'The Trust', explained: How does Netflix's new competition show work?

In "The Trust: A Game of Greed," the newest reality competition show from Netflix, 11 strangers fight for their portion of a quarter of a million dollars.

The series, which premieres Jan. 10, is hosted by former CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin.

From a 42-year-old rancher to 70-year-old retiree to a 22-year-old realtor, the contestants are people who might not have met in the outside world. Within the confines of the game, they are either teammates, adversaries ... or something in between.

What is the premise of ‘The Trust’?

The premise of "The Trust" is unusual. In most shows, people are fighting to win money at the end. But here, all of the contestants have already won the prize money. Now, they just need to keep it.

At the start of the show, all players have an equal share of $250,000. If someone gets voted out, the remaining cast members' shares of that amount go up. Math.

How does voting work?

Here's where it gets tricky. Nobody has to vote. Every player gets the choice to vote during "trust ceremonies" — and they can, in theory, play the entire game without voting anybody out. If nobody is voted out, everyone walks away with a portion of the prize.

But if people are voted out, everyone who stays in the game gets an even bigger portion.

Votes are counted out of how many people vote, so if just one person votes, that person has all the power, and whoever they voted for goes home.

If multiple people vote, then the majority rules, and whoever gets the most votes goes home. If there is a tie between votes, then nobody goes home.

What are ‘offers’ on ‘The Trust’?

Over the course of the game, players are taken to a “vault” where they will be given “offers” that they can accept or decline.

These offers might be tempting for the person involved, but might not be in the best interest for the group as a whole.

When will 'The Trust' conclude?The game plays out over the course of eight episodes, concluding Jan. 24.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com