Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category Comic Book Superheroes) for Thursday, April 18, 2019 (Season 35, Episode 159):
During his years with the Justice League of America, this superhero sometimes used the identity “C. King”
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s contestants:
Gregory Bodkin, an institutional development manager from Brooklyn, New York
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Samantha Merwin, a graduate student from Irvine, California
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James Holzhauer, a professional sports gambler from Las Vegas, Nevada (10-day total: $697,787)
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Jeopardy champion from earlier this season Lori Goodman has collaborated with other Jeopardy contestants to create the Jeopardy-style Haggadah supplement you didn’t realize your Passover Seder needed!
If you’re curious to see how James’ stats so far shape up to those of Ken Jennings, you can find them at A James Holzhauer vs. Ken Jennings Statistical Comparison.
After yesterday’s game, James reached 300 correct responses on the show, becoming one of only a few players to reach that milestone! See who else has done so on our 300 Club page!
Did you write any of the online tests last week? You can find last week’s questions and answers here!
The Jeopardy! Book of Answers is out now! Here’s my review.
Are you going on the show and looking for information about how to bet in Final Jeopardy? Check out my new Betting Strategy 101 page!
(Content continues below)
Correct response: Who is Aquaman?
More information about Final Jeopardy:
Aquaman (Orin, or Arthur Curry) used the alias C. King (“Sea King”) in Justice League of America Vol 1 #27 (May 1964), The “I” Who Defeated the Justice League.
Since Alex Trebek’s diagnosis of stage 4 pancreatic cancer, many community members have been raising money. The Jeopardy! Fan Online Store is as well! All proceeds from any “Keep The Faith And We’ll Win” shirt sold will be donated to Alex Trebek’s preferred charity. (The de facto alumni association is currently inquiring with the show in order to determine Alex Trebek’s preferred charity; this will be updated when that has been determined. To date, over $240 has been raised.)
Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Tonight’s results are below!
Scores going into Final:
James $47,825
Samantha $9,800
Gregory $8,200
Tonight’s results:
Gregory $8,200 – $4,000 = $4,200 (Who is Batman?)
Samantha $9,800 – $6,601 = $3,199 (Who is Superman>)
James $47,825 + $26,308 = $74,133 (11-day total: $771,920) (Who is Aquaman Hi Katie & Jo Jo <3)
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
James $13,200
Gregory $3,400
Samantha $1,800
Opening break taken after: 15 clues
Daily Double locations:
1) NEXT YEAR $800 (9th pick)
James 3000 +3000 (Gregory 2000 Samantha 1000)
2) BATTLE ROYALE $1600 (5th pick)
James 15200 +6013 (Gregory 4600 Samantha 2200)
3) GREEK & ROMAN LIT $2000 (8th pick)
James 24013 +9812 (Gregory 4600 Samantha 2200)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 180
Unplayed clues:
J! round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total $ Left On Board: $0
Game Stats:
James $33,400 Coryat, 39 correct, 0 incorrect, 61.40% in first on buzzer, 1/1 on rebound attempts
Gregory $8,200 Coryat, 8 correct, 0 incorrect, 14.04% in first on buzzer
Samantha $9,800 Coryat, 11 correct, 1 incorrect, 21.05% in first on buzzer
Combined Coryat Score: $51,400
Lach Trash: $1,800 (on 2 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $800
James Holzhauer, stats to date:
381 correct, 13 incorrect
13/15 on rebound attempts (on 27 rebound opportunities)
55.07% in first on buzzer (342/621)
24/26 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $237,024)
10/11 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $29,400
James Holzhauer, to win:
12 games: 95.13%
13: 90.50%
14: 86.10%
15: 81.91%
16: 77.93%
Avg. streak: 30.551 games.
Tournament of Champions projections:
With a projected 91 regular-play games to go prior to the Tournament of Champions cutoff, after 500,000 simulations, our model shows:
An average of 2.9578 5+-time champions (standard deviation 1.1761).
An average of 4.5679 4+-time champions (standard deviation 1.4607).
An early cutoff took place 0.272% of the time (or a 5-game winner will be left out).
James Holzhauer qualified 100.000% of the time.
Eric R. Backes qualified 88.752% of the time.
Anneke Garcia qualified 66.629% of the time.
Lindsey Shultz qualified 33.041% of the time.
Dave Leffler qualified 7.903% of the time.
Jonathan Dinerstein qualified 1.064% of the time.
Andy’s Thoughts:
- $74,133 is the seventh-highest single-day score of all time. James holds 5 of the top 7 single-day scores.
- At $771,920, James stays in 4th place in all-time winnings (including tournaments), $1,813 behind David Madden.
- James has now heard 142 consecutive clues without giving an incorrect response. The record is at least 179.
- $51,400 is the highest combined Coryat Score for a game since April 25, 2016 (also $51,400). December 23, 2009’s game had $51,600.
- Effective in first on buzzer stats: James 63.64% (35/55), Gregory 14.55% (8/55), Samantha 21.82% (21/55).
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I’m interested in how Alex reads the FJ! clue. If he puts the emphasis on the “C.”, that would make the answer more obvious( if you know your comic book superheroes)…that’s not how you would normally say a name though. I imagine they’ll all get it, either way. (I hadn’t a clue.)
Why did it take so long for James Holzhauer to be on jeopardy? And who finally convinced him to do so?
James said in an interview that he took the online test 13 times (every year since it’s been offered) and had two in-person auditions before he was invited on the show. That seems hard to believe at this point!
If you pass the online test it’s random to get picked to audition in person. The in person audition is more about personality than trivia skill. I also took it every year (and probably passed every year) but last year was my first audition and I was chosen to be on.
Thanks for that info. They must have a ton more people who pass the online test than they are able to get on the show. I always thought the in-person interview was automatic.
Watching these games is like watching two contestants in one universe, and then, in a complete different reality by himself, is James.
This is the best description I’ve ever read. You are so right.
I wonder what the reasoning is for betting 26 when he knows he could double that 47 so easily. I believe he did that a few nights ago too – he was 3K shy of breaking his own 110 record and waited a few more games to actually do it, although he could have just done it that game. I guess I just want all-in every time now! So impressive every day. I hope he is around for a long run.
James is a gambler, but he’s not a stupid gambler. He’s not going to risk a guaranteed victory (where, being that he’s projected to win another 19 or so games at 70,000 a pop, likely a million dollars) in order to win an extra $20,000 today.
Because he would never jeopardize the win.
My third, and last audition, was in August 2017, and I recall at each audition being told that I was now in the contestant pool for roughly 18-months, or about a year-and-a-half, during which time, I could not take the online test until that time was up (and also had to notify them if I had been on any other game shows during that time). So, there is a hiatus in test-taking if you make it to an audition. So, by doing the math on James’s tests, he must have started taking the test in college or even late in high school because he would have had a break after any audition. And yes, the auditions are more for personality test because they do record you playing a mock game with two other contestants, including a personal interview. I think I took a different approach to that in my last audition, and I think that may be why I finally got called to be on the show. Plus, there were different show staff at each audition I attended, and I think it was a more relaxed atmosphere.
James may not be playing the way I would play the game, but he clearly is having far different (and better) results than I got from playing my way. This is good for the show, to shake up the status quo a bit, and re-energize and vitalize the format a bit and it is ‘buzz-worthy’, generating news stories and maybe drawing in new viewers (and hopefully not alienating the faithful ones too much).
I believe that James only had two in-person auditions (out of all of the times he took the Online Test).
James
You are indeed one of the best. There are categories that you shouldn’t do well but you show the depth of your knowledge. I can run some categories but others like art or literature forget about it. There is no doubt that you will eventually be the number one champion of all times. One favor. Could you wish my wife GRETA well
Thanks
Ron
James is truly impressive, can’t wait for the next show. I’m sure the ratings for the show will be climbing as the word gets out. Keep up the good work James, we enjoy your performance. Alex, stay strong as we continue to pray for your healing. We love you and thank you for all you do!!! God Bless!!!
Today the other contestants seemed a bit more frustrated than others, at least to me. But Samantha’s story made me lol!! 😄
I guess I’m getting jaded when a 74 thousand dollar score seems low.
I would like to see James in a close match where his FJ bet would make the difference between winning and losing.
Jasper
I’m so anxious for each show to come on that even though Jeopardy! doesn’t air here until 7:30 PM, I go to the game recap on this site every morning at 8:30AM. It take the suspense out of it, but at least I can watch without getting too nervous. It’s actually nice to know how it’s going to end.
I am fascinated most about his overall knowledge of an innumerable number of topics – that and his casual demeanor with his bets and the buzzer. It it luck however to hit the daily doubles and when he does he plays them doggone well. I feel a little sorry for the competition sometimes. It sure makes for a quick half hour though.
I think there is some luck in hitting the daily doubles, but because he usually controls the entire board, by buzzing in first and getting almost every clue correct, there’s a very high chance he will be the one to get the daily doubles.
So Jamie a professional gambler, does that allow him to qualify for this kind of quiz program?
Why wouldn’t it allow him?
Does your model giving James a 100.0% chance of making the Tournament of Champions account for any probability that he wins all this season’s games and would only be eligible for next season’s tourney?
James is going to qualify for something, whether it’s this ToC or the one following. Thus, 100%.
However, the %age for Jonathan Dinerstein is the chance that James will still be champion at the projected cutoff date.
@Andy
So you are giving James a 1.064 % chance to be still playing by the cutoff date?
At the moment, yes.
Not only is James a fantastic Jeopardy contestant, but he seems to be a well-adjusted, happy person. He also demonstrates a strong love and loyalty to his family and friends. My advice to him: James: Enjoy every moment during your times on Jeopardy. But above all, do not let success and fame change you into a person of lesser virtue!!!
If I were a contestant, to have any chance at all, I would fish around for the Daily Doubles in the middle of the categories in hope of taking them away from James. That’s what he does. They’re never, if ever (?), the first or last answers…
They’re in the first row once a season on average. They are most likely to be in the third or fourth row; they’re occasionally in rows 2 and 5.
They need to come up with some kind of strategy—anything! That is, if they can get a chance to pick. A “row,” now I know. If ever a Jeopardy! Stats category comes up, the smart money’s on Andy Saunders. Thanks, dude…