When you binge Ozark on Netflix, you might think the dark deeds are pure fiction. Yet, many plot points echo real‑world facts. Below are 10 similarities netflix viewers will recognize, ranging from Missouri’s casino limits to actual poppy farms, political scandals, and even true‑crime mysteries.

Warning: this rundown spills spoilers from seasons one and two, so if you haven’t caught up, you might want to pause before diving in.

10 Casino Cap

10 similarities netflix: Casino Cap

The show stays remarkably close to reality when it mentions the exact count of legal gambling venues in Missouri. In the series, Marty and Wendy, along with a shady crew, hustle to bump the number of licensed casinos from 13 to a coveted 14.

In truth, Missouri really does have just 13 brick‑and‑mortar casinos scattered across several cities. Those establishments collectively house more than 19,214 slot machines, roughly 465 table games, and a staggering array of gaming devices.

Season two just wrapped, leaving fans to wonder how the fictional riverboat casino will operate compared to its real‑world counterparts. Will it stick to archaic two‑hour gaming windows and a $500 loss cap reminiscent of early‑century regulations? Unlikely. Will the boat run nonstop, mimicking St. Louis’s 24‑hour casino model? That remains to be seen.

Either way, the series nails the legal landscape, making the casino subplot feel less like Hollywood fantasy and more like a grounded, Missouri‑specific gamble.

9 Shocking Boat Dock Deaths

10 similarities netflix: Shocking Boat Dock Deaths

In the first season, Ruth (Julia Garner) uncovers a family betrayal and decides to silence her uncles by electrocuting them as they cling to a metal railing on a dock. While dramatized, the scenario mirrors a growing, unsettling trend of electrocutions near waterways.

This phenomenon, known as electric‑shock drowning, occurs when swimmers enter water that’s been unintentionally electrified. In April 2017, CBS News reported three such deaths, and by July the Boat Owners Association of the United States logged four more, two of which happened on the Lake of the Ozarks.

Although the series’ murders are fictional, the rise in electric‑shock incidents is all too real. Experts suggest stricter regulations—circuit breakers that trip on overload, automatic shut‑offs for exposed outlets, and underwater shock‑detecting alarms for both public and private swimming spots.

These safety measures could help prevent tragedies that, while shocking on screen, are increasingly common in the real world.

8 The Blue Cat Lodge

10 similarities netflix: The Blue Cat Lodge

The Blue Cat Lodge does exist, but not in the Ozarks where the story unfolds. It’s actually located in Canton, Georgia—a set built solely for the series. Consequently, fans hoping to sip a cold brew at the fictional lodge will be disappointed; it isn’t open to the public.

Adding to the intrigue, the property’s lease was recently snapped up by the owner of JD’s Bar‑B‑Q restaurant. This suggests Marty’s money‑laundering venture via the lodge may soon be a thing of the past.

Interestingly, the lodge’s design was inspired by the Alhonna Resort, a genuine Ozark‑area retreat. So while the Blue Cat never welcomed real patrons, its aesthetic pays homage to an authentic regional landmark.

In short, the Blue Cat Lodge is a perfect blend of on‑screen fiction and off‑screen reality—real in location, fictional in purpose.

7 Poppy Farming

10 similarities netflix: Poppy Farming

Believe it or not, the poppy fields cultivated by the Snells have a real‑world counterpart. In the United States, opium poppy cultivation does occur, primarily for medicinal alkaloids like morphine and heroin precursors.

One of the largest busts happened in June 2017 in North Carolina’s Catawba County, where law‑enforcement seized over 900 kg (about 2,000 lb) of poppy plants. A 37‑year‑old man was arrested, underscoring that large‑scale poppy farms, while rare, do exist.

Earlier, officials uncovered more than 40 acres of poppy cultivation in Washington state. The DEA classifies such extensive operations as “extremely rare,” highlighting the rarity yet plausibility of the show’s storyline.

Thus, the series’ poppy‑farming subplot, though dramatized, is anchored in genuine, albeit uncommon, agricultural practices.

6 Flooded Lands And Underwater Graves

10 similarities netflix: Flooded Lands And Underwater Graves

In season two, federal agents storm the Snells’ farm expecting to find sprawling poppy acres, only to discover a charred field. A K‑9 unit, however, picks up a different scent, leading them to a decomposed, unidentified corpse—presumed to be the missing pastor’s wife.

The Lake of the Ozarks, created in 1931 during the Great Osage River Project (when the Bagnell Dam was erected), was then the nation’s largest man‑made lake. To forge this massive reservoir, entire towns, homes, businesses, and even family cemeteries were submerged.

The series exploits this history: not all graves lie underwater, and the Byrdes, who own a funeral home, swap the missing wife’s remains with a body from one of the lost, unmarked graves, fooling DNA tests.

This clever plot twist mirrors the real tragedy of submerged burial sites, showing how the show weaves authentic regional history into its dark narrative.

5 Drugs Distributed Via The Church

10 similarities netflix: Drugs Distributed Via The Church

Season one sees the Snells hide narcotics inside Bibles at their floating congregation, with Pastor Mason Young blissfully unaware. A real‑life parallel unfolded in Olive Hill, Kentucky, where a closed church became a massive drug‑distribution hub.

Authorities discovered tens of thousands of dollars worth of illegal pills stashed within a playroom wall of the church. The pastor and two accomplices eventually pleaded guilty, revealing that places of worship can, unfortunately, serve as covert drug‑laundering fronts.

This chilling similarity underscores how the series taps into genuine criminal ingenuity—using trusted community institutions to mask illicit activity.

Both the fictional and actual cases illustrate that crime can hide in the most unexpected, seemingly sacred corners of society.

4 Mysterious Disappearances Of Mafia Members

10 similarities netflix: Mysterious Disappearances Of Mafia Members

Real‑world mob lore is riddled with vanished or presumed‑dead figures, and Ozark mirrors that intrigue. Take Danny Walsh, a Providence, Rhode Island gangster last seen at the Bank Café on February 2, 1933, and never heard from again.

Another infamous case is that of Anthony “Little Tony” Zizzo, a Chicago Outfit stalwart who disappeared on August 31, 2006 after being spotted outside a restaurant; his car was found, but his fate remains a mystery.

The series likely drew inspiration from such unsolved disappearances when it killed off Camino Del Rio—dubbed a “redneck” by the Snells—by shooting him in the head, a swift, final act that mirrors the abrupt ends of many real mobsters.

These eerie parallels remind viewers that the criminal underworld’s shadowy nature often blurs the line between on‑screen drama and off‑screen reality.

3 Crooked Politicians And Sex Scandals

10 similarities netflix: Crooked Politicians And Sex Scandals

Ozark thrives on political corruption, bribery, and scandal. Sheriff Nix colludes with the Snells, shielding their poppy operation, while the Byrdes manipulate Missouri’s lax campaign‑finance rules to push their casino agenda.

Missouri uniquely lacks limits on political contributions, providing fertile ground for the show’s scheming. The series also showcases salacious sex scandals, echoing the infamous Clinton‑Lewinsky saga and historic rumors surrounding Presidents Wilson, Harding, and Kennedy.

One storyline features a Congresswoman forced to watch a compromising video of her husband with an “exotic” dancer, leveraging it to coerce her vote against the Byrdes’ casino. Another plot sees Senator Blake’s hidden mental‑health struggles weaponized, leading to his suicide and a subsequent hush‑money payout from Wendy.

These plot points dramatize real political machinations, illustrating how power, secrets, and personal vulnerabilities intertwine both on screen and in actual governance.

2 Missing Informants

10 similarities netflix: Missing Informants

Season one introduces FBI Agent Roy Petty, who recruits Russ Langmore to topple Marty. Though Langmore meets his demise at the hands of family, Petty’s hunt for informants continues, leading him to coerce a second source with drugs.

In a chilling real‑world echo, a 20‑year‑old North Dakota college student agreed to become a confidential informant in 2013 to avoid prison. Six months later, his body was found shot in the head, weighted down in the Red River—initially ruled a suicide, but the evidence suggested foul play.

Another high‑profile case involved a female informant murdered during a botched drug deal. The public outcry spurred “Rachel’s Law,” mandating enhanced training for law‑enforcement agencies when handling and protecting confidential informants.

Both the fictional and factual narratives highlight the perilous tightrope informants walk between cooperation and lethal retaliation.

1 Riverboat Casinos

10 similarities netflix: Riverboat Casinos

While the Byrdes’ riverboat casino has yet to set sail on screen, the concept mirrors real establishments spread across Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Indiana—a tradition dating back to the 19th century.

Originally, riverboat casinos were mandated to remain in motion because land‑based gambling was illegal in many jurisdictions. Modern legislation, however, now permits vessels to stay docked while patrons board and gamble at leisure. In Missouri, for example, the boats can remain moored, offering continuous access.

This evolution reflects the series’ potential future plotlines, as the Byrdes may eventually navigate these regulatory waters—pun intended—to launch their own floating gambling empire.

Until season three arrives, fans can only speculate how the show will integrate this historically rich, yet still evolving, facet of American gambling.

As the Netflix Stranger Things series gears up for another season, the web is buzzing with fan‑crafted explanations and wild speculation. With a legion of devoted viewers, it’s no surprise that countless theories circulate about the Upside Down, the motives of the characters, and the creative choices of the Duffer twins. The show, created by the identical Duffer Brothers—who also serve as executive producers and are self‑declared sci‑fi junkies—has attracted an eclectic cast, including Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, Sean Astin as Bob Newby, and David Harbour as Jim Hopper.^[1]

Below, we dive into ten of the most intriguing fan‑generated theories that have kept the conversation alive during the long wait for the next installment. Whether you’re a die‑hard theorist or just love a good mystery, these ideas will make you see Hawkins in a whole new light.

10 Theories About Stranger Things: Fan Speculation Overview

10 It’s All A Game

One of the most popular ideas proposes that the entire series is, at its core, a massive tabletop role‑playing session. Early on, we catch a glimpse of this when Mike (Finn Wolfhard) pleads with his mother to let him finish his latest Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) campaign. Proponents argue that what follows on screen is essentially the boys living out that very campaign in real time.

Dungeons & Dragons, the iconic fantasy game where participants guide characters through perilous quests, supplies a lexicon that fans repeatedly hear throughout Seasons 1 and 2. Creatures such as the Demogorgon and the Mind Flayer are straight out of the game’s monster manuals. The most compelling piece of evidence appears when Will (Noah Schnapp) encounters the Demogorgon during his D&D session—the same creature that drags him into the Upside Down.

In short, the bizarre events could simply be an elaborate product of the boys’ imagination, a shared fantasy world that blurs the line between game and reality.

9 Stranger Things And Stephen King

Another compelling theory suggests that Stranger Things exists somewhere within Stephen King’s literary universe. The eerie atmosphere of Hawkins mirrors the unsettling settings that King frequently crafts.

Notice the similarity in typography between the series’ title and many of King’s book covers. Eleven’s psychic abilities evoke characters like Carrie or Charlie from Firestarter. Moreover, several of King’s novels revolve around groups of four male friends—think The Body or Dreamcatcher—a clear parallel to Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will. The misty, other‑worldly realm in King’s The Mist also feels akin to the Upside Down, both stemming from clandestine experiments that tear open a parallel dimension.

8 A Vampire

This theory stretches the imagination a bit: fans speculate that Bob Newby is, in fact, a vampire. According to the hypothesis, Bob isn’t truly dead; instead, he’s a head‑vampire desperate for darkness to roam freely.

The notion bears a striking resemblance to the vibe of The Lost Boys. If you squint hard enough, Bob’s appearance even echoes Max’s look from that film. Supporters also point to Bob’s Halloween costume—dressed as a vampire—as a subtle hint toward his true nature.

It’s certainly a wild take, and whether you buy it or not, it adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already mysterious character.

7 It’s A Fungus

One theory posits that the terrifying monsters of the Upside Down are actually fungal organisms. This would explain the rapid, invasive spread of the otherworldly realm, as fungi are among the fastest‑propagating life forms on Earth, thriving on decay—much like the creatures we see.

Further support comes from the hive‑mind behavior exhibited by the monsters, suggesting they operate as a collective entity, much like a mycelial network. The creatures also recoil from intense heat, mirroring the temperature‑sensitivity of many fungi, as demonstrated when the characters try to “sweat” the evil out of Will.

6 Hopper’s Daughter Was Also Experimented On

This intriguing hypothesis explores the possibility that Officer Jim Hopper’s missing daughter was not truly dead, but rather became another test subject in the secret lab that created Eleven.

Given that the girl is called Eleven, it implies a series of numbered experiments—from One through Ten. We know Eight appears in Season 2, so it’s plausible that Hopper’s daughter could be one of the unseen Nine. If she were part of the same program, she might still be trapped within the Upside Down, adding another heartbreaking layer to Hopper’s backstory.

5 Eleven Is Hopper’s Daughter

Building on the previous idea, some fans argue that Eleven herself is actually Hopper’s biological daughter. The theory suggests that the lab’s memory‑altering techniques might have stolen his child, replacing her with the story of a cancer death.

While this raises questions—how could Hopper not recognize his own daughter?—the narrative does hint that the lab performed extensive memory manipulation. At the very least, Hopper does adopt Eleven by the end of Season 2, making her his daughter in a legal sense, if not biologically.

4 The Upside Down Is Eleven’s Dreams

Another theory suggests that the Upside Down might be nothing more than a manifestation of Eleven’s subconscious. Proponents argue that her traumatic past could have forced her mind to construct a nightmarish alternate reality as a coping mechanism.

In this view, the grotesque world reflects her inner turmoil, and her powerful psychic abilities give her the ability to shape that realm. An additional twist posits that if Hopper’s daughter is undergoing chemotherapy, the Upside Down could be a drug‑induced hallucination, a feverish dreamscape generated by potent medication.

3 Eleven Is The Monster

Some fans go as far as to claim that Eleven herself might actually be the monster haunting Hawkins. She even hints at this possibility in the season finale.

The Upside Down mirrors our world, and it’s conceivable that Eleven’s duplicate in that realm could be the very creature we fear. This would explain why she can recognize victims like Will and Barb—her monster counterpart has already seen them.

The Demogorgon’s two‑headed design, borrowed from D&D lore, suggests a constant internal conflict, which could symbolize Eleven’s struggle between her human side and a darker, monstrous nature.

2 Bob Is From Derry, Maine

This theory weaves together Stephen King references and Bob Newby’s backstory, proposing that Bob hails from Derry, Maine—the infamous setting of King’s novel IT.

Bob mentions a childhood fear of clowns, which mirrors the terror of Pennywise. He also suggests moving the group to Maine, reinforcing the connection. Chronologically, Bob would have been a child in the 1950s when the events of IT took place, making it plausible that he grew up in the same town before settling in Hawkins.

Adding a fun coincidence, the actor who portrays Mike also appears in the 2017 IT remake, delivering the identical line: “Holy sh—t, what happened to you?”

1 Alien

The final theory takes a sci‑fi turn, noting the eerie resemblance between a mysterious egg in the Upside Down and the iconic alien eggs from the Alien franchise.

When Joyce and Hopper traverse the shadowy world in search of Will, they stumble upon a large, yellow, veined, web‑covered egg. Its design is reminiscent of the xenomorph eggs seen in Ridley Scott’s movies.

Fans wonder whether the egg is a distant relative of the alien specimens, or perhaps a clue that the Upside Down harbors its own extraterrestrial lifeforms. The mystery remains unsolved until the next season reveals the truth.

Looking for a solid lineup of 10 horror movies on Netflix that won’t disappoint? With Halloween just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to stock your watchlist before the holiday cheer takes over. Grab some popcorn, dim the lights, and dive into these chilling selections that span everything from demonic hauntings to psychological terror.

Why These 10 Horror Movies Shine on Netflix

Each title on this list has earned its place by either terrifying viewers to the point of pausing, earning rave reviews, or simply becoming a modern classic. Whether you crave jump‑scares, creeping dread, or a twist that lingers in your mind, the following picks cover the full spectrum of fear‑inducing cinema available on the streaming giant.

10 The Conjuring

Directed by James Wan, The Conjuring first hit theaters in July 2013 and has been sending shivers down spines ever since. The film follows real‑life paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren as they confront a malevolent entity plaguing a family’s home. As the demonic presence zeroes in on a specific family member, the Warrens must battle an increasingly relentless force that refuses to be banished.

Netflix’s viewing data shows that many viewers abandon this movie around the 70‑percent mark, suggesting its intensity makes it hard to finish. The platform even flags it as a title people often can’t get through, yet it remains available for those brave enough to stay the course.

9 The Boy

Few objects inspire true terror quite like a lifelike doll, and William Brent Bell capitalized on that fear with The Boy in January 2016. The story unfolds in a secluded English village where an elderly couple hires a nanny—played by Lauren Cohan—for their “son.” The twist? Their child is actually a full‑size porcelain figure, and the new caretaker quickly discovers that the doll is far more sinister than it appears.

Without relying on gore or overt demonic forces, the film leverages the uncanny valley effect of the doll and a haunting score to keep viewers on edge. Hide any dolls you own before you press play, because the atmosphere alone can make the hair on your arms stand up.

8 Hush

Imagine being alone in a remote cabin, surrounded by woods, and unable to hear any of the danger creeping toward you. That’s the premise of Mike Flanagan’s Hush, where deaf college student Maddie (Katie Siegel) finds herself terrorized by a masked intruder who believes her silence makes her an easy target. She must rely on sight, ingenuity, and the element of surprise to survive.

The thriller earned an impressive 89 % rating on Rotten Tomatoes, praised for its fresh take on the home‑invasion genre and its relentless tension. Its unique premise and smart use of silence keep audiences guessing right up until the final showdown.

7 The Unborn

Returning to classic demonic possession, David S. Goyer’s The Unborn delivers an hour‑and‑a‑half of unrelenting horror. College student Casey (Odette Yustman) is plagued by nightmares and visions that turn out to be the legacy of a cursed lineage dating back to Nazi‑era experiments. As the malevolent spirit grows stronger, Casey’s reality unravels, culminating in a terrifying battle for her soul.

Goyer expertly exploits the unsettling notion of a child caught in a supernatural maelstrom, reminding viewers why youthful innocence can be an especially frightening vessel for evil.

6 It Follows

What begins as a seemingly innocent first‑time sexual encounter spirals into a nightmarish curse in David Robert Mitchell’s 2015 cult hit It Follows. After teenager Jay (Maika Monroe) sleeps with her boyfriend Hugh (Jake Weary), an otherworldly entity attaches itself to him and, by extension, to her. The only way to rid herself of the relentless shape‑shifter is to pass the curse onto another unsuspecting partner.

The film’s slow‑burn dread, combined with its unsettling premise, forces viewers to question every passing stranger. Its lingering sense of paranoia makes it a perfect addition to any horror binge.

5 The Collection

For those who crave visceral, gory thrills, Marcus Dunstan’s The Collection (November 2012) delivers in spades. The story follows Elena (Emma Fitzpatrick) as she infiltrates an exclusive party, only to be captured by the sadistic Collector and thrust into his nightmarish dungeon. Pop‑up scares and relentless chase sequences keep the adrenaline pumping from start to finish.

As a sequel to 2009’s The Collector, the film expands the twisted universe with even more gruesome set‑pieces. Dunstan, known for his work on the Saw franchise, proves once again why he’s a master of the splatter‑filled horror sub‑genre.

4 The Shining

Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, The Shining, remains a cornerstone of horror cinema. Jack Nicholson portrays Jack Torrance, a writer who accepts a winter caretaker job at an isolated Colorado hotel. As the snowstorm isolates the family, the hotel’s malevolent forces drive Jack into madness, leading to iconic moments like the infamous “Here’s Johnny!” scene.

While the film diverges from King’s source material—sparking debate among purists—its chilling visuals, haunting performances, and unforgettable set pieces cement its status as a must‑watch for any horror enthusiast.

3 Hellraiser

Clive Barker’s 1987 masterpiece Hellraiser introduced audiences to the nightmarish Cenobites and the infamous puzzle box that opens doors to other dimensions. When curious protagonist Frank (Sean Chapman) unlocks the box, he summons the terrifying Pinhead and his legion, thrusting him into a realm of unspeakable pain.

Although opinions on the film vary, its groundbreaking practical effects and unsettling atmosphere have earned it a cult following. Even Stephen King praised Barker’s vision, cementing Hellraiser as a seminal entry in the horror canon.

2 Would You Rather

David Guy Levy’s 2012 thriller Would You Rather pits a desperate group of strangers against a sadistic billionaire who forces them into a deadly game of dares for a massive cash prize. Iris (Brittany Snow) and the other contestants must perform increasingly gruesome tasks, testing the limits of their morality and will to survive.

The film’s relentless tension and graphic challenges make it unsuitable for the faint‑hearted, but for those who can stomach the gore, it offers a harrowing glimpse into human desperation under extreme pressure.

1 Gerald’s Game

Mike Flanagan’s Netflix original Gerald’s Game adapts Stephen King’s novel into a claustrophobic horror experience. Carla Gugino stars as Jessie Burlingame, who finds herself handcuffed to a bed in a remote cabin after her husband Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) dies unexpectedly during a weekend of attempted intimacy.

Deprived of freedom, Jessie confronts haunting hallucinations and the creaking sounds of her own restraints, creating an atmosphere so tense that some viewers reportedly fainted. The film’s psychological terror and minimalist setting make it a standout entry for Halloween binge‑watching.

Netflix is a subscription-based streaming service that allows people to watch T.V. shows and movies on an internet-connected device, and its service providing across 190 countries. People worldwide realize that paying so much money for cable only has to still sit through ads, and this has given way more streaming services like Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime, etc. However, for now, Netflix is at the top of the list. So far, this much we know about Netflix. Here are the Top 10 Fascinating Facts you didn’t know about Netflix. This list will help you to find out more about Netflix. So, buckle up, and let’s start the counting.

Top 10 Fascinating Facts you didn’t know about Netflix.

10. Netflix’s Position in the Market.

Netflix is still the champion by a wide margain of the U.S. market. It passed 200 million subscribers worldwide recently. Netflix is the 33rd most valuable brand in this world (fortune.com). The film and the T.V. giant that is Netflix boasts an annual revenue of approximately 25 billion U.S. dollars. Netflix claims a spot in the top 500 of America’s Best employers was about 9,400 employees. All of this is thanks to Netflix’s approximate 200 million worldwide users.

9. Why is it Call Netflix?

The name Netflix is a clever and witty fusion of the word “Net.” meaning The Internet, and “Flix” is a shortened version of Flicks which means Movies, and there you go, now you know why Netflix is called Netflix. But there is another fact that Netflix wasn’t always going to call Netflix. The US-Based video business used to call Kibble, then It was changed into NetFlix.com and later, Netflix. Well, the number of possible names are considered before settling on the superior Netflix, including DirectPix, Replay, NowShowing, eFlix, Cinema Center. I guess they choose the right word because I can’t imagine saying Cinema-Center and Chilling.

8. How Old is Netflix?

Netflix is 23 years old. The company was founded on August 29th of 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California. By the year 1997, Marc Randolph served as CEO of Netflix until 1999, when he handed the control over Reed Hastings. Before 1999 Netflix was a DVD rental store. In 1999 Netflix began to offer an online subscription service through the Internet only in the USA. By the year 2016, its streaming service was available in more than 190 countries. Now in 2021, the company’s popularity is expanding around the world. Based on research, more than 50% of US-based adults had a Netflix subscription.

7. Worst Days of Netflix.

This story may not be a secret that once Netflix offered to sell itself to Blockbuster in 2000 for $50 million. Hastings come down to an agreement where Netflix would act as the online complement to Blockbuster’s traditional brick-and-mortar model. But Blockbuster turned down the offer. Guess what? It was Blockbuster’s colossal loss. We all know what happened after that.

Four years later, at the end of 2004, Netflix had about 2.6 million subscribers, while Blockbuster had only 9,100 retail location, and in the year 2010, Blockbuster filed bankruptcy. In 2017 Blockbuster used to have only nine stores and Netflix was worth more than 40 Billion USD. And now, in the year 2021, Blockbuster only have one store . But Netflix is still growing. In the fourth quarter of 2020, Netflix earned total revenue of over 6.64 billion U.S. dollars. Its ever-growing global subscriber base has heavily impacted Netflix’s gain.

6. Netflix Investment in their Content.

According to research past three years, Netflix spends more than $43 Billion U.S. Dollars on video content. Netflix almost spent $12 billion on streaming content in 2018, $14 billion in 2019, $14.3 billion in 2020 and also they suggested that the company budget could exceed $19 billion in 2021 (statista). Netflix is being watched more than any other cable service in the United States. Also, Netflix has more subscriber than the top 8 U.S. cable companies combined. So, It’s easy to guess that the leading Netflix market is the United States.

5. How Many Hours People Spends on Netflix?

In 2019, Netflix’s vice president for original content, Cindy Holland, said that the Netflix subscribers watch an average of two hours a day. Also, that’s over 2 billion hours of content streamed per week on Netflix. Cindy Holland said that most subscribers worldwide mainly watch Netflix on T.V. rather than Mobile devices.

4. Netflix’s Original “Content”.

Netflix subscribers are not likely unfamiliar with a large amount of original content that the company provide, including series such as “Stranger Things”, “Ozark”, “The Crown”, “GLOW”, “The Witcher”, and many more. In July 2013, 14 of Netflix’s original content received Emmy nomination. Including “House of Cards,” the political drama series, which received nine nominations, including best drama and best actor and actress. Netflix holds 612 nominations for Emmy, and it won 112 Emmy Awards from the year 2013 to 2020 .

However, the company tested out video formats and capabilities long before any of those programs hit the streaming service. They uploaded an 11 minutes long video Titled “Example Show”, which was used for testing its ability to stream high definition content.

3. Netflix V/S Pirates.

Do you know? It’s estimated that internet pirates cost the U.S. film and T.V. industries approximately $71 billion annually. But Netflix analyzes the trends and videos with high piracy rates and uses that information to adjust the films and television shows available to Netflix subscribers. Also, to prevent such illegal content leakage, Netflix and other streaming services protect their content using a technology called “DRM” and “Watermarking.” Netflix uses Google’s “Widevine” DRM service, which is also used by many streaming companies such as “Amazon Prime”, “Disney Plus,” etc.

2. Netflix and Its Internet Traffic.

It’s no wonder that Netflix consumes so much of the globe’s streaming traffic. Some of you may have wondered that Youtube takes this place, but most of Youtube’s contents are shorter than Netflix’s content, meaning it drives less streaming traffic than Netflix, even if Youtube has more users overall. But watching high definition content requires a good internet connection. A high speed-internet was one of the significant problems Netflix had to overcome in its early years. At that time, many people didn’t have Broadband Internet, but as high-speed Internet became more and more popular, more and more people could stream. Now, a good amount of the world’s Internet bandwidth goes to watching content on Netflix (LINK 17).

1. Why did Netflix succeed?

Despite all this revenue and growth, Netflix was operating at a loss recently in 2019. It’s because Netflix was still growing. You might say Netflix spends more money than it takes in. The world is switching to Internet-based entertainment, and Netflix is investing more and more in their original content. It is likely put together that there will be no cable but multiple streaming account in the future.

Apart from that, a Netflix subscription saves you from thousands of hours of ads. Over the years, television became more exorbitant, and there have been more and more ads. It’s just a waste of time watching, “Sponsered by,” Brought to you by”. Netflix keeps you away from these annoying ads and saves your time, and lets you enjoy more of their excellent contents.

There’s no doubt that Netflix is great at creating their original content. I think Original content plays a significant role in Netflix’s success story. To help you understand the idea of original content playing a vital role in the success story, consider “Bird Box”, a film created by Netflix. On December 29th, 2018, Netflix announced that more than 45 million accounts watched Netflix’s horror movie “BirdBox”.

When Netflix first announced that Netflix would produce its own content, people were unsure of its content quality. However, Netflix surprised them all, and all the money invested in original content has paid off in both revenue and recognition.

I don’t know that this fact affects Netflix success so much, but Netflix employees are treated very well. According to employees reviews on Glassdoor, employees get the bonus of a free account as a perk of working for Netflix and an impressive starting salary. It’s no wonder Netflix ranks in United State’s top 500 employers.

See also; Most Watched TV Channels of the world.

Conclusion

Next time when you sit down and watch Netflix, remember that you’re using a service that has completely changed the way we watch T.V. It’s a great source of entertainment. Now, we can expect that Netflix will be relevant in their upcoming years.