In the 2023 World Series of Poker main event, Steven Jones finished runner-up to Daniel Weinman.
Three years later, he was in the hunt for another multi-million dollar score as a contestant on Squid Games: The Challenge. The Netflix competition is based on the South Korean hit series with the same name and awards $4.56 million to the winner.
However, unlike the WSOP main event, it’s all or nothing. There’s no prize for second place.
“Everyone is just on Cloud Nine right now,” said Jones in an interview before the final challenges. “But there’s nothing to celebrate just yet. If you don’t win the money, it’s technically the same thing as getting out in 456th place.”
Unfortunately for Jones, he fell just shy of a title once again, finishing third.
Red Light Green Light Serves As Final Game
The competition featured games from the series such as the glass bridge, sugar honeycombs, and tug of war. (Except when players are eliminated, they are not executed by guards.) The childhood game Red Light, Green Light was the final game, and was a staple of the hit drama. It even featured the same doll used in the series.
The four finalists had to race to the finish line, but could only move forward while the doll was singing. The first one to the finish line would win the prize. When the doll stopped singing and turned around, they had to remain completely still until it started again. Jones had the lead, but fell down.
California model Perla Figuereo was ultimately the winner, saying she held her breath during the final game to avoid movement.
Poker Players Popular With Casting
Jones follows a long line of poker players jumping into the reality tv landscape. Survivor has been a popular casting choice with Jean-Robert Bellande, Ronnie Bardah, and Garrett Adelstein competing in the U.S. show, and Ilari Sahamies and Jack Glazier appearing on international versions.
Vanessa Rousso finished third on Big Brother, and David Williams made the finals of MasterChef. Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle also made it onto The Amazing Race. And of course, poker pariah Annie Duke infamously finished runner-up in Donald Trump’s The Celebrity Apprentice back in 2009 to the late Joan Rivers.
