On Tuesday’s show, professional sports bettor James Holzhauer further solidified his second-place position on the all-time Jeopardy! regular-season money list with another $100k performance.
Holzhauer now holds the top three single-day performances in Jeopardy! history. In his fourth game, he shattered the previous record of $77k set in 2010, walking away with $110k. In his seventh game, he raked in $89k, and on Tuesday he added another $106k to his winnings.
Altogether, based on what has aired so far (the episodes are recorded many weeks in advance), he has $566,660 in winnings from his active nine-day winning streak.
- Game 1: $43,680
- Game 2: $38,926
- Game 3: $50,845
- Game 4: $110,914
- Game 5: $54,322
- Game 6: $27,190
- Game 7: $89,158
- Game 8: $45,444
- Game 9: $106,181
The nine-game streak puts him in the top 10 in terms of consecutive wins.
US Bets was the first media outlet to talk to Holzhauer during the current win streak. He said his experience as a professional gambler helped him craft the optimal betting strategy for the show.
The buzz around Holzhauer
Could we be witnessing the early stages of a Ken Jennings-like run? Jennings won $2.5 mm over a 74-game win streak in 2004. No other contestant in show history has won more than 20 straight games.
Holzhauer, 34, would have to be a betting underdog at this juncture to break the 74-game record, but his winnings per game have so far been significantly higher than what Jennings averaged. Holzhauer probably stands a better chance at breaking $2.5 mm than 74 games, but both records are starting to feel like they are in … well, jeopardy.
Like a true gambler, Holzhauer told US Bets that “one bad bounce is all it takes to lose a great bet.” He is well aware that no matter how big of a favorite he is on a particular night, anything can happen. It’s why you play the game.
The internet’s reaction to Holzhauer has been filled with astonishment. Here are some of the best Tweets.
So good he’s already the GOAT?
https://twitter.com/nikhelback/status/1116901095949983744
So good he must be cheating?
I can’t be the only person who thinks #JamesHolzhauer is somehow cheating. He gets every double jeopardy. And is just way too confident and good to be real. #jeopardy
— Emily Dachs (@e_dachs) April 15, 2019
So good he’s boring?
Anyone else finding @Jeopardy totally boring now that this current champ broke the code. He might as well be playing alone…😒#jeopardy #JamesHolzhauer
— Elizabeth W. (@divamommy1) April 13, 2019
So good he’ll put the show into Chapter 11?
@Jeopardy about to be bankrupt #JamesHolzhauer
— Joe N (@JN_923) April 17, 2019
So good he’s better than the Super Bowl?
The past 8 games of Jeopardy has been more thrilling than any super bowl I’ve ever watched. #JamesHolzhauer
— NORA (@NoraSaysThings) April 17, 2019