The Odds

You ready to play?

Is that absolutely necessary?

Let me just set up a few things.

Won't take more than a minute.

As long as we're on schedule.

I wouldn't want to start without you.

Oh, you're funny.

Very nice.

So, yes, it is necessary to keep the location a secret

due to the legal technicalities of the game.

You know the rules, right?

Yup, but you can tell me again, Mr....

No names.

It works better for me if we keep things

less personal, you know?

Right.

Kind of like a manager-employee relationship.

I get it.

If you like.

Anyway, the game, there are 19 other players

at 19 other locations just like this.

In this city?

All over the world.

There's a clearing house

that receives and broadcasts the signal to select clientele.

The same clearing house acts as a broker

for all wages concerning the game.

Receiving end, online?

Okay.

Yeah, just a couple minutes, we'll get started.

Have you done this a lot?

A few times, yeah.

There are five preliminary rounds

followed by the finalist round.

If you leave at any point during the preliminary rounds,

you will leave with zero prize money.

I won't quit.

All players who get to the finalist round

are committed to the game and may not leave.

I said I won't quit.

Okay.

Now, the finalists will continue to play

until there's only one player left.

That winner will receive the money.

Have you ever hosted a winner?

Let's not worry about that.

You just stay focused.

It's weird that people would bet on something like this.

Do you know any real gamblers?

Real gamblers will make odds on anything.

And the prize money, it's a lot?

Some people think so.

I heard it was a million dollars.

Where'd you hear that?

Same place I heard about the game.

Hm.

That's correct, and the funds will be deposited

in the winner's account.

They must pay you a lot.

That's why you're here, right?

I'm here for the same reason as you.

I doubt that.

Now it's almost time.

I thought there was gonna be a gun.

Not yet.

Have I met you before?

Congratulations, your drug test came back clean.

Of course it did.

I'm sorry, we have to check.

Some players come in high,

performance enhancing drugs, so to speak.

Well, drugs are where you go

when you can't stand the pain anymore.

Where do you go, if you don't have drugs?

I guess we'll find out.

Hm.

Yes?

We're good.

You're good?

Okay, standing by.

I know that they can see us, but can they...

Hear us? No.

Say what you want.

Your secrets are safe with me.

I don't have any secrets.

Everyone has secrets.

No, all my shit's pretty much out in the open.

All the shit you know about.

I think I know my shit pretty well.

This game has a way of illuminating a person.

Oh, that's nice.

You gonna put on some mood music?

I'll take the Chardonnay.

So here's what's gonna happen,

round one, on my signal, you, along with 19 other players,

will hold your hand over the candle and keep it there.

When three people have removed their hand,

the round is over.

Those players are out of the game.

Everyone else will advance to the next round.

Understand?

Hello?

Yeah, I just...

I heard it was different.

Used to be.

They like to change things up, keep it exciting.

You don't have to do this.

It's still not too late to leave.

I've got nowhere else to be.

How about a home?

I messed that up.

You must have family somewhere.

Everyone has family.

Do you?

Yeah. Sure.

Kids?

A little boy.

And how would you feel if someone took him away from you?

I guess I wouldn't like it.

And how would you feel knowing

that he should've been taken away from you...

that she...

he, was better off...

and that maybe now the only thing to do

is to win a big pile of money

so that he could have the kind of life that he deserves?

Hm.

I don't think I'd ever risk my life over a pile of money.

Well, that's all mine's good for at this point.

Hey, listen.

Look at me.

We're in this together, you and me.

I'm rooting for you, you understand?

So just settle in.

We'll do this.

Word of advice, this is as much a mental game

as anything else, so just keep that in mind

if you really want to see this through to the end.

I'm gonna hear the words "you win",

or I'm not gonna hear anything at all.

That's it.

Visualize success, that's good.

You say that to all your players?

Just the ones that seem to need it.

Have you ever played, from my side?

Let's get through round one, then we'll talk.

We're about to begin.

Last chance before the pain starts.

The pain started a long time ago.

That's it.

Keep going.

You can do this. Come on.

Just breathe.

Focus on breathing.

You can do this.

Come on.

Just breathe.

Okay, focus on breathing.

Focus on breathing.

Another player's out.

Just one more player.

Just one more player has to quit.

Number three's out!

You made it.

You did it.

Let me see.

Come on.

So, we made a deal,

and no, I haven't played the game

from your side of the table.

How many?

How many what?

How many times have you done this?

14.

And how many of those players won?

You don't want to know.

None of them.

Most players quit before the final round.

But some of them made it.

I've seen two men and three women blow their brains out.

You're just a little bad luck charm, aren't you?

Did you ask the other players why they did it?

Same reason as you, the money.

Same reason as everyone I'm playing against now?

I wouldn't worry about the other players.

I just want to know who my competition is.

Most games, you're competing against someone, right?

But in this game, you can't affect the other players.

Can they make you leave this room?

Who can?

You could try.

Okay, take me out.

Who does that leave?

That's right, you.

And that's what they're betting on, how much you can take.

I'll take whatever you throw at me.

It won't be me throwing it at you.

So there is someone else here.

I'm a facilitator.

The challenges for each round,