of Squid Game: The Challenge has finally been revealed after the finale aired on Netflix.

Squid Game: The Challenge has proven to be a worthy spinoff to the original Netflix series, sparking widespread discussion from viewers across the globe. What started out with 456 players has been whittled down with each and every game and test, starting with Red Light, Green Light and finishing with Squid Game.

As much as fans wanted certain players to take home the whopping $4.56 million cash prize – the largest in reality TV history – just as is the case with the OG show, only one contestant can win.

Although we had our predictions of who might take home the gold, no one could know for certain… until now. Warning: Spoilers ahead for the Squid Game: The Challenge finale!

Squid Game: The Challenge winner

The winner of Squid Game: The Challenge is Player 287, Mai.

Earlier on in the last episode, the three finalists sit down for a meal – much like their fictional counterparts. But the fun times are soon over when they must play a game of chance, leading Sam (Player 016) to be eliminated. This leaves just Mai and Phill (Player 451) in the running.

Still from Squid Game: The Challenge finale

For the final game, the same squid-like diagram is laid out on the floor, but since Squid Game’s version was a physical match, the producers wanted to give both players a fair chance.

As such, they must instead play a classic childhood game of rock, paper, scissors. Whoever wins each round can select one key from a box and attempt to open the safe. If the key doesn’t fit, they have another round of rock, paper, scissors until someone picks the right one.

Ultimately, it’s all down to chance – and much like many of the previous games, luck was on Mai’s side. She opens the safe to find a golden credit card inside, as the voiceover announces: “Player 287, you have won $4.56 million.”

In a post-win interview, Mai says: “Today just validates that anything is possible. Even when you feel down and afraid, you have to pick yourself up, be a strong person, and focus. Whatever your fear is, fight it with everything that you got and you can accomplish anything.”

Squid Game: The Challenge is available to stream on Netflix now. You can check out more of our coverage below: