Squid Game predictions: Who will win The Challenge?

Daisy Phillipson
Still from the Squid Game: The Challenge finale

With the last episode of Squid Game: The Challenge just around the corner, check out our predictions as to who might win the whopping $4.56 million prize.

While many of the famous games from Netflix’s TV juggernaut Squid Game have been recreated in The Challenge – from Red Light, Green Light to Glass Bridge – producers have added a few tests and challenges along the way. 

At times, the eliminations have resulted from nothing more than a popularity contest – or they’ve been all down to chance. As such, it’s been tricky to know who to root for, as fan faves have been dropping like flies. 

Nonetheless, we can hazard a guess as to who might take home the whopping $4.56 million cash prize while looking at who you think might win Squid Game: The Challenge. Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Squid Game predictions: Who will win The Challenge?

Our bets are on Player 287 (Mai) winning Squid Game: The Challenge. 

Following the events of Episode 9, ‘Circle of Trust’, the three finalists are as follows: 

  • Player 016, Sam
  • Player 287, Mai
  • Player 451, Phill

Each player comes with their own strengths, and for many, Mai seems like a frontrunner to win due to the fact that she has been skilled in forming alliances with her peers while also taking a cutthroat approach to the game. 

Still from Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix

In ‘Circle of Trust’, she ruthlessly chooses her “dear friend Roland,” Player 418, as “people will think that it wouldn’t possibly be me.” She adds: “I love the guy, but also I have to save myself first.” But when the three finalists get back to their dorm, she lies to Sam and Phill and says it wasn’t her so that they don’t think she’s a back-stabber.

What’s more, in Episode 6, Mai was seen badmouthing TJ, Player 182, as she didn’t trust him. However, in the allegiance test, TJ chose to save Mai, and he also gave her the last (and therefore best) position for the Glass Bridge game.

While speaking about her background earlier on in the show, Mai revealed that she’s a survivor, having grown up in Vietnam during the war. She recalls the shocking moment she lifted her head in a killing field as a young child, and was nearly shot by a soldier. 

Additionally, Mai has become a key contestant and featured heavily in the final episodes, another detail that has viewers convinced she’ll win the game. 

Taking to X/Twitter, one wrote: “I will be so surprised if 287 does not win she is the only finalist who has like… a winners edit.” Another said: “Wait is 287 going to win!? She’s kind of the main character right now… OK well the guy with a beard isn’t winning right? Because he was hardly featured in the show?”

“If player 287 wins I won’t be surprised,” added a third, while a fourth chimed in: “Player 287 (Mai) has played an impeccable game. She’s not trustworthy but she’s very, very smart. She somehow got people to show loyalty to her without giving any in return. She can read people well. I put my money on her to win the whole thing.”

Of course, given the nature of the show, all we can do is speculate at this point. We’ll have to wait and see if these predictions come true when the finale drops next week. 

Squid Game: The Challenge Episodes 1-9 are available to stream on Netflix now. You can check out our other coverage below:

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About The Author

Daisy is a Senior TV and Movies Writer at Dexerto. She's a lover of all things macabre, whether that be horror, crime, psychological thrillers or all of the above. After graduating with a Masters in Magazine Journalism, she's gone on to write for Digital Spy, LADbible and Little White Lies. You can contact her on daisy.phillipson@dexerto.com