James Holzhauer Has Broken Jeopardy!
First it was Ken Jennings in 2004. That was the year Jeopardy! did away with its five day limit on returning champions. Jennings became an unstoppable force, winning 75 straight games and earning over $2.5 million! Today, the new contestant dominating the game show is named James Holzhauer, and he's literally breaking the bank!
In several of his first ten appearances, the 34-year-old professional gambler has won over $100,000. In his most recent win, he nabbed a single day record $131,000! Currently, he owns four of Jeopardy's! five biggest single day totals.
Luckily for Jennings, Holzhauer still has a long road to go before breaking $2.5 million in total winnings. So far he's at $700,000, which is still impressive in its own right. About Holzhauer, Jennings tweeted, "This is absolutely insane. I've always wanted to see someone try Jeopardy! wagering this way who had the skills to back it up."
He's referring to Holzhauer's bold strategy of betting big on Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy, occasions where most contestants play it safe when they can. Of course, when you're a professional gambler, there's no such thing as playing it safe. For James Holzhauer, there is only one motto to live by, "Go big or go home!"
