Belleville tech founder takes on new FOX reality game show for $1 million prize

Husbands vs. wives, brothers vs. sisters, parents vs. kids, and best friends are among the 100 contestants in the new game show “99 to Beat”—and so is Arvind Srinivasaraghavan from Belleville.

Srinivasaraghavan, 33, was selected to compete in the reality game show, where he could win a $1 million prize. The series premiered on Fox (Channel 2 in St. Louis) on Wednesday. It airs every Wednesday through Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. or you can watch in streaming on Hulu.

While he can’t disclose how far he advances or some other details, Srinivasaraghavan was open about other aspects of the experience.

“It was a great experience. I made a lot of friends. I was honored to be a part of it. It was pretty amazing,” he said.

Episodes were filmed in London. In an arena format, contestants competed in a series of ability games—some simple, some silly, some tricky—either individually, in pairs or teams. The last person to finish each round was eliminated, until the last contestant standing won the jackpot.

The premise: You don’t have to be first, you don’t have to be the best, you just must not come in last. The co-hosts repeat this to emphasize that “anyone can win.”

The game show originated in Belgium as “Homo Universalis,” first broadcast in January 2018. Versions have since been developed in other countries. The American version is co-hosted by actor Ken Jeong, known for his comedic skills and film roles, and sportscaster and TV personality Erin Andrews.

The tension was condensed because the games were fast-paced, and competitors didn’t have to form alliances or endure lengthy eliminations, unlike other reality show formats. Game play included a mix of strategy, timing, mental toughness, skills, and decision-making under pressure.

“It’s very creative,” Srinivasaraghavan said. “Our first game was they dropped all these balloons from the ceiling, and inside some of them were leis. We had to pop them to find one. That was my favorite that day.”

The person who didn’t find the lei was sent home.

Sixteen contestants were eliminated during five games in the first episode, leaving 84 for the next episode, which airs Oct. 1. Players were identified by first name, occupation, and state of residence—“Arvind, MO, tech company owner.”

Srinivasaraghavan was able to view how the episodes were edited and how contestants came across.

“They didn’t concentrate on the trash talk, they just focused on the games,” he said. “I was surprised—I was featured a couple of times. I was happy with it.”

Srinivasaraghavan first got on producers’ radar when he applied for “The Floor,” a game show on Fox hosted by Rob Lowe now entering its fourth season.

“I made the cut, was an alternate, but they ran out of episodes, so they asked if I would be interested in applying for this new show,” he said. “They wanted people with high energy, big smiles, root for other players. They want what makes good TV.”

Other contestants included firefighters, real estate brokers, baristas, dog trainers, ranch hands, coaches and flight attendants. Some had nicknames, like “Frank the Clown,” a multicolored-haired wrestler.

“They were young, old, Democrat, Republican, all races, people from all over the country,” Srinivasaraghavan said.

Some contestants were already reality TV personalities. “Survivor” winners Sandra Diaz-Twine and Danni Boatwright were competing, as were Cara Maria Sorbello of “The Challenge”—an actress as well—and Tommy Bracco of “Big Brother” and “The Challenge.”

“We spent so much time together. We filmed some days from 7 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m. at night. We were north of London, not in the city. It was remote. There was our hotel, and a restaurant,” Srinivasaraghavan said. “Some people went back to their rooms, but if you wanted to hang out, you spent time with the others. Friendships developed, some people broke off into groups.

“I think because of all that, people were genuinely friendly, rooting for each other during the competition. We bonded. We have a text thread and a group chat. We keep in touch. It’s not everybody, but it’s the ones who want to.”

On Tuesday, Srinivasaraghavan was on his way to Kansas City, where the local Fox station was hosting a premiere party on Wednesday, with fellow contestants and their families gathering both days.

The network has encouraged contestants to promote the show on social media, sharing clips with them and asking for reshares, he said.

As a newcomer, it was interesting learning the ins and outs of being filmed on camera, wearing a microphone, and observing the behaviors of the savvier, more experienced contestants, he said.

Fox previewed the show after the Sunday NFL football game, so Srinivasaraghavan and his contestant friends have been discussing what happened in the first episode via their group text chain and on social media.

He was highlighted in a commercial during the game, which drew reactions from his family and friends as well.

“I’ve been hearing from a lot of people. It’s exciting,” he said.

About Arvind Srinivasaraghavan

Srinivasaraghavan is the founder of a tech electronics company called Zaps. He grew up in Carbondale, where his father practiced medicine in Jackson County and other rural towns.

After graduating from Southern Illinois University with a major in business and a minor in political science, he earned an MBA from Purdue University.

He worked for Square and Spectrum, and spent time in Chicago. He moved to Belleville after his father retired and moved with his mother to O’Fallon.

He is also involved with a company called Armoin, handling logistics for the tabletop card game he invented, Base 6. In addition, he has experience analyzing case data in national security efforts as a government civil servant.

During high school, he played on the Scholar Bowl team and is an avid gamer, enjoying both board games and video games.

“I have a competitive nature,” he said. “I have learned so much through this whole experience. It came at a time when I had just lost my home. I had so much stress. So, I was grateful. I had waited a long time to do this, so I still wanted to.”

Fans can follow Arvind’s journey on Instagram at @srini24arvind for behind-the-scenes content, premiere week highlights, and personal commentary on each episode.