Does Jeopardy! Wiz Beat Record? The Results Are In

Spoiler alert: Stop reading now if you don't want to learn how James Holzhauer fares
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 3, 2019 12:00 PM CDT
Jeopardy! Wiz Goes for Record Monday. The Results Are In
This image made from video aired on "Jeopardy!" on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, and provided by Jeopardy Productions, Inc. shows James Holzhauer.   (Jeopardy Productions, Inc. via AP)

(Warning: spoilers ahead.) James Holzhauer went into Monday's Jeopardy! contest one big game away from surpassing Ken Jennings as the show's all-time money champ. Did he do it? Stop reading now if you don't want to know, because the advance word is out. Surprisingly, the answer is no. Holzhauer's streak ended at 32 games, less than $60,000 short of Jennings' record of $2.52 million. As the New York Times reports, it was a librarian from Chicago named Emma Boettcher who defeated him. “Nobody likes to lose,” Holzhauer tells the newspaper. “But I’m very proud of how I did, and I really exceeded my own expectations for the show. So I don’t feel bad about it.”

The newspaper conducted the interview prior to the broadcast and agreed not to publish it until the show began airing, as it has in parts of the US. Before the Times story appeared, CNBC notes that leaked footage surfaced showing the ending. Boettcher led Holzhauer heading into Final Jeopardy, and they both got the final answer correct. He bet $1,399 (surprisingly small for him) to end up with $24,799, and she wagered $20,000 to end up with $46,801. In the video, Holzhauer immediately high-fives her after the win. "She played a perfect game," he tells the Times. "And that's what it took to beat me." (More Jeopardy stories.)

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