Quote:In Squid Game, hundreds of desperate people compete in deadly games for a share of a massive prize. According to those behind the games, each player's life was worth 100 million won for the pot. With a total of 456 players, the compensation could equate to 45.6 billion won. In U.S. dollars, that equals around $38 million. In the end, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) wins the games and takes home the total prize money.
The money is just a manipulation to make the games more exciting for the mysterious Squid Game VIPs and the game makers. Though the game makers give players the idea that they can make the pot grow by eliminating players, the number doesn't truly change. The archives show there's always only one winner, so the players aren't actually making the pot grow. In reality, the game makers simply want the games to be as exciting and chaotic as possible.