“Started this”- Beast Games fans react to player 453 taking $223k out of the $1 million

Beast Games episode 8 was released on Thursday, January 30, 2025, and took off right where episode 7 left off. The previous episode was left on a cliffhanger, with player 830 on the train lever. She had to decide between sacrificing her best friend, player 697, and her least favorite player 380, or sacrificing popular player 566 and player 817, standing on the other track.

Episode 8 opened with her sacrificing her best friend and player 380, to save the other two, because she thought they needed the money more. For their next challenge, the remaining 10 contestants were slotted chronologically. Each contestant would then get the chance to take some money out of the $1 million prize pot.

Player 830, chose to take out $100k, a fair equal share, hoping each of the 10 players would get the same. She also hoped that the first few contestants would set the trend and make the same call so that the houses later would follow suit.

However, the player after her player 453, took out $223k, an unfair share that wouldn't leave fair money for the remaining 8 players. What was started by player 453, never ended because the third player 566, took out $650k.

Fans of Beast Games criticized player 566 for taking such a huge chunk of money out but also pointed out player 453's unfair choice. Some thought he was the one to start the unjust chain, so they came to X to react.

"lol 453 started this sh*t tho. But I think 566 would have taken more regardless," a fan said.

The Tweet above (Image via X/@misstashamillz)

"The real devil would have been 453, who took $233k from the $1m. He was probably the one who made 566 think, “well, since all man for himself, let me just take as much as I can” But JCC is way too greedy! He claimed he loved Emma but left only $27k for her," said another fan.

"Right, but they’re in the circle lightin JC up, like Michael ain’t start the trend," commented one.

"I know y’all mad at JC, but y’all just gonna let Michael off the hook?" another user wrote.

Fans of Beast Games criticized player 566 but also noted that player 453's decision was unfair.

"Remember that no matter how hard life would be, never be a #453 Michael and especially a #566 JC. I just know these two would be in more debt as they go along with their lives. Greed won’t take you far," an X user wrote.

"Contestant 453 you're a scumbag," another wrote.

"Remember that no matter how hard life would be, never be a #453 Michael and especially a #566 JC. I just know these two would be in more debt as they go along with their lives. Greed won’t take you far," added a third.

"453 you are greedy!!!!! I hate humans," wrote one.

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What led to player 453's decision to take out $223k in Beast Games episode 8?

After player 830 was decided to be the first player unanimously in episode 8, she chose player 453 to be the second. When player 830 was making her decision, the Beast Games host said that player 453 wanted to play his game with integrity and asked if the number he was going to take out was going to reflect that.

He said that the number he had in his head was "fair," and during a Beast Games confessional, he said that he was "sticking to the game plan."

"I picked the number that I picked. It's not gonna hurt anyone. I'm sticking to the game plan."

At the time of the decision, he said he wanted to keep certain things to himself at the time because he had been meditating and was in his "zone". He added that he was going to go with $223k because that was his birthday, February 23.

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The next episode of Beast Games is to come out next Thursday, on Amazon Prime Video.