# Jeopardy! Top Ten Winning Streaks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 28, 2011, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611 "2011-12-28T07:59:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/1 "2011-12-28T07:59:34Z")
What are the top ten winning streaks on Jeopardy!? The current champ seems like he may last awhile although he was lucky to get a “NFL” question for the final round versus a female contestant. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/2 "2011-12-28T09:58:27Z")
> [@GreenElf](#): > > The current champ seems like he may last awhile although he was **lucky to get a “NFL” question for the final round versus a female contestant**. \*\* Bolding mine.\*\* Good thing the Final Jeopardy category wasn’t Cooking or Fashion, huh? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/3 "2011-12-28T14:25:42Z")
> [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > Good thing the Final Jeopardy category wasn’t Cooking or Fashion, huh? :rolleyes: He ran a football category two days before and the FJ question (name the only NFL team who’s city and nickname start with the same three letters) is pathetically easy for someone with any football knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/4 "2011-12-28T14:29:39Z")
> [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > **Bolding mine.** > > Good thing the Final Jeopardy category wasn’t Cooking or Fashion, huh? :rolleyes: In the Double Jeopardy round, there was a category about hair salons that confounded all three male contestants. Just sayin… ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/5 "2011-12-28T14:30:07Z")
> [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > \*\* > Bolding mine.\*\* > > Good thing the Final Jeopardy category wasn’t Cooking or Fashion, huh? :rolleyes: He’s done well in the cooking categories as well as named Tabitha (fashion) from a picture. He seems pretty well rounded to me. > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > In the Double Jeopardy round, there was a category about hair salons that confounded all three male contestants. Just sayin… I think that’s where the Tabitha picture was. I was kinda surprised they stuck with that category for as long as they did. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/6 "2011-12-28T14:42:35Z")
Not to change the subject or anything, but does the current champ remind anybody else of James Gandolfini? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/7 "2011-12-28T14:47:05Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Not to change the subject or anything, but does the current champ remind anybody else of James Gandolfini? A little, if Gandolfini did a little head-duck and gave a smarmy grin while shifting his eyes back and forth every time he came up with the question. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/8 "2011-12-28T14:48:21Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > A little, if Gandolfini did a little head-duck and gave a smarmy grin while shifting his eyes back and forth every time he came up with the question. And, ya know, looked like he wanted to be your friend instead of shoot you in the face. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/9 "2011-12-28T14:51:57Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > A little, if Gandolfini did a little head-duck and gave a smarmy grin while shifting his eyes back and forth every time he came up with the question. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > And, ya know, looked like he wanted to be your friend instead of shoot you in the face. I see what you’re saying but the teeth in the grin and something about that eyes is Tony Soprano to me. If it matters, back to the OP’s question perhaps, I prefer this guy to Ken Jennings by a long shot. So is anybody going to bring up the list, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/10 "2011-12-28T15:12:27Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > So is anybody going to bring up the list, or what? I didn’t see a list of longest streaks but looking at [this list](http://www.jeopardy.com/showguide/halloffame/50kplus/) it seems like our current champ is already in 6th place. IIRC, yesterday’s winnings pushed him over $200K. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/11 "2011-12-28T15:27:15Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I didn’t see a list of longest streaks but looking at [this list](http://www.jeopardy.com/showguide/halloffame/50kplus/) it seems like our current champ is already in 6th place. IIRC, yesterday’s winnings pushed him over $200K. Good work! I agree that he’s in that range. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/12 "2011-12-28T16:50:35Z")
Why did he wager nothing in the Final Jeopardy round? He figures he’s made enough money already? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/13 "2011-12-28T17:04:59Z")
> [@GreenElf](#): > > Why did he wager nothing in the Final Jeopardy round? He figures he’s made enough money already? Because he didn’t think he was going to know the answer…so why bother losing any money. It was a run away game so he didn’t have to defend his position. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/14 "2011-12-28T17:12:25Z")
As for winning streaks, from the [J! Archive](http://www.j-archive.com/), here are all the 6+ time champions since the rules changed to allow more than five in the 03-04 season: 75 Games Ken Jennings - 6/2/0411/30/04 20 Games David Madden - 7/5/05-9/19/05 10 Games Dan Pawson - 12/27/07-1/9/08 9 Games Tom Nissley - 12/14/10-12/24/10 Tom Kavanaugh - 12/29/05-1/10/06 8 Games Jason Keller - 12/16/11-Present Joon Pahk - 10/3/11-10/12/11 Jason Bernbach - 5/21/09-6/1/09 Tom Walsh - 1/5/04-1/14/04 7 Games Justin Sausville - 7/28/11-9/12/11 Christopher Short - 4/1/11-4/11/11 Roger Craig - 9/13/10-9/21/10 Jason Zollinger - 1/12/10-1/10/10 Jim Stevens - 12/22/08-12/30/08 Larissa Kelly - 5/20/08-5/28/08 Kevin Marshall - 1/10/06-1/18/06 Sean Ryan - 10/8/03-10/16/03 6 Games Jay Rhee - 6/20/11-6/27/11 Tom Kunzen - 3/15/11-3/22/11 Kara Spak - 9/23/10-9/30/10 Paul Kursky - 6/16/10-6/23/10 Dave Belote - 12/2/09-12/9/09 Terry Linwood - 10/8/09-10/16/09 Liz Murphy - 4/23/09-4/30/09 Matt Kohlstedt - 1/19/09-1/26/09 Mark Wales - 7/18/08-7/25/08 Aaron Schroeder - 7/4/08-7/11/08 Cora Peck - 12/19/07-12/26/07 Lisa Klink - 11/26/07-12/3/07 Paul Glaser - 10/26/07-11/02/07 Cathy Lanctot - 6/26/07-7/3/07 Mehrun Etebari - 5/24/07-5/31/07 Andrew Rostan - 4/26/07-5/17/07 Steve Unite - 12/18/06-12/25/06 Jeff Spoeri - 11/6/06-11/27/06 Celeste DiNucci - 7/20/06-7/28/06 Craig Westphal - 6/9/06-6/16/06 Bob Mesko - 1/23/06-4/19/06 Maria Wenglinsky - 10/31/05-11/21/05 Kerry Breitnbach - 12/31/04-1/7/05 Chris Miller - 4/1/04-4/8/04 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/15 "2011-12-28T17:30:12Z")
> [@obfusciatrist](#): > > As for winning streaks, from the [J! Archive](http://www.j-archive.com/) ::Checks time of post and current time:: That just killed the last 17 minutes of my day and I could probably spend the next hour on that site. Between the old games (complete with clues and answers), statistics and terms I had to looks up (Coryat Score) I could kill a lot of time there. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/16 "2011-12-28T17:43:12Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > He ran a football category two days before and the FJ question (name the only NFL team who’s city and nickname start with the same three letters) is pathetically easy for someone with any football knowledge. That’s just wonderful, but not relevant to my point at all. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/17 "2011-12-28T17:55:09Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > He ran a football category two days before and the FJ question (name the only NFL team who’s city and nickname start with the same three letters) is pathetically easy for someone with any football knowledge. So…what’s the answer? \<—no football knowledge ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/18 "2011-12-28T18:22:03Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > So…what’s the answer? \<—no football knowledge The Seattle Seahawks. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/19 "2011-12-28T18:26:53Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Not to change the subject or anything, but does the current champ remind anybody else of James Gandolfini? Ever since his first appearance, I’ve been trying to figure out who he looks like. He has a very strong resemblance to someone, but not Gandolfini. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611/20 "2011-12-28T19:02:32Z")
> [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > That’s just wonderful, but not relevant to my point at all. So you’re saying it wasn’t luck that he got a football-related FJ after he showed extensive knowledge of the sport two days earlier? I know some people like feeling offended when someone suggests women don’t know as much about sports as men, but I think it’s stretching a bit in this case. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy-top-ten-winning-streaks/607611.md?page=2)