Sports Bettor James Holzhauer Breaks ‘Jeopardy!’ Single-Day Record, Pro Gambler Wins $110,914

Posted on: April 10, 2019, 08:11h. 

Last updated on: April 10, 2019, 08:11h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More

Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Professional sports bettor James Holzhauer is accustomed to risk. On Tuesday’s episode of Jeopardy!, the 34-year-old proved he’s willing to put his money on the line when he feels he knows the outcome of a betting opportunity.

The three-day defending champion headed into Final Jeopardy! with $72,600. His nearest competitor was at a distant $6,400. Despite already having won the game show, Holzhauer wagered $38,314 on the last clue.

Holzhauer correctly identified the question, which ballooned his winnings for the day to a record $110,914. The previous record was $77,000 – set by Roger Craig in 2010.

“I said all along that I wanted to break Roger Craig’s one-game record and I did it,” Holzhauer said. Now a four-day Jeopardy! winner, Holzhauer’s total haul is at $244,365.

Who is James Holzhauer?

According to a supposed Holzhauer “fan page” at www.kingjamesholzhauer.com, the sports bettor has long held an interest in competing on television game shows.

His first appearance came in 2014 on The Chase, an American adaptation of the British competition series of the same name. The website claims “James outshone” the other two contestants “and completely dominated each round.”

Holzhauer next appeared on the short-lived 500 Questions, the King James site explains, “Going against a giant in trivia in his own right, Steve Bahnaman, he (Holzhauer) could not defeat the reigning champion. With the rules set so that the challenger only replaced the champion if the champion answered three questions wrong in a row, it was a difficult task to defeat Steve.”

However, the site concluded that “many saw the potential” of Holzhauer’s trivia prowess. With his Jeopardy! appearance, the “unofficial fan site” asks, “Will he dominate like he did on The Chase? Or will he falter against strong competition?”

Tuesday’s episode more than answered those questions.

Holzhauer says boring subjects are made fun in children’s books. “My big secret for studying subjects I find uninteresting is to check out the children’s section of the library. The books there are filled with pictures and fun facts, and they’re a great way to learn the nuts and bolts of any subject,” he told Chicago’s Naperville Sun.

Holzhauer jumped out to an early lead on Tuesday and then landed the first Daily Double. He motioned “all in” to Trebek, putting all $14,600 on the line – and then identified the correct question. After hitting the second Daily Double, he bet $25,000 and again was right.

Jeopardy! Records

Longest winning streak: Ken Jennings, who won 74-straight shows that spanned from June 2, 2004, to November 30, 2004. He amassed $2,520,700 during the streak.

Largest single-day win: Holzhauer’s $110,914.

Julia Collins owns the record for most money won by a female with $495,767. She won 20 games.

Four times a player has won with the lowest amount possible – $1.