# 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:** 82
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1621 "2020-12-07T00:00:48Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > what about contestants who wind up in the red? Your Winky not withstanding, I said with a guaranteed minimum amount, either at the current levels or higher to catch up with inflation. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1622 "2020-12-07T00:52:56Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > I can’t imagine how it could cost that much per ep If the prizes are a significant portion of it, it can’t. The absolute maximum payout per episode, assuming the same person answers every question correctly, every Daily Double are on the lowest scoring clues, and this absolute monster of a contestant goes all in on each of them and Final is about 200k, if I’m doing calculations correctly. Most of the budget (whether it’s actually 2 million or not) is probably toward the host/announcer/crew’s salaries, material costs for maintaining the set, paying for Clue Crew travel, and such things, only the last two of which are at all variable, and probably not significant portions. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1623 "2020-12-07T00:59:24Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > every Daily Double are on the lowest scoring clues Since I apparently noticed this too late to edit - for this calculation, it’s also assumed that the DDs are the last clues picked. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1624 "2020-12-07T01:09:57Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > it’s also assumed that the DDs are the last clues picked. According to [this calculation](http://daylateanddollarshort.com/mathdocs/This-is-Maximal-Jeopardy.pdf), the maximum a contestant could win after DJ is $283,200. Double that in FJ and the max winning amount is $566,400. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1625 "2020-12-07T01:34:27Z")
I just looked up Alex’s salary and its 10 mil a year, about 40k per EP. They have about 8 writers, let’s say 1 mil a year each, which sounds very high to me. Producer makes 2 mil a year, I have no idea about that. Now we are up to 80k per EP. After that there are camera operators, maybe an assistant producer, do they have grips and best boys for a game show. You have the staff to interview contestants, I guess legal. Even if all of that combined adds to 20 mil, again that seems way high, we are up to 160k total. 20k in winnings average for an even 180 k per EP Check my math ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1626 "2020-12-07T03:42:49Z")
… Jesus, I see where I screwed up…I calculated each round separately and forgot to include the Jeopardy! round total when calculating the Double Jeopardy! Daily Doubles. 🤦‍♀️ ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1627 "2020-12-07T03:54:43Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > paying for Clue Crew travel Do you think anyone on that show pays for travel? Those on-site clues (which my wife and I call “time sucks”) are 95% paid promotions. Frankly, I’d love it if they ditched the Clew Crew all together! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1628 "2020-12-07T05:10:33Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > > [@commasense](#): > > > > I can’t imagine how it could cost that much per ep > > If the prizes are a significant portion of it, it can’t. The absolute maximum payout per episode, assuming the same person answers every question correctly, every Daily Double are on the lowest scoring clues, and this absolute monster of a contestant goes all in on each of them and Final is about 200k, if I’m doing calculations correctly. > > Most of the budget (whether it’s actually 2 million or not) is probably toward the host/announcer/crew’s salaries, material costs for maintaining the set, paying for Clue Crew travel, and such things, only the last two of which are at all variable, and probably not significant portions. I came out with $566,400. Math upon request. If one player shuts out both of the others, do they even bother with FJ? ---
**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:** [December 7, 2020, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1629 "2020-12-07T05:25:59Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > If one player shuts out both of the others, do they even bother with FJ? If only one player has money after the Double Jeopardy round, then they do play Final Jeopardy with just that one player. I haven’t seen it happen for ages, though, and when it did, Alex would reveal the contestant’s wager before their response to the clue. When calculating the highest possible winnings, are you putting the Daily Doubles in the top row of clues? I don’t think that ever happens; I’ve only seen them in the second row and below. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1630 "2020-12-07T05:28:15Z")
Because theoretically, a DD CAN be on the top row, that calculation provides the theoretical upper limit to a perfect game. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2020, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1631 "2020-12-07T05:32:17Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Because theoretically, a DD CAN be on the top row I don’t think it can. I read somewhere that the show deliberately never puts a Daily Double in the easiest row. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2020, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1632 "2020-12-07T05:42:51Z")
There was a Daily Double in the top row less than two weeks ago… > **[J! Archive - Show #8287, aired 2020-11-24](https://j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=6877)** > > An archive of Jeopardy! clues and players for Show #8287. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2020, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1633 "2020-12-07T05:48:08Z")
I’ve never seen that before, and I’ve watched a lot of _Jeopardy!_ I wonder if they changed that rule, or if what I read was incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1634 "2020-12-07T20:46:07Z")
[![](https://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/roeder-jeopardy-3.png?w=575) ](https://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/roeder-jeopardy-3.png?w=575) Self-explanatory graph (although two years out of date). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1635 "2020-12-07T21:23:47Z")
I get why the rows would be variable, but why the variation by column? Is there some deliberate pattern to which kinds of categories go in which column? ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1636 "2020-12-07T22:12:28Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > I seriously question the accuracy of that $2 million number… I probably should have said to take it with the proverbial grain of salt. > [@commasense](#): > > Do you have a link?.. want to look into the reliability of the source. Quora is a Q&A forum. Here is the [Wikipedia article](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quora). Here is the [thread](https://www.quora.com/How-does-Jeopardy-afford-such-high-payouts-for-winners) I was quoting. For another perspective, here is an article from [The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/04/james-holzhauer-vs-jeopardys-prize-budget-game-show/587668/). (Spoiler: no clear answer) ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1637 "2020-12-07T22:16:11Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > accepting your $40,000 figure, that would still represent an increase of 1,333% in their budget for losers’ prizes. I proposed that amount as an unlikely high outlier. Off the top of my head, I’d guess the average would be around half of that, which I stipulate is still substantially more than the current fixed value of $3000. I’ll try to keep track of the values in the coming week. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2020, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1638 "2020-12-07T22:59:02Z")
Never would I have guessed that unicorns were Biblical creatures. Laughably I guessed “Gargantua”. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1639 "2020-12-08T00:08:11Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Laughably I guessed “Gargantua” Hey, I guessed “Minotaur”! ---
**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:** [December 8, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/1640 "2020-12-08T00:59:44Z")
I guessed unicorn, because I read this thread before the show was aired in my city. Spoiler tags next time, please. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=81) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=83)