Holzhauer’s opponents made him look almost ordinary, thanks in large part to eventual champion Emma Boettcher’s
In the 191st episode of Jeopardy!‘s 35th season, the returning champion is dethroned by a new contestant. That’s happened hundreds of times over the years on the show, and without context, it’s an unremarkable sentence. But when the champion is James Holzhaueur, winner of more than $2.4 million in 32 games, the story is far more impressive.
Holzhauer’s reign on the show has completely changed what is possible on Jeopardy! in the minds of a lot of the show’s biggest fans. The numbers tell the story: Holzhauer averaged $75,364 over 33 games, just shy of the $77,000 that was once the single-day record for the show.
