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Welcome to the Winner’s Circle
Jeopardy Productions, Inc.
What is … a champion?Jeopardy!has kept viewers hooked for decades with its rapid rounds and fierce competition, not to mention the excitement of watching a competitor on a serious winning streak.
In the spring of 2023, some of these impressive winners also participated in the first-everJeopardy! Masterstournament, which featured previous champions facing off round-robin style over the course of 10 hour-long episodes with the games being scored in points. To celebrate the ongoing success ofJeopardy!, we’ve rounded up the contestants with the most consecutive wins, plus the player who’s pocketed the highest earnings of all time.
02of 10Ken JenningsEric McCandless/ABC via Getty ImagesKen Jennings was working as a software engineer in Utah when he was selected for the trivia competition in 2004, beginning a bid that would make history.Shooting to stardom with an unprecedented winning streak, Jennings won 74 consecutive games and $2,520,700, making him the highest-winning player in regular season play,perJeopardy!records.
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Ken Jennings
Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images
Ken Jennings was working as a software engineer in Utah when he was selected for the trivia competition in 2004, beginning a bid that would make history.
Shooting to stardom with an unprecedented winning streak, Jennings won 74 consecutive games and $2,520,700, making him the highest-winning player in regular season play,perJeopardy!records.
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Host Ken Jennings
In 2020, Ken Jennings trumped fellowJeopardy!all-starsBrad RutterandJames Holzhauerand won the ABC specialJeopardy! The Greatest of All Timetournament.That year, he also signed on as a consulting producer for the game show.
During season 39, Bialik announced that she would be stepping back from her hosting duties andwalked off setin support of the WGA strike, joining a handful of other writers andformer champions.Jennings took over Bialik’s hosting dutiesfor the remaining episodes she was scheduled for, as well as the fall 2023 episodes ofCelebrity Jeopardy!.
04of 10Amy SchneiderJeopardy Productions, Inc.Schneider, an engineering manager from California, made history in January 2022 in settingthe second-longestconsecutive winning streak at 40 games.In other firsts, she became the first woman to win more than $1 million in regular-season play, and was thefirst transgender contestantto qualify to compete in the game show’sTournament of Champions.Schneider won$1,382,800 from the game show.
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Amy Schneider
Schneider, an engineering manager from California, made history in January 2022 in settingthe second-longestconsecutive winning streak at 40 games.
In other firsts, she became the first woman to win more than $1 million in regular-season play, and was thefirst transgender contestantto qualify to compete in the game show’sTournament of Champions.
Schneider won$1,382,800 from the game show.
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Matt Amodio
06of 10James HolzhauerJeopardy Productions, Inc.The sports gambler from Las Vegas became a familiar face onJeopardy!in 2019, racking up a 32-game winning streak and raking in $2,462,216 during regular-season play, second only to Jennings.Holzhauer sits at the No. 1 spot for single-game winnings at $131,127, though — in a top 10 list only his name is on.Speaking to PEOPLE in 2019, the contestant opened up about giving some of his earnings away toProject 150,a foundation that helps homeless teenagers in Nevada attend and finish high school.“It’s nice to be able to have a voice,” Holzhauer said. “Especially for people who need it.“Holzhauer placed first onJeopardy! Mastersin 2023, earning himself an additional $500,000 and the Trebek Trophy, as well as $100,000 to donate to Project 150.
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James Holzhauer
The sports gambler from Las Vegas became a familiar face onJeopardy!in 2019, racking up a 32-game winning streak and raking in $2,462,216 during regular-season play, second only to Jennings.
Holzhauer sits at the No. 1 spot for single-game winnings at $131,127, though — in a top 10 list only his name is on.
Speaking to PEOPLE in 2019, the contestant opened up about giving some of his earnings away toProject 150,a foundation that helps homeless teenagers in Nevada attend and finish high school.
“It’s nice to be able to have a voice,” Holzhauer said. “Especially for people who need it.”
Holzhauer placed first onJeopardy! Mastersin 2023, earning himself an additional $500,000 and the Trebek Trophy, as well as $100,000 to donate to Project 150.
07of 10Cris PannulloJeopardy Productions, Inc.Former poker player and customer success operation manager Cris Pannullo won $748,286 after his 21-game winning streak in 2022.Pannullo is one of many former winners who is slated to appear on the game show’sTournament of Championsfollowing the 2023 WGA strike.
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Cris Pannullo
Former poker player and customer success operation manager Cris Pannullo won $748,286 after his 21-game winning streak in 2022.
Pannullo is one of many former winners who is slated to appear on the game show’sTournament of Championsfollowing the 2023 WGA strike.
08of 10Mattea RoachJeopardy Productions, Inc.Mattea Roach, a tutor from Toronto, earned their spot on theJeopardy!leaderboard in 2022 with a 23-game win streak. Roach walked away with $560,983, landing in sixth place on the top 10 highest winnings from regular season play.In 2023, during a semi-finals episode of Jeopardy! Masters,Roach revealed the sad news that their father diedfrom a brain aneurysm. Roach dedicated what “might be my last game of the series” to their dad, Phillip. They ended up placing second in the tournament, earning an additional $250,000 in winnings.
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Mattea Roach
Mattea Roach, a tutor from Toronto, earned their spot on theJeopardy!leaderboard in 2022 with a 23-game win streak. Roach walked away with $560,983, landing in sixth place on the top 10 highest winnings from regular season play.
In 2023, during a semi-finals episode of Jeopardy! Masters,Roach revealed the sad news that their father diedfrom a brain aneurysm. Roach dedicated what “might be my last game of the series” to their dad, Phillip. They ended up placing second in the tournament, earning an additional $250,000 in winnings.
09of 10Julia CollinsSony Pictures Television/Courtesy Everett CollectionBefore Schneider’s historic reign, Collins held the honor of the longest consecutive winning streak for a woman, winning 20 games in a row in 2014. The supply chain professional is also still one of the highest-earning winners for regular season play, pocketing $428,100 during her time on the show.
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Julia Collins
Sony Pictures Television/Courtesy Everett Collection
Before Schneider’s historic reign, Collins held the honor of the longest consecutive winning streak for a woman, winning 20 games in a row in 2014. The supply chain professional is also still one of the highest-earning winners for regular season play, pocketing $428,100 during her time on the show.
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Brad Rutter
Ben Hider/Getty Images
Sharing his plans for his prize money at the time, hetold the Associated Pressthe windfall gave him “a little bit more for the nest egg, and I can support myself without having to wait tables like everyone else in Hollywood.”
Kylie Hemmert
source: people.com
