“It took Jennings, who made comparably much smaller bets, a full 30 games to finally crack $1 million on July 13, 2004, when his total reached $1,004,960.” https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/04/james-holzhauer-jeopardy-winning-streak-ken-jennings
James may eventually surpass Ken Jennings’ winnings, but will he surpass the number of games Ken won. So far, James has won 14 games, beating 28 other contestants. Ken won 74 games, 148 other contestants. That’s alot of people to go up against without losing.
I was thinking the same thing last night while watching. Contestants work very hard to even qualify for the show with it being a life’s dream for many. Then you run into a total buzz saw in James when its your turn. And there may well have been potential repeat champs in the group had they appeared at a different time.
Just found out with a google search that the show airs in Alabama at 9:30 am central. Someone puts results up when the show is done airing there. So don’t look too hard if you don’t want to spoil results.
James has answered 497 correct question (or answers). He’s missed 18 answers. For some great stats and details,go to thejeopardyfan.com. Click on “latest recaps” and pick yesterday’s show. You’ll find all sorts of information. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom for nitty gritty stuff like where the DDs were located, etc.
@kelsmom – Yes, I did play in two Jeopardy tournaments. As a 5-time champion I played in the annual Tournament of Champions (TOC) later that year. I won my quarterfinal match but narrowly lost to the eventual tournament champion in the semifinals. It was a tough loss, but I didn’t hold it personally against the champ who beat me. We met at that tournament and remain good friends to this day.
Then years later in 2005 I and all the other old 5-time champions got invited back to play in a special Ultimate Tournament of Champions (UTOC) that was basically staged to see if any of us old prior champs could beat Ken Jennings. Ken had a bye to the finals. The rest of us had to compete in a big single-elimination tournament in order to reach the finals. I got beat in the first round. I had a few moments but I basically couldn’t get my old timing back with the button. It was in the finals of that tournament that Brad Rutter beat Ken Jennings.
One thing I can say for sure is that playing in a tournament is not like the regular season. When you are playing against other 5-time champions the quality of play is raised up to a whole other level. There are some serious Jeopardy animals in there. You really have to bring your A game to win against those players. In the opening minutes of my TOC quarterfinal win I felt like I had been hit by a truck. But fortunately I was able to raise my game enough to pull out the win.
@Scipio I am in awe of you and anyone else who has even made it on to Jeopardy, much less done well. Ever since moving to the Los Angeles area 35 years ago, I have had a dream of being on Jeopardy. I’ve taken the tests several times, and made it to the in-person audition twice. I think at my age I don’t have much of a chance any more–my ability to recall information quickly has definitely declined. But I keep taking the online tests every time they’re offered anyway. And, of course, I never miss watching the show if I can help it.
Our S tried a few times when he attended college in LA but sadly was never chosen. Not sure how far he progressed but believe he got at least one jeopardy T-shirt.
The figure I heard was that 80,000 people take the test each year and they use about 400 contestants each year. Even if you do well on the test and make it to a regional audition, there’s no guarantee you’ll get on the show. You’re placed in a contestant waiting pool for 18 months. I heard that James took the online test 13 times and made it to the regional audition twice before he finally got the call to be on the show. Persistence pays off.
Several years ago D was on the college tournament, which was a fun, but stressful experience. Her stated concern was that she not embarrass herself, and she did not. I was surprised by the level of preparation many of the students even auditioning had engaged in - I guess I was pretty naive about it! I had an audition a few years later but wasn’t quick on the buzzer and really wasn’t interesting enough - so they’re looking for that entertainment or “quirky” factor, too, when they select contestants.
I like playing along with Jeopardy. Depending on the day and category, I can do fine. Though certainly not with a signaling button under the bright lights on stage. Much easier on my couch. But the tournaments of champions takes it to a whole ‘nother level. Pretty much a spectator at that point enjoying the show with the somewhat rare correct response from me. Now I can rock the Kids’ tournaments (at least if they stay away from pop culture stuff). 
Do well for the teens, teachers and celebrity tournaments as well. College tournament a little less well. Still enjoy watching them all.
“James has answered 497 correct question (or answers). He’s missed 18 answers.”
This is an interesting statistic. 18 incorrect answers out of 515 attempts means he answers correctly 96.5% of the time he rings in. This got me wondering about my own stats, so I went back and charted my biggest and most dominant win (Game 5 of the regular season). In that game I answered correctly 34 out of 36 attempts for a rate of 94.4%.
That means in my very best single game I performed slightly lower than James has averaged over all his all his games. That’s impressive! My best effort, in which I totally dominated, would be a slightly below par game for James. My hat is off to him.
In the tryouts I was very fortunate. I’ve heard about the people who take the test over and over hoping to pass, or who pass the test over and over hoping to get picked. I took the test once and passed it and then got chosen for the show later that same season. This was in the days before the online test, so you went to the studio (or wherever they were holding tryouts on the road – usually in a hotel) and took the test with a pencil and piece of paper, just like in college. And just like in college they had us sit in every other chair to prevent any peeking. They then went in the back for few minutes to grade the tests and came out and announced who had passed. In my group of about 100 test takers exactly six of us passed. The other 94 were dismissed and the six of us went on to play mock games and do mock interviews to see how well we could do that. Then they told us we were in the contestant pool for that season, and they said “Don’t call us; we’ll call you.” They called me about 5 months later.
I don’t know why I was picked over the others who also passed the test. I don’t think my on-screen presence is particularly appealing in any way. Some years later I read an interview with the head contestant coordinator who said that occasionally they will deliberately pick a contestant who is obnoxious or unappealing in some way in order to give the audience at home someone to root against. I think that made every Jeopardy contestant who read that interview go “Hmmm…?”
I don’t think much personality comes through until someone has won several games. There’s really not much chance to get to know what contestants are like before then.
Only $73k tonight. And he got one wrong!
Article in today’s NYT.
I have been away from Jeopardy for a long time (I am sure as heck back watching now!) so there is much I have to learn or relearn about the show. Just learned that 2nd place wins $2000 and 3rd place wins $1000. I thought they got to keep their actual $$ winnings from the game. Maybe they did at one point in history, but now they only get those consolation amounts. I guess it prevents the game from getting extremely boring, if 2nd place was just trying to preserve his $10,000 in winnings he might just stop buzzing in, and would bet $0 in final jeopardy.
“Just learned that 2nd place wins $2000 and 3rd place wins $1000. I thought they got to keep their actual $$ winnings from the game.”
That was true back on the original Jeopardy show hosted by Art Fleming back in the 1960s. But in the Alex Trebek era (which began with the show’s revival in 1984) the 2nd and 3rd place have not been allowed to keep their winnings. In fact the $2000 and $1000 consolation amounts are recent developments. They started doing that just in the last few years. Prior to that the deated players got no cash. They got only the “lovely parting gifts.” Actually, the champions get the lovely parting gifts too. Back when I won the gifts were still trickling in more than a year after the show aired. Among other things I got a clock radio, a whole case of Rice-a-Roni (all chicken flavored), a year’s supply of lip gloss, and three Jeopardy home games.
Fun Fact: Actor Mel Gibson was born in the US but grew up in Australia. That happened because Mel’s dad competed on Jeopardy back in the Art Fleming days and won enough money to move his family over to Australia.
Wow, I’m shocked that 2nd and 3rd don’t get their winnings! I think that’s kind of awful!
Also, the guy is doing all kinds of amazing and bringing great attention to the game - do we really have to keep track of how many questions he has missed (while winning copious amounts of $$ due to correct answers)??? Only on CC. 
My friend won a lovely dining room set from jeopardy and her cash winnings plus got the set. They told her she’d have to pay shipping to HI but never billed her. She won several days but never became a 5 day champion.
@abasket, I mention the number of times he misses because it’s so rare. It’s astounding! It’s a compliment, not a diss.
^^ Since there were a few posts on the “misses” I took them as a diss! But thank you for pointing out your view as # of misses is a mark of success. 