In January 2020, he defeated James Holzhauer and Brad Rutter to win the Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time tournament and pocketed $1 million …
Who is Ken Jennings?
During the fourth match of the primetime Jeopardy! contest that aired on Tuesday, Jennings took the first game with a score of 65,600 after using Holzhauer’s patented strategy against him and twice going all-in on “Daily Double” questions.
Holzhauer finished the game in second place with 34,181 points while Rutter brought up the rear with a score of zero. Before the second game of the tournament, Holzhauer made sure no one forgot it.
ARREST JAMES FOR THE SAVAGE MURDER OF BRAD RUTTER ON #JEOPARDY.#JeopardyGOAT pic.twitter.com/HiX3MmP6HL
— Anne Beaulac (@annebeaulac) January 15, 2020
During the second game of the match, it all came down to a “Final Jeopardy” clue about Shakespeare which, though he bet nothing on it, Jennings got correct. Holzhauer, who did make a wager, got it wrong.
And we have a winner! Ken Jennings is the greatest of all time! James Holzhauer not knowing tonight's second Final Jeopardy cost him victory in tonight's second game (answer? Iago). It has been a wonderful tournament. Congratulations Ken. Well done Alex Trebek too! #JeopardyGOAT pic.twitter.com/y4CpmclUut
— Marcus Stead (@MarcusStead) January 15, 2020
After the win, Jennings took to Twitter to compliment his competition and reflect on the win.
“James Holzhauer is a player so dominant that, when he took on the strongest players ever in his sport, they both had to adopt his exact style of play just to contain him,” Jennings wrote. “THAT’s a once-in-a-generation talent. Brad Rutter got some tough breaks in this tourney, but real Jeopardy-heads know him as the guy who beat me in three straight tournament finals. For over a decade, he’s really had the only credible claim as the Jeopardy GOAT. Buzzing against both of them at once was a Jeopardy nightmare, but also the best time I’ve ever had on TV. They’re just great and, should I ever be unable to fulfill my duties, I deputize them as co-GOATs.”
He also threw his support behind a couple of candidates in Tuesday night’s debate.
Remember, defending champion Ken Jennings wants you to vote for Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren. https://t.co/aTwXK85iym
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) January 15, 2020
Though they didn’t walk away with the title of Jeopardy! GOAT, Holzhauer and Rutter each got $250,000 for participating in the tournament.
The show was such a hit in the ratings department that it is hard to imagine ABC wouldn’t want to enlist Jennings, Holzhauer and Rutter for a rematch at some point in the future.
But, it’s fair to wonder if Alex Trebek, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, will still be up to hosting duties if and when that happens.
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