With his 10th straight win, “Jeopardy!” contestant James Holzhauer has topped the show’s single-day winnings record — a record that he previously set just eight days earlier.
On Wednesday, Holzhauer won $131,127, a solid $20,213 more than the $110,914 he grabbed on April 9. The victory brings his total winnings to $697,787, further cementing his status as the show’s second-highest-winning contestant, though he still trails “Jeopardy!” legend Ken Jennings.
Holzhauer, a 34-year-old professional sports gambler from Las Vegas, won by risking $60,013 on the final category “20th Century Literary Characters.” The answer was: “His first name refers to the ancient district in which you’d find the Greek capital; his surname is a bird.” The question, of course, is “Who is Atticus Finch?” from “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
But Holzhauer still has a long road ahead if he wants to top the all-time winner’s list. Jennings amassed $2,520,700 during an amazing 74-game winning streak in 2004.
Meanwhile, in a video on Wednesday commemorating the final day of taping for Season 35 of the show, “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek thanked fans for their support and encouragement in the weeks since he shared news of his pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
“Some of you may recall that at the beginning of this season, I promised you that we had surprises in store for you,” Trebek said. “Well, of course, I had no idea at the time that there were some surprises in store for me as well. So here, on the last day of taping for our 35th anniversary season, I wanted once again to thank you for your continuing messages of encouragement and support, particularly the many cards I’ve received from young people. I’m touched beyond words.”
“Jeopardy!” is produced by Sony Pictures Television. It is distributed domestically by CBS Television Distribution and internationally by CBS Television International.