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Something I don't see people talking about with season 2 of Squid Game are the elements of addiction. Obviously the shows main themes is the evils of Capitalism, but no one is talking about the consequential addiction to risk!
It's been long since I've watched the first season, but if I recall correctly, the salesman bitchslaps Gi-hun a good couple of times before he wins. Despite getting hurt and knowing he could continue to get hurt, the possibility of getting the money was worth the risk. Same with the people who returned to the games after the vote to leave. They knew they could be killed, but the financial opportunity was too good to pass up. Although addiction doesn't play much of a role in these examples, they are more led by desperation and lack of opportunity.
But later in season 2 in "Bread and Lottery," we see the salesman approach various homeless people with a role of bread and a lottery ticket, making them choose between the two. Only one person in that scene chooses the bread over the lottery ticket, and we see another drinking right before choosing. This scene felt a little unfair to me (everything in this show is unfair but still) because these are all people very obviously struggling and haven't made the best decisions. Again, one of them drank before choosing.
Throughout season 2, the players are given the chance to leave after each game. Despite the safer option of leaving with a little bit of money being right there for them, the opportunity to get even more too good to them. While I personally haven't suffered from any diagnosed addiction, the genes run in both sides of my family, and I have struggled with disordered eating all my life. The title for s2 ep5 "One More Game" felt very personal to me because that phrase was an addiction mentality that I struggle with; one more slice, one more bowl, one more game...
I wouldn't be surprised if some of the players' votes were dictated more by the dopamine rush than the money...