Squid Game: The Challenge: Sam Lantz makes it to the finale

Squid Game: The Challenge season 1 has aired nine episodes so far and the season finale is set to air on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. The show started with 456 players competing for the grand prize of $4.56 million and it's now down to the final three.

Sam Lantz, player 016 is one of the remaining three players who is still in the race to become a multi-millionaire. Others up there with him are Phill, and Mai. Outside of the Netflix show, Sam is a businessman and the founder of Beard Giant. He is also the founder of Uncle Studio.

Tune in on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, to see whether Sam Lantz takes home the prize.

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Squid Game: The Challenge's Player 016 is an artist

Player 016, or Sam Lantz, is a 37-year-old artist from Florida. His Netflix bio reads that the Squid Game: The Challenge season 1 finalist was the tallest person in the town where he grew up. Sam likes to paint, read, and play video games.

Sam opened up about growing up gay in a religious family during the show and noted that he couldn't be his authentic self because of that. He added that if he was himself, he was at risk because "the talk" was going to be around how people such as himself were going to go to hell or die because of their decisions.

The Squid Game: The Challenge contestant said,

"I tried everything as a kid to not be gay. I made...you know, I tried making deals with God. I tried...I feel like I tried everything that a kid could think of. And after I left home and came out and lost my family to their prejudices."

The Netflix star added in one of his confessionals that since then, he's built a new family and has other people who "filled those roles" in a better way than his family ever has.

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What happened in episode 9?

During episode 9, fans saw the remaining nine players compete in Circle of Trust. However, the final nine were chosen through a test, during which Mai targeted Ashley since she couldn't trust her after Glass Bridge. While she could not eliminate Player 278, she didn't want the other contestants to misunderstand her and wanted to clear the air.

She chose to talk to Sam about the same since he and Ashley were close friends. During the conversation, Sam noted that he was emotionally exhausted but that Ashley's nomination didn't make him have any animosity toward her.

However, he added that when they decided to self-nominate in the previous test, they were trying to maintain some form of civil decency. She explained that she thought she knew who Ashley was but the Squid Game: The Challenge contestant showed selfishness.

While Sam wasn't completely convinced, he let bygones be bygones. In a confessional, the finalist noted that player 287's decision made him uneasy.

The next challenge saw the contestants blindfolded and seated in a circle. In the center of the circle, there was a gift box placed on a slim table. While the other contestants targeted each other, nobody tried eliminating Sam and he safely made it to Squid Game: The Challenge's finale.

Tune in on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, to see who wins Squid Game: The Challenge.