Posted on 06/04/2019 7:13:04 AM PDT by EdnaMode
For weeks, the “Jeopardy!” phenomenon James Holzhauer had been unstoppable.
He set the record for the most money won in one episode, holds the second spot on the list, and the next 14. Eleven times during his winning streak, he went a whole game without buzzing in incorrectly. For fans, the question was not whether he would surpass the $2.52 million Ken Jennings won during his record 74-game winning streak in 2004, but when.
The correct response:
What is never?
In the prerecorded episode that aired on Monday, Holzhauer’s “Jeopardy!” reign came to an end with his 33rd game, a tantalizing $58,484 shy of Jennings’s mark. The number of the day turned out to be $22,002, the amount that separated him from the winner, a librarian from Chicago named Emma Boettcher.
The surprising end caused even the famously dispassionate host to practically lose his composure.
“What a game!” Alex Trebek exclaimed after Boettcher’s final score popped up. “Oh my gosh!”
Holzhauer walked over to give Boettcher a high-five.
“Nobody likes to lose,” Holzhauer said in an interview. “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.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
James has a very special brain. As a person he just seemed like a regular polite humble guy a bit underwhelmed by all this attention. Best Wishes.
Not exactly but I could imagine how Einstein would do on Jeopardy if he applied himself.
“Bad luck for the Daily Doubles was partly to blame for the loss. “
http://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=6304
James actually got more questions correct than Emma, but she got 2 daily doubles that got her ahead of James
No one gets asked back for a regular game unless there was some kind of irregularity they can make a case for that caused them to misunderstand a question - that kind of thing.
He will be asked back for the Tournament of Champions. Alex already mentioned that last night.
If he had bet it all on Final Jeopardy, he would have won. All 3 knew the answer. She just bet WAY more than he did. Very unlike him to bet so little.
I’m through watching for a while. I liked James.
I’ve recorded Jeopardy for the past 2 years or thereabout, but after his loss last night, I removed the series from my auto record.
I’m changing apartments at the end of this month, so I need to pack boxes. Moving to a SUNNY unit close to one of the swimming pools and hot tubs.
“If he had bet it all on Final Jeopardy, he would have won.”
No he wouldn’t, hw would have lost by $1
I was on it. Be enthusiastic and personable. Find something unique about yourself and tell it in a unique way.
If she doesn’t have anything unique find something and try out again.
And yes, it is harder on set under the lights than it is at home. But then again, I was never a whiz at it.
Jennings is a POS.
I was really hoping this guy would knock him off of that pedestal.
As to his final bet, it was the only move he could make. I also thought it was odd, but read an explanation this morning that made it clear.
He knew that she'd bet enough to shut him out (because she could), so he bet to make sure that the third place guy didn't overtake him. This way, if Emma got the question wrong, he would still win, regardless of what the third guy did. If she answered the question correct, which she did, there was nothing James could do at this point. So, in essence, he bet to take his response out of the equation. Pretty savvy betting, in my opinion.
And, for what it's worth, the "accidental" leak of the result probably helped their ratings, since some of the regular viewers (me included) were losing interest in seeing the game decided before the individual interviews half way through the first round!
It's pretty obvious that you don't watch the show. You don't "ring in" for the Daily Double. When you are in control of the board, you find it by calling out a board piece.
I’m sure she would have done well, but they moved a handicapped guy up instead of her.
There is a guy I know, who was on the show 20 or so years ago and didn’t win didlysquat.
Jennings probably holds the Note on the show.
I do wonder however if Ken Jennings is being groomed to step in and take over for Alex. Alex is going through his come to jesus moment and they may figure he’ll retire.
As much as I like James, his smile is made for Radio.
As I saw him holding back and not ringing in on so many questions where he’d have easily done it before I realized it was probably his swan song. Either he or his wife, or both decided it was enough. Time to end it with Jennings’ record intact, and take that 12 month vacay in Europe he’d mentioned, before their daughter is old enough to start school.
You’re right. I got that info from a usually reliable source.
Looked to me like he THREW the game!! That last bet was NOTHING like he usually does!! I think they didn’t want that creepy lefty gayish Ken Jennings to lose his title!
I watched the game. She leapfrogged over him with one Daily Double where she bet everything (very gutsy). She then enhanced her lead with another correct DD (where she bet much less). After that, Holzhauer never caught up. In the last third of the game he looked defeated.
Not is Emma would have answered incorrectly and bet what she bet! He didn’t TRY!
I’m a former champion from the 90s.
Everyone who thinks he lost on purpose is full of it, as others have mentioned. He wagered correctly, she was just faster on the button enough times. Nothing’s rigged - they could never survive it if it ever got out.
As far as the 2nd and 3rd place not getting money: The point is that only the winner gets cash, otherwise someone who is in second with a hefty total may not wager to win.
When I lost and finished second, the prizes I received for 2nd place were worth about 5 grand, and that was 20 years ago. This was also when the over all money was one-half what it is now.
The players that lose do fine. I’ll also say being on TV didn’t make it more difficult. The game moves too fast for you to even think about the fact that you’re on television. there’s no time to ponder it.
No, his ONLY possible way to win was to bet based on Emma having the wrong answer in Final Jeopardy.
IF James bet everything, he would still lose to Emma by $1 if her answer was also correct. Therefore, his only hope was if she had the wrong answer, he could beat her with a smaller wager and still beat the other guy.
A number of years ago, I was watching a “Jeopardy!” tournament of champions with my sister.
My sister and I were both surprised to see a male contestant who just happened to be a high school friend of my sister from decades earlier.
A male nanny won the tournament, and received a prize of $250,000.
My sister’s high school chum came in second and was awarded $100,000. The third place guy won $50,000.
My sister’s long-ago friend apparently had been on the show before and won $60,000 during his time on “Jeopardy!”
Altogether, a total of $160,000 for him. Not bad.
And he found the first one right out the gate in Single Jeopardy and she found both in Double. She was pretty quick on the buzzer too, so there is that.
That said . . . I will miss James & Jeopardy in the afternoon. I’ll still watch . . . what a nice run he had.
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