Survivor: Inside 155.io’s New Physics-Driven Betting Game

_{The last one standing survives. (Image: Sam Jones)}

Sam Jones, founder and CEO of 155.io, first made waves with Duck Race, a 24/7 live betting spectacle where plastic ducks and robotic arms turned a childhood tradition into a high-stakes phenomenon. Now, he’s back with something new: 'Survivor'.

Picture this: marbles battling centrifugal force on a spinning wheel, each one clinging on until only a single survivor remains. It’s unpredictable. It’s physics-driven. And it’s designed to keep you watching until the very last marble drops.

Sam Jones is the mind behind 155.io, and the madness of Survivor, the latest game to blur the lines between entertainment, innovation, and gambling. We spoke to Sam about the inspiration, the mechanics, and the future of betting built on real-world chaos.

How the Game Works

Jones describes Survivor as a flat, 55-centimetre spinning plate with a camera mounted above. Marbles orbit the centre until collisions knock them inward toward a jagged hub or outward toward rink-style barriers that can deflect eliminations.

“It’s basically a motor and it’s spinning a 55 centimetre piece of wood around and we painted it… the camera’s above it looking down.”
 

“The last one off is the winner.”

He says the team iterated on speed, marble size, and the number of entrants, landing on fields of 16 with variable odds by colour to keep payouts dynamic.

What’s Different for Players?

Most live casino hits are either card shows or simple RNG-led mechanics. 155.io is betting that real-world unpredictability can widen the tent for short-session mobile play. Survivor also targets a production pain point: keeping chaos with fewer cameras.

“We started off with games with three or four or five or six cameras… I’m now trying to do games with one camera. But how do you retain the chaos… with one camera in a small space? That’s what this game has achieved.”

The format aims for races that usually resolve inside 30 seconds, fast enough for repeat stakes without long waits.

From Rivers to Rings: The Design Lineage

Ducks.io taught the team that raw spectacle is not enough. They had to inject controlled disorder so outcomes do not become predictable.

“You’re going to have to create chaos in the river because the current alone is not a gambling game.”

“We introduced some chaos… rocks… crocodiles… robotics… almost like a windscreen wiper… pushing the duck one way or other.”

That same principle drives Survivor: collisions, rebounds, and speed changes create momentum swings. Jones says occasional twists, a dropped “big marble,” for example, may appear later as the format evolves.

Keeping it Watchable

155.io tried larger, multi-corner marble tracks, then pulled back. Long tracks need tracking shots or programmed camera moves, which can fatigue viewers.

“When you’re watching the marbles go around the track, your brain’s having to refocus… I like [Plinko] because it’s so easy and gentle to watch on my eyes.”

Survivor keeps everything in frame from above, avoiding visual whiplash and reducing technical failure points during 24-hour schedules.

Launch Status and Early Read

As of recording our Podcast, Survivor had just entered internal testing. Jones says industry demos at SBC Summit Lisbon drew quick understanding.

“People get it immediately… it’s almost mesmerising.”

"This game is kind of rounding out our portfolio."

He lists Ducks, Plinko-style races, rolling-dune marbles, Stair Pong down a real staircase, and now Survivor as distinct pillars with different risk and volatility profiles.

Listen to the full interview on our Podcast: 

The Business Challenge: Discovery in a 6,000-Game Universe

Breaking into top rows of casino lobbies is hard. Operators prize familiar hits, and screen space is scarce.

“There is 5,000 or 6,000 games in an online casino… the hardest part is, how do you even get in the top 100?”

“Are they going to give people a free bet on ducks… to get people a taste?”

Promotion, incentives, and placement matter as much as mechanics.

Proving it’s Real

High production values created an unexpected problem: some viewers assume CGI.

“People think our games are computer generated… We actually film [ducks] with an iPhone so it feels raw… even knock against a tree from time to time.”

Live mishaps, a dropped phone, a trip, have become features, not bugs, reinforcing the liveness.

Jones’ Path to “Betting on Chaos”

His route into gambling content was indirect. He moved from Andersen Consulting into executive search across Asia, then into data software for banks and sports, a live fantasy product, and a brand role with Wish, whose jersey patch deal with the Lakers boosted its visibility before its Nasdaq IPO.

“I happen to just know how to connect good people to good people.”

“I built a live shopping company… but it was a very heavy business operation… I felt this category was right for disruption.”

Those experiences, he says, led to a studio that builds physical games, streams them around the clock, and integrates with casino platforms.

What’s Next for Captain Chaos?

_{Purveyor of chaos, Sam Jones}

Expect more controlled mayhem. For Ducks, 155.io wants waterproof robotics that nudge leaders and add jeopardy. For Survivor, the team will tune pace, obstacles, and occasional surprises, keeping the core rule set simple.

“It’s idiot proof… the last ball in the ring is going to win.”

“Sometimes you have a hot streak on a game and then you want to try something new… it’s one of those that’s nice to have in there.”

If Duck Race was a hint of what’s possible, Survivor shows us the future: physics, unpredictability, and a whole new way to think about live betting experiences.

You can follow Sam’s work at 155.io, and of course, keep it locked on Casinos.com, where we’ll be tracking the rise of Survivor and every chaotic twist along the way.