# The Jeopardy thread \[was James Holzhauer\]\[contains spoilers\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** reality-or-game-show\ **Created:** [April 17, 2019, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696 "2019-04-17T21:53:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 145
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2021, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2884 "2021-10-01T19:47:21Z")
[Can you respond correctly to the Final Jeopardy! clues Matt Amodio missed?](https://www.jeopardy.com/jbuzz/contestants/can-you-respond-correctly-final-jeopardy-clues-matt-amodio-missed) ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2021, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2885 "2021-10-02T00:44:26Z")
> [@mtnmatt](#): > > Yesterday in FJ they went to a wider shot before going to see Matt’s answer and I had never noticed before but his screen, where he had written “what’s Oz” was clearly visible before they did the tight shot where they then reveal his answer to viewers. Unfortunately, Matt wrote “What is Wizard of Oz,” in characteristic fashion omitting the leading article, not “what’s Oz?” I say unfortunately, because if he had written the latter, he would, I hope, have been ruled incorrect, forced to pack up his robotic “what’s”-saying self and head back to Ohio, and let us see some real, live human beings win for a change. > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Matt said “what’s Smokey the Bear?” His correct name is just “Smokey Bear”, although that would be a pretty narrow technicality for the Jeopardy judges to rule Matt incorrect. I actually never knew this. I’ve always heard him called Smokey the Bear. I’d be this is one of those things the majority of people say wrong. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2021, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2886 "2021-10-02T02:32:31Z")
5 out of 8 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2021, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2887 "2021-10-02T04:48:41Z")
I’m not going to give away the outcome of today’s show in case someone has recorded and not yet watched it. But our local station did give it away in a commercial just a half-hour before the show started here. In Hawaii, it airs at 4:30pm local time, long after it’s been shown on the mainland. I suspect they were supposed to wait until later to air that particular commercial. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2021, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2888 "2021-10-02T06:49:49Z")
Congratulations to Matt Amodio for 33 wins and $1,267,801. He’s a long, long way from Ken Jennings 74 game streak. Let’s pull up a chair and see how much further Matt can go. I don’t think he’ll get beyond 50 games. But that’s part of the fun in watching. He may surprise everyone. ---
**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:** [October 2, 2021, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2889 "2021-10-02T11:02:23Z")
A question that arose while watching yesterday’s game: After the first round’s Daily Double is found early, what’s the point of continuing to work from the bottom up? ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2021, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2890 "2021-10-02T11:07:45Z")
I’ve been wondering that too, but I think it’s that in case the board isn’t finished, you got the chance to get the money from the highest value clues and the ones left on the board are the lowest value clues. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2021, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2891 "2021-10-02T16:13:03Z")
That’s right. Build a big lead as fast as you can so the other players already have little chance of catching up before the end of the first round. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2021, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2892 "2021-10-02T16:15:15Z")
Well, firing Mike Richards means they lost a full taping day. Matt had to film three days instead of two with Mayim. 15 games! This former champ explains how daunting that is. It’s _possible_ that Matt survived but there’s a good chance the streak will end. > **['Jeopardy!' Ace Reveals Challenges Matt Amodio Faces to Maintain Win Streak](https://www.newsweek.com/jeopardy-news-star-reveals-challenges-matt-amodio-maintain-win-streak-1633431)** > > Ph.D. Yale student Amodio is enjoying a seemingly unstoppable run on "Jeopardy!" as he continues to break records. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2893 "2021-10-04T21:40:06Z")
Well, he hit the first DD with his two opponents in the red. I shut it off. ---
**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:** [October 4, 2021, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2894 "2021-10-04T22:53:58Z")
So your only reason to watch is to see Matt lose? That’s very telling. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2021, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2895 "2021-10-04T23:55:07Z")
Tonight was the second time Mayim Bialik has referred to Matt’s “record-breaking run” on the show. He’s doing spectacularly well, but I don’t think he’s broken any records, yet. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2896 "2021-10-05T00:30:15Z")
No, I didn’t see him lose- I shut it off. I love Jeopardy! and can’t wait to watch it sans Matt. I don’t care what that “tells”. ---
**Author:** ![cieskokid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cieskokid/32/5374_2.png) [@cieskokid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cieskokid)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2897 "2021-10-05T01:35:30Z")
I’m of the same mind here: I’ve got nothing against Matt or his quirks but when someone dominates the game like this it’s BORING to watch, there’s no competition. That’s all it “tells”;I felt the same when James had his run =\> “OMG, this is not@all interesting to watch!” ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2898 "2021-10-05T02:25:45Z")
I could tell as soon as they introduced the contestants that today wasn’t the day. Old people and fat women are never any good. We need another young man, or thin young woman. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2899 "2021-10-05T02:50:45Z")
Classy. And reported. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2900 "2021-10-05T03:00:15Z")
> [@cieskokid](#): > > I’m of the same mind here: I’ve got nothing against Matt or his quirks but when someone dominates the game like this it’s BORING to watch, there’s no competition. That’s all it “tells”;I felt the same when James had his run =\> “OMG, this is not@all interesting to watch!” I feel the same. It’s boring to the point of being formulaic now: Matt starts with $1000 clues, gets them mostly, then starts pecking all over until he finds the Daily Double. He gets that, then just finishes up the board. He does the same in Double Jeopardy. It’s boring. Otherwise, tonight, I would really like to have seen the baseball hall-of-fame category require the ballplayer’s full name. Matt’s “What’s Koufax?” and “What’s Young?” and “What’s Jeter?” was kind of weird. Its one thing to speak of “Jeter” or “Koufax” at the sports bar; it seems to me that it’s another thing entirely when Jeopardy players are given the initials of a full name, but the game doesn’t require the full name in a response. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2901 "2021-10-05T03:29:00Z")
Although you’re right that he hasn’t claimed any first-place records (yet), not all records are first place. Matt has broken Holzhauer’s second-place record for most regular games won (after Jennings), Jason Zuffranieri’s third-place record for highest winnings in regular games, and is now fourth in all-time winnings after Rutter, Jennings, and Holzhauer, _without having played in any tournaments._ As of today, he also has the 13th-highest one-day total, $83,000. [Holzhauer holds the top 12 spots.](https://allstar.co/jeopardy-single-day-winnings/) (When I linked that page, it had not yet been updated to reflect today’s win.) Holzhauer’s best day was an astonishing $131,127. Jennings is down in 19th, with “only” $75,000. [See more records here.](https://www.jeopardy.com/contestant-zone/hall-of-fame) Amodio may be able to work his way up Holzhauer’s one-day numbers (although probably not very far, since until now he has been much more conservative than James in his DJ and FJ wagering), but from here on he has quite a way to go to break any new records: he’s not even half way to Jennings’ 74 wins, and only just barely past half way to Holzhauer’s second-place record of $2,462,216 in regular season winnings. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2902 "2021-10-05T03:53:27Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > …not all records are first place. Actually, I think they are. You can have records in different categories, like fastest men’s marathon, fastest Olympic marathon, fastest American to run a marathon, etc.; but all the records are for first place. Mark McGwire hit 70 home runs in 1998. That’s an amazing achievement, but it’s not the record. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2021, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/2903 "2021-10-05T10:39:51Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Otherwise, tonight, I would really like to have seen the baseball hall-of-fame category require the ballplayer’s full name. Matt’s “What’s Koufax?” and “What’s Young?” and “What’s Jeter?” was kind of weird. Its one thing to speak of “Jeter” or “Koufax” at the sports bar; it seems to me that it’s another thing entirely when Jeopardy players are given the initials of a full name, but the game doesn’t require the full name in a response. Until last night, Matt’s terseness was merely a minor irritation to me, but I agree that in the baseball category they really should have required the full name. The clue gave the players’ initials, and responding with the last name should have been ruled incomplete. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=144) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=146)