Jeopardy! contestant Jamie Ding became the show’s fifth-winningest player in regular-season play Monday night after winning his 27th game in a row.
Ding’s streak was nearly derailed by a questionable wager that put his commanding lead in jeopardy — pun intended.
Late in the Double Jeopardy! round, Ding had amassed $35,000 when he uncovered the game’s final Daily Double. At the time, he led Caleb Phillips by $26,600. Even if Phillips picked up the remaining clues — including the Final Jeopardy! clue — his maximum possible total would have been $24,000.
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Despite that cushion, Ding wagered $13,000 on the Daily Double and missed the clue, shrinking his lead and putting the outcome back in play. He then needed to answer the final clue of Double Jeopardy! correctly to secure the win.
The victory brought Ding’s total earnings to $753,000, moving him past Chris Pannullo into fifth place for regular-season winnings. He also now ranks fifth all-time for consecutive games won, five behind James Holzhauer, and has entered the top 10 for all-time winnings without yet appearing in a tournament.
Ding’s run has featured several standout performances. Last month, he tied Ken Jennings’ record for most correct responses in a single game with 45. He has also had the game clinched before Final Jeopardy! in nearly three-fourths of his appearances.
Ding, who earned a degree in molecular biology from Princeton University, works as a policy and programs analyst for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.
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