With his eighth straight win on Monday, “Jeopardy!” contestant James Holzhauer now holds the highest total winnings of any player since Ken Jennings.
Holzhauer’s victory pushed him up to a total of $460,479, surpassing Dave Madden’s total of $430,400 over 19 games in 2005. An aggressive wager strategy helped propel Holzhauer into the second-place spot in less than half as many games, while setting a new record for single-day winnings along the way: $110,914.
“When I watch at home, I always root for the contestants to bet big on Daily Doubles. They get them right most of the time, and it can give them a big leg up on the competition,” Holzhauer said. “I’m proud of myself for sticking to that attitude when it was my money on the line.”
But Holzhauer still has a long way to go if he wants to top “Jeopardy!” legend Ken Jennings and his 74-game total of $2,520,700. He is next set to face two new challengers on Tuesday when he attempts his ninth straight win.
“Jeopardy!” is produced by Sony Pictures Television. It is distributed domestically by CBS Television Distribution and internationally by CBS Television International.